The 'Quad God' lives up to his name in Milan
The atmosphere in Milan is currently electric. During the second day of the Olympic Winter Games in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, the United States claimed the gold medal in the figure skating team event. Although it is a team sport, there was one man who kept all eyes on him: Ilia Malinin. In the dance world, we often talk about technique versus expression, but what Malinin shows here on the ice borders on the impossible. With a score of 200.03 in the free skate, he proved why his nickname 'Quad God' is more than deserved.
Malinin began his program with a quadruple flip and a quadruple lutz as if they were simple warm-ups. In my 30 years of experience in the dance world, I have rarely seen an athlete who has such control over his vertical axis. The rotation speed he generates is something many a breakdancer or ballet dancer would be jealous of. Yet it wasn't flawless; during a combination, he touched the ice. But the way he composed himself and brought the crowd with him shows that he is not just a technician, but a true performer.
The return of the forbidden backflip
What is truly stirring emotions in the skating world is the backflip that Malinin threw in the final phase of his program. For laypeople, this might seem like just a spectacular trick, but there is a whole history behind it. In 1976, American Terry Kubicka performed this jump for the first time at the Games, after which the International Skating Union (ISU) promptly banned the move due to safety risks.
I remember the legendary Surya Bonaly well during the Nagano Games in 1998. She was tired of the rules and did the backflip in protest, landing on one skate – a feat even more difficult than the standard landing. She was severely penalized by the judges for it back then. That Malinin dares to do this again now shows that the sport is changing. The boundary between what is 'artistic' and what is 'acrobatic' is blurring more and more. At Miss Salsa, we often see that same discussion in dance styles such as contemporary or jazz, where acrobatics sometimes seem to take precedence over pure dance steps.
Success for host country Italy and a Japanese silver
While the Americans stood on the top step, the joy among the Italians was perhaps the greatest. Matteo Rizzo, a child of the city of Milan, skated the program of his life. He replaced Daniel Grassl, and that proved to be a masterstroke. With a score of 179.62, he brought the crowd to their feet and secured the bronze medal for the host country. It is wonderful to see how a home crowd can lift a dancer or skater to a higher level; that energy is priceless.
Japan took the silver thanks to a rock-solid performance by debutant Shun Sato. Although Sato does not perform backflips, his technique is almost clinically perfect. He came very close to Malinin with 194.86 points. The contrast between the explosive Malinin and the refined Sato is precisely what makes this sport so fascinating. It is the eternal struggle between power and elegance, a theme we encounter in every dance form.
Music choice and artistic value on the ice
Something that always strikes me as a dancer is the choice of music. Canadian Stephen Gogolov chose a classical theme, which is safe but sometimes a bit predictable. On the other hand, we saw Japan's Kaori Sakamoto shine to a medley of Édith Piaf chansons. Her movements were fluid and elegant, exactly what you expect from a three-time world champion. She won her segment with 148.62 points and thereby temporarily brought Japan level with the US.
The use of chansons brings a certain kind of drama that perfectly fits the long lines of figure skating. It's a pity that Sakamoto has announced her retirement after these Games, because her ability to tell a story on the ice is a rarity. In the dance world, we often say: "You shouldn't just hear the music, you must be the music." Sakamoto is the living proof of that.
What we as dancers can learn from these top athletes
Although at Miss Salsa we are usually on a parquet floor and not on the ice, the parallels are obvious. Ilia Malinin's focus on his technique, without losing the connection with the audience, is a lesson for every dancer. Whether you are performing a salsa combination or jumping a quadruple Axel, it is about that balance between control and surrender.
In addition, the resilience of athletes like Lindsey Vonn, who appear at the start despite serious injuries, is admirable. Although her fairytale in Cortina ended in a fall and a hospital visit, it reminds us how physically demanding our passion can be. It requires iron discipline and a body pushed to the limit.
The tension is rising in Milan
The medal table is currently led by Norway, closely followed by the US. The Netherlands currently has zero medals, but hopes are pinned on the women's 1,000 meters in speed skating. With Jutta Leerdam in top form and Suzanne Schulting faster than ever, it seems only a matter of time before the Dutch team is also on the podium.
For now, we continue to enjoy the artistic highlights in figure skating. The team event has shown that the sport continues to develop and that the new generation, led by Malinin, is not afraid to challenge the established order and the old rules. More details about the results and the atmosphere in Milan can be found in the coverage from NOS and De Telegraaf.
Figure skating remains one of the few sports where sportsmanship and art are so closely intertwined. Seeing tennis player Novak Djokovic sitting attentively in the stands only underscores how broad the appreciation for this discipline is. Whether you love the jumps or the choreography, this was a day for the history books.