“Can’t Help Falling in Love” has long been one of the most enduring and evocative musical selections in the world of figure skating, serving as a bridge between technical excellence and deep emotional storytelling on the ice. Originally recorded by Elvis Presley in 1961, this timeless melody possesses a natural rhythm and soaring crescendo that perfectly mimic the ebb and flow of a skater’s movement. Whether presented as a classic, romantic ballad or reimagined through modern, brooding covers, the track has fueled some of the sport’s most memorable competitive routines and viral exhibition performances across the globe.
The song’s structure makes it an ideal canvas for choreography. The gentle, lilting triple-meter time signature offers an intuitive rhythm for edge work and step sequences, allowing skaters to build speed naturally. As the arrangement swells into its iconic chorus, it provides the perfect dramatic backdrop for high-flying jumps and dramatic throw elements. Over the decades, the track has evolved in figure skating from a traditional romantic staple into a versatile masterpiece interpreted across various disciplines.
One of the most high-profile competitive uses of the song occurred on the Olympic stage. At the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, Russian men’s single skater Mikhail Kolyada featured the classic track as a centerpiece of his Elvis Presley free skate medley. Donning a stylized black jumpsuit, Kolyada utilized the romantic transition of “Can’t Help Falling in Love” to contrast the high-energy rock-and-roll segments of his routine, helping propel his team to an Olympic silver medal. Similarly, Olympic champion Yulia Lipnitskaya captivated the skating community during her 2015–2016 season with an elegant, poignant short program set to the classic track under the guidance of renowned choreographer Marina Zueva.
In recent years, the trend has shifted toward dramatic, contemporary covers of the piece, introducing the song to a new generation of fans via viral social media clips. U.S. collegiate pewter medalist Ting Cui stunned audiences at the Patriot Figure Skating Club’s annual ice show with a dark, cinematic performance set to Tommee Profitt’s haunting rendition of the song. Captured beautifully by ice skating cinematographer Jordan Cowan of On Ice Perspectives, Cui’s routine seamlessly blended deep-edged musicality with raw emotional power, racking up millions of views online and showcasing how a modern twist can breathe entirely new life into a classic melody.
This trend of utilizing contemporary vocal layers extends across all tiers of the sport. U.S. junior skater Katie Krafchik chose Haley Reinhart’s breathy, intimate acoustic version for an Ice Theatre of New York outreach event. Meanwhile, Italian ice dancers Jasmine Tessari and Marco Garavaglia brought a sultry, theatrical intensity to the ice during their 2024 Ghiaccio Spettacolo Summer Tour, proving that the song is just as potent for pairs seeking to convey complex, romantic narratives.
Ultimately, the marriage of “Can’t Help Falling in Love” and figure skating endures because it encapsulates the very essence of the sport. It demands that the athlete strip away pure athletic sterility and perform with vulnerability. As long as skaters continue to push the boundaries of artistic expression on the ice, this classic anthem will undoubtedly remain a favorite soundtrack for romance, drama, and triumph.
If you want to explore more about how music shapes the sport,
Curate a list of other viral routines filmed by On Ice Perspectives.
Detail the choreography history of a specific skater mentioned here. YouTube·On Ice Perspectives
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