She’s certainly no stranger to performing in TV competitions, but when it comes to lacing up her skates for Dancing On Ice, drag superstar The Vivienne admits it’s poles apart from her usual routine.
The Welsh star, 30, hit our screens in 2019 when she won the first-ever UK series of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Now she’s learning a new skill for Dancing On Ice, something she tells us she’s fallen in love with”.
And she seems to be a natural, wowing the judges and the audience in the first week. But The Vivienne real name James Lee Williams admits the nerves” haven't yet subsided.
Here, The Vivienne who is partnered with American pro skater Colin Grafton details her four-hour make-up routine , explains why three-inch hip pads have been her handiest investment and reveals the real reason Dancing On Ice judge Christopher Dean has a soft spot” for her...
Hi, Vivienne! How did you feel before taking part in your first live show?
Nervous. I think if anyone said they weren’t feeling nervous, they’re an absolute liar. We could be smashing it in training but you put on the lights and cameras and everything else – a 700-person audience and Torvill and Dean – and it’s a lot.
What was the most daunting part of the entire Dancing On Ice process?
The commitment to all of this. You see the live show on a Sunday, but this is five-and-a-half months of our lives. know how busy my schedule is had to completely wipe my diary. said, If we're doing this, we’re committing to it’, because this is an Olympic sport. And it’s so dangerous. You don’t want to turn up to the shows and look stupid or like you haven't put your heart into it. Because you can always tell with these kinds of shows who is really loving it and who has just come for the gig. And really fell in love with skating.
[https://cdn.magzter.com/1583506613/1674457341/articles/rgmzra84K1675679604920/8465764655.jpg]
What have been your biggest highs so far?
I'm in the best shape I've ever been in my life, I've met the most amazing people and I'm getting to skate with a world-class ice skater.
Has your drag career helped in this competition?
The performance side of it, yeah. But it's completely different. A word would use when I'm on stage is manic”, but with ice skating, you can’t be manic. You've got to be graceful and elegant. It's like ballet on ice. And my hip pads have come in handy three inches of foam on each side!
How have you found training?
I've loved the whole training aspect of it because I’m constantly living out of a suitcase on tour, so this has been nice to be able to be based at home, enjoy my house, have a routine and learn something new. I haven't got time to learn how to do figure skating if I wanted to or not, so this has bee...
The Welsh star, 30, hit our screens in 2019 when she won the first-ever UK series of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Now she’s learning a new skill for Dancing On Ice, something she tells us she’s fallen in love with”.
And she seems to be a natural, wowing the judges and the audience in the first week. But The Vivienne real name James Lee Williams admits the nerves” haven't yet subsided.
Here, The Vivienne who is partnered with American pro skater Colin Grafton details her four-hour make-up routine , explains why three-inch hip pads have been her handiest investment and reveals the real reason Dancing On Ice judge Christopher Dean has a soft spot” for her...
Hi, Vivienne! How did you feel before taking part in your first live show?
Nervous. I think if anyone said they weren’t feeling nervous, they’re an absolute liar. We could be smashing it in training but you put on the lights and cameras and everything else – a 700-person audience and Torvill and Dean – and it’s a lot.
What was the most daunting part of the entire Dancing On Ice process?
The commitment to all of this. You see the live show on a Sunday, but this is five-and-a-half months of our lives. know how busy my schedule is had to completely wipe my diary. said, If we're doing this, we’re committing to it’, because this is an Olympic sport. And it’s so dangerous. You don’t want to turn up to the shows and look stupid or like you haven't put your heart into it. Because you can always tell with these kinds of shows who is really loving it and who has just come for the gig. And really fell in love with skating.
[https://cdn.magzter.com/1583506613/1674457341/articles/rgmzra84K1675679604920/8465764655.jpg]
What have been your biggest highs so far?
I'm in the best shape I've ever been in my life, I've met the most amazing people and I'm getting to skate with a world-class ice skater.
Has your drag career helped in this competition?
The performance side of it, yeah. But it's completely different. A word would use when I'm on stage is manic”, but with ice skating, you can’t be manic. You've got to be graceful and elegant. It's like ballet on ice. And my hip pads have come in handy three inches of foam on each side!
How have you found training?
I've loved the whole training aspect of it because I’m constantly living out of a suitcase on tour, so this has been nice to be able to be based at home, enjoy my house, have a routine and learn something new. I haven't got time to learn how to do figure skating if I wanted to or not, so this has bee...
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New UK (Digital) - 1 Issue, January 30, 2023