As the metal blades hit the ice, Maria Taifour is in her zone. Most students look forward to heading back home during school breaks, but Maria relishes her visits to the ice rink. There she gets to challenge herself through layback spins, axel jumps, and toe loops. She talks to TEMPO about her journey as a figure skater.
TEMPO: How did you get into figure skating?
Maria: It’s been 10 years. For the first few years, I used to just go to the ice rink and skate only for fun, but then I realized that I was taking it for granted. Skating then became a priority for me and I started practicing 5-6 times a week, including mornings before school. Waking up at 4:30am seemed like torture at the time, but I realize now that it was this that helped me to develop the discipline, dedication and motivation that I have today.
TEMPO: Who is your role model?
Maria: My ultimate role model is Sasha Cohen, and I admire her because I feel like she goes beyond just technical talent. She doesn’t just skate, she performs, and so you can truly see her emotion come out during a performance. This element, in my opinion, is lacking greatly in the new skating generation.
TEMPO: What kind of skating shows do you do?
Maria: Every December, my team puts on a show with a specific theme. We’ve done everything from fairytales, to Oscar-winning movies, to cartoons and music artists. We perform in things like two-person camel costumes, inflated sumo suits, bulky panda heads, and even costumes that light up. The past show had a superhero theme, so the skaters represented various superheroes and super villains, such as the Incredible Hulk, Batman, Catwoman, etc.
TEMPO: What else do you do besides skating?
Maria: I enjoy acting, dancing, and visual art just as much as I love skating. I also like singing, but I keep that in the shower. There’s something about the performing arts that kind of takes you away from reality, and it’s a really great feeling.
TEMPO: What’s a day in the life of Maria Taifour like?
Maria: I would wake up and have a nice breakfast, and go the gym and pool for about 90 minutes or so. Then I go to the ice rink and practice for about two hours and then I do some yoga or Pilates. Lastly, I would hang out with my friends during the evening or just go home and catch up on Orange is the New Black or Community.
TEMPO: Tell me something that people don’t know about figure skating.
Maria: I get very frustrated when people say that figure skating “isn’t a real sport”. Figure skating is one of the most difficult activities anyone could ever pursue. I mean, you’re balancing your entire bodyweight on a metal blade on ice, for God’s sake!
TEMPO: How does your family react to your skating?
Maria: On my second time on the ice I managed to start skating really fast (“really fast” for an eight year old). So I called my mom over from the bleachers so she could watch me. Of course, I wasn’t looking straight ahead when I was skating, and so I slammed into rink’s barrier and ended up with two huge bruises on my knees.
TEMPO: What’s next for you?
Maria: I used to want to go to the Olympics. That was the ultimate dream. But now I’ve come to realize that I actually don’t want to do that. I love figure skating, but the professional skating is very harsh one. Nevertheless, I would like to continue to figure skate while in university – provided I have the opportunity and time. I know that I will never stop skating, and I don’t need any medal to keep me motivated.
TEMPO: What advice would you give to people pursuing figure skating?
Maria: If you love being the on ice, keep doing it. If your parents force you to practice, stop. You should want to do something because you find happiness in it, not because someone else is telling you to do it.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maria.taifour?fref=ts
By Sanjana Mahajan
