Ski ballet, also known as Acroski, was a captivating freestyle skiing discipline where athletes performed choreographed routines of spins, jumps, and flips on a smooth slope, set to music. Similar to figure skating, it was a prominent feature of professional freestyle skiing tours in the 1970s and 1980s, later gaining recognition as an official FIS discipline and even a demonstration sport at the 1988 and 1992 Winter Olympics. Routines typically lasted 90 seconds and were judged on artistic impression and technical skill; for a period, there were also pair ballet competitions.
Notable athletes included Suzy "Chapstick" Chaffee, Genia Fuller (known for performing without poles and being the first to win all four freestyle disciplines in 1974), and Rune Kristiansen, who won a gold medal at the 1995 FIS World Ski Championships and had 38 World Cup victories. However, the sport's popularity significantly declined after 1992 when it failed to achieve full Olympic status, ultimately leading to the cessation of all international competitions by the year 2000 as interest waned and other snow sports gained traction.