Jam Skating Defined
Jam skating can be characterized as a combination of many styles of dance, all performed on roller skates. It involves elements of breakdancing, figure skating, modern dance and gymnastics. Jam skating routines vary greatly, depending on the skater or team that is performing. There are very few rigid regulations in the sport. Usually, the only rule imposed on skaters is a time limit on their performances. This lack of regulation allows each skater to develop his or her own personal style.

Jam Skating Through The Years
Jam skating has been called many things in the past, including shuffle skating, shadow skating, bounce skating, rexing, crazy legging and roller disco.  A kind of dancing on skates known as shuffle dancing took place in rinks as early as the 1930s.  However, this style of dancing focused more on the synchronization of two skaters and less on some of the difficult moves seen in today's jam skating.  More recently, the roots of jam skating can be found in roller disco, which was very popular in the 1970s.  In the 1980s, disco faded in popularity, and this is when this style of dancing on skates came to be known as jam skating.  This is also when the elements of breakdancing were introduced to the sport, and it began to more closely resemble the jam skating of today.