That viral, back-flipping figure skater? He's a Calgarian with plans to uplift diverse athletes
It's a move he's become famous for on social media.
Elladj Baldé glides across an outdoor rink in Bowness, a neighbourhood in northwest Calgary, and once he's up to speed, he spins around. Gracefully, he swings one foot forward, thrusts his body into the air and slams back down onto the ice as he lands a backflip.
His unique moves have garnered a lot of attention, Baldé says, but he suspects there's another reason why people are taking pause.
"I don't look like a typical figure skater," he said.
"To be able to show the next generation of Black, Indigenous and people of colour that we are here and we can be successful is one of the most powerful messages that we can bring out into our community."
Baldé started gaining attention on social media in December 2020. His wife, Michelle Dawley, posted a video of him lacing up his skates, hopping onto a rink in Altadore — in southwest Calgary — and throwing his signature flip before dancing around the rink.
Within 24 hours, the post had something like 10 million views, Dawley said.
"It's so wild cause you don't realize the impact and how many people are actually seeing it," she said. "It was pretty wild, pretty overwhelming."
Today, Baldé has about two million followers between his TikTok and Instagram accounts, she said.
He's using the exposure to inspire other diverse figure skaters. He also co-founded the Skate Global Foundation with Dawley to create more representation in the sport.
It officially launched in November 2021 to support and fund Black, Indigenous and people of colour (BIPOC) pursuing competitive figure skating. It will also focus on mental health and climate initiatives.
Already, the duo has helped to refurbish a rink in northeast Calgary. They also handed out 50 pairs of skates to community members.
"Skating in general is such an expensive thing to take on and even be able to have the chance to step on the ice," Dawley said. "So that's been an initiative that we've been really proud of."
Along with funding, the videos are providing inspiration.
Growing up, Baldé says he didn't see many people who looked like him at the rink.
"I wasn't able to be myself within that sport until I saw, for the first time, a Black male figure skater skate in front of me," he said.
"That's what representation does. It allows you to see yourself and believe in yourself in a way that you've never been able to before."
Competitive figure skating
Despite the joy on Baldé's face in his videos, he says he wasn't always in love with the sport.
He started figure skating in Russia at six-years-old. His mother was a competitive figure skater, he said, and she brought him to a local rink for the first time.
"I remember enjoying myself and being very comfortable on the ice," he said.
But soon after, the competitions started. And the focus became on being the best, which meant performing within rigid guidelines.
Baldé eventually moved to Canada, where he did have a successful professional career, competing in national and international competitions and earning a Canadian junior national title in 2008.
He says he's thankful for those experiences, but he never truly felt he could express himself freely.
"For a very long time I was so confined in this box of needing to fit in and needing to do things a certain way in order to be successful," he said.
"I started shifting in the direction of artistry and tapping into that space of what can I offer this sport that's different than anyone else?"
Viral sensation
Once his focus changed, strapping on his skates became all the more fulfilling. Others caught onto his passion, and when the first video skyrocketed in views, he found his new stage.
Since those early days, the videos have become more intricate.
Dawley is also a dancer and choreographer and she helps to plan out Baldé's movements.
"She's not confined by figure skating moves," Baldé said. "Sometimes she'll suggest something and I'll be like, 'I don't know if it's possible to do that on the ice.' And all of a sudden we get on the ice and we're like … 'It actually works. This is amazing.'"
The duo carefully selects each piece of music they use. They also receive help from other professional figure skaters to ensure the filming of the videos is done properly.
It all comes together to create a different sort of skating experience than people are used to seeing.
Role models
"I'm just so inspired by my husband," Dawley said.
"The more that you live your own life as authentically as possible, that is what will truly change the world."
This year, Skate Global Foundation is focusing on providing support and funding for figure skaters facing barriers, whether it's equipment, coaching or travel costs.
Besides sharing his skating, Baldé says he wants his videos to reach young figure skaters who feel they don't belong.
"Being who you are and being able to share that with the world and being celebrated for it, there's nothing better than that," Baldé said.
"Stay true to who you are. Do what you want to do on the ice and allow the world to celebrate you."
