Some things come only once a year: Harry Potter movies, Christmas and the Outpost Ice Arena’s Christmas Show.
Student Krista Keay will skate in the show, and she said it attracts about 100 spectators every year.
“Figure skating is not that big of a sport in New Mexico,” she said. “This is like the one thing we do every year, where everybody can come and see what we do.”
Chanel Lucero, also a student, said performing can be nerve-wracking.
“It’s a little bit more intimidating when you’re doing the solo,” she said. “I just remember to have fun and not let it get to me. We all know each other, and we’ve skated in front of each other’s families before, so it’s not too bad.”
All the women in the show, most of whom are UNM students, will skate to a song together, which has not been done in the past, Lucero said. She said the show will feature a “high number,” a piece performed by the most talented skaters.
“In the past years, the older girls have always been in the high number, but now there are other girls that are considered to be in the high level,” she said. “So we’re just kind of doing our own program.”
Home-schooled high school student Desiree Cavazos-Arechiga said the show will inspire more people to start skating. Like most of the other women in the show, she coaches Outpost’s Learn-to-Skate program.
“A lot of other people are going to see it, and they’re going to be inspired by it, and they might want to join the sport,” she said. “I think that’s really cool. It might gain some other students.”
Keay said coaching taught her skills that apply to her life. She said skating while going to school full time teaches better time-management skills.
“Growing up, it was just a stable thing to do,” she said. “It kept me out of trouble. It kept me from not focusing on things. I did really good in high school. I had 60 credits coming in to UNM when I got here.
It taught me a lot of discipline and how to balance my life.”
UNM student Romilly Tsinhnahjinnie said the show will offer Albuquerque a rare opportunity to see live figure skating.
“When you see (figure skating) on T.V., I think it looks a lot different from when you see it live, because you don’t realize how high people are jumping, say, or how fast people are really spinning,” she said “… It’s just cool to see it live.”
Cavazos-Arechiga said skating offers an escape from everyday stress.
“It’s just, like, me and the ice,” she said. “All your problems or worries just disappear. Honestly.”
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
*Outpost Christmas Show
9530 Tramway Blvd.
Sat. Dec. 11, 5:30 p.m.
$6.00 general admission
*
