Ice Ice Baby!

How Stirling’s Cultural Arts Exchange Society prevents you from being “Bambi on ice”

“Bambi on ice” – That was the first image that came to my mind when I saw the society’s “Ice Disco” Facebook event on a Saturday night in October. Obviously, it had caught my attention and awoke my curiosity. First I thought ice skating was ONLY for little children, because the last time I went to do it was in my childhood and the ice disco was only from 18.30 until 20.00 o’clock. But then I decided to give it a try, because it was something new, just something different to escape my boring everyday life in Stirling.

The Peak, here we come!

That day, I was even happier because I could convince my friends to go there with me: My Dutch friend Sinony, who had visited me for the weekend, and three of my flat mates from France, Ireland and Italy attended the society’s event with me. When we arrived at the Peak ice rink, all of us were super excited. A Czech society member led the way. As he plays ice hockey, he knows that place pretty well. At the Peak, ice skating in a group is only £6 per person including the skate rent. I was impressed because back home in Frankfurt, it costs €18. I could already see the disco lights and how beautiful the place looked. Vanilla Ice’s song “Ice Ice Baby” from the 90s was coming from the DJ booth. “A very fitting song” – I thought!

This video shows Vanilla Ice dancing to his song “Ice Ice Baby” with Katie Elizabeth Stainsby in the TV show Dancing on Ice in 2011. Credits: TBZCZ, 2011.

The first step on the ice was quite shaky – I felt like Bambi on ice just like when I was on ice in my childhood. Actually I wished I had a penguin to support me. I clung onto the wall for the first few steps but with our Czech friend leading the group, I soon caught on. Especially my Italian flat mate Federica enjoyed this new experience so much and at some point we even intended to dance on the ice to the great music the DJ played, from childhood songs such as Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” to the latest music.

To the bitter end

In the end, my friends and I didn’t want to leave the ice rink. We literally stayed on it until the disco lights and the music stopped and the assistants prepared everything for an upcoming ice hockey match. With a huge smile on her face, Federica commented the ice disco event:

“I feel like a child but I really need to come back to the Peak next weekend. So far, this is the most inspiring thing I have experienced in Stirling!”

Exhausted, because ice skating is a physical activity even though is much fun, we said thank you to the Czech “teacher” from the Cultural Arts Exchange Society for organising the event and overcoming the point of feeling like Bambi on ice and we walked home. And no, ice skating is NOT just for children and still in 2016 we can enjoy it as much or even more than in our childhood.

Sinony, Federica, Véra and I enjoyed the ice disco to the bitter end.

                                      Credits: Angie Lee, 2016.   

The University of Stirling’s Cultural Arts Exchange Society offers a great variety of intercultural events such as latin dancing and ice skating classes and I am very grateful to be a member, because due to it I have experienced many new things. Students created the society in order to exchange knowledge, hobbies, skills and secrets with other students. Check out the society’s Facebook page for more information and upcoming events and contact the president Nicholas Theodosiou via Facebook or email if you have any questions and want to join the group.