Though there are a handful of Black players in the NHL and there have been occasional Black figure skating champions like Debi Thomas, it is still not exactly that commonplace to see a lot of Black ice skaters. That’s precisely why a new series focusing on that subject is now airing on Disney +. “Harlem Ice” is directed by Samantha Knowles, who previously spearheaded projects like “Black and Missing” and “How We Get Free.” It’s a five-part series that follows the girls of Figure Skating in Harlem, a figure skating program designed for young women of color. It captures the girls as they prepare for competitions, performances, and a life-changing global experience. The program debuted last week, and Knowles spoke with the website Blavity’s Shadow and Act about her process of realizing these girls’ stories. She also talked about the personal impact of the series, as well as Marsai Martin‘s viral comments about the industry’s struggle to promote Black content.
“When I first heard about the project, the first thing I learned about the organization was that it was this figure skating program with a competitive division for young girls of color,” Knowles said. “I had participated in a similar program for dance when I was growing up, so I was really excited initially, right off the bat, because I really saw these girls as dancers on the ice. I still love dance, but there was one big difference between my program growing up and this figure skating program: it was curated specifically for girls of color. I grew up in a mostly white town, and I didn’t have access to anything like that. The idea of highlighting a program that did that was really amazing to me. In a lot of ways, it was the program that I always wanted to have growing up.”
Knowles also acknowledged that figure skating hasn’t exactly embraced the concept of diversity. “One of the first things I learned (and it was something that I needed to learn) is that [figure skating] is not a very diverse sport at all,” she acknowledged. “One of the early clips we have in the show highlights these incredibly dynamic Black figure skaters who really broke barriers. And what was clear to us was that, from the beginning, these girls were really existing in that legacy, and it was incredible.
“I’ll tell you a quick story about our very first shoot: The girls were skating at a competition called Colonials in the middle of nowhere in Massachusetts. It was our very first shoot. We were just getting to know the girls, and we were thrown into the larger world of skating as well. They were the only team that looked like them. But what was amazing was, instead of shrinking from that, they really embraced it. They don’t try to blend in. In fact, they skate to Beyoncé. They love to stand out.”
Knowles also talked about how the current environment made doing this series a challenge. “You could say that it’s been a dicey few months, and this Black History Month has a different energy than previous years,” She continued. “I wasn’t expecting that when I was making the show, but I’m really proud that the show is positioned the way that it is. I hope it’s part of continuing to build the momentum that’s so needed.
One of the latest controversies involves comments made by Marsai Martin regarding how the entertainment industry doesn’t know how to promote Black shows. Knowles didn’t shy away from answering the question but responded in this manner. “I’ve been really lucky in a lot of ways because I’ve had a lot of success in terms of how my shows have been promoted. But it can be a mixed bag. I’ve been really energized by the shows that have been doing really well. I remember when we were making this show, “Abbott Elementary” was really becoming popular at the time. And I remember seeing an article—I forgot where it was, maybe The Atlantic—and it was about how the show lets Black kids be kids. I was so excited by that. It was just so gratifying to see that that can be successful and something that’s popular. I’m hoping people latch on to this show in the same way.”
She concluded by saying she hopes folks get multiple messages from the show. “I really hope people take away the energy of the show. It’s about skating, but also so much more than that. It’s about sisterhood, it’s about performance, it’s about being bold. And I hope people feel that energy and feel really energized. I always tell people: I think the show will make you laugh, I think it’ll make you cry, and I hope you’ll dance.”
“Harlem On Ice” is currently streaming on Disney +.
Copyright TNTRIBUNE 2025. All rights reserved.
