Breaking the Ice: Olympic’s First On-Ice Camera Operator Captures Figure Skaters’ Raw Emotions

MILAN — Jordan Cowan glides across the Olympic rink in an ice-white tuxedo, hoisting his camera mount as figure skating competitors warm up. Though his presence is deliberately inconspicuous, his role at the Milan Cortina Winter Games is making Olympic history.

The former U.S. competitive ice dancer has become the first camera operator on figure skating ice in Olympic history, capturing intimate moments that traditional overhead or sideboard cameras simply cannot reach. While he stays off the ice during performances, Cowan skates backward after each program to record up-close reactions that are broadcast globally and displayed on arena screens.

“To be the first person out on the ice at the end of their performance is such a privilege, and I definitely want them to feel their feelings,” Cowan explained before the pairs short program on Sunday. “The ice is a sacred place for a skater.”

His camera has already documented some of the Games’ most emotionally charged moments. When American skater Ilia Malinin completed his long program in the team competition, he punched excitedly toward Cowan’s lens, celebrating a performance that helped Team USA secure gold. The contrast came days later when Malinin botched his singles free skate, and Cowan respectfully maintained distance as the young athlete’s face crumpled in disappointment.

“I’m there to tell the audience, ‘It’s going to be OK, he’s still here.’ You know, you finish a program, you’re still alive. There’ll be another day. To see Ilia’s emotion really is just part of his story,” Cowan said.

While on-ice cameras have long been fixtures in speed skating and hockey broadcasts, figure skating has traditionally been shot from a distance. Cowan has pioneered this niche after retiring from competitive skating in 2011. Drawing inspiration from how television motivated amateurs to learn ballroom dancing, he launched his company, On Ice Perspectives, in 2018. Since then, he’s created viral skating moments across social media platforms, giving viewers unprecedented access to the sport.

At Milan Cortina, Cowan works for Olympic Broadcasting Services, providing footage to national broadcasters worldwide. His resume already includes three U.S. Championships, the 2021 world exhibition gala, and international ice shows.

“For that brief window at the end of the program, when you get to take in the audience by yourself, by having this silent camera slowly available to you, it gives a special moment that we have never been able to capture before,” he explained.

The technical challenges of his role are substantial. Cowan maintains his physical conditioning through Pilates and yoga, enabling him to handle the camera while matching athletes’ speeds across the ice. His custom-designed rig features a lightweight steady camera mounted on an electronic stabilized gimbal that maintains a level horizon regardless of his movements. He’s enhanced it with manual focus capabilities, cinema zoom, and wireless transmission.

Many skaters have embraced his presence, often making heart signs with their hands or sending messages to loved ones, knowing his equipment includes a microphone. This interaction creates yet another dimension to the viewing experience that traditional camera setups miss.

Beyond competition programs, Cowan also films medal ceremonies and will capture the closing gala where top competitors showcase their crowd-pleasing signature moves. The gala presents unique challenges, requiring him to anticipate movements and position himself optimally without interfering with performances.

His background as a competitive skater proves invaluable for this work. “I’ve trained myself to be able to follow skaters without knowing the choreography,” he said. “They know they don’t have to look out for me, and I’m going to do everything I can to stay out of their way because safety is my number one priority.”

To minimize visual distraction, Cowan has experimented with both gray and white skating outfits that blend into the ice environment. His efforts to remain unobtrusive while delivering compelling footage have earned appreciation from the athletes themselves.

“The perfect compliment I get is when the skaters say they didn’t even realize I was out there,” Cowan said, highlighting the delicate balance he strikes between capturing intimate moments and respecting the athletes’ performances.

As the Milan Cortina Games continue, Cowan’s innovative camera work is transforming how viewers experience figure skating, bringing audiences closer to the emotional core of a sport defined by both technical precision and artistic expression.