Synchro
It is said that figure skating requires the elegance of a royal court, the grace of a ballerina, the speed of a sprinter, the balance of a tightrope walker, the agility of a high diver, the endurance of a marathon runner, the coordination of a juggler, strength of a high jumper, the rhythm of a dancer, and the performance of a mime. Add that all to the unison of the Rockettes, the uniformity of a synchronized swimming team, and the teamwork of soccer players, and you've got synchronized skating.
It involves sixteen skaters on the ice at the same time, and is characterized by intricate formations and manoeuvres, difficult footwork, changing hand and arm holds, deep edges, sharp changes of direction, exciting group lifts and absolute uniformity. Today, synchronized skating is an extremely competitive sport, which teams from all over the world partake in.
Many synchro skaters also work in other branches, especially in moves in the field, ice dance and free skating. However there is a whole different feel to team skating – the comradery, the fellowship, the sense of "us". The members become more like a family rather than just a loose association of skaters.
