MILWAUKEE — In my opinion, the most elegant sport of the winter Olympics has always been figure skating.
The grace, technique, and speed with which the skaters navigate the ice, not to mention the choreography, costumes, and the music, make it an exhilarating sport to watch.
I met with Mackenzie Neuendorf, a skate school instructor at the Pettit National Ice Center, to learn what goes into competing on an Olympic level.
Olympic figure skating is a full-time, year-round commitment. Many skaters began skating between the ages of four and six. Children, having less fear, pick up the basics of skating more quickly. In addition to being able to spin, turn, jump, and hop, skaters need to be flexible with a keen sense of coordination and balance. In order to achieve these, many skaters take dance classes such as ballet or jazz.
Watching Mackenzie on the ice was mesmerizing! Next time around, I want to be a figure skater.
If you’d like to learn to skate, check out the Pettit National Ice Center
