Sport in which ice-skating pairs perform to music routines similar to ballroom dances .
Ice dancers are judged on the difficulty and originality of their dance steps, their interpretation of the music, and their timing and unison. Unlike figure skating , ice dancing does not allow movements of strength or technical skill (particularly overhead lifts, jumps, and spins of more than one-and-a-half rotations). It has been an Olympic event since 1976.