Acroski (Ski Ballet)
Acroski (once known as ski ballet) is a winter snow sport in which athletes on skis perform various choreographed routines. The sport was regarded as a freestyle skiing discipline and was included in competitions under the freestyle skiing category until 2000. The sport is currently not a part of competitive freestyle skiing. Ski ballet has currently been renamed to acroski.
In ski ballet, the routines performed are choreographed and consists of flips, jumps, rolls, spins, and leg crossings. The entire routine is performed on a smooth slope. Routines are performed to background music. The music concept was introduced to the sport in the mid-1970s. All competitions are conducted for individual performers. There was a short period in the mid-1980s where pair competitions were also conducted, but was later discontinued.
Each routine is performed for 90 seconds. The routines are judged by a panel of judges. The routines are judged based on several aspects, which are, style, artistic display, and technical execution. Each aspect carries a certain weighting towards the total score and a separate judge evaluates each aspect. The winner is the athlete with the highest score.
Ski Ballet was introduced the 1998 and 1992 Winter Olympics as a demonstration sport but has declined in popularity ever since. It is currently a dying sport and hardly any competitions are conducted for ski ballet.
Similar Sports
- Freestyle Skiing — different forms of freestyle skiing including Aerial skiing, Mogul skiing, Ski ballet, Ski cross, Half-pipe skiing, Slopestyle skiing.
- Figure Skating — an artistic ice skating sport where athletes perform routines on an ice rink.
- Ice Dancing — one of the events in figure skating, which has its roots in ballroom dancing.
Related Pages
- ski ballet Olympic demonstration sport
- Sports at the Winter Olympics
- Complete list of sports
- The Encyclopedia of Sports
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