"From being treated like cattle as a young girl to sleeping in her car off a Polish highway, Allison Reed has taken a long, hard road to follow her Olympic ice dance dream. Born in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Reed has traveled the world just for a chance to compete. After representing Georgia and Israel, Reed is back at the Olympics for the first time since 2010, skating for Lithuania with a partner who's taken her to the next level."
"Far more girls aspire to ice dance careers than boys and male dancers are expected to be tall athletes capable of lifting their female partners with ease. Reed recalls attending tryouts as a young skater with four boys taking their pick of 25 girls at a rink. These four boys would just go about choosing whatever girl that they wanted to skate with and they would go and skate with them, they'd say thank you, then they'd pick another girl, she told The Associated Press."
Allison Reed pursued Olympic ice dance despite major personal and professional obstacles, including sleeping in her car and representing multiple countries. Reed competed for Georgia and Israel before qualifying for the Olympics again in 2024 for Lithuania with partner Saulius Ambrulevicius. The 16-year gap between Olympic appearances highlights the longevity and resilience required in her career. Reed brings dramatic flair to programs themed around 1990s pop and electronic hits and has experienced both breakthrough medals and personal tragedy. The sport shows gender imbalances in partner selection and expectations, with male dancers often expected to be taller and stronger for lifts.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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