Before freestyle skiing went mainstream, we had ski ballet. Featuring glittery routines and gravity-defying pole flips, it was the “figure skating of the slopes” at the 1988 and 1992 Winter Olympics. Though it never became an official medal event, viral throwback clips are sparking a massive wave of nostalgia. Fans are now calling for a revival—because who wouldn’t want to see a triple-axel on a mountainside?
The forgotten Olympic event where skiing resembled dance more than anything..
— Historic Vids (@historyinmemes) February 16, 2026
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, ski ballet—also called acroski—claimed a distinctive niche within freestyle skiing, alongside moguls and aerials. Rather than chasing speed or massive airtime, skiers… pic.twitter.com/mtIkMwOE3L
