Olympic Artist Series, Issue #4: Kristi Yamaguchi

This Winter Olympic season, Ice Theatre of New York will introduce the art of dancing on ice to hundreds of young skaters, and thousands of new audience members. We cannot do this without your support. Please consider contributing to our community outreach initiatives!

And now, on to the fourth edition of our Olympic Artist Series...

Welcome to Day 4 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, and Day 4 of our editorial project featuring Olympic artists in our Ice Theatre of New York family.

Aside from world-class Olympians, these artists have served as performance partners, honorees, and advocates for Ice Theatre of New York. Looking back at all these beautiful partnerships, I am overwhelmed with gratitude to have worked with skaters who perform at the highest level of both sport and artistry.

Today, I am thrilled that we are featuring the iconic Kristi Yamaguchi, our 2018 Ice Theatre of New York honoree.

Best wishes to all the 2026 Winter Olympic Competitors!

-Moi

This story has been adapted from our 2025 Ice Theatre of New York Gala Program by Edward Z. Epstein -  The Audio version of Edward  Z. Epstein’s current book, “FRANK & MARILYN:  The Lives, The Loves, and The Fascinating Relationship of Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe,” is now available on Audible.

Kristi Yamaguchi with Scott Hamilton at the 2018 Ice Theatre of NY Gala

Rarely has the art of figure skating come more alive than when practiced by the one and only Kristi Yamaguchi. Her timeless style was a perfect combination of technical expertise and dramatic flair: triple-triples, soaring double axels, beautifully positioned spirals and spins, and intricate footwork were constant staples in her repertoire.

In addition to two World titles, a National title, and a stellar pairs career, she won the ultimate prize — Olympic Gold — in 1992. Then, sixteen years later, the petite star won “Dancing with the Stars”, proving that artistic virtuosity on the ground was every bit as memorable as on the ice.

DWTS required the creation of an entirely new “program” in effect, with new choreography and music every week for an entire season — alll performed live and in different styles. The focus, stamina, and concentration required was daunting.

And which experience had been more nerve-wracking? The Olympics or “Dancing With the Stars”? 

“Both,” she exclaims, her sense of humor intact. But she’d long ago developed a technique for how to handle stress: visualization. 

“You have to see yourself having success, you must allow yourself to be successful. Also, when preparing to skate — or dance — I did breathing exercises which helped me relax.” Her have-no-regrets philosophy was an additional asset: “That was always my motivation when training for a competition. You fall, you make mistakes, you disappoint yourself, but you leave it all on the ice, you don’t take it home with you, you don’t dwell on it.”

The pressure simply to qualify for the Olympic team had been an incredible ordeal. “It was so competitive. But once I was actually named to the team it was like, ‘I can call myself an Olympian, and whatever happens from there happens’.”

Even Kristi would have been hard-pressed to imagine all that was in store for her in the coming years.

Born in Hayward, California, she’d begun skating and taking ballet lessons at an early age, as therapy for a correctable foot defect. Her passion for skating was apparent from the beginning, and her parents were delighted that it ignited her enthusiasm and captured her imagination. “Yes, they were very happy about it. I don’t think they were certain what I’d end up doing. I’d been a very shy child, and skating brought me out of my shell.”

After a successful pairs partnership with Rudy Galindo (also an ITNY honoree), Kristi decided to set out on her own. 

“In the labyrinthine world of highest-level figure skating, there was no room for us to move up in the world rankings,” notes Kristi. “It was tough, and there were other factors contributing to our break-up. But we understood that our careers would be taking a different path.”

With total dedication, beginning in 1991, Kristi focused solely on singles. She relocated to Edmonton to train with coach Christy Ness. She retooled her formal education, taking psychology courses at the University of Alberta.

Her training was intense and on-the-mark. She placed second to Tonya Harding in the U.S. Championships, and the following month, in Munich, Germany, she became 1991 World Champion. It was the USA’s first woman’s World title since Peggy Fleming in 1968.

In ’92, Kristi became U.S. Champion, securing her berth on the Winter Olympics team, along with Harding and Nancy Kerrigan. 

Kristi prevailed and won Gold.

After the Olympics, Kristi turned professional, and became a star attraction in Scott Hamilton’s “Stars on Ice.” She competed successfully on the professional circuit, winning the World Professional Figure Skating Championship four times. Her popularity soared on television, her likability rating always high.

And former partner Randy Galindo also achieved success, winning the U.S. championship in ’96, the bronze medal at Worlds that year, and he too went on to enjoy a successful professional career.

Kristi’s list of awards and accomplishments, over the years, right up to the present day, could literally fill a book. They have included being inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame, and the World Skating Hall of Fame. She has won the Asian Excellence Award and even the San Jose Award from the Professional Skaters Association.

“Kristi is an amazing woman”, notes ITNY founder Moira North. “Kristi’s name has been synonymous with excellence in everything she’s done, and continues to do. Her efforts reach beyond the worlds of skating and entertainment.”

Thank you, Kristi, for all you continue to do for our sport, our art, and our community!

This program is supported, in part, by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy C. Hochul and the New York State Legislature. ITNY is also supported by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council, and NYC Council Members Abreu, Bottcher, Powers and Marte. ITNY's Manhattan programming is funded in part by a grant from the New York City Tourism Foundation.

Additionally, ITNY receives funding from Bloomberg Philanthropies, The Daniel & Corrine Cichy Memorial Foundation,The Lisa McGraw Figure Skating Foundation, the Will Sears Foundation, and its generous private patrons.

Photo credit Tarah Lee, Josef Pinlac

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