The truth about Dancing On Ice
Lots of people want to know what it’s really like being on Dancing on Ice. So, here it is!
The best way to describe my DOI experience is the same way that a good friend once described his experience of having kids: it is the most important and amazing thing that ever happened in his life… but it was nowhere near as important or amazing to anyone else!
I know that in the grand scheme of things, Dancing on Ice probably rates towards the bottom of the scale when it comes to the most important things in life. And I’m sure everyone in my life was tired of listening to me talk about it non-stop for months on end.
But for those 6 months, it was the most important and amazing thing in my life. Never have I spent such an intense period living near the edge of my comfort zone for so long. And never have I been so transformed by an experience.
For starters, never have I had to believe in myself so intensely when every other marker for success signalled that I would fail. As a long jumper, I knew exactly who I was. I knew I was good at it. I knew how to deliver. I loved getting the crowd going and having all eyes on me as I jumped. It feels good to be in an environment where you know you are world class and you are confident in what you are doing.
Skating was the exact opposite. I wasn’t a skater, a dancer, or a performer. At no point did I ever feel confident in what I was doing. It felt like I was being asked to steer a car with precision on an road covered in black ice. I felt wildly out of control, wildly under qualified, and stretched beyond anything I had ever experienced. And I loved it.
It’s nice to be in an environment where you feel confident and successful. But if you aren’t willing to leave it, to risk being bad at something for a while, to remember the process of learning, then your capacity for growth ends. Dancing on Ice was a brilliant reminder of how fun it is to start from the bottom and throw yourself into a new adventure.
It was also the thing that settled me about my decision to retire at 37 from my career as a professional long jumper. I loved competing and I worried I would never find anything as fun. I didn’t wanted to spend the rest of my life looking back and thinking my best days were behind me. I want to always live with the conviction that the best is still in front.
Dancing On Ice was a completely different world and one of the most fun things I have ever done. And I thought, if this is fun, imagine how many other fun things are out in the world ready to be explored. I just haven’t had time to discover them yet because I’ve been so focused on athletics. DOI reassured me that life would never cease to offer adventure if you are willing to say yes!
The other thing I learned is what is possible with the right environment and the right coaching. Never underestimate the importance of the people around you. I look back at some of the things Andy and I achieved, and it is wild! The show is so good at creating a team around you that gives you confidence and makes you believe that you can do anything. That kind of belief makes a person unstoppable.
It took a good 3 months for my body and mind to recover from Dancing on Ice. My body needed to detox from weeks of surviving on adrenaline, butterflies and coffee. I’m thankful for the memories and thankful for everything it taught me.
I loved skating so much, I’m still at the rink every week!