Denise Bellman (61 years old) celebrates her return: “What I was able to experience in Berlin was absolutely incredible.”

Denise Pillman (61 years old) is proof that great sporting achievements know no age limits. In Berlin, the ice skater celebrated her remarkable return in “Holiday on Ice.”

Dennis Bellman, how are you?

Things are going great.

Are you still on cloud nine after your 80th anniversary comeback performance? Ice party “Holiday on ice” In Berlin?

a little. The two shows I was able to give in Berlin were very successful. You inspired me.

When did you discover that you could run in Berlin?

That was a long process. The concrete decision that I would be part of the anniversary show was only made in January.

So everything happened in a very short time.

This is correct. I was in Berlin for the first time in October 2023, when the 80th anniversary of the ice festival “Holiday on Ice” was presented at a press conference. In January, I was invited to a show in Munich. There the officials specifically asked me for the first time if I wanted to run in Berlin.

How did you feelWhile you were flying through the ice in Berlin?

Many memories of former times awakened within me. It started with the tension in the dressing room, then the gymnastics and getting ready for the actual performance. Before I got on the ice, a lot of emotions came together. And of course I also felt the pressure of expectations.

But I know from many years of experience that I can rely on my body in the decisive moment. At the same time, I was really looking forward to both performances and thus was able to focus on the positive. Years of mental training have helped me too.

How did the audience in the German capital react to the two shows you presented?

I know from experience that people go to my shows. But what I was able to experience in Berlin was absolutely incredible. After the first performance I was completely ecstatic. As soon as she stood on the ice, sparks jumped in the hall and the audience applauded and celebrated. The people responsible for “Holiday on Ice” were also very happy and thanked me very much after my two presentations.

It also showed the world-famous Bellman rotation in Berlin.

That's how it is. I did a one-arm Pillman spin because I dislocated my right shoulder years ago. The one-armed version is just as difficult as the two-armed version.

“Ice is my life, my passion, and my theater,” she says over and over again. How have you managed to maintain your physique over the years?

I never stopped snowboarding even after my competitive career. I still train every day and do a lot of fitness training and have been on the ice all my life. Once I'm sliding on the ice, I'm completely present and can completely forget about the world around me. The key is definitely that I have always stuck with it and still have the drive to achieve such accomplishments.

The slogan for the anniversary parade in Berlin was: “no limits”. Do you dread the day when your body sets limits on you on the ice for the first time?

Right now, everything is going well with my body and I'm very grateful for that. I'm not afraid that I won't be able to be a figure skater anymore, but of course that would be a real shame. However, I admit that six months ago I could not have imagined that I would appear on “Holiday on Ice” again. I was thrilled that now, 20 years after my last ice show appearance, it had become a reality again.

Was your Holiday on Ice appearance a one-off in front of a large audience or will your fans soon be able to see you skating across the ice elsewhere?

I will continue to offer specials in the future and will keep in touch with Holiday on Ice.

Does it sound like you're dreaming of more big shows?

The two shows in Berlin gave me a taste of that, and I admit I would somehow be tempted to do more. At the same time, I don't want to waste my whole life because of this and I want to continue working as a figure skating coach. However, if there are other requests for larger shows, I am open. It just has to be something special.

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