Skater Stories: Andrea Fahlander
A former competitive skater in Sweden, Andrea has been touring with Disney On Ice for more than a decade.
Those of you who are familiar with my novel-writing exploits know that one of my main characters is a blonde former competitive skater from Sweden who went into show skating and as of the time the novel takes place has been doing it for nearly a decade.
So it was only natural for me to interview Andrea Fahlander, a blonde former competitive skater from Sweden who went into show skating and as of the time of our interview has been doing it for more than a decade. Andrea is currently touring Europe with Disney On Ice: Find Your Hero, and took some time out of her schedule (when we could make the time difference work) to chat with me about her journey.
Q: I wanted to go all the way back. How did you get your start in figure skating?
A: It’s kind of a fun story because my dad used to play hockey, and then he wanted to teach us how to skate. We got into a hockey school, kinda. So then we would do ice sessions. First we liked the hockey. But then my sister, after our practice, she saw the figure skaters. And she was so amazed, that was, like, the most impressive thing she’s ever seen, and she’s looked at our mom and was like, “That’s what I want to do.” And my mom was like, “Figure skating? You want to do what they’re doing? Uh, okay.” And then because she wanted to do the figure skating, they didn’t want to drive us to separate lessons, because both would just teach us how to skate. So then, because of my sister, I ended up starting to do figure skating.
In the beginning, it was a slow start for me, because I didn’t understand why they wanted me to do all these tricks and jumps and spins. And I was really good at making snowballs. That was for sure what I enjoyed. They would be like, “Okay, well, if you go and try this jump, then you can make as many snowballs as you want.” And I was like, “Okay, good deal.” And then I kind of just started there and then kept going.
Q: And you eventually got into competing. What was that like competing as a singles skater?
A: In the beginning, I thought it was super scary, because I was a very shy kid, and so anything that was out of my comfort zone, I thought it was really scary. But then I was very lucky to have a good club skating club, and everyone was always super supportive and really, really kind and helpful. So then I got into competition. And I didn’t have a great start. I would forget the programs and not remember what I was doing. So I would do little bubbles for like the whole program.
But then slowly, it was getting more fun because you get to pick your music, and I remember, it’s really funny now, later on in life, but everyone [back then] wanted to skate to Disney music. And then they go, “So, what would you like to skate, Andrea?” And I said, “I want to skate to Super Mario.” “Like, are you sure about this?” You know, I said, “Yeah, that’s what I wanna do.” So I always liked to be a little bit different, too.
I kept going, and then I realized I was getting really, really good at skating. And then I could get even better programs and I was lucky to have a coach that would be okay with me having a little bit of different programs. So it wasn’t that stereotypical, pretty girl skater kind of programs. I love to watch like the men compete and all the tricks. I thought it was so cool and inspirational. So then I was like, “okay, that’s what I want to do.” So I always skated to very different music and usually very upbeat and fun and more like a show. And that’s kind of how I also fell into the show aspect of it, and I realized, okay, I want to put on a show for the judges, for the families coming to watch their kids compete, and I was like, okay, now it’s time to put on a good show.
Q: You mentioned watching some of the male skaters. Who were the skaters that you like to watch growing up?
A: Oh, I had a few. Of course Evgeni Plushenko. He was a big name in our household. My dad thought also he was a great skater, and it was very different at the time. And so I grew up having that when I was much younger. And then later on, for example, we had Javier Fernandez, which I thought was so impressive, because no one thought a guy from Spain could come and do what he was doing. And it’s so young an age to have those skating skills and stuff. So I was very impressed by him for a long time, and then now we have so many new skaters too, that still I get inspired by watching. It’s so forward now, and they do things that you would never think would be possible on ice.
Q: You mentioned liking putting on a show when you were competing. How did you decide to turn that into going into show skating?
A: I think it started already when I was really young. I was obsessed with Disney, and I loved the parks. So I decided that I’m either gonna work for the parks, or I’m gonna be with Disney On Ice. So it was pretty set already when I was 12 years old, and I would put on parades in the house. Like, Disney parades, I would watch on YouTube and force my family to watch me do a full Disney parade.
Then I kind of lost track of it for a little bit, and I was gonna move to London and be an au pair, and do all of that with my best friend from high school. But then my mom was like, “Are you sure you don’t want to give it a go?” So I ended up sending in, back then it was over mail overseas. So I sent in this DVD, because this is many years ago. And you shipped it away and hoped for the best, and I didn’t really hear anything until later on. Which I was very, very lucky that they got the DVD, and then also that I got the opportunity for a live audition in Sweden.
But from young age, I knew I wanted to perform. We did some ice shows in my hometown too. And so already from when I was very, very young, I always wanted to put on a good show and be a showgirl.
Q: Aside from the fact that I don’t think they make you mail in DVDs anymore, you’ve been with the show for 10 years or more than that now. How have you seen the show evolve over time?
A: Yeah, it’s passed 11 years, so it’s been a while. But I think it’s just so different because back in the day, it was a lot about just skating and big numbers, which I’m a very big fan of. I go and watch shows on Broadway and West End. And I love a good ensemble number when there’s a lot of people and a lot of things happening. But nowadays we have, I say we’re almost like circus artists because now everyone is flying, and I think it’s amazing that you can do this for 11 years. And you still get challenged, and you still learn new things, and you will be learning how to fly or flip in the air and do all of it. So it’s evolving. Every single year and we are very like open-minded, very creative, and I think it’s a great way to grow also.
I remember when they added the Spanish web on our show, and that was the first big flying act. And now we have that on so many shows and we have so many other cool effects and tricks that happen throughout the show that you don’t really remember seeing as a kid. It was more used about the skating. And now we have combined that circus act with skating, which is impressive, just in general, but also, I think it’s so impressive to see also people I worked with for years, still challenging themselves and learning new things, which I think is incredible.
Q: No, it is incredible, and the shows now are so just so amazing and so visually striking. And I know over 11 years, you have gotten the opportunity to play a lot of different roles. Do you have a particular favorite?
A: I feel like also because I am a Toy Story kid, I’m born in ‘95, I loved Toy Story growing up, so one of my all-time favorites is always going to be Jessie. And it’s a character that I’ve grown very close to throughout the years, and I just love her journey, and her as a character, and that fun, very happy character that has so much energy, but still so caring, and looking out for all the rest of the toys. And then also, I love Barbie from Toy Story 3. That one is a good one, so I’m sad she’s not on the shows anymore. That’s two of my all time favorites for sure.
Q: I was going to ask about Barbie because I think a lot of people don’t think of her as a Disney character, but she was in the Toy Story movies. So what was it like being such an iconic character who is not just a Disney character?
A: I think it was such a special opportunity to bring that to life on the eyes, because, as you say, like, a lot of people don’t think Barbie and Disney, but we were so lucky to have that in Toy Story 3 and that the show actually grabbed that character and brought her to life, with all the rest of the characters. She’s just so fun and also the cutest outfit. She knows her fashion. Just like Ken. I’m so excited that they did decide to also make that such a big part of a few of the shows we had throughout the years. It was such a fun, wonderful character to be able to learn about.
Q: Is there a role you haven’t gotten to do that you would that you really want to be able to do someday?
A: I’ve been so lucky. It’s insane how many characters I’ve got to portray throughout my years. I think pretty much almost all my favorites, I’ve been able to portray in some kind of way. But I will say that one of my all-time favorites is always going to be Rapunzel. I think me and her are just the same kind of person. We’re very similar characters and have that goofiness, but still we’re always going for those adventures and just enjoying life and the little things that comes within. So I think that is just such a special character and I would have loved to get to know her better throughout my years. And so far, I used to know her a little bit, but not in the level I would like to.
Q: Rapunzel is one of my all time favorites too. I love Tangled so much and seeing it on the ice is so beautiful.
A: Yeah, it’s definitely one of my favorites. That movie, I would watch it on repeat. And I was like, “Oh, she’s just like me.” With the creativity too. She’s doing her painting and art and sewing and being so creative, and I feel like, when I saw that movie, it was like, “Wait, that is actually this new princess that’s like me.” So yeah, she’s a good one.
Q: You mentioned earlier you had a thought of potentially going to work in the parks. I know you’ve gone to a lot of the parks. Do you have a favorite Disney Parks memory?
A: Oh, I have so many, especially because I love Disney in general. And just to be able to travel the world with Disney On Ice that’s incredible. But the fact that I get to go to all the parks, that’s very special to me. And I remember the first time after joining Disney On Ice, I had a little break and so me and my best friend from high school decided to go to Paris and explore the park again. We’ve been there before, but now after seeing it from a different point of view, because you get to learn so much about the Disney magic when you join Disney On Ice.
And after joining it and being gone for two years and then to come home and then me and my best friend went to Disneyland Paris, and I still feel like a kid, and I still felt like the Disney magic is just so special, and we had the best time ever. We went on so many roller coasters, so we got to meet some of our favorite characters too. And the parade back then is one of my favorites too. It was such a perfect day and kind of a full circle moment that it was something I wanted to work with for so long. And then to be within Disney and doing the ice show and then to see the parks and all their shows too. Throughout my travels I’ve met people from all over the world and some people at that point that I met in Asia, from the musical, were also working in the parks. So it was so cool to them be there and be like, oh my God, I get to also see my friends perform, which is so incredible. So I think that’s one of my favorite park memories, but all of them have been really, really good.
Q: What is it like when you meet a character that you have portrayed on the ice?
A: I feel like, for me, it just feels like it’s like straight out of the movie. So I just get excited. I feel like I’m a little kid again and I get to meet Rapunzel or Mickey. Every time I get to see Mickey, it’s just such an incredible day and I feel like a kid. So for me, I keep forgetting that what I do for a living is so close to what they do in the parks too, and bring that Disney magic. So, yeah, it’s just so exciting, and it literally takes me right back to feeling like a kid, and to meet your favorite Disney characters, which is incredible, and then, just be a kid for a bit, and then forget about what I do for a living, but still have that in the back of my head that I get to do that for a living is also incredible.
Q: What is the feeling like when you get into costume? You get the wig on, you get the makeup on, and you look at yourself in the mirror and you go, wow, I’m a Disney princess.
A: It’s every kid’s dream to be a princess. So, just to put everything together, it’s just so incredible. Like, you’ve feel like that kid with that dream, and you made it happen, it’s just so amazing. And then, hopefully, you can do that for other kids around the world too. I think what’s so special to me was that growing up, I would always go and see this show on ice. That was a thing we did as a family. We would always go every year in January, head up to Stockholm, because I live a few hours away, and then I would watch all these people, and I was like, “Mom, I could do that one day. I think I could do it one day.” That was already when I was six years old, and now I’m 30, and I’ve been doing it for 11 years, so to just put that costume on, I hope that I can inspire other people and other kids in the audience to have the same experience that I got, to just look at their favorite character and go, “Mom, I want to do that one day. I want to travel the world with Disney On Ice.” That’s kind of how I see it when we get ready and put on a costume and then bring joy to all these kids and hopefully inspire them to follow their dreams and go for it.
Q: I’m curious, what does a what does a day look like for you when you get into a new city?
A: Usually we have some time off, which is amazing, because then we can actually go and experience the city. And then for me, I am a very active person, and I love running. So I’m saying, I’m skating around the world, but also I’m running around the world, and it’s a great way to explore all the cities.
Sometimes when we have a flight in the morning, then I like to go for an afternoon run, shake out the legs and explore as much as possible, and also see the culture in other places. For me, it’s very important to learn about the places I go to. So I like to go to museums. I like to talk to the locals and get recommendations and really live like they do, too, in those places I go to. I think it’s very important to learn from history, learn from the past, and know. So many things like that. I love to explore as much as possible and find some good food and yeah, just enjoy what the world has to offer.
Q: Do you have a favorite city that you’ve gotten to visit with Disney on ice?
A: Oh, there have been so many wonderful places. I have a favorite country that I love spending time in, which is Canada [Editor’s note: I swear I did not know this when I wrote my Swedish character and had her fall in love with someone from Canada], but then, there’s so many. Every country, every city, has something special. The Philippines, for example, I really enjoy doing shows there, because the audience was incredible. And they have taken their time to come and see the show and they go and they love that and they’re so supportive and cheering us on. It’s a lot of fun to perform in front of that. And so I would say something like the Philippines is probably like one of my all-time favorite places to perform just because you feel that they really appreciate what we do. And we’re just so lucky to meet wonderful people everywhere and to perform in all these places.
Q: I would imagine over 11 years you’ve been to a lot of places. Have you gotten to perform in Sweden?
A: I’m one of those lucky people that have played home many times. So I’ve done it 4 times before, been in on the ice in Stockholm. And I’m so lucky to go back there in January, and I’m gonna get to perform again at home and be on the ice in Stockholm with Disney On Ice. So I’m very, very lucky. Some people, sometimes never get the opportunity to play home or they get to do it once. I’m very, very lucky throughout all my years. I played that many times and I have a very supportive family and friend group at home, so they would always come and support me and cheer me on and always supported all my dreams to travel the world with Disney. Very understanding. So it feels kind of like all that hard work — and then they get to come and watch me — it really paid off.
Q: I’m curious, when you play in Sweden, because I know they do this for some countries, is the soundtrack translated into Swedish?
A: Yes. Usually, in a Europe tour, if you’re in the UK, it’s in English, but otherwise, it’s [translated]. Growing up, watching all my favorite characters on TV, all of them were speaking the same languages as me, which I think is so wonderful, and then it’s kind of a full circle moment too, when we’re out there, and I get to hear the Swedish voices because that’s what I grew up with. That’s very special to me too, that I get to hear it in Swedish and then all my coworkers also get to learn Swedish and have an understanding for it. So I think that’s really cool that we get to also learn a lot within that too. And the different countries we go to, we have to also learn the languages and be able to do it in those languages with the countries we go to.
Q: How challenging is that? Because I know obviously the skaters have to be lip syncing so that it seems like you’re singing for the audience. How challenging is it to learn that in all of those different languages?
A: You kind of get into a routine, doing it. Usually we will be in a country for a few weeks, and we get the soundtrack sent to us, so we have enough time to prepare, to get ready for the show, and also learn the songs in the languages we’re doing them in. And we do take it very seriously. So we do sit with our headphones and listen to the soundtrack over and over again. I used to remember, for me, it was really easy to write it down, to really focus on specific words that I kind of found trickier. You can really pull out a few to where you really, really, remember the soundtrack and make it look as good as possible.
And then we’re so lucky too that we do have such an international cast, so there’s always most likely someone who knows the language, and we’re all very helpful and want the show to look the best, want our friends to look the best. So then it’s kind of nice to be like, “Hey, could you help me out with this Finnish? I need a little bit of help with this German part. What would you recommend? Can you help me pronounce the word and what does it mean?”
Also, we kind of have to translate it, because sometimes, the soundtrack and what the meaning is is different. So, with Anna and Hans, for example, in some countries, they finish each other sandwiches. But then in some countries, they build each other’s buildings. So you have to also know what it is that you’re singing or portraying out there, so it’s accurate.
Q: No, that’s incredible. I got to see the show one of the shows last year in French, which was really cool.
A: Yeah, and it’s different and it has a different feeling and especially if you do speak in another language and you get to hear it in your own language. It is so special, and I think that’s also what’s so special about Disney On Ice, and when we travel the world, and we do bring it, so everyone can take a part of it and understand it. And sometimes in some countries we have an English show and then a French show so people know when they book their tickets whether they will be in French or in English. So we can prepare for those shows too. We get a heads up: the next show is in French or the show is in English and then it’s in Spanish something like that. I think it’s really, really nice that we can bring that to all the families across the world.
Q: No, I agree. I wanted to do a quick little lightning round here to wrap up. What is your favorite move to perform on the ice?
A: Ooh, I like jumping, so some type of jump or butterfly.
Q: Favorite Disney song of all time?
A: Oh, it’s gonna be from Tarzan. There’s too many good ones. Anything from the Tarzan soundtrack. I love it.
Q: Favorite Disney movie of all time?
A: Oh, I gotta go with Toy Story.
Q: Favorite figure skating movie of all time.
A: Figure skating movie? Ooh, I would say probably Ice Princess.
Q: There are six main kinds of jumps in figure skating: Loop, toe loop, flip, Salchow, Lutz, and Axel. Which one is your most hated?
A: Ooh, it will be a Lutz, because I had a hard time getting on the right edge.
Q: And last but not least, one piece of advice you would give to anyone starting out in skating?
A: Just enjoy it. Have fun. It should be fun. Skating should be fun and you should enjoy it. And never give up. It’s hard work. You gotta fall down so many times, but you gotta get up every single time and try again. And it will definitely get there. But yeah, have fun, enjoy it, and never give up.
You can see Disney On Ice: Find Your Hero in Sheffield and London the rest of this year, before it heads to Stockholm and Gothenburg in January. The show also has stops in Belgium, Germany, and Scotland this season. You can follow Andrea’s travels on Instagram.