For twenty years, an entire art form born of winter dreamers lay dormant, dismissed by the mainstream and forgotten by the world. They called it "ski ballet." I called it my life's work.

My name is Jason Bodnar. I grew up on the slopes, where practicing the fluid, free movements of freestyle skiing every day gave me a connection to the sport that endures. It was my native language. I was a US Champion, competing on the world stage, but when the governing bodies pulled the plug on the sport in 2000, I was faced with a choice: walk away like everyone else, or become its guardian.

My name is Jason Bodnar. I grew up on the slopes, where practicing the fluid, free movements of freestyle skiing every day gave me a connection to the sport that endures. It was my native language. I was a US Champion, competing on the world stage, but when the governing bodies pulled the plug on the sport in 2000, I was faced with a choice: walk away like everyone else, or become its guardian.