An interview with Kyran Bracken - star of the new Holiday on Ice show Romanza
Former international rugby star and winner of ITV1’s Dancing on Ice Kyran Bracken talks about learning to skate and his experience on Dancing on Ice, along with his new role in the Holiday on Ice show Romanza.
Did you skate as a child?
I never skated when I was a child – I think I rollerbladed a couple of times when I was 11 or 12. I didn’t really know a lot about skating – all I knew was Torvill and Dean and I thought what they did was amazing. But as a rugby player I never really had the opportunity to get on the ice.
What were your initial impressions when you took to the ice for Dancing On Ice?
When I first took to the ice I was really disappointed because I was awful – I could hardly stand up! Torvill and Dean actually had a joke about me not making it further than week two so I think I surprised them and myself. But as a sportsman, I was very disappointed when I started.
What were the hardest things to learn during the series?
The lifts were the hardest thing to learn. You want to make sure that your partner is safe and skating becomes much more difficult once you have to balance their weight. Also, you’ve only got four or five days to learn routines so there’s a lot of thinking to do.
Was there ever a time when you thought about giving up?
There was never a time I thought about giving up. I just wanted each week to keep going forever. I really enjoyed the performances, the costumes and the week’s training, trying to learn a new routine. That for me was fantastic – I didn’t want it to stop. When I watch skaters now I appreciate the technical elements. I can see all the lines, the hands, the expressions, how they land all their jumps. I’ve started to understand the difficulty level of some of the things that they’re doing.
How did it feel to be the highest scoring contestant in the show’s history?
At the time, you don’t even think about how well you’ve scored. In the routine where I got 29.5 I was just pleased that it had gone well, so it was more a feeling of relief. It’s only afterwards that people tell you it was the best ever score. I expect that somebody will get 30 next series, but it was a real adrenalin buzz to get that high score.
Do you think you had a good connection with the audience when you were ice skating?
The connection with the audience is really important when you’re skating. During the series I went from being a bit of a joker to being a bit more serious. To be honest, most of the audience is behind the camera and one of the hardest things for me to do was to connect with the people watching at home. When I see Duncan James and other skaters you quickly learn that its actually a performance and that is very important. Once I got better at skating, I started to have fun with my performances and I think that came across.
What were your expectations leading into the Champion of Champions competition (which followed on from the main series)?
I was still on a high from winning the series and it was bit weird going into another week, learning another new routine. It was also weird meeting a whole new group of people who hadn’t been involved in the series. I don’t think I would have won the Champion of Champions if Bonnie Langford hadn’t fallen – she’s a great skater.
What prompted you to accept a part in Holiday On Ice?
For me it’s a dream ticket. To be asked to skate with professionals and to be involved in what is a magnificent show is quite an honour. When I finished playing rugby, it was great to get paid for something else I really enjoyed, especially in a sport where there’s no real age limit. Long may it continue!
Your training schedule for Romanza must differ enormously from rugby training. What have the biggest challenges been?
Training for Romanza is completely different to rugby training. Rugby training is all about doing things off the pitch where you’re building muscles, thinking about the tactics of the games whereas in skating there’s so much concentration required to have connection with your partner, to have chemistry and symmetry. There’s a lot to think about because you’re outside your comfort zone whereas I’d played rugby for so many years I maybe found it a bit easier. You can’t really compare the two.
How many hours of training do you have to put in to be ready for a show like this?
To be ready for an event like Holiday on Ice, I’m going to have to skate every day for at least two or three hours, sometimes by myself, sometimes with a partner and also training sometimes with Robin Cousins. I have to put a lot of hours in because I don’t want to let people down when they come and watch, and just as importantly I don’t want to let down the professionals I’m skating with.
Robin Cousins is choreographing your segments of Romanza. What’s it like to work with Robin (as opposed to him judging you in Dancing On Ice)?!
To work with Robin is a dream come true. In the TV show, you never really get to see him skate, but once Robin gets on the ice you just can’t take your eyes off him – he’s very powerful and strong and technically so perfect. To be taught by him is a real honour and I really enjoy learning from him. He’s not only a fine skater but a great choreographer too so hopefully people will see a good result.
Will you be dancing with a partner in Romanza and if so who?
I am skating on my own in the first act and with a partner in Act Two. She is called Nina Ulanova, she’s Russian, very graceful and a former Junior World Champion. She’s an amazing skater and hopefully people will really enjoy watching us skate together. She’s also very small so she’s fantastic to lift!
What do your friends from the world of rugby think of your achievements on the ice?
Believe it or not, they’ve enjoyed watching the skating and they love watching the show. Now that I’m going live with Holiday on Ice they all want to get tickets and come and watch! It’s certainly something different for all of them. None of them have ever been given the chance to get out on the ice and have a go so hopefully I’ve broadened the horizon for them!
What do get out of ice skating?
Skating can be very tricky and technical. Pairs skating – which is what I do – can be very dangerous so obviously there’s an adrenaline rush as well as the performance and entertainment aspects. It’s something completely removed from what I’m used to because in rugby you aren’t there to entertain, you’re there to win. This is completely different, which I really love.
What’s it like being the first person to learn a skill on a reality series and then take it to a professional level?
I’m still taking it for what it is because in all honesty I’m no professional skater. I think the reason why people might come and watch me is because they have seen me do something different in the past and then watched me transfer my skills into another sport. If I auditioned for Holiday on Ice against professional skaters I wouldn’t stand a chance! It’s just very pleasing to be involved in the show
You recently attended the Dutch premiere of Romanza in Rotterdam. What were your first impressions?
I was blown away by the premiere, I thought it was amazing. The thought that I’m going to be expected to skate in such an incredible show is quite nerve racking, but I know I’m going to have fun with it. Coming to Rotterdam also gave me a chance to meet my partner Nina and have a skate with her the following day which was great.
What words of encouragement would you give to anyone thinking about learning to skate?
Skating is very good for aerobic and anaerobic fitness. I’ve been an athlete all my life and I still find skating quite tough – you can be sweating and out of breath after five or ten minutes! The most important thing is that skating is fun. Its vital to take regular exercise and with skating you’re having fun and learning something new as well as burning off calories.