this figure skater has a bigger goal than going viral
Unlikely TikTok star Elladj Baldé isn't just here to entertain you.
So, how is working through a(n attempted) coup going for everyone else?
It’s been five days since pro-Trump insurrectionists stormed the Capitol in Washington, D.C. Watching the riots unfold live via cable TV news was horrifying and was only topped by the realization, days later, that it could have been so much worse were it not for the actions of individuals like Capitol police officer Eugene Goodman, who managed to divert the mob away from the unprotected Senate chamber, or the Senate staffers who moved fast to gather the election results the Congress was there that day to certify and move them to a secure location.
Frankly, I’m angry and exhausted. What happened last Wednesday was the sort of thing I began warning some deeply conservative family members about over four years ago at this point. Their reaction, then, was that I was overreacting and being sensationalistic about white supremacist warning signs that were repeatedly on display during Trump rallies leading up to the 2016 election. Though we haven’t discussed it, I’d imagine those same family members would say the same thing today — and that’s a deeply unsettling realization to sit with.
It remains to be seen whether Trump is removed from office either via impeachment or the 25th amendment. It remains to be seen whether the FBI’s warning, issued Monday, that armed insurrectionists are currently planning to return to the U.S. Capitol in addition to targeting the nation’s 50 statehouses might pan out.
But regardless, to get through these coming days, I know I’m going to need some deep breaths and reminders of the good in the world: Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff winning the Georgia runoff election and returning control of the Senate to the Democrats. Lucy Lawless eviscerating Kevin Sorbo on Twitter. Martha Stewart (and nearly 9 million other Americans, so far) getting the COVID-19 vaccine. This perfect impersonation of Keira Knightley putting in a Pizza Hut order. And, finally, a(n incredibly deserving) figure skater going viral on TikTok, something that almost never happens in my personal-favorite obscure sport.
Meet Elladj Baldé. Baldé is an elite figure skater who previously represented Canada, competing in one world championship and dozens of national and international competitions including his win at the 2015 Nebelhorn Trophy before he retired from the sport and pursued show skating exclusively in 2018.
Since then, Baldé’s career has taken off. He is an incredibly in-demand performer and fan favorite in shows all around the world and had begun to build a decent social media following. And then, last month, he racked up over 16 million views with this TikTok and brought his incredible backflips and spirit to an entirely new audience.
In the weeks since, his videos across both TikTok and Instagram have continued to build his following, particularly this mesmerizing two-part New Year’s performance to Sampha’s “(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano.”
Baldé’s Instagram bio reads “spread love and be a light in the world” and that’s exactly what he’s doing. In addition to that, he’s also working to bring change to the sport that he loves. Alongside a group of fellow skaters, he co-founded the Figure Skating Diversity and Inclusion Alliance this summer. The group is aimed at making the sport of figure skating, one that has typically seen minimal representation among skaters of African descent in particular, more inclusive for athletes of color like himself.
"I want to inspire young Black boys, young Black girls, and Indigenous people and people of color to not be afraid to be different, to be unique, and to embrace that uniqueness, because there's magic that happens once uniqueness is embraced in that way,” Baldé told PopSugar this week.
He also hopes to encourage more young Black boys to simply be themselves as they look to chase their dreams, he continued to PopSugar: “[t]hat it is OK to be vulnerable; it is OK to be emotional; it is OK to show that side of yourself.”
I can’t imagine a better living testament to that magic than Baldé’s videos and, in contrast to the toxic masculinity on full display at the U.S. Capitol last week, I can’t imagine a more timely message. His performances affirm life and show us all how just one person’s actions, one person’s energy can spark something so much bigger. Seriously, take a minute, take a breath and take this in. You won’t regret it.
And if you still want more, enjoy this video of Baldé’s final performance in the short program at the Canadian Figure Skating Championships in 2018, to Disturbed’s cover of “The Sound of Silence.”