History of Figure Skating

Written by: Paige Leal

After a long day in February, turning on the T.V to relax sounds like the perfect thing. Not knowing what is coming on, one is surprised when they see graceful figure skaters gliding across the screen, competing against different counties in the Winter Olympics. How did this sport come about, and how did it become one of the most popular winter sports? 

Figure skating didn’t start as the graceful sport we know today, it began as a way for people to move across frozen lakes and rivers long ago. Long ago in Northern Europe, people made makeshift skates by strapping sharp-edged blades onto their feet. These skates allowed ice travelers to glide more easily, and over time skating became more than just travel, it became a fun, social activity, a sport.  

Ice Skating to Figure Skating 

In the 18th century, figure skating started to become a sport. People in Britain began creating patterns, or “figures,” on the ice (sound familiar) to show control and skill, and the first organized skating club was formed in Edinburgh, Scotland in the 1740s. An instructional book published in 1772 taught skaters how to make shapes like circles and spirals, turning skating into something people could train for and be judged on.  

By the mid-1800s, skating had spread further and started to look more like the figure skating we know today. Jackson Haines, an American skater, helped change the sport by adding dance and music to routines in the 1860s. His style became popular in Europe and helped turn figure skating into an artistic as well as athletic sport.  

Olympics

Figure skating has been part of the Olympics for over a century. It was first included as an Olympic event at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, being part of the original Olympics, before Winter Games even existed. Skaters competed in men’s, women’s, and pairs events, marking the sport’s big international debut. Then when the Winter Olympics started in 1924 in Chamonix, France, figure skating became one of the sports that stayed on the program every time.  

Over the years, Olympic figure skating has produced unforgettable moments, legendary champions, and dramatic competitions. The sport has evolved from strict patterns on the ice to include daring jumps, dramatic spins, and expressive choreography, all while keeping its roots in precision and artistry.