Grades by country · UK
British Ice Skating: Ice dance
Not checked yet. The level lists on this page are a first draft by a non-expert, and no coach has seen them yet. Read them as a starting point and check them with a coach. Corrections are very welcome.
Each national ice dance level has a pattern dance test and a free dance test, and a skater can take the pattern dances up their own ladder without the free dance. This page lists the pattern dances only. The first three levels name two dances each; from National 4 the skater chooses two from a list.
Above National 3 the tests split. A skater who wants to compete takes the competitive pattern dance pathway, where British Ice Skating’s ice dance committee sets the dances each season. The national pathway shown here is the one for skaters testing for themselves.
National 1
- Novice Foxtrot, two sequences No page in this guide yet.
- Rhythm Blues, two sequences Rhythm Blues
National 2
- Dutch Waltz, two sequences Dutch Waltz
- Canasta Tango, two sequences Canasta Tango
National 3
- Festival Cha Cha, two sequences No page in this guide yet.
- Fiesta Tango, two sequences Fiesta Tango
National 4
Two of the five, chosen by the skater.
- Golden Skaters Waltz, two sequences No page in this guide yet.
- Canadian Cha Cha, two sequences No page in this guide yet.
- Riverside Rhumba, two sequences No page in this guide yet.
- Hickory Hoedown, two sequences Hickory Hoedown
- Festival Quickstep, two sequences No page in this guide yet.
National 5
Two of the five, chosen by the skater.
- Willow Waltz, two sequences Willow Waltz
- Swing Dance, two sequences Swing Dance
- Foxtrot, four sequences Foxtrot
- 14 Step, four sequences 14 Step
- Novice Waltz, two sequences No page in this guide yet.
National 6
Two of the four, chosen by the skater.
- 22 Step, three sequences No page in this guide yet.
- Rocker Foxtrot, four sequences Rocker Foxtrot
- European Waltz, two sequences European Waltz
- Blues, two sequences Blues
National 7
Two of the five, chosen by the skater.
- Silver Samba, two sequences Silver Samba
- American Waltz, two sequences American Waltz
- Tango, two sequences Tango
- Kilian, four sequences Kilian
- Quickstep, two sequences Quickstep
National 8
Two of the five, chosen by the skater.
- Argentine Tango, two sequences Argentine Tango
- Starlight Waltz, two sequences Starlight Waltz
- Paso Doble, three sequences Paso Doble
- Rhumba, four sequences Rhumba
- Cha Cha Congelado, two sequences Cha Cha Congelado
Gold Star
Two of the five, chosen by the skater.
- Ravensburger Waltz, two sequences Ravensburger Waltz
- Finnstep, two sequences No page in this guide yet.
- Midnight Blues, two sequences No page in this guide yet.
- Golden Waltz, two sequences No page in this guide yet.
- Austrian Waltz, two sequences No page in this guide yet.
Source: British Ice Skating, Ice Dance Test Manual (updated 21/05/2026)