When Amber Glenn takes the ice for the free skate on Friday night at the world figure skating championships in Boston after a disappointing short program, fans will be holding their breath. Undefeated this season, she was seen as the one to beat. The Grand Prix final Champion, two-time US champion, the only woman to regularly land a triple Axel in competition (on which she suffered an uncharacteristic fall, landing her ninth place in the short on Wednesday afternoon), she had been tipped to become the first US woman to win the world title in nearly 20 years. But with less than seven points between her and first place, nothing is impossible. And while much of the tenacity that could still bring her victory this week lies in her raw athleticism, Glenn has something in her arsenal more tenuous, and more volatile: She’s an artist.
At first glance, Glenn doesn’t appear so different to the all-American skating stars of past decades. Slender, with blonde curled hair framing her perfectly made up face, she doesn’t overtly break the mold. But when the music starts, something else takes over. She’s explosive; her movements deliberate, and there’s a weight to her actions that not only enables her to drive across the ice like a hockey player, but to display exquisite musicality, showcasing a sensitivity and showmanship that has gained her a devoted fanbase (and 1.5m TikTok followers).
