Figure skating is all about performance. It is all about looking good. And it is no wonder that when the first ice skating rink opens in a new mall, we got a call asking to perform for the opening party.
It wasn't a typical performance call. It was a call that gave me no more than 12 hours to find a team to fly to Mumbai the very next day, and perform the day after. Looking for skaters to perform was a great challenge, as practically nobody could just "up-and-go" instantly. Eventually, it was only Elaine and I, and we search for music, made programs, booked a flight and were off to Mumbai all within one day.
We were the first to step onto the new ice rink in Neptune Magnet Mall in Mumbai. The rink was quite small, just 10m by 20m, but adequate to do a simple program. The ice was so smooth, and was a dream to spin on. We practised for almost 2 hours in the morning.
Here's a short video of our practise.
The performance was that same evening. Unfortunately, when we came back, the ice felt like it had gravel stuck on it. We found out that their resurface involved just "scraping" the ice so make it smoother. That certainly didn't take out the spray from our morning's skate that had frozen on the surface. They willingly agreed to scrape it again after we warmed up, but spins would catch once in a while, and edges would feel shaky. Rough spin entries made for a slow camel, and made me wonder if I would survive the layback
Still, it all went well, and I hope all the guests enjoyed it as much as we did! Our three days in Mumbai went by all too quickly. We enjoyed the utmost hospitality while we were there and it was an exciting and wonderful experience. I would never have imagined myself doing something like this, but I am very glad I did!
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