Looking back on my thirty years in the dance world, I see one thing recurring: the eternal struggle between technique and emotion. Whether you're on a wooden dance floor or a slippery ice rink, finding that balance is the holy grail. In the world of figure skating, there is currently one name that doesn't just seek that balance, but simply rewrites it: Ilia Malinin. With the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan on the horizon, he is the man everyone is talking about.
Who is the 'Quad God' actually?
Ilia Malinin, an American in his twenties with Russian roots, has given himself the modest nickname 'Quad God'. That might sound arrogant, but in his case, it's simply a factual description. He is the first skater ever to successfully land the quadruple axel — a jump with four and a half rotations — in competition. For those not familiar with skating terms: it's like doing a pirouette while flying through the air at the speed of a moped and then landing on one leg without wobbling.
According to a recent article by the NOS, Malinin is the ultimate showman. He doesn't skate to the standard classical music that we fell asleep to in the '90s. No, he chooses rap by Kendrick Lamar and builds acts that look more like a hip-hop performance than a traditional program. That appeals to a whole new audience, and frankly, the sport needs that.
The road to Milan 2026
The 2026 Winter Olympics will take place from February 6 to 22 in Italy. Figure skating will be organized in the Milano Ice Skating Arena in Assago, near Milan. For fans who want to be there: prices for competitive sessions vary widely, but expect amounts between €280 and €650 for the popular events. The men compete for medals on Tuesday, February 10 (short program) and Friday, February 13 (free skate).
Malinin isn't just going for gold there; he is hinting at something never seen before: the quintuple jump. In an interview with The Guardian, he indicated that he is physically ready to push the boundaries of the human body. At Miss Salsa, we often see dancers trying to cram more and more turns into their spins, but what Malinin does borders on the laws of physics. He says himself for a reason: "Laws of nature don't apply to me."
The 'forbidden' backflip and crowd favorite
What makes Malinin so interesting for us as dancers is his urge to defy the rules. During recent competitions, he performed a backflip on the ice. In official judging, that doesn't earn any points — in fact, it's technically a 'forbidden' element — but the crowd goes wild. As De Standaard wrote: the audience loves it, even though he doesn't get points for it. It reminds me of those moments on the dance floor where a dancer makes a move that doesn't technically fit the protocol, but sets the whole room on fire. That is the essence of entertainment.
Skating is in the genes
Malinin's success didn't come out of nowhere. His parents, Tatiana Malinina and Roman Skorniakov, were both top skaters who competed for Uzbekistan at the Olympics. His mother even won the Grand Prix Final in 1999. Nowadays, they coach their son in Virginia, USA. It is a true family business, where the technical foundation of his parents is combined with Ilia's own modern, rebellious style.
Interesting detail: his parents never pushed him to skate. They actually wanted him to have a 'normal' life, away from the immense pressure of top-tier sports. But Malinin wanted it himself. That inner motivation is often the reason why someone reaches the top. You see the difference immediately between a dancer who has to because of their parents and a dancer who steps onto the floor because they simply can't do otherwise.
What we as dancers can learn from the Quad God
I often hear the discussion in the dance world: is it about technique or feeling? Early in his career, Malinin was criticized for being just a 'jumper'. He had the power but lacked the artistry. That annoyed him. He understood that you have to have the whole package: creativity, mental strength, and artistic finish.
In concrete terms, this means for us that we shouldn't just focus on how many spins we can do or how high we can jump. The transitions between moves, the look in your eyes, and the way you interpret the music make the difference between an athlete and an artist. Malinin states that figure skating is as much an art form as a sport, and he proves that by devising his own acts and thinking philosophically about his choice of music.
Practical tips for your own performance:
- Dare to break with tradition: Malinin uses rap. What if you danced a salsa to a completely different genre?
- Focus on the landing: In skating, the landing is everything. In dance, the 'finish' of a movement is just as important. Finish your move before you go to the next one.
- Mental resilience: Malinin was passed over for the 2022 Games despite finishing second at the National Championships. He used that anger as fuel. Setback is often the best motivator.
Excitement builds for 2026
As we head toward February 2026, the attention on Malinin will only increase. The pressure is huge, but he seems to thrive on it. As long as he can eat a bar of milk chocolate before his program — his fixed ritual — he seems unbeatable. It will be a spectacle in Milan, where we hopefully see not only technical perfection but also the pure emotion that connects sport and dance.
In any case, I will continue to follow it closely. Because whether it's on ice or on a dance floor: you recognize passion from a mile away. And Ilia Malinin has that in abundance.