Here's one we won't be seeing at the Sochi Games
A mixture of jumps, twirls and emotion ski ballet was stopped in 2000
The glamour, the costumes, the excitement – ski ballet had it all. Sadly, it won’t be appearing in all its dazzling form at the Sochi Winter games after being scrapped from official competitions.
In 1988 and 1992 ski ballet was part of the Olympics as a “ demonstration sport” designed to raise its profile and promote it to a wider audience.
Sadly, although popular in the ‘80s and ‘90s the sport failed to catch on and was resigned to history in 2000 when the International Ski Federation stopped all formal ski ballet competitions.
Competitions were a mixture of choreographed flips, rolls, leg crossings, emotional gesticulations and spins performed on a smooth slope and in typically flamboyant ‘80s costumes.
Commentary from a 1985 ski ballet competition in Breckeridge, which held competitions over the ‘80s, gives a clue of the gems we missed, including: “He’s got some emotion in this run.”
Stars of the sport include Suzy Chaffee, better known by her on-screen nickname Suzy Chapstick when she was a spokesperson for the brand during the 1970s.
Performances were decided by a panel of judges, similar to ice skating competitions today.
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