ABSTRACT

This chapter identifies the origins of ice skating, as well as its history, development and global spread. The sport was first created as a means of transportation and winter pastime in cold European climates. Subsequently, figure skating has evolved as both competitive sport and performing art. The sport has long maintained a tension between exacting technical precision, athletic freedom of movement, and performative qualities. As a judged sport, this tension has colored the style and techniques of figure skaters around the globe. This chapter examines trends in competitive practices throughout the 20th and 21st centuries and the impact of global political and cultural changes on developments within the sport. We explore the transition from ice skating to figure skating, the codification and organization of the modern sport, professionalization, milestones in performance and technology, scandals and ground-breaking skaters in figure skating history. Finally, we look to the future of the sport and seek to understand the challenges and triumphs to come.