Show skiing involves a group of trained skiers who also have to be good athletes and acrobats to perform and put up a show in front of an audience, paying or otherwise. The pyramid is a popular performance in show skiing.
Human pyramids have been formed on land, on galloping horsebacks, on motorbikes and also by para-jumpers. It has always been an example of high coordination levels between performers.
In a water skiing pyramid, skiers form a human pyramid by standing on one another. While a line of skiers hold hands and ski parallel to each other, another set of people come up to the first set and climb on to them.
The second set of skiers use the shoulder of the first set as foothold. Then another set of people stand on the just formed second line. This goes on until one person is standing on the top.
The level of expertise in skiing, fitness and the acrobatic skill required to perform the pyramid is extremely high. The pyramid has been a show that has enthralled audiences at several places.
Several other stunts are also performed at shows. Apart from the pyramid, ramp jumps, barefoot skiing, dancing and various jumps are also performed to enthrall audiences.
Show skiing is eponymous as it is and purely for the eye. The glamour of it is great to savor if the performers are in sync and timing perfect, but the risks are aplenty and should be done with caution. It’s a performing art and all the more dangerous as it involves defying gravity.