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Clinton News-Record, 1975-03-13, Page 11Clinton N ews$tecord Thursday, March 13, 1975 For a precision numb& which involves 32 other girls, Mary McFadden, of Bayfield is dressed up in "Rangerette Costume" that features toy guns. Ba ield girl loves travel, excitement o BY CHRIS ZDEB "You're from a small town - you won't get far," her father had said, but Mary McFadden, who is in her second year with the Ice Capades, proved him wrong. The blond 20 - year -old from Bayfield is one of the 32 girls in the Corps de Ballet, or chorus line. She and Kathy Sinclair of London, are ;the only local girls with the show. "I enjoy doing line work," Mary said, "but I have always had a goal or challenge in my life, and right now it's to audition for the part of an understudy to one of the show's stars." She has come a long way since her early years, when her father Frank, would strap plastic skates to her boots and take her to Bayfield's natural ice arena. Mary's parents and two sisters, Shirley and Cathy still live in Bayfield, and Mary still calls the town of 482 her home. • 'I was 9 when I began taking skating lessons," she said. "I used to go shopping in Goderich every Saturday with my Mom, • and she suggested I take the lessons rather During the recent Ice Capades' show in London last week, Mary's younger sister Kathy had a chance to go back stage and visit with her sister. The show is presently in Kitchener until Sunday night. Ice Ca e cedes than hang around while she shopped. My Mom never pushed me, -she was very patient and always behind me. It helped me to grow up." Mary joined the Goderich Figure Skating Club and began to copy the style of its senior skaters. "Once I got on the ice, they had to drag me off," she said. Two years later, she began taking private lessons from Bob McCrabb of Stratford, who had once per- formed with the Ice Capades. "I've always looked up to Bob," Mary said. "He was my inspiration and wanted to follow in his footsteps." Mr. McCrabb, who is a Stratford real estate agent today, encouraged Mary to enroll in the Galt summer skating school when she was 12. "I was skating all day, every day," she said. After winning the 1969 Novice Ladies Western Ontario Sectionals in Brantford, Mary decided she would much rather work on her skating tests, than continue in competition. There are eight tests in the amateur level of skating, and Mary is presently working on her seventh. She moved to Preston three years ago and took lessons from two other professionals, one in Preston the other in London, before she joined the Ice Capades. "Five of us auditioned that Friday night in Kitchener, and I started with the show in August of 1973. You didn't have to be a skating competition winner to audition,' Mary said, "you - just had-lio beinterested in tying' out." She lost her amateur standing when she signed ayear's contract with the Ice Capades. There have been advantages and disadvantages along the fork in the Slorg 6g Chris ldeb road that Mary has chosen to follow. "I joined Ice Capades because I wanted to travel, meet people, and get more of an education on what the skating world was all about," she said, adding, "I've had to. give up -a -- lot of social things and opportunities, to stick with this." Mary tours with the show for 10 months of the year, and she said she doesn't get home as often as she would like to. "I tend to appreciate my family more and realize the importance of the love of the family, and yet Mary McFadden off the ice is like a fish out of water. "Figure skating, as a whole, is like any other sport in that you dedicate your life to it. It's constant prac- ticing and constant love. It teaches you self-discipline - you have -fo be dedicated. If you're not dedicated to a passion, you'll enjoy pleasure skating, butyou'll never make it," she said. Mary sees part of her role with the Ice Capades as establishing her own style and identity on the ice. "Through the Corps de Ballet, I'm . developing my own personality by being able to portray various characters," she said."In the finale I'm a clown, a jester, and I try to put that through to the people in the audience." "In being an Ice Capade per- former, you learn to lose your problemsback stage, Mary said. "People don't come out to see you looking sullen and depressed, they want to see you happy and smiling. The show is like a dream world for them." Mary said she gives her all to the people who come to see her. "It's like you say to yourself, 'Here we are, and we're going to do our best for you.' " Far ,in the future, Mary sees her goal as a skating teacher. The Ice Capades has chalets throughout the United States, and . Mary said she would likely start to teach in one of these. Second Section 110th Year -No. 11 The Ice Capades calls on Mary to don in many exotic costumes like the one pictured here. She hopes to become an understudy for one of the show's major stars. For the present, she wants to stay with the Ice Capades, and one thing is for certain "I'll be in skating forever and forever," she said. After two weeks, I just have to get the skates back .on. "So long as I have two legs to stand on, I'll be skating." Photos by David and Fliiabeth Sadler In another number called "Ships Ahoy" Mary, left, skates with several other girls, Pam McKenney and Jocelyn Allen,. Mary started skating in the Hayfield arena when it had only a natural ice, and later gained much of her training with the Goderich Figure Skating club. The Ice Capades will be Kitchener for any interested skaters w tryouts this weekend in Kho want to join the show.