Olympians Chris and Alexa Knierim to skate to Beyonce, Queen at Vail Skating Festival
Vail Skating Festival features free outdoor performances, ticketed show at Dobson
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Watch out for Chris and Alexa Knierim in the even year of 2020. In 2012, the two became skating partners. In 2014, they got engaged. In 2016, they married and in 2018, they made their first Olympic team together, bringing home a bronze medal.
See the duo at the Vail Skating Festival, returning to Vail Dec. 20-22. The Knierims will perform in the Ice Spectacular at Dobson Ice Arena on Saturday, Dec. 21, at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available online, $20 for bleacher seating and $40 for on-ice seating.
“The more people that come, the better it is as performers,” Alexa said ahead of the festival. “It’s going to be a pretty phenomenal show.”
They will perform two numbers at the Ice Spectacular: the first to Beyonce’s “At Last,” an Etta James cover. The second half of the show, all of the performers will be skating to Queen songs.
It’s a ‘lifestyle’
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Both Alexa and Chris had different paths to the top of the ice skating world.
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Alexa started at age 7 in Illinois though a park district program in the town she lived in.
“The reason I started was because the ice skating rink was only a five-minute drive from my house,” she said.
What started “day by day” turned into a “lifestyle,” with Alexa skating before and after school.
Chris’ mother grew up skating and started teaching in San Diego.
“After going to the rink so many times, everyone in my family skated at one point or another,” he said. “I was the only one who stuck with it.”
Right now, the two are in training before heading to Vail. After the show, they’ll spend some time with family for the holidays and then be ready for the U.S. National Championships in Greensboro, North Carolina, in January. They are keeping their bronze medals and skating accomplishments out of sight for the time being to stay hungry and keep competing.
For more information about the Vail Skating Festival, also featuring fellow Olympic medalist Mirai Nagasu, visit http://www.vailskatefest.com.
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If you go …
What: Vail Skating Festival
Where: Free outdoor shows take place at the Solaris and Arrabelle ice rinks in Vail; the ticketed Ice Spectacular is at Dobson Ice Arena.
When: Friday to Sunday, Dec. 20-22
Cost: Two free shows Friday, Dec. 20, 5 p.m. at Solaris Ice Rink and 6:30 p.m. at Arrabelle Ice Rink. Tickets to the Ice Spectacular on Saturday, Dec. 21, are $20 for bleacher and $40 for on-ice seating.
More information: The Vail Skating Festival is also offering two half-day clinics and seminars featuring Olympic and world coach Christy Krall. Visit http://www.vailskatefest.com.
