Ice-skating is not easy. It involves hours upon hours, years upon years of practice and dedication to the sport in order to be among the best. After watching the 2018 Winter Olympics, we’re pretty confident that figure skating is the hardest, most insane sport in the Olympics.

While synchronized figure skating is not currently an Olympic sport, it is just as difficult and perhaps even more jaw-dropping to watch than other figure skating events.

Have you ever been ice-skating? Perhaps there’s a pond that you go to in the winter or your family drives to a nearby rink where you rent skates. Perhaps you’ve even taken a few lessons. If any of these is you, you know that skating doesn’t exactly come naturally. It’s not the same as walking. Once you get the hang of it though, some people think it’s even easier than walking. You’d probably have to skate pretty frequently in order to agree.

It takes time to get your balance on the ice, and it takes years to learn spins, jumps, and fancy footwork. Now, imagine learning all of those things but having to do them at the exact same time as 15 other people. That’s synchronized skating.

Team Canada certainly knows their way around the skating rink. They usually have athletes in all of the Olympic skating events, and their synchronized skating team is very impressive to watch.

Actually, “impressive” may not be quite the right word. Perhaps “mesmerizing” is more appropriate.

In the 2015 World Synchro Championships, Team Canada owned the ice. They glided out onto the ice and took their positions with confidence and grace. The skaters linked arms, and practically flew across the ice making every move look effortless. They were just getting into position. The music hadn’t even started yet.

Once the team was announced and the music started (“MUD” by the Road Hammers), they started by stomping their feet in time with their music and basically combining line dancing with synchronized skating! The crowd’s cheers were so loud that they almost drowned out the music.

As one person commented, “so energetic and outside the box! usually skating is linked to softness, this was way better…and u had really great moves! great job team Canada :).”

Another commenter adds, “Having skated in my youth, I stand in slack jawed amazement and open admiration of this troop. Well done.”

We must agree. Well done indeed! Watch this impressive, unconventional routine in the video below.

What did you think of this routine by Team Canada?