Angelina Huang ’24’s debut on wild ice involved six paramedics — not for a medical emergency, but to help her rekindle her lifelong passion for ice skating. She began figure skating at age six, trained at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, competed internationally on the U.S. National Team, and even won a national championship. After a successful career, she planned to retire and leave the ice for good. However, a chance encounter during her sophomore year at UW–Madison reignited her love for the sport. Once focused on competition and precision, Huang now embraces the freedom and artistry of wild-ice skating, inspiring others to connect with nature and pursue their passions.
What exactly is wild ice?
Another term is “outdoor skating,” which can sometimes be confused with outdoor rinks. Wild ice is truly just untouched, naturally frozen ice.
How did you start skating outdoors?
When I retired, I stopped skating completely. But my first winter at the UW, a couple of friends wanted to go skating, so I had my skates in my car. I drove to Lake Wingra one day, and six EMTs were walking on the lake. I watched them from the shore and finally asked them, “When is this safe to skate on?” They said, “Now. If we’re walking on it, you could skate on it.” So, I asked if they would watch me while I skated, and that was the first time I had stepped on wild ice. I was scared out of my mind, but I went out and skated around at sunset, and that helped me start falling back in love with skating.
Where has been your favorite place to skate?
Lake Monona is my favorite lake to skate on. Sunrise and sunset — you can see it all from there. Madison will always have a special place in my heart. It’s where I started, and it’s what I call my “home” wild ice.
What makes wild-ice skating different from regular ice skating?
You don’t know what you’re going to get whenever you step out on the ice. One day, it could be perfectly smooth, and the next day, the wind has torn it up, and you’re jumping over cracks. You have to have not only the knowledge but also the guts to go out. It’s a dangerous sport, and sometimes you’re pushing your limits.
Your specialty is artistic skating. Are there specific skills that you particularly enjoy doing outdoors?
My favorite thing to do, especially from a choreographer’s perspective, is improv. I almost always have earbuds in –– or just one to be able to listen to the ice to make sure it’s not cracking –– and I don’t think;
I just skate. That’s how I like it to be. I don’t push myself to have to get anything done. I think the beauty of wild ice is that you can do whatever you want. … But my signature move — at least on the internet — has become knee slides.
Speaking of the internet, your Instagram account (@theworldwithangelina) has gone viral. Why did you decide to start posting your skating content?
On the side, I’m a photographer and videographer, and I’ve always been passionate about it. I was sharing travel photos, but I started filming myself wild-ice skating because I thought it was super cool. Those videos started gaining traction, and I got hundreds of thousands, even millions, of views. I’m happy people enjoy it and find inspiration from them, but going viral was accidental.
I do it because I love it.
Where’s your dream wild-ice skating destination?
Banff, Canada, is the dream. I really want to catch the first freeze of the alpine lakes up there in the Canadian Rockies. The first freeze is a very short window. It’s usually two to four days before the snow comes in and wrecks it or the wind tears it up, so it’ll have to be a very spontaneous trip.
