Preserved in Ice

When Peggy Fleming left competitive skating after she won a gold medal in the 1968 Olympics, her options seemed to be limited to teaching or the Ice Follies.

Sure, Sonja Henie had made the transition to movies in the 1940s, but Fleming didn’t see a “Sun Valley Serenade” (which starred Henie) in her future. Fleming figured her own career on ice would last only until another champion was crowned at the next Olympics. Instead, thanks to several television specials--and the introduction of color TV--skating has kept her in the spotlight for 30 years. And she can still cut a mean figure-eight.

“I never ever imagined that at 49 years old I would be still getting into these glittery costumes and going around the rink,” Fleming said. “It has been very interesting and fun and challenging and all the above; it hasn’t been dull.”

Fleming will show what she can still do when she joins Rudy Galindo, U.S. National Champion figure skater, and pairs champions Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner in “The Memory of All That . . . Gershwin on Ice,” tonight through Sunday at the Universal Amphitheatre. (Fleming will also appear on Kristi Yamaguchi’s Christmas show, airing on Dec. 22 and 23 on the TBS.)

Although Galindo wasn’t even born when Fleming won American hearts by gliding to the gold medal, Fleming was “still being talked about” when Galindo first touched toe to ice as an 8-year-old.

“She’s the real queen of the ice,” Galindo said. “I saw her a couple of weeks ago--she can really move on that ice.”

Fleming was the only American to win a gold at the 1968 Winter Olympic Games, pulling the spotlight onto figure skating with her style, daring and elegance. These qualities also put her in command of the ice as a fresh-faced teenager in the 1960s, earning her the world champion title several years in a row, and the U.S. national title from 1964 to ’68. She never had to threaten the competition; she just left them in a trail of ice shards.

“Peggy’s really the reason I started skating,” said Babilonia, who, after seeing Fleming on a TV special, begged her mother for skating lessons. “I loved her style of skating.”

Gardner said he remembered Fleming from the Culver City Ice Rink. “I remember watching her practice. She had just won the Olympics; it was very thrilling for us.”

Some things have changed in the 30 years since Fleming skated competitively. Triple jumps, the technology of the boots and peer pressure to do more difficult and creative things are the most noticeable, as well as a few adjustments in the rules.

Still, Fleming said good-naturedly, “I’m very envious of the skaters of today because of all the diverse opportunities, either competing as a professional or competing as both a professional and an eligible skater for the Olympics.”

Not that Fleming hasn’t made the most of her early fame. Married to dermatologist Greg Jenkins for 27 years and the mother of two sons, one a college student and the other a 9-year-old, she said she marvels at how her stint commentating for ABC snowballed into another career. And, of course, “I’m still skating.”

As she takes the ice tonight at the Universal Amphitheatre, Fleming will skate to “Summertime” (from Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess”) and “Embraceable You.” Although Gershwin is “not the kind of music I listen to,” Fleming said, “the music is real skateable. Music is a big part of skating, and this is so melodic and interesting.”

Fleming’s biggest concern with strapping on steel blades for the crowd isn’t her age. “It’s nerves,” she said. “That was the hardest thing for me to overcome, and I still kind of battle it. Getting the guts up enough to go out in front of the crowd. I have to tell myself it’s not brain surgery; it’s just skating.”

BE THERE

“The Memory of All That . . . Gershwin on Ice,” Universal Amphitheatre, Universal City. Today, 2:15 and 8:15 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 8:15 p.m.; Sunday, 2:15 p.m. Tickets: $19 to $64, Ticketmaster, (213) 480-3232.