01x02 - Olympic Dreams

[bunniefuu]

Zoe's out,
so let's remember that, okay?

But she's still with us
this whole time.

The program isn't different.

It's just the one little change
in the beginning.

Everything else is pretty easy.

Okay, so...

Shift to the left a little bit.

So we found out that Zoe
couldn't compete

because she injured her knee.

And that honestly made me
kind of sad

because, you know,
she worked so hard

and we all worked so hard.

We just want them
to skate the best

that they could skate
under the circumstances.

You're here. Chelsea,
you're going through here.

Tori, you're going through--
Isabelle--

I mean, you're going through
Chelsea and Estelle.

Look behind you, Tori.
Look behind you.

Do you see
where you're going through?

You're going between
Ashley and Estelle.

Come on, Tori.

You're losing it.

Okay.

It's nerve-wracking because
the pressure of messing up

and the pressure
of getting points deducted.

Look up. Arms up strong.

Oh, my God.
Tori keeps doing that.

Sometimes you get
really nervous.

You forget stuff.

Tori, you are looking in
at Isabella.

But you have
to keep trying.

Okay. End strong!

Give it your all.

Have the best time.
Smile, bend your knees,

and let it go.

They represent
the Harlem figure skating club.

Please welcome Harlem Ice.

Tori! Ooh, that was good.

We’re here to say, "Good luck!"

"We love you! In every way!"

Harlem Ice, that’s what we like!
Harlem Ice, that’s what we like!

♪ They'll never take my power
My power, my power ♪

♪ They'll never take my power
My power, my power ♪

- ♪ They feel a way, oh, wow ♪
- ♪ Boma, boma yé ♪

- ♪ They feel a way, oh, wow ♪
- ♪ Boma, boma yé ♪

♪ This that kinfolk
This that skinfolk ♪

♪ This that w*r
This that bloodline ♪

♪ On the front line
Ready for w*r ♪

- They got it!
- ♪ Where you gon' run? ♪

♪ Get loose, get low, get low ♪

♪ Why you get loose
Get loose, get low, get low ♪

♪ Oh, gotta protect my braids
Keep it locked in a safe ♪

♪ Don't make me get back
To my ways ♪

♪ My power
They'll never take, ah ♪

♪ They'll never take my power
My power, my power ♪

♪ They'll never take my power
My power, my power ♪

It's kind of like
everybody was relying on me.

I'm huffing and puffing.

I'm just thinking,
"Did I do good?"

They did a good job.

Oh, my God.

I'm gonna cry, baby.

I don't ever cry.

I know, right?

I wanna see the scores.
I think we did really good.

But we did our best.

If the sore is low,
but the numbers are high...

It's really nerve-wracking
just to be waiting

and being like, "Oh, my God."
And you can see,

like, they're live-scoring us.

So it's always, like,
a stress-inducing moment.

I always have,
like, a lot of worries

most times when I compete.

Like, my grandparents in Japan
bought this good luck charm,

and they're
very supportive people of me.

So, like, I usually have it
to make me calm down

and, like,
not be too nervous about it.

Okay. So...

Giving the circumstances,
we're really proud of you.

You guys skated
to the best of your abilities

with what we had,
and our score was higher.

It was, like,
three or four points higher

than the last time.

But there were a few elements
that cost us a few points.

So this competition,
unfortunately, we didn't place,

but you guys did do better
than last time score-wise.

We had some unexpected things
come up, right?

And so you guys
just went with the flow.

Beat you, huh?

So I think you guys
should be proud of yourselves.

- Yes.
- Okay.

So I know it's disappointing.

I know that it doesn't
feel good right now,

but we did exactly what we said

- we came out here to do.
- Yes.

It's kind of a bummer
that we didn't score

as well as we expected to,
but we remind each other,

"Just keep smiling.
It's going to be all right."

And, like,
it's just figure skating.

You guys can go get lunch.

I just want to try something
for you.

I don't know
if you guys saw this person.

Hi.

- Oh, my gosh! Hi!
- Ashley!

Oh, my God, I missed you.
I missed you girls.

I am the former director
of skating

circa 2020, pre-COVID.

I'm back in the city
from down under.

Look how tall you all are!

I was with the program
for six years.

So you kind of grow up
with them and...

I don't really ever register
the impact until I'm here,

and then I feel it,
and it's just love.

Are you crying right now?

How are you taller than me?

Tori's crying, she's so happy to see you.

Don’t cry! Tori, bubba!

Oh. Oh, baby.

Tori, she's so strong,
but she's also very sensitive,

and I think sometimes

things can be
overwhelming for her.

I think, because there's a lot
of pressure on her.

But you girls
skated beautifully.

- Thank you.
- Regardless of anything,

remember that, you all
skated amazingly.

It is very difficult
to be judged.

And again, we forget
how young these girls are

and they go through a lot
just as people in the world,

let alone skating

and doing competitions
and shows.

- How are you feeling?
- Good.

Good.

Except for how we placed,
we got the same score.

Don't worry about scores.

It's up to a bunch of people
we don't know.

I think you skated beautifully.

You know, being a woman
of color, being a Black girl,

everything that we do
is so much bigger

than just getting
on the ice and competing.

And because you know that,

you did so, so, so much
to earn just a spot on the ice,

and it feels gratifying.

Y'all can't jump
at the same time.

There's no one
on the team

who doesn't want to improve.

But I feel that my teammates,

they enjoy skating,
they love it.

But when you get older,

I don't think
they want to do that.

For me, it's different.

Skating is a sport
that makes me stand out.

And I'll never give up.

Those people who, like,
I dream of, like, I see skating.

I always watch them
on YouTube, like,

you know, Johnny Weir.

Seeing professional skaters,
Olympic skaters,

it makes me want to get better.

Oh, God.

I feel if you want
to get better,

you have to make
more commitment to it.

You can get off the ice now.

Adriana, you've got to go
to the performance team.

Go with Laura over there.

I'm the only one in FSH

who's on the synchro team
and performance team.

In synchro competitions,
you're just,

really just performing
for the judges, mostly.

But with performance teams,

we're performing in front
of hundreds of people

at places like Bryant Park
and Rockefeller Center.

So I get a new set of eyes
on me all the time.

This next section
that's coming up right now.

- Hey.
- Hello.

- How was your run through?
- You heard we went up for this?

The performance team really are

our most experienced skaters

- in our program.
- 150% effort!

Can we start in the beginning,
go around the turn.

- You remember the whole thing?
- Yes.

Five, six, seven, eight.

We were invited
to perform at Lake Placid

in four days at the FISU
World University Games.

It's actually, like,
a mini-Olympics

for thousands of athletes
from all around the world.

So there are programs
different than a competition

where we would be skating
in the gala exhibition.

And I feel that
the work I've been putting in

worked up to Lake Placid.

And I can't wait to learn choreo
with the best skaters.

Getting invited
to Lake Placid,

I feel ecstatic.

Yes, my SAT words.

She got her dinner at 12.

I have lunch
at 10:00 a.m.

You guys have to take me
prom dress shopping

- or I'll never go?
I said we can go.

I got my dress.

But, is it, like,
sparkly? Like, what is it?

- Of course.
- Okay.

Of course, I love sparkles.

I am currently a senior.

- Look at my sweater.
- I said "The sweater,

- diva sweater."
- I know.

- You know I made my sweater, right?
- Yeah.

Can you show us
the dress that you picked out?

Did you say yes to the dress?

We're not showing the dress yet.

- Okay, what are the other ones?
Come on, show us.


I can show you my old one.

- Okay, ooh.
Rejection.

I never want
to be able to fit in a box.

Like, it's so much bigger
because

when I first started skating,
I wasn't the best kid.

I definitely
had behavioral problems.

I've always had people be like,

"Oh, you were a bit
of a troublemaker."

And I never want that
to be like,

"Ariyana, the troublemaker."

♪ You got what I need ♪

♪ And you say
He's just a friend ♪

♪ And you say he’s just a friend
Oh, baby, you! ♪

♪ You got what I need ♪

I want to be "Ariyana,
the successful one."

My mother would be like, "Yes!"

She'd be like, "Yes!"



I'm a ring safety guard.

I sort of patrol the ice,
make sure everyone's safe.

And during my off time, I skate.

I work on my skills as well.

Especially if I'm stressed,
it's a... it's a relaxer.

That goes on
for about five minutes.

I started working here because
they had summer camp.

So as the summer went on,

I actually got myself
a coach here.

No one ever realizes

how much work goes
into being a Figure Skater.

It truly shows
who you are as a person.

If you're willing to learn,
if you're willing to push,

I think the world is endless
at that point.

So hopefully, Lake Placid
will definitely push me

in ways that I've never been

pushed before.

That lady walked right through.
Do we have to do that over?

- Look at the bear!
- What?

Look at all the snow.

- Look at all this snow.

Like, when you go back
to the city

and you don’t see any
of this snow?

No, my god
I need a picture of this.

- This is so...
- Take a picture girls.

- Look at this view.
- I want to jump in it.

- Oh my God.
- I don't know

if we're going down there.

Can we go down?

- Come on.
- Come on.

Okay, let me get it
with the background.

- The background alright?
- Ready?

We are in the snow!

- Whoo!
- Yay!

My hands are cold,
but the fit is fittin'.

Okay, fit check, everybody.

My Empire Winter State Games
jacket.

Okay. My boots. Okay.

And my black leggings.

- Okay.
- Nadia, okay, fit check,

- fit check, fit check.
- My FSH jacket.

What's on your feet, girl?

Uh, feet, these are snow boot


Yeah!

Custom made, look at it,
look at the material.

Okay, you know what
I’m talking about, name brand.

Nice little, plaid little,
you know what I’m saying,

a little light stuff.

Guys, we're vlogging still.

All right, so we just finished
eating breakfast.

and now you're walking
to somewhere.

Because I wish
I would just walk now,

I don't really know
where we’re walking to.

But ya.

Heads up, we're gonna
be going on the ice

for closing number practice
at 11 o'clock.

It is too cold
to be going out there like this.

It's premiering on ESPN.

But we're feeling good.
We're feeling ready.

You just have
to be confident in yourself.

- We're doing vlogs.
- I want to see Nathan.

The fit check is still fitting.

Yeah, it is.

Laura, fit check.
Fit check. Fit check.

What am I doing?

Where are your shoes from?

Amazon?

Ah!

- Where are your pants from?
- Amazon?

Where's your jacket from? Jacket?

Figure Skating in Harlem.

The hat? The hat?

Amazon.

The bag, the bag, the bag, the bag!

Old Navy!

Old Navy, on the sale rack

- There we go.
- Okay, okay, okay.

And we'll check in
with you guys later

- thank you.
- Bye!

I would say
it's a very intense area

to breathe in.

Because all my idols are here.

That's so cool.

When I saw, like,
all of them come out on the ice,

I was just like,
"Are we on the right session?"

Go back to your positions.

Let's run it from the top.

We need a little more wash.
A little more percent, okay?

It was a little dark
at the beginning,

so bring it up, please.

Thank you.

Just so you know, they're gonna
finish up the left,

and instead
of just finishing there,

I want them
to have finish there,

- but you guys can be going.
- All right, cool.

You said stroke, mohawk,
two crossovers, step forward.

No, she's gonna do two strokes,
two strokes! She's gonna go...

I'm gonna go right, left, mohawk.

Two crossovers.

Then I'm gonna step forward.

Three crossover. Three?

It's ok, it's ok. Deep breaths.
We'll be fine.

Such a wonderful audience.

Why don't we call
all of the skaters back

so they can give
a final farewell

at this FISU World
University Games.

That's your guys' cue. Hit it.

We’re practicing

with all these other
skaters doing things

that we cannot do.

It really kind of hacks at our,
like, confidence a bit.

Say, no, now we're going
to do the opening, okay?

- And we need the girls.
- Okay.

- Okay, perfect. Awesome.
- Thank you.

Wait, what thing?

You don't want
to be in the opening?

This is like...

- It’s, it’s, it’s show business.
You can do it.

- Show business.
- It's really short.

Show business, right?

You guys will just do the...

- You guys having fun?
- The end of your block form.

I think you're doing great.

Yes, I think so, too.

- I think you're fine.
- Nice.

You're going to be fine.

It's fun to be around all
of this, isn't it?

Thank you. Thank you.

- Loosen up. Loosen up.
- Hmm?

Shake out your shoulders
or something.

- Hmm?
- Loosen up.

I can't. It's because
of this opening.

- No, it's just like...
- Synchro?

because I'm not really feeling it.

It's okay.
We'll talk about it later.

You're fine.

When everyone
is better than you...

and you're skating...

and you don't have any... like...

like everyone else is able
to go fast...

because they already have multiple things
they know how to do...

and we don't know what to do.

You guys know more than
you're allowing yourselves to do.

But compared to them,
it's like...

What did I tell you earlier?
Do what you do best.

I'm sorry. Okay, sorry. Sorry.

You don't have to do all of that
to be good.

You don't.

I guess.

It's easier said than done.

I did it.

So you can do it. It's fine.

It's just very embarrassing.

When you do things
outside of FSH,

there's really this intrinsic
pressure to just do well.

That's why they're a little
stressed right now.

- Come on.
- Okay guys,

- Come on.
- How are we feeling?

- Better.
- Good. Better. Okay.

So it looks like they're going
to have you.

- All right.
- Are they going to be coming?

- Ready?
- Mm-hmm.

Okay. All right.

We'll talk about it.

You know what, Paul?

Let's leave them out.

All right.

Okay, she don't need us.

- I think that, um--
- It'll be a lot to learn.

Yeah, there's...
there's stuff to learn,

and so I think we're good.

- Yeah.
- Awesome. Thank you.

Yeah. You know what?
I mean, I think

the closing number is a lot.

- Yeah. Yeah.
- Yeah.

And I don't think that, um,

you know,
there's just so little time...

- Yeah.
- ...to kind of figure

- all of it out.
- Yeah. Yeah.

And they seemed
a little overwhelmed,

- so it's all right.
- Yeah.

Also, I think that, you know,

being in this
environment...

Yeah. It's a lot.

- First time's a lot.
- Yeah. So, okay.

- Awesome. Thank you.
- We're good.

Ila said,
this doesn't mean anything

because you're still
a really amazing skater

and you're not supposed
to define your worth in skating

or, like, how talented you are.

But there's different
expectations I have for myself.

To get to a certain point
in the skating world,

you really have to take it
into your own hands.

All right, how we feeling?

There's a lot going
through my head.

The fear of getting on the ice.

I know I can do it, but, like,

am I really gonna be able
to fully do it?

So, we'll see
how I feel after.

I get a little emotional.

We love y'all, so make us proud.

You always make us proud.

- Come here.
- Absolutely.

We'd love to see
how much you've grown.

Thank you and welcome everyone.

Welcome world to Lake Placid

and the 2023
FISU World University Games.

All right, ready?

On three, we'll say,
"performance team."

- One, two, three.
- Performance team!

All right, let's go!
Let's do this! Whoo!

Our next performers,

they are the first
and only organization

in the world for girls of color

that combines
the power of education

with the access to the grace

and discipline
of figure skating.

In 2021,

Figure Skating in Harlem won

the International Olympic
Committee's Women in Sport Award

for its remarkable contributions
to gender equity

and inclusion through sport.

Please welcome
Figure Skating in Harlem.

♪ Nothing comes easy ♪

♪ For most of us ♪



♪ Climb the highest mountain ♪

♪ Try to reach the top ♪

We couldn't for
a long time reach

a lot of people
outside of Harlem.

I really hope that they do
blossom under this light.

♪ This is what dreams are for ♪

♪ To get us through ♪

♪ Just what we do ♪

♪ And even when our dream dies ♪

♪ What a dream once more ♪

♪ This is what we live for ♪

♪ This is what we live for ♪

♪ Ooh ♪

Ladies
and gentlemen, the young women

of Figure Skating in Harlem.

Yes! Yes!
Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!

- Oh, they did it.
- Yes!

We've made
so much momentum

that I really do think that
we're entering a new chapter.

Yay! Aw, yay!

That was beautiful! Beautiful!

I had no idea.

Come here.

- It’s okay. It’s okay.
- That was beautiful.

Was that good?

- Oh, my God.
- That was amazing.

Oh, my God.

- Incredible.
- Don't mess up your makeup.

You're so...

- You're incredible.
- Oh, you wanted a big hug too!

Oh, my gosh.

Yes, yes. I know.

Thank you.

Do any of you want to go out
for the Olympics?

Do any of you guys
have Olympic dreams?

I would love to go see it.

I love skating. I'm never going
to give up skating.

But there's other things
I want to try in my life.

- It's not like anything...
- Like... like, boys.

- Like going out to restaurants.
- No. No.

- No, no, like play writing...
- Oh, really?

- ...voice acting.
- Oh, really?

- You’re into the arts.
- Yes.

Oh, fabulous. An actor.

I’m so proud of you.

- Was it good?
- It was good. Y’all were beautiful.

Oh, hi, Mom.

- Oh, my goodness.
Hi, mom!

- Hi.
- How are you?

I did well.

Bye. Bye.

I don't ever cry,
that was a moment for me.

When I got on the ice,
and I go... ..."Man."

Here go the waterworks.

'Cause I had never imagined that

that many people would,
like, watch me.

All these times
that we're on the ice

and we're working for it,
it's for a reason.

We’re leaving Lake Placid.

We're leaving.

♪ I just wanna have
A good night ♪

♪ I just wanna have
A good night ♪

♪ Hold up, hold up! ♪

Oh, my God.

Olympics, y'all.
Thank you so much.

My shirt, Performance Team.

All right,
put it on the gray,

put it on the gray!

You see this, y'all?
You see this, y'all?

It's official.
It's getting official.

You went all the way to Lake Placid.

- Ya, it was very exciting.
- It's a World University game.

Yeah.

Being able to go to,
like, Placid,

a really amazing experience.

And we did our best, so--
And it paid off.

But now we have the power to,
like, do more.

My name is... is Pedro.

Besides working in the IOC

as a gender equality
and inclusion manager,

I was also, many years ago,
Olympic athletes.

I... I was Olympic athlete
in judo,

you can see by the ears.

Not for you to win a medal
or to be Olympic champion.

That's good. It is good.
It is good for our ego.

But the best thing is to see
some of you in the future

to be future coaches.

Some of you to make
this world a better place.

And that's the big win, okay?

And I'm counting on you
to do this.

Ya, let’s do it y’all!
Whoo, whoo, whoo!

Okay, now I want to take
a selfie with all of you.

For the professional selfie!

Although our award
from the IOC

shows how much over the course
of the years that we've grown,

how much
we've impacted other people,

Hey, gorgeous. Oh, my God.

Personally,
I think everyone

should strive to do
greater things in the world.

March.

- Oh, my God.
See, I told you.

I got you,
I’m right here.

I’m literally right here.

And the world
does not just

start and end in Harlem.

Lake Placid showed that,

but if I go up to someone
on the street right now,

and I say, "Hey, I am an African
American Figure Skater."

I feel like they're
not gonna believe me.

But when I step on that ice,
no one's gonna stop me.