Zahra Lari the star attraction at ‘The Ice Factor’ – Abu Dhabi

21:23 12/12/2013
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  • The UAE’s own ‘Ice Princess’ Zahra Lari will headline routines in the Abu Dhabi Figure Skating Team’s annual showcase, this year called ‘The Ice Factor’, held from 16:00 at Zayed Sports City this Friday and Saturday.

    Dubbed the ‘face of UAE ice skating’, the 18-year-old returns to this year’s event with bigger and better performances than ever before.

    Alongside children as young as five and adult team members who cheer her on, she will take part in the parody-style amateur event that is the culmination of a year’s worth of training.

    The family-friendly, fun-filled event, held in association with Healthpoint, is set to delight soldout audiences once again this year with more than 50 skaters of all ages descending on the rink.

    The scripted performance is modelled after popular television talent shows. Barry Bremner, General Manager of Zayed Sports City, says all the skaters at the club put in a tremendous effort to perfect their routines for this annual showpiece.

    Bremner said: “The annual showcase from the figure skating team is one of Zayed Sports City’s most cherished events. The team packs in the rehearsal hours in the run up to the event and never fails to disappoint the crowds. It’s an event not-to-be-missed.”

    Lari, who last year became the first female figure-skater to enter an international competition wearing a hijab, says that she was motivated to become an ice-skater after seeing the movie ‘Ice Princess’ and since then has dedicated her time to reaching her potential.

    “It was the 2005 movie Ice Princess – I saw it maybe six years ago,” she said of her initial inspiration. “As soon as I saw it, I knew I wanted to be a figure-skater. My dad actually brought me to the icerink and I started taking lessons with Noemi Bedo [Head coach at Zayed Sports City].

    “Initially, I was only coming on Thursdays for one hour, because it was ladies day. But Noemi stressed that I needed to come more often. She said she noticed that I had a natural ability for figure-skating, so she encouraged me to make a bigger commitment.”

    Tickets are on sale at the door, however advanced purchase is recommended to avoid disappointment. Purchases may be made via Ticketmaster.ae and at Zayed Sports City Ice Rink.

    Tickets for ‘The Ice Factor’ cost Dh50 for general admission or Dh125 for VIP, inclusive of convenience fees. So why not join in the fun, as Zayed Sports City Ice Rink transforms into a stage for some of Abu Dhabi’s most talented amateur figure skaters.

    Enjoy the music and laugh along in this fun family show, full of pop star impressions and exciting choreography. ‘Music idols’ past and present will jump and glide their way across the rink as the skaters adopt celebrity personas from iconic pop groups Spice Girls and One Direction, as well as divas such as Katy Perry and Rihanna.

    You can groove to the tunes of Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Bruno Mars, Madonna, Beyoncé, Pink, One Direction and more. Visit www.zsc.ae for to learn more about Abu Dhabi Figure Skating Team and the ‘Learn to Skate’ programme.

    What: ‘The Ice Factor’ – Abu Dhabi Figure Skating Team’s annual showcase.
    Where: Zayed Sports City iceskating rink
    When: Friday and Saturday, December 5 and 6
    Contact: www.zsc.ae

     

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