Highlighting Black achievements and contributions to industries across sectors is more important than ever this Black History Month. A new documentary series coming out on Disney+, Harlem Ice, does just that. Directed by Samantha Knowles—who’s spearheaded projects like Black and Missing and How We Get Free—the five-part series follows the girls of Figure Skating in Harlem, a figure skating program designed for young women of color.

The series captures the girls as they prepare for competitions, performances, and a life-changing global experience. Ahead of the show’s Feb. 12 release, Blavity’s Shadow and Act spoke to Knowles about her process of realizing these girls’ stories, how it impacted her, and her thoughts on Marsai Martin‘s viral comments about the industry’s struggle to promote Black content.

See the conversation and check out an exclusive clip from the series below.

How did you find the Figure Skating in Harlem program?

When I first heard about the project, the first thing I learned about the organization was that it was this figure skating program with a competitive division for young girls of color. I had participated in a similar program for dance when I was growing up, so I was really excited initially, right off the bat, because I really saw these girls as dancers on the ice.

I still love dance, but there was one big difference between my program growing up and this figure skating program: it was curated specifically for girls of color. I grew up in a mostly white town, and I didn’t have access to anything like that. The idea of highlighting a program that did that was really amazing to me. In a lot of ways, it was the program that I always wanted to have growing up.

What are some common misconceptions about the figure skating industry, particularly as it pertains to diversity?

SK: I love this question because one of the first things I learned (and it was something that I needed to learn) is that [figure skating] is not a very diverse sport at all. One of the early clips we have in the show highlights these incredibly dynamic Black figure skaters who really broke barriers. And what was clear to us was that, from the beginning, these girls were really existing in that legacy, and it was incredible.

I’ll tell you a quick story about our very first shoot: The girls were skating at a competition called Colonials in the middle of nowhere in Massachusetts. It was our very first shoot. We were just getting to know the girls, and we were thrown into the larger world of skating as well. They were the only team that looked like them. But what was amazing was, instead of shrinking from that, they really embraced it. They don’t try to blend in. In fact, they skate to Beyoncé. They love to stand out.

The last few years, female athletes have started to get the attention and opportunities they deserve. After realizing Harlem Ice, what are your thoughts on this evolution and the role Black female athletes have played in it?

SK: I think it’s really exciting. The thing that I think about constantly is not losing momentum and keeping the progress that we’re making going. I’ve been re-watching the show at screenings and events, and it’s kind of incredible to see what these girls are doing. We shot this show two years ago, and it’s so surprising (well, maybe not so surprising) how uniquely timely it is.

We definitely need a show like this now more than ever.

You could say that it’s been a dicey few months, and this Black History Month has a different energy than previous years. I wasn’t expecting that when I was making the show, but I’m really proud that the show is positioned the way that it is. I hope it’s part of continuing to build the momentum that’s so needed.

What surprised you about what you took away from the Harlem Ice girls’ journeys?

Something that surprised me was how much I learned from them. I really learned so much from the girls—how they show up in these spaces, how bold they are… they surprised me in so many ways.

I’ll give you one of my favorite examples. I remember once, I asked the girls, “Who’s your alter ego on the ice?” A lot of people said Sasha Fierce—a very famous alter ego. Some people said Janelle Monáe, which I liked. And then I asked one of the main girls, Tori, and she said Aretha Franklin.

I was floored because I wasn’t expecting that. As a result, now in the show, we have her skating to Aretha Franklin, and it’s such a joyful moment. It’s so surprising. It’s not something you’d expect, but I think it really speaks to so much of what is at the core of the show—a really unapologetic, authentic, and surprising kind of boldness that these young women have. They’re never afraid to say the unexpected thing.

Last week, Marsai Martin went viral for comments about how the entertainment industry doesn’t know how to promote Black shows. What do you think is at the root of the issue?

I’ve been really lucky in a lot of ways because I’ve had a lot of success in terms of how my shows have been promoted. But it can be a mixed bag.

I’ve been really energized by the shows that have been doing really well. I remember when we were making this show, Abbott Elementary was really becoming popular at the time. And I remember seeing an article—I forgot where it was, maybe The Atlantic—and it was about how the show lets Black kids be kids.

I was so excited by that. It was just so gratifying to see that that can be successful and something that’s popular. I’m hoping people latch on to this show in the same way.

What would you want little Black girls watching this show to take away from it?

I really hope people take away the energy of the show. It’s about skating, but also so much more than that. It’s about sisterhood, it’s about performance, it’s about being bold. And I hope people feel that energy and feel really energized.

I always tell people: I think the show will make you laugh, I think it’ll make you cry, and I hope you’ll dance.