Yes, there’s definitely something about that old school quad jam skating that just looks really smooth when done well. Ice is where my skating heart is though & they are too far away from that, plus I can’t afford another pair of skates, especially as I just replaced running with Nordic Skating, but that’s for another forum.
Feel like I’ve derailed the thread slightly here, so getting back to the initial question about innate ability.
Indeed, I celebrate my small achievements. Then again I've had a lifetime to hone that philosophy. Seriously though, I was good at maths, and was always bored to tears during school maths lessons as they were far too easy. So I guess we all have areas where we do better than the average. Skating is presumably partly intellectual, but partly motor control and coordination, which are I assume attributes of the brain. I'm sure we can teach ourselves to improve motor control etc.
I’m sure we can teach ourselves better motor control & balance too.
Speaking from my personal experience I was never good at sports at school, always one of the last to be picked, but as a 43 year old beginner skater I was told by 2 different coaches on my group lessons that I had natural ability.
As an older teenager & through most of my 20s I was an avid rock climber & circus skills enthusiast (juggling, unicycle, ultimate wheel, tight rope, slack rope & acrobalance). For the last 14 years I have earnt my living as a climbing arborist (tree surgeon, hence the screen name).
Those hobbies & my job involve balance & co-ordination, over the last 30 years I believe I have taught myself better motor control & balance.
In my many years of skating I have seen two people, both self taught, both teenagers, one a hockey skater on ice, the other a rollerblader, who learned at what seemed like a ridiculously fast pace and in a few months had easily mastered skills that take most people many years. They are fearless and full of energy and skate many hours a week.
The part about being fearless & the volume of skating I believe is just as important as these teenagers obvious talent for skating, to their progress.