With the developments of Ulrich Salchow, figure skating quickly evolved into a sport incorporating more athletics as opposed to just dance elements.  An accomplished skater himself, Salchow was considered to be the best figure skater of his time, having won the world championships ten times.  During the first Olympics in which figure skating was recognized as an Olympic sport (London, 1908), Salchow was crowned the champion of his event.  Outside of his success on the ice, Salchow has been recognized for his invention of ice skates with slightly serrated blades.  This gave ice skates more traction on the ice, so skaters were able to launch themselves into several rotations once Salchow's improvements to the blade were made. 

Ulrich Salchow

After enabling his fellow skaters to complete jumps on ice, Ulrich Salchow invented a jump widely used today in competition: the salchow.  Female figure skaters performing at the national level often complete a triple salchow, while male figure skaters competing at the national level often complete a quadruple salchow.  As indicated by their respective names, a triple salchow is three rotations while a quadruple salchow is four rotations, and both have a backwards takeoff. 

The first ice skating association, known as the Edinburgh Skating Club, carried figure skating into more modren times when it was developed in 1742.  American Jackson Haines is the sole receiver of credit given for founding modern figure skating.  A superb skater himself, Haines won the first Championships of America held in Troy, New York in 1864.  He is known as the first figure skater to incorporate ballet and dance moves into his skating programs, as opposed to simply tracing patterns on the ice.  Haines invented the sit spin as well, which has taken on many variations still used today in competition.  Aside from his personal accomplishments, he took figure skating to a new level by creating a shorter, curved blade that made turns easier for the skater.  This artistic way of skating developed by Haines was challenged by the more rigid figure skating forms of the British that were dominant throughout America. 



Jackson Haines

 Haines found success in spreading his artistic skating style to European countries such as Sweden and Austria, yet his colleagues back in America still despised his form.  An incredible performance given by Haines in Vienna in 1868 full of dance elements intrigued the crowd, and ultimately led to the establishment of the Vienna School.  This school continued to advocate and teach the artistic stylings of Jackson Haines.  Despite passing away in 1875 at the age of 35 due to tuberculosis, Haines' legacy lived on through this school.  In 1892, his students established the International Skating Union, which was the first international ice skating organization and one of the oldest sport organizations still existing today.  The Union developed the first codified set of figure skating rules.

Figure skating, in places such as the Netherlands, was considered appropriate for people of all social classes to participate in; however, in other places, figure skating was limited to only those in the upper classes.  This idea of social status relating figure skating may have partially stemmed from Emperor Rudolf II of the Holy Roman Empire's love of figure skating.  He called for a grand ice carnival to be constructed in his court in 1610 in order to draw more attention to the sport.  Similarly, King Louis XVI of France tried to popularize figure skating by bringing ice skating to Paris during his reign.  Among others, Madame de Pompadour, Napoleon I, Napoleon III, and the House of Stuart were royal fans of figure skating. 

While royalty was bringing attention to the sport several years ago, the amazing talents such as Kristi Yamaguchi, Michelle Kwan, Sasha Cohen, Evan Lysacek, and others are the ones drawing national attention to the sport in today's modern age. Check out the slideshow below of numerous figure skating champions from around the world in the following order: Kristi Yamaguchi (USA), Michelle Kwan (USA), Sasha Cohen (USA), Johnny Weir (USA), Evan Lysacek (USA), Jeremy Abbott (USA), Tanith Belbin & Ben Agosto (USA Ice Dancers), Yuna Kim (South Korea), and Mao Asada (Japan).  Enjoy!

The history of figure skating dates back to prehistoric times, where figure skating originated as one branch of the overarching topic of ice skating.  It has since developed into a modern-day sport that captivates people all around the world.  Archaeologists are unable to pinpoint the exact location and time that people began to ice skate, but evidence suggests that this activity, wherever it may have originated, was widespread.  Primitive animal bone ice skates have been recovered from places including Russia, Scandinavia, Great Britain, Switzerland, and Germany.  The areas in which these early skates were found suggest that skates may have been used to cross large, icy stretches of land.  Both the efficiency and convenience to travel by skates was highly regarded several years back.



Animal-Bone Skates

The first actual mention of figure skating can be found in a novel written by a monk from Canterbury by the name of William Fitzstephen.  In his work, he vividly describes a scene in which the children of London skate on the pond.  He refers to the use of sticks for support, since animal-bone ice skates did not allow for much movement without a support feature.  Edges of steel were later added to ice skates, and this enhanced design is incredibly similar to the modern-day skates people skate on today.  The Dutch are credited with adding these edges in the 13th and 14th centuries, and another dutchman is also given credit for playing with the height to width ratio of the metal blades of the skates.  The various improvements made to the ice skate greatly enhanced the ability for freedom and movement on skates, and these designs remain practically unaltered to this day. 

Welcome to my blog all about the history of figure skating!  Here, you will find a surplus of information on how this sport originated, who the first skaters were, when the first skaters took to the ice, what figure skating was used for throughout history, and why figure skating has been so popular throughout the ages.  Figure skating legends such as Dick Button, Scott Hamilton, and Dorothy Hamill, as well as more recent stars like Kristie Yamaguchi, Michelle Kwan, and Sasha Cohen would not have found such international success if it weren't for the history of the sport. 

Michelle Kwan

Starting in prehistoric times, figure skating has developed into a widespread activity enjoyed by many.  Although skating was once deemed a sport exclusive to members of the upper class, people of varying wealth, ages, genders, and races are able to participate in the sport.  Hopefully you will find the fundamentals of figure skating to be an interesting read, as the growth of this sport and its competitors over time are discussed.

Thanks for reading!