By GIA KOURLAS
Published: February 26, 2010
From experience, three things happen the moment that you let it slip that you used to be a figure skater: there is an incredulous pause, a sharp “Really?” and laughter. The order of the first two can change, but the exchange always ends in laughter.
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Kevin van der Perren of Belgium in his short program. More Photos »
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At the Olympics, figure skating is more exposed to the world than ever in all of its tacky, high-def glory. The garish costumes, the canned music, the kiss-and-cry routine as skaters wait for their scores — it’s easy to make fun. I can still see the Belgian skater Kevin van der Perren’s skeleton costume without closing my eyes. (When will that stop?) But as an amateur who had professional coaching, I loved being part of that world, or what it once represented.
Figure skating exists in a murky place — it’s tempting to find parallels to dance. Both forms feature movement in space and time set to music, and some skaters even study ballet. Still, when a certain recurring question crops up — is figure skating a sport or an art — I’m reminded of the jokes, and the answer is clear: it’s a sport with delusions of grandeur.
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