Ski: 2022-2023 Faction Dancer 2X, 171 cm
Test Location: Mt. Crested Butte, CO
Days Skied: 8
Available Lengths: 155, 163, 171, 177 cm
Blister’s Measured Tip-to-Tail Length (straight-tape pull): 169.0 cm
Stated Weight Per Ski: 1770 grams
Blister’s Measured Weight per Ski: 1787 & 1798 grams
Stated Dimensions: 127-96-117 mm
Blister’s Measured Dimensions: 126.7-95.6-116.6 mm
Stated Sidecut Radius (171 cm): 17 meters
Measured Tip & Tail Splay (ski decambered): 71 mm / 23.5 mm
Measured Traditional Camber Underfoot: 4.5 mm
Core Materials: poplar + titanal (2 layers) + fiberglass laminate
Base: sintered
Factory Recommended Mount Point:
- “Newschool”: -7.2 cm from center / 77.3 cm from tail
- “Progressive”: -8.7 cm from center / 75.8 cm from tail
- “Classic”: -10.2 from center / 74.3 cm from tail
Boots / Bindings: Tecnica Cochise Pro W; Fischer Ranger 115 W / Tyrolia Attack 13
Intro
For the 22/23 season, Faction tweaked their Dictator series of metal-laminate, directional skis and gave it a new name, “Dancer.” The lineup is comprised of four men’s models and three women’s models, all of which are built with the same construction, and span from the 86mm-wide Dancer 1 to the 114mm-wide Dancer 4. The women’s Dancer 2X is the middle model in the women-specific lineup, at 96 mm underfoot.
We’ve now spent quite a bit of time on it in a mixture of conditions both last season and this season — from early-season groomers to mid-winter chalk, all the way to spring slush — and the Dancer 2X has been surprising in more ways than one.
Women-Specific Aspects of the Dancer 2X
The women’s Dancer skis are denoted by the “X” in their names and consist of the Dancer 1X, Dancer 2X, and Dancer 3X. However, these dual-metal-laminate, directional skis share an identical construction to the men’s Dancer skis, though the women’s lineup is available in different lengths and graphics.
What Faction says about the Dancer 2X
“All-mountain soul.
Click into the Dancer 2X and enjoy pure, all-mountain freeride bliss. Two razor-thin sheets of metal complement the sustainably-sourced poplar wood core for the ideal blend of up-tempo energy, light weight and stable, full-control handling. Its 96 mm waist is versatile to handle all conditions and all terrain. You’ll even float and dance above the choppy stuff thanks to the perfect touch of rocker. Backed by the finest, most durable Austrian construction, powered 100% by renewable energy.”
Shape / Rocker Profile
The shape and rocker profile of the Dancer series has stayed pretty consistent (if not identical) with that of its predecessor, the Dictator series. The Dancer 2X has slightly more tapered tips and tails and slightly deeper rocker lines than some comparable dual-metal-laminate skis, but its shape and rocker profile isn’t really anything out of the ordinary.
Flex Pattern
Here’s how we’d characterize the flex pattern of the Dancer 2X:
Tips: 7-7.5
Shovels: 7.5-8
In Front of Toe Piece: 8-10
Underfoot: 10
Behind the Heel Piece: 10-9
Tails: 9-8.5
The flex pattern of the Dancer 2X feels practically identical to that of the Dancer 2 (unsurprising, given that they share the same construction). This is a very strong ski overall, with a fairly directional flex pattern in that the front half is notably softer than the back half.
Sidecut Radius
At a stated 17 meters in the 171 cm length we’ve been testing, the Dancer 2X has a pretty average-sized sidecut radius for a ski of its size.
Mount Point
For the entire Dancer line, Faction offers three potential mount points, “Classic” (most rearward), “Progressive” (middle), and “Newschool” (most forward).
I primarily skied the Dancer 2X mounted on what Faction calls the “Classic” mount point (-10.2 from center) because I tend to get along well with fairly rearward-mounted skis that encourage a traditional, forward stance.
I also spent a bit of time skiing it mounted on the “Progressive” line (-8.7 cm from center). From there, it was a bit easier to ski it with an upright, centered stance, but the ski still felt best when pressuring the tips with a certain degree of forward pressure to both initiate turns and release its tails.
Weight
The Dancer 2X’s weight (about 1790 grams per ski for the 172 cm length) is fairly average for a ski of its size, though it’s notably lighter than some other metal-laminate skis, such as the Volkl Secret 96, 4FRNT MSP CC, and Nordica Santa Ana 98.
For reference, here are a number of our measured weights (per ski in grams) for some notable skis. Keep in mind the length differences to try to keep things apples-to-apples.
1556 & 1575 Liberty Genesis 96, 165 cm (19/20–20/21)
1592 & 1637 Head Kore 97 W, 170 cm (21/22)
1622 & 1638 Blizzard Black Pearl 88, 165 cm (20/21–22/23)
1638 & 1639 Atomic Maven 93 C, 172 cm (21/22–22/23)
1685 & 1731 Black Crows Camox Birdie, 168 cm (19/20–22/23)
1687 & 1695 Elan Ripstick 102 W, 170 cm (20/21–22/23)
1693 & 1710 Moment Sierra, 172 cm (21/22)
1709 & 1710 Blizzard Sheeva 10, 172 cm (17/18–22/23)
1741 & 1747 Nordica Unleashed 98 W, 174 cm (22/23)
1762 & 1801 K2 Mindbender 98Ti Alliance, 168 cm (19/20–21/22)
1787 & 1798 Faction Dancer 2X, 172 cm (22/23)
1792 & 1792 Nordica Santa Ana 104 Free, 172 cm (20/21–22/23)
1797 & 1839 Rossignol Rallybird 102, 170 cm (20/21–22/23)
1812 & 1817 Salomon Stance 94 W, 174 cm (20/21–22/23)
1831 & 1852 Rossignol Rallybird 104 Ti, 171 cm (20/21–22/23)
1833 & 1842 Volkl Secret 96, 163 cm (21/22–22/23)
1881 & 1895 Salomon QST Lumen 99, 174 cm (19/20–21/22)
1903 & 1917 Nordica Santa Ana 93, 172 cm (20/21–22/23)
1917 & 1935 Nordica Santa Ana 98, 172 cm (20/21–22/23)
1928 & 1945 K2 Mindbender 99Ti W, 172 cm (22/23)
1933 & 1975 Volkl Secret 96, 170 cm (21/22–22/23)
1955 & 1990 Coalition Snow SOS, 173 cm (19/20–20/21)
1969 & 1988 4FRNT MSP CC, 171 cm (20/21–22/23)
1958 & 1960 Faction Dancer 3X, 172 cm (22/23)
1983 & 1999 Nordica Santa Ana 100, 177 cm (18/19 – 19/20)
2015 & 2024 Blizzard Black Pearl 97, 171 cm (20/21–22/23)
2104 & 2115 Volkl Secret 102, 170 cm (19/20–21/22)
Now, let’s get into the Dancer 2X’s on-snow performance:
FULL REVIEW
Groomers
Kara Williard (5’9”, 167 lbs / 175 cm, 75.7 kg): The Dancer 2X has been a fun and surprisingly rewarding ski to carve. The stability and edge hold it offers are accented by a nice level of energy and maneuverability.
There are a few skis in this ~95mm-wide all-mountain category that provide comparable, if not moderately better carving performance on groomers, but the Dancer 2X is both a stable and lively ski on piste. It can execute pretty tight, quick turns, but also feels predictable when opening up at speed.
Compared to the Blizzard Black Pearl 97, Volkl Secret 96, and Nordica Santa Ana 98, the Dancer 2X isn’t quite as damp or stable when making big, fast turns or as precise on edge when the snow is icy. That said, the Dancer 2X provides slightly easier turn initiation and a bit more energy coming out of a turn, and it’s also a bit easier to skid and slide around when you don’t feel like committing to a truly carved turn.
Moguls, Trees, & Tight Terrain
Tight terrain is where I seem to find myself during much of my time at Mt. Crested Butte, and it is also where I really grew an affinity for the Dancer 2X. The Dancer 2X is more “playful” than you’d expect from a pretty stiff, directional, dual-metal-laminate ski. It’s not really playful in a freestyle sense and isn’t exceptionally forgiving, but it can be pretty loose and agile when pressuring the shovels, which, combined with its lively flex pattern, can encourage a more dynamic skiing style with lots of slashes and hops.
Between the Dancer 2X and 3X, the Dancer 2X is the more agile option, but both skis share a lot of similarities while skiing in tight terrain. Overall, the more energy I put into the Dancer 2X, the more nimble and dynamic it felt.
When compared with other dual-metal-laminate, directional skis, such as the Blizzard Black Pearl 97, Volkl Secret 102, and Nordica Santa Ana 98, I found the Dancer 2X and 3X to be comparable in their supportive flex patterns and fairly damp ride qualities, but the Dancers feel a bit looser than those skis, and notably more lively. This contributes to a feeling of (directional) playfulness that is often difficult to achieve from similarly stiff, directional, and generally substantial skis like the Volkl Secret series and Nordica Santa Ana 98. Unsurprisingly, though, the Dancers aren’t quite as damp and planted as those skis.
More freestyle-minded skis like the Nordica Unleashed 98 W and Line Blade Optic 104 are more forgiving of backseat skiing and even easier to skid / slide around in tight spots, but the Dancer 2X provides an interesting middle ground between those skis and the heavier, more traditional alternatives.
Firm Chop / Crud
In firm chop, and in particular, spring refreeze, I found the Dancer 2X to provide pretty good suspension without being super demanding — it’s still fairly easy to turn or shut down in crud when needed.
It’s quite a bit more forgiving and accessible than skis like the Blizzard Black Pearl 97 or Volkl Secret 96, but the Dancer 2X also doesn’t do quite as good a job of muting out or absorbing the vibrations and impacts from harsh, rough conditions.
For someone who prefers a fairly damp, strong ski but who also wants something that doesn’t require maximum effort or speed to come alive and feel engaging, the Dancer 2X makes a lot of sense.
Soft Chop
The Dancer 2X offers a rewarding mixture of traits when it comes to soft chop and moderate powder days. As a general rule, I’d find myself gravitating toward the 106mm-wide Dancer 3X on days where there was even the slightest promise of some softer snow, but the Dancer 2X handles these conditions quite well for its width.
Given the stability and damping offered by the Dancer 2X, it still retains quite a bit of energy / pop. At high speeds, the Dancer 2X does a good job of muting choppy snow, while also being pretty quick and somewhat easy to turn or slow down.
There are many skis that are more playful overall than the Dancer 2X, but the Dancer 2X is also quite a bit more stable than many of them (e.g. Moment Sierra, Nordica Unleashed 98, and Line Pandora 104).
Length
Initially, I had assumed that the 171 cm Dancer 2X would feel a bit short (for reference, I tend to enjoy skis in lengths anywhere from 170 cm to 180 cm). After spending quite a bit of time on it across all conditions — and one quick jaunt on the 182 cm men’s Dancer 2 — I am actually pretty happy with the 171 cm Dancer 2X. While it’s a fairly light, quick ski, it’s still pretty stiff and doesn’t have a radically rockered or tapered design, so it doesn’t feel particularly short compared to the whole category of ~95mm-wide all-mountain skis.
Keeping in mind that there are no constructional differences between the Dancer 2 and the women’s Dancer 2X, the 182 cm length felt pretty great in terms of stability and edge hold on groomers, but I felt less confident on it in tight terrain and bumps. Maybe the 177 cm length would be the ticket, but I was pretty happy overall with the 171 cm.
Who’s It For?
The Dancer 2X is a worthy contender for someone seeking a daily driver that will handle most conditions quite well (including pretty firm ones), without feeling super sluggish or lacking in energy. It’s not the most damp or planted ski, but it provides a versatile balance of suspension, agility, and liveliness. In particular, it’s worth a close look if you have appreciated the smooth ride of heavier metal-laminate skis but wished those skis were more engaging at moderate speeds and easier to maneuver in tight terrain.
The Dancer 2X is still more demanding of a traditional forward stance than the more playful, freestyle-oriented skis in this class, so I think it will work best for high-intermediate to expert skiers who want something that’s both pretty strong and stable but also fairly nimble and lively.
Bottom Line
To sum things up, I’ll look back at what I said in the review of the Dancer 3X: “While it’s not the most accessible or forgiving ski, it’s a ski that rewards a committed, forward skiing style. And from that stance, the Dancer 3X can provide a lively and stable ride across the mountain.”
This also applies to the Dancer 2X, but the narrower 2X feels even quicker in tight terrain and more precise on piste, at the cost of some flotation and stability in softer conditions. Overall, though, the Dancer 2X has proven to be a compelling option in the directional all-mountain category for fairly experienced to expert skiers who like strong, stable skis but who have found the heavier, more traditional options lacking in maneuverability, energy, and agility.
Would have been nice to see some Armada Declivity comparisons here given how obviously close the playful but directional + rocker + metal daily driver mission statement is for both skis – and Faction’s roots.
Thanks for reading D.T. We will have more information and comparisons for the Armada Reliance (the women-specific version of the Declivity) later on this season.
Thanks for the review Kara, very helpful. Have an upcoming test weekend in March so hope we can get on the Dancers there. Did Kristin like them as much as you did?