Making Sense of Composition - Level 10 Floor

This article has been updated to reflect the changes in the 2026-2030 DP Code of Points.

Have you ever watched a floor routine that looked amazing, but then it scored low? I know I have! Especially before I started judging, it just didn’t make sense! What was the problem? Composition deductions!

But what exactly does that mean? We’ll take a closer look today.

In 2026, a change was made to incorporate routine composition into the Start Value. Under these rules, gymnasts must earn Composition Credit (CC) for performing skills with specific values. Completion of the Composition Credit requirements is required to achieve a 10.0 Start Value.

A Level 10 routine has a Start Value of 9.20 before adding in Composition Credit and Bonus. Composition Credit accounts for 0.30 of the additional 0.80, with Bonus comprising the remaining 0.50.

So what’s the best way to construct a routine to receive full credit and a 10.0 Start Value? I’ll offer plenty of examples today. I’ll also review some additional composition deductions that can be applied for Level 10 floor. These composition deductions do not come off the Start Value, but will lower a gymnast’s score if they are not fulfilled.

This is the third article in a three-part series: Making Sense of Floor Composition. Check out the Level 8 and Level 9 articles too! This series discusses Composition Credit and composition deductions on floor for levels 8, 9, and 10.

Value Parts in a Level 10 Floor Routine

When a coach and gymnast are constructing a routine, they will first want to consider the skills, or Value Parts, that are allowable for the gymnast’s level. For those who are unfamiliar, skills in the Dev Program are valued from A to E, with A skills being the easiest, and E skills being the most difficult. Level 10 gymnasts are allowed to perform any elements, A through E, for both acro and dance skills. Gymnasts will use these skills to fulfill the required Value Parts and Special Requirements in their Level 10 floor routine.

Level 10’s will want to fulfill their Special Requirements and compositional requirements using skills that showcase the gymnast’s strengths, meet the difficulty level to the best of the gymnast’s ability, and that minimize deductions.

Two Types of Composition in a Level 10 Floor Routine

There are two types of Composition in a Level 10 floor routine:

Composition Credit (comes off the Start Value)
Composition Deductions (deducted from the final score of the routine)

Let’s explore both types of composition.

Composition Credit in a Level 10 Floor Routine

The composition requirements for Level 10 changed significantly for the 2026-30 Code of Points. Gone are the Acro Level, Dance Level, and Dismount Level deductions.

Now there is a new way of evaluating composition: Composition Credit.

Composition Credit is new in 2026. It is a portion of the Start Value that a gymnast can earn by performing certain values of skills in her routine. Composition Credit varies by level. At Level 10, a gymnast can earn up to 0.30 in Composition Credit, to help her achieve a 10.0 Start Value. Up to 0.20 of the Composition Credit can be earned from Acro skills, and up to 0.10 can be earned from dance skills.

The Composition Credit requirements at Level 10 are:

Acro CC:

2 different D (or higher) saltos and 1 C (or higher) salto = +0.20 OR
1 E salto and 1 D (or higher) salto = +0.20 OR
2 different D saltos = +0.10 OR
1 E salto and 1 C salto = +0.10

Dance CC:

3 different C (or higher) dance skills = +0.10 OR
1 D dance skill and 1 C dance skill = +0.10

Let’s take a look at the requirements, and how this might look in a routine.

Gymnast doing double stag ring leap on Level 10 floor

Acro Composition Credit in a Level 10 Floor Routine

The Acro Special Requirements for Level 10 floor include 3 different saltos and an acro pass with 2 saltos. To receive full Composition Credit in the acro category, a Level 10 gymnast must perform at least 2 different D (or higher) saltos, and 1 C (or higher) salto, OR an E salto and a D salto. There is no requirement to perform more than the 3 required saltos.

Saltos that do not land on the feet first (ex: front tuck off one leg to sit) do not count as saltos, and therefore will not be used to determine acro Composition Credit. Aerials and saltos that take off of one leg (i.e. side somi) also do not count as saltos.

Examples:

Pass #1: Double pike (D, +0.10 bonus)
Pass #2: Back layout 1 1/2, front pike (C+B direct, +0.20 bonus)
Pass #3: Double tuck (D, +0.10 bonus)
+0.20 Acro CC
Pass #1: Double tuck (D, +0.10 bonus)
Pass #2: Front layout, front 1/1 (B+C direct, +0.20 bonus)
Pass #3: Rudi (D, +0.10 bonus)
+0.20 Acro CC
Pass #1: Triple full (E, +0.20 bonus)
Pass #2: 2 1/2 twist, front tuck (D+A direct, +0.30 total bonus)
Pass #3: Front full (C)
+0.20 Acro CC
Pass #1: Double tuck (D, +0.10 bonus)
Pass #2: Back layout 2/1 twist (C)
Pass #3: Rudi, back layout stepout (D+A, +0.30 total bonus)
+0.20 Acro CC
Pass #1: Full-in (E, +0.20 bonus)
Pass #2: Front tuck through to double tuck (A+D indirect, +0.20 total bonus)
+0.20 Acro CC
Pass #1: Front 2/1 twist (E, +0.20 bonus)
Pass #2: Rudi, back layout stepout (D+A direct, +0.30 total bonus)
+0.20 Acro CC
Pass #1: Double pike (D, +0.10 bonus)
Pass #2: Front layout, front layout (B+B direct, +0.10 bonus)
Pass #3: Rudi (D, +0.10 bonus)
+0.10 Acro CC
Pass #1: Front pike stepout, through to back layout 1 ½ (B+C indirect, +0.10 bonus)
Pass #2: Front 2/1 twist (E, +0.20 bonus)
+0.10 Acro CC
Pass #1: Whip, back layout 1 1/2 (A+C direct, +0.10 bonus)
Pass #2: Front 2/1, front tuck (E+A direct, +0.40 total bonus)
+0.10 Acro CC
Pass #1: Rudi (D, +0.10 bonus)
Pass #2: Whip ½, front 1/1 (B+C direct, +0.20 bonus)
Pass #3: Front layout, front 1/1 (B+C direct, +0.20 bonus)
NO Acro CC
Pass #1: Front 1/1, front pike (C+B direct, +0.20 bonus)
Pass #2: Back layout 2/1 twist (C)
Pass #3: Rudi (D, +0.10 bonus)
NO Acro CC

What are your favorite passes to use for Level 10?

Dance Composition Credit in a Level 10 Floor Routine

To receive full Composition Credit for dance at Level 10, the gymnast must perform 3 DIFFERENT C dance elements OR 1 D and 1 C dance element. If she completes the dance passage Special Requirement along with the B turn compositional requirement, she will already have 3 dance elements in her routine. If the gymnast uses 2 C elements in the dance passage, along with a C turn, she will receive full Composition Credit for her dance Value Parts. Alternatively, she could do an easier dance passage or turn, and perform an isolated C dance skill if it is better performed that way. Use the skills that the gymnast can perform with the fewest deductions!

Examples:

Double turn (C)
Switch-side, Popa (C+C, +0.10 bonus)
+0.10 Dance CC
Switch-ring, switch 1/2 (C+C, +0.10 bonus)
1 ½ turn with leg horizontal (C)
+0.10 Dance CC
Switch 1/1 (D, +0.10 bonus)
Switch leap, straddle jump (B+B)
1 1/2 wolf turn (C)
+0.10 Dance CC
Switch 1/2, split jump (C+A)
2/1 wolf turn (D, +0.10 bonus)
+0.10 Dance CC
Tour jete 1/2, Popa (C+C, +0.10 bonus)
1 1/2 turn (B)
NO Dance CC
Switch-side, wolf 1/1 (C+C, +0.10 bonus)
NO Dance CC (gymnast would incur an additional 0.20 deduction for lack of B turn)

Gymnasts have many options at Level 10 to meet the dance CC requirements. If the gymnast can perform a D dance skill, she only needs one more C dance skill to complete her CC requirement. Many Level 10 gymnasts are already doing a C+C dance combination to get bonus, and if that is complete, they will only need one more C dance skill in the routine.

Gymnast not great at turning? No problem! Do the simplest B turn she can do, and then show off the C dance skills that she IS good at. There are many skills to choose from, so find the ones that best suit the gymnast’s strengths!

Gymnast pose after dismount Level 10 floor

Dismount Composition in a Level 10 Floor Routine

There are NO composition requirements for the level of the dismount in floor routines at this time! For this reason, it makes the most sense to select acro skills that can be cleanly performed, in the order that allows the gymnast to perform them the best. Make sure the last salto is at least a C value, to avoid losing Special Requirement credit.

Composition Deductions in a Level 10 Floor Routine

Lack of minimum “B” turn: 0.2. If the gymnast attempts a B turn but it is more than 90 degrees incomplete, or if she does not attempt one at all, she will receive this deduction. It doesn’t come off the start value, but instead is taken at the end of the routine.
Lack of minimum of D salto: 0.3.
Failure to perform saltos or aerials in two different directions: 0.1. The gymnast must perform a backward salto/aerial, and a forward or sideward salto/aerial. An Arabian salto is considered a forward salto. Aerial cartwheels or walkovers will fulfill this compositional requirement, even though they do not fulfill the salto Special Requirement.
Overuse of dance elements with same shape: 0.1. This deduction would be taken only for more than two straddle jumps (with/without turn), or more than two elements with a wolf or tuck position (with/without turn).

Insufficient use of the floor exercise area is no longer a deduction.

As you can see, there are many different ways to maximize the score for Level 10 floor. If you’re meeting all of these categories and are still unsure of the deductions, general deductions and specific execution are the next place to look. Put it all together and the result will be fantastic!

I love watching Level 10 floor because of the exciting skills and combinations you will see! Are there any of your favorites that I didn’t mention here?

References

USA Gymnastics Development Program Code of Points, 2026-2030.

Making Sense of Composition – Level 10 Floor