Professional skater and TikTok star takes first 'twirl' on Uptown rink
Professional figure skater Elladj Baldé laced up his skates Wednesday to give the new holiday rink at Saanich’s Uptown Centre a try.
Baldé was the first Black Canadian male figure skater to join the cast of Stars On Ice. Now, he travels the world to share his talent, athletic ability and passion for the sport of figure skating.
He says by showing his skills in public places, like the rink at Uptown, he hopes to inspire others to put on a pair of skates.
“It was hard for me to fit into a mold that didn’t feel like myself,” said Baldé. “Growing up, I didn’t have a lot of representation in the sport and so part of what I do is to be the representation for the next generation of Black, Indigenous and people of colour to see that they can be part of the sport.”
With more than 1.5 million followers on his TikTok and Instagram accounts, Baldé says he has a massive platform to share his message to encourage young people to try figure skating.
“I’ve always loved sharing my art and my passion with people when I performed for audiences,” said Baldé. “Now, it feels like I can do that on a whole other level because I’ve been given this platform to continue to share what I do and inspire others to pick up a pair of skates and believe they can be part of the sport.”
The rink at Uptown is just one of the holiday-themed activities the Saanich shopping centre has in store for its shoppers.
At almost 16 metres in height, a Christmas tree with thousands of lights towers over the square. Illuminated igloo-like domes line Uptown Boulevard offering a cozy place to warm up after shopping or skating on the more than 18-metre synthetic rink.
The cost to skate on the holiday-themed rink is $5 and Uptown is donating half of the admission fee to Victoria’s 1-Up Single Parent Resource Centre.
“We chose the single parent resource centre as our charity because we feel they do amazing work,” said Uptown General Manager Kristy Lowes. “They’re such an instrumental part to helping so many people by gathering donations and we wanted to do something nice for them to give back.”
The rink opens to skaters on Dec. 7 and will stay open until March 2022. For information on the rink visit the Uptown website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Iran fires air defence batteries in provinces as explosions heard near Isfahan
Iran fired air defence batteries early Friday morning as explosions could be heard near a major air base near Isfahan, raising fears of a possible Israeli strike following Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' murder case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn't over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball's highest scorer Caitlin Clark's first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.