Up-and-coming figure skater, Alexa Gasparatto, performs a stunning ice routine to “His Eye Is On The Sparrow” in this video and pays tribute to a skate mom.
Alexa is glowing in sparkling gold, pieces of her beautiful curls nearly matching the color of her costume. She wears gold and silver bracelets, and her lips and nails are pink. She is simply gorgeous. So is her performance!
As the song opens and the lights come up, we see Alexa in a kneeling position with her head down. She looks like she may be praying. She slowly lifts her head toward the sky and stands as the verse begins. First written in 1905, “His Eye Is On The Sparrow” is sung here by Lauren Hill and Tonya Blount, who performed the hymn in 1993’s Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit.
Rohene Ward is the choreographer of the routine, and each movement supports the song’s message. Alexa looks heavenward, her arms extended as if trying to reach up and touch God. The first half of the performance is soft like a quiet conversation with Him. And, we don’t hear a sound other than her skates and the music until 1:12 when the audience applauds as Alexa lands her first jump.
Here are four lines from the song:
Why should I be discouraged, and why should the shadows fall?
Why should my heart be lonely and long for heaven and home?
When Jesus is my portion, my constant Friend is He,
His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me.
At 1:30 Alexa goes into a glorious spin, and the music builds from there. The second half of the performance reminds us more of impassioned praise. A second perfect jump is landed just as the voices hit the word “sing.” Alexa then demonstrates incredible grace as she extends her right leg back and holds the position as “happy” fills the space. And ”free” is communicated at 2:15 when Alexa leans way back onto the ice, her body open and unguarded for a few seconds.
Her beautiful, moving performance served as a memorial tribute to a fellow skater’s mother. Liz Yoshiko Schmidt's mother, Sandra Kawaguchi, died on December 7, 2022. She was honored at the SK8 GR8 Memorial Ice Show on April 15, 2022, in Chicago, IL.
“Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young— a place near your altar, Lord Almighty, my King and my God.” Psalms 84:3