It’s fascinating how figure skating standards evolve over the years. If you watched figure skating today, you’d never know where figure skating got its name.
Originally, figure skating revolved around the art of compulsory figures, in which skaters performed intricate footwork in specific patterns. Toller Cranston wasn’t known for his skill in this area, so his scores in competition didn’t do his performance as a skater justice.
He began skating at age 7 on hockey skates. Despite the lack of toe picks, he instinctively began trying to dance on ice. It took four years for him to convince his parents to let him pursue the sport seriously. When he did, he discovered he was a clockwise skater, spinning and jumping in the opposite direction from most competitors.
At age 13, he developed Osgood-Schlatter disease. It limited his endurance, so instead of worrying about medals, he focused on the emotive and theatrical elements of the sport. He became known for his innate artistry and expression, along with exceptional flexibility and gravity-defying split jumps.
