An Arabian Cartwheel is when a skater kicks his or her legs back and up while pushing off with the toe. For a brief moment, the skater is in the air upside down. The move gives the illusion of a real cartwheel. Many skaters do this move before going into a flying camel.
A similar move is called a Butterfly, but an Arabian Cartwheel is different from a Butterfly. In a Butterfly, the skater's body is horizontal to the ice; a skater is more upside down in an Arabian Cartwheel.
In a Butterfly, in the air, the skater is in a horizontal position. In an Arabian Cartwheel, the skater is in a vertical position.
World Champion and Olympic Silver Medalist Dianne DeLeeuw explains how to do an Arabian:
'An Arabian is an exciting move! I always suggest that it be learned off-ice first. It is basically a "handless cartwheel." Practice the cartwheeling action first holding on to something about hip height. Work on the scissor action of your legs. Then move to doing it without help. On the ice start standing still doing the same action. For counter clockwise jumpers: stand on right leg with left toe in to start. Use your arms to help the swing. The landing can be a back sit or camel or step out onto your left forward outside edge. As you improve try it moving from a right forward inside edge mohawk to the step. This is a hard move to write about, it is easier to follow someone!'
