TGtS Meets...Tinkerbell (Katya Bokiy)

We chatted to ice skating superstar Katya Bokiy about playing Neverland's cheekiest fairy in the latest adaptation of this famous fantasy adventure by J.M. Barrie.

How long have you been ice skating for?

I've been skating for as long as I can remember, in Russia children start to skate from when they're about 5 years old - they start as early as possible to give them the best chance of succeeding as professional skaters. Parents can be very pushy back home, all they want is their children to be the best that they can be, I think it's this that gave me the drive to suceed as an ice skater. 

Skating must take up quite a lot of your time, do you have any hobbies away from the rink?

I love to draw, it’s one of my biggest passions. When I first moved to the UK a friend introduced me to horse riding and I've a keen rider ever since. The New Forest is absolutely beautiful, I love when we have shows nearby because it means that I can saddle up and explore the countryside in my free time. 

You've had an amazing career and toured all over the world, do you have a favourite place that you've visited?

Paris is one of my all-time favourite places to visit, I love the shopping, I love the food and I love the atmosphere. 

You're in great shape, is it down to ice skating alone or do you keep fit off of the ice too?

Being an ice skater I have a very strict diet and skating schedule to adhere to. I don't really have enough time to cram in a gym session before work or on my days off.

Peter Pan is one of our all-time favourite Disney movies, what's yours?

I couldn't possibly choose, I love them all. I have a little boy at home, so we spend a lot of time in bed together watching the classics. I can't begin to tell you how many times I've seen Cars. 

If you weren't an ice skater, which other job would you love to be doing instead?

That's a tough one, ice skating has been such a big part of my life for so long, I coudn't really imagine myself doing anything else. If I had to choose though, I'd probably be doing something in design, like I said, I love to draw, so It'd be great to put my artistic talents to good use.

You have to perform some high energy routines in the show, what's the hardest move that you have to do?

It's not necessarily the moves that are tricky, it's when we have to do them. The last show of the week is always the hardest - it's when 8/9 shows a week begin to take their toll on your body. But the show must go on!