January 31, 2022 – IT’S A THEME WEEK!

The opening ceremony of the Winter Olympic games is Friday night, so it’s only fitting that we do a theme week about Winter Olympic sports! Today, we’re starting with figure skating. Believe it or not, figure skating dates back to prehistoric times! Ice skates made with animal bones have been found in Scandinavia and Russia dating back to around 3000 BC. The Dutch added edges to their skates in the 13th and 14th century, which they relied heavily upon for transportation during the winter months. An American named Jackson Haines is regarded as the Father of Modern Figure Skating. He was the first to incorporate graceful ballet and dance movements, and the first to add music to his routines. He also invented the sit spin, and made enhancements to the skates themselves that allowed for easier turns and more stability. Figure skating was the very first winter sport to be contested at the Olympics in 1908. The United States is the most successful nation in figure skating at the Winter Olympics – we’ve won a total of 51 medals, including 15 golds! Learn more here.