Vintage Ski Ballet clips make a return to the Olympic spotlight

Ballet on skis? Photo: Olympics.com

Breakdancing had its Olympic moment, does ski ballet have a market for a comeback?

Ski ballet, a unique freestyle skiing discipline blending figure skating grace, 1980s flair, and alpine skiing thrill, emerged in the counterculture era of the 1960s according to Olympics.com. This theatrical sport featured choreographed 90-second routines to music, incorporating spins, flips, and intricate maneuvers, judged for technicality, execution, and creativity. Known for its sequined costumes and puffy sleeves, ski ballet peaked as an Olympic demonstration sport in 1988 and 1992.

Despite fading from competitive skiing after 1994, its creative legacy influenced modern freestyle disciplines like slopestyle and big air. Social media has reignited interest in vintage ski ballet footage, with several old clips generating millions of views in recent weeks.

As the Olympics compete for viewers, do you think ski ballet has a chance of being added to the 2034 Winter Olympic events in Park City?

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by TownLift (@townliftnews)