{"id":1802321,"date":"2026-03-02T05:39:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-02T02:39:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1802321"},"modified":"2026-03-02T05:39:00","modified_gmt":"2026-03-02T02:39:00","slug":"figure-skater-laine-dubin-wants-you-to-outside-and-get-a-hobby","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1802321","title":{"rendered":"Figure skater Laine Dubin wants you to outside and get a hobby"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/1179\/0-483-1179-786\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1430\/9\/1439851.jpeg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article class=\"main-article standard \">\n<div class=\"article-main-content article-wrapper has-media-but-its-an-image\" data-status=\"loaded\" data-primary-article=\"true\" data-url=\"\/life-culture\/article\/69794\/1\/tiktok-figure-skater-laine-on-ice-dubin\" data-article-id=\"69794\">\n<header class=\"article-header has-portrait-image no-media\">\n<div class=\"wrapper dg-max-width\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<figure class=\"main-img has-figcaption\" data-img-aspect-ratio-type=\"portrait\" data-img-aspect-ratio=\"0.71\" data-template=\"Standard Article\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"portrait\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Laine Dubin\" class=\"img\" height=\"1666\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/1179\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1430\/9\/1439851.jpeg\" width=\"1179\"><\/span><\/span><figcaption class=\"img-caption\"><span class=\"inner\"><span class=\"credit\">Photography courtesy of <span class=\"nowrap\">Laine Dubin<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<aside class=\"meta\">\n<div class=\"inner\"><time datetime=\"2026-03-02T05:39:00+00:00\" class=\"timestamp\" title=\"02 March 2026\"><span class=\"month\">March<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"day\" data-day=\"2\">2,<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"year\">2026<\/span><\/time><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<div class=\"titles\">\n<div class=\"tags\">\n<div class=\"sections\"><a class=\"category vertical - life-culture\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\">Life &amp; Culture<\/a><br \/>\n\/<br \/>\n<a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/q-and-a\">Q+A<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"standard-tag-container\"><a class=\"standard-category\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\">Life &amp; Culture<\/a> \/<br \/>\n<a class=\"standard-series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/q-and-a\">Q+A<\/a><\/div>\n<h1 class=\"title\"><span>Figure skater Laine Dubin wants you to outside and get <span class=\"nowrap\">a hobby<\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n<div class=\"standfirst\">\n<h2>Amid the winter sports craze, the 23-year-old athlete talks to Dazed about holding on to whimsy into adulthood and skating as a form <span class=\"nowrap\">of self-expression<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<p><time datetime=\"2026-03-02T05:39:00+00:00\" class=\"timestamp\" title=\"02 March 2026\"><span class=\"month\">March<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"day\" data-day=\"2\">2,<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"year\">2026<\/span><\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><time datetime=\"2026-03-02T05:39:00+00:00\" class=\"timestamp\" title=\"02 March 2026\"><span class=\"month\">March<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"day\" data-day=\"2\">2,<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"year\">2026<\/span><\/time><\/p>\n<div class=\"providers\">\n<div class=\"contributors\"><span class=\"contributor\" data-contributor-role=\"Text\"><span class=\"contributor-role\">Text<\/span><a class=\"contributor-name\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/user\/isabelbekele\">Isabel Bekele<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"article-body-container\">\n<div class=\"article-body wrapper\">\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>If you\u2019ve binge-watched <em>Heated Rivalry<\/em>, seen TikTok edits of Alysa Liu or tuned into the recent US men\u2019s hockey team controversy, then it\u2019s safe to say you\u2019re at least somewhat tapped into the great winter sports revival of 2026. Thanks to the Blade Angels (the US women\u2019s figure skating trio composed of Liu, Amber Glenn, and Isabeau Levito), ice skating, in particular, is having a major moment, with some viewers even trying their hand at the sport themselves. Of course, winter sports have always been around, and since this year\u2019s Olympic Games only recently ended, it\u2019s not surprising that we\u2019re more attuned to these stories than ever. For some athletes, however, winter sports are not just a moment in culture, but a lifestyle. That\u2019s certainly the case for 23-year-old <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@lainedubin\"><span>Laine Dubin<\/span><\/a><span>, a Pennsylvania-based figure skater and content creator who\u2019s made a career out of sharing her figure-skating journey online.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Dubin has over half a million followers on TikTok, where she posts a mix of advice videos, snippets of her routines and a behind-the-scenes look at her skating life. As a plus-size skater in a sport with a well-documented weight stigma, Dubin\u2019s videos of her performances, gliding and spinning expertly to tracks like <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@lainedubin\/video\/7595700670922083615\"><span>\u201cLove You in the Dark\u201d<\/span><\/a><span>, have garnered wide attention, with her comments section often filled with viewers saying she\u2019s inspired them to start skating themselves. Through a sport that often literally involves falling flat on your face, Dubin has managed to convince audiences that simply getting started is enough. \u201cYou don\u2019t have to be the best at something to enjoy it,\u201d she says. \u201cI think a lot of people are scared that they have to be really good right from the jump, or it just feels very overwhelming to try a new hobby \u2013 it just doesn\u2019t have to be that way.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Dubin grew up very much on the ice, skating in various programs at her local rinks before eventually competing at the collegiate level. Now, as a young adult, she has no plans to slow down. As her lifelong practice of the sport evolves into something she does recreationally, she\u2019s committed to enjoying it just as much. It\u2019s a joy-forward mindset that\u2019s started to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reels\/DVJ1ILQAZNk\/\"><span>gain traction online<\/span><\/a><span> during the recent Games, when the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@the_inner_game\/video\/7609907532466851086?q=alyssa%20liu&amp;t=1772403047485\"><span>radical optimism<\/span><\/a><span> of fellow skater Alysa Liu, in particular, reminded young people that it\u2019s okay to pursue something simply for the love of the game.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Amid the winter sports craze, we caught up with Dubin to chat about her career in skating, going viral online and what advice she has for beginners. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-tiktok\" data-id=\"7609790732290805022\">\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><strong>How did you first get into skating?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Laine:<\/strong><span> I was adopted from China at one, and grew up in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, right outside of Philadelphia. I first saw figure skating back in my old house, when I must have been three\u00a0<\/span>years old, during the Olympics. I wanted to do that, but my parents didn\u2019t want to shell out all that money yet, so they tried a little bit of roller skating on me first. I got into figure skating around five or six. I did a public skate with my mom and her coworker, and it was so casual at that age. From there, I just started skating and loved everything. I went to a learn to skate program, got a coach and now we\u2019re here.<\/p>\n<p><strong>You skated all the way through college. How does it fit into your life now, post-graduation?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Laine:<\/strong><span> It\u2019s really content creation-based. I feel like there is still this ongoing debate about whether figure skating is actually a sport or not. It falls in the same categories, depending on who you\u2019re talking to, as cheer, dance, gymnastics and all the other artistic judgment stuff.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>I used to really do it as a sport and tried to build myself up to get to a more national level, but I always knew that I was never gonna get there. So, now that I\u2019m an adult, I\u2019m really just creating content and doing it as a hobby, more for fun than actually training. There are adults right now who are training for Adult Nationals and other competitions like that, but that\u2019s just not where I am yet. I\u2019m not really focusing on technique that much, and it makes people mad online, but I\u2019m just having fun. Skating doesn\u2019t have to look a certain way for you to have fun and for you to be considered a figure skater, especially once you\u2019re an adult and there\u2019s not as much scrutiny as if you were a minor.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-tiktok\" data-id=\"7577071032335387935\">\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><strong>How did you get started in content creation?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Laine:<\/strong><span> I started posting back in 2013 because I wanted to be a YouTuber when it was a really big thing. But I would get so cringed out by the videos I made, so I stopped. Back in 2015 or 2016, I would just post videos for 300 followers on a public Instagram account, around the \u2018finsta\u2019 day and age. From 2016 to 2021, I was just clearing out my phone storage and putting videos out online, because I knew social media was always going to be there.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Then, 2021 hit. There was a challenge where you would run on the beach and just be really free and sing the lyrics to\u00a0<\/span><span>\u2018Ceilings\u2019\u00a0<\/span><span>by Lizzy McAlpine. I had someone film me at my school rink doing that, and I think that the mixture of the location \u2013 because it was a really nice stadium \u2013 and seeing a mid-to-plus-size skater at that time was very jarring for people. I think there was a shock spectacle factor.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Once that went viral on TikTok, I was like, \u2018Oh, I should diversify off of Instagram and maybe just try posting on TikTok,\u2019 which is what I did. People don\u2019t see plus-size people or people with a bigger body in general on the ice, so I realised, \u2018Wait, this is a market and [I can speak to people] through just skating,\u2019 and not have to speak directly to a camera like a YouTube video.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>On your TikToks, many people comment that it means a lot to them to see plus-size representation in figure skating. What\u2019s it been like to get this sort of reception?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Laine:<\/strong><span> It means the absolute world to me. I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve actually had a second to really fully process and believe that I am that person. No matter how many DMs I get, I don\u2019t think it\u2019s officially hit me. But I do get a lot of messages saying, \u2018Oh my God, I just had my first skating lesson today because of you. I saw what you could do.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>In college, I studied media. So, having that knowledge and seeing just how much of an impact representation for being Asian, Asian-adopted, queer and plus-sized can have, I think really resonates. There aren\u2019t a lot of people who are like me, especially in the media, so being able to be someone that you can constantly see on your For You page is very impactful.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<blockquote>\n<p><span>Adults need hobbies and to get outside, especially in the post-pandemic world. I think it\u2019s important to keep curious.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><strong>Why do you think so many people resonate with your content?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Laine:<\/strong><span> Just to see themselves, honestly. I think people go to social media to escape reality and maybe find comfort. There are a lot of people who have told me that when they were young, their parents would say, \u2018You\u2019re not good enough to do that\u2019 or \u2018You\u2019re too fat to do that.\u2019 When they see that fat person out there on the ice, especially as an adult and not as a nine-year-old prodigy skating child, I think that resonates with a large audience of people.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Winter sports, and figure skating in particular, have been having a moment right now, especially because of athletes like Alysa Liu. What do you make of this current interest in winter sports?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Laine:<\/strong><span> We always see this during the Olympic cycle, right? There are gonna be those breakout stories, but I don\u2019t think I expected this, the Blade Angels and the women&#8217;s skating specifically, to hit so intensely. I think Ilona Maher had a huge moment for Paris 2024, and I was like, \u2018Oh, that\u2019d be so cool if they did that for skating,\u2019 but skating never gets that much story coverage. Seeing it skyrocket is great.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>As someone who watches skating year-round, I see myself in Alysa; she\u2019s Chinese and I am Chinese-American as well, so I can connect with her on that. And, just to see how carefree she is. I\u2019m also in a spot where I am so carefree and skating for fun, not caring about certain placements and really prioritising mental health.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-tiktok\" data-id=\"7600065886157917471\">\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><strong>What is your pre-competition ritual?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Laine:<\/strong><span> I think it\u2019s shaking out my legs. My legs get so jello, jiggly and tingly, so I have to keep moving my legs constantly. And taking a lot of deep breaths, closing my eyes and bending my knees.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Nice. What song always pumps you up on the ice?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Laine:<\/strong><span> Probably \u2018Pink Pony Club\u2019 by Chappell Roan.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>While most people give up recreational activities after college, you\u2019ve kept skating into adulthood. Why do you think that it<span>\u2019<\/span>s important to pursue what you love, even as an adult?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Laine:<\/strong><span> I listen to a lot of self-help or reflective podcasts. Even the expert ones always say you need to have a little bit of whimsy, a little bit of healing your inner child. There\u2019s absolutely nothing wrong with that. And what else are you gonna do? Just work?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Adults need hobbies and to get outside, especially in the post-pandemic world. I think it\u2019s important to keep curious. You miss 100 per cent of the shots you don&#8217;t take. I think going into things with an open mind and not being afraid of rejection is key. Putting yourself out there and just trying \u2013 going to one meeting or one activity \u2013 you never know what that could bring. You just have to start.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>What\u2019s one piece of advice you\u2019d give to someone who wants to start skating, or just start something new in general?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Laine:<\/strong><span> I would say the first thing that comes to my head: just go for it. Again, you just never know what\u2019s gonna come. You are in charge of your own life, and you can either live in misery or you can live in a fun, whimsical world where you\u2019re doing what you love and being successful at it.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"newsletter-inline-last\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-small\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<h1 class=\"newsletter-title\">Escape the algorithm! 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class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"madeline cash\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/0-599-1400-931\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1430\/7\/1437827.jpeg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">How Madeline Cash wrote the most hyped novel of 2026<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"newsletter-inline\" data-newsletter hidden>\n<div class=\"newsletter-small\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<h1 class=\"newsletter-title\">Escape the algorithm! Get The Drop<\/h1>\n<div class=\"meta-row\">\n<p class=\"meta\">Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"confirmation\" aria-live=\"polite\">\n<p class=\"confirmation-title\">Thank you. You have been subscribed<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"article-body wrapper\">\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>If you\u2019ve binge-watched <em>Heated Rivalry<\/em>, seen TikTok edits of Alysa Liu or tuned into the recent US men\u2019s hockey team controversy, then it\u2019s safe to say you\u2019re at least somewhat tapped into the great winter sports revival of 2026. Thanks to the Blade Angels (the US women\u2019s figure skating trio composed of Liu, Amber Glenn, and Isabeau Levito), ice skating, in particular, is having a major moment, with some viewers even trying their hand at the sport themselves. Of course, winter sports have always been around, and since this year\u2019s Olympic Games only recently ended, it\u2019s not surprising that we\u2019re more attuned to these stories than ever. For some athletes, however, winter sports are not just a moment in culture, but a lifestyle. That\u2019s certainly the case for 23-year-old <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@lainedubin\"><span>Laine Dubin<\/span><\/a><span>, a Pennsylvania-based figure skater and content creator who\u2019s made a career out of sharing her figure-skating journey online.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Dubin has over half a million followers on TikTok, where she posts a mix of advice videos, snippets of her routines and a behind-the-scenes look at her skating life. As a plus-size skater in a sport with a well-documented weight stigma, Dubin\u2019s videos of her performances, gliding and spinning expertly to tracks like <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@lainedubin\/video\/7595700670922083615\"><span>\u201cLove You in the Dark\u201d<\/span><\/a><span>, have garnered wide attention, with her comments section often filled with viewers saying she\u2019s inspired them to start skating themselves. Through a sport that often literally involves falling flat on your face, Dubin has managed to convince audiences that simply getting started is enough. \u201cYou don\u2019t have to be the best at something to enjoy it,\u201d she says. \u201cI think a lot of people are scared that they have to be really good right from the jump, or it just feels very overwhelming to try a new hobby \u2013 it just doesn\u2019t have to be that way.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Dubin grew up very much on the ice, skating in various programs at her local rinks before eventually competing at the collegiate level. Now, as a young adult, she has no plans to slow down. As her lifelong practice of the sport evolves into something she does recreationally, she\u2019s committed to enjoying it just as much. It\u2019s a joy-forward mindset that\u2019s started to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reels\/DVJ1ILQAZNk\/\"><span>gain traction online<\/span><\/a><span> during the recent Games, when the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@the_inner_game\/video\/7609907532466851086?q=alyssa%20liu&amp;t=1772403047485\"><span>radical optimism<\/span><\/a><span> of fellow skater Alysa Liu, in particular, reminded young people that it\u2019s okay to pursue something simply for the love of the game.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Amid the winter sports craze, we caught up with Dubin to chat about her career in skating, going viral online and what advice she has for beginners. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-tiktok\" data-id=\"7609790732290805022\">\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><strong>How did you first get into skating?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Laine:<\/strong><span> I was adopted from China at one, and grew up in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, right outside of Philadelphia. I first saw figure skating back in my old house, when I must have been three\u00a0<\/span>years old, during the Olympics. I wanted to do that, but my parents didn\u2019t want to shell out all that money yet, so they tried a little bit of roller skating on me first. I got into figure skating around five or six. I did a public skate with my mom and her coworker, and it was so casual at that age. From there, I just started skating and loved everything. I went to a learn to skate program, got a coach and now we\u2019re here.<\/p>\n<p><strong>You skated all the way through college. How does it fit into your life now, post-graduation?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Laine:<\/strong><span> It\u2019s really content creation-based. I feel like there is still this ongoing debate about whether figure skating is actually a sport or not. It falls in the same categories, depending on who you\u2019re talking to, as cheer, dance, gymnastics and all the other artistic judgment stuff.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>I used to really do it as a sport and tried to build myself up to get to a more national level, but I always knew that I was never gonna get there. So, now that I\u2019m an adult, I\u2019m really just creating content and doing it as a hobby, more for fun than actually training. There are adults right now who are training for Adult Nationals and other competitions like that, but that\u2019s just not where I am yet. I\u2019m not really focusing on technique that much, and it makes people mad online, but I\u2019m just having fun. Skating doesn\u2019t have to look a certain way for you to have fun and for you to be considered a figure skater, especially once you\u2019re an adult and there\u2019s not as much scrutiny as if you were a minor.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-tiktok\" data-id=\"7577071032335387935\">\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><strong>How did you get started in content creation?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Laine:<\/strong><span> I started posting back in 2013 because I wanted to be a YouTuber when it was a really big thing. But I would get so cringed out by the videos I made, so I stopped. Back in 2015 or 2016, I would just post videos for 300 followers on a public Instagram account, around the \u2018finsta\u2019 day and age. From 2016 to 2021, I was just clearing out my phone storage and putting videos out online, because I knew social media was always going to be there.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Then, 2021 hit. There was a challenge where you would run on the beach and just be really free and sing the lyrics to\u00a0<\/span><span>\u2018Ceilings\u2019\u00a0<\/span><span>by Lizzy McAlpine. I had someone film me at my school rink doing that, and I think that the mixture of the location \u2013 because it was a really nice stadium \u2013 and seeing a mid-to-plus-size skater at that time was very jarring for people. I think there was a shock spectacle factor.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Once that went viral on TikTok, I was like, \u2018Oh, I should diversify off of Instagram and maybe just try posting on TikTok,\u2019 which is what I did. People don\u2019t see plus-size people or people with a bigger body in general on the ice, so I realised, \u2018Wait, this is a market and [I can speak to people] through just skating,\u2019 and not have to speak directly to a camera like a YouTube video.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>On your TikToks, many people comment that it means a lot to them to see plus-size representation in figure skating. What\u2019s it been like to get this sort of reception?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Laine:<\/strong><span> It means the absolute world to me. I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve actually had a second to really fully process and believe that I am that person. No matter how many DMs I get, I don\u2019t think it\u2019s officially hit me. But I do get a lot of messages saying, \u2018Oh my God, I just had my first skating lesson today because of you. I saw what you could do.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>In college, I studied media. So, having that knowledge and seeing just how much of an impact representation for being Asian, Asian-adopted, queer and plus-sized can have, I think really resonates. There aren\u2019t a lot of people who are like me, especially in the media, so being able to be someone that you can constantly see on your For You page is very impactful.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<blockquote>\n<p><span>Adults need hobbies and to get outside, especially in the post-pandemic world. I think it\u2019s important to keep curious.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><strong>Why do you think so many people resonate with your content?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Laine:<\/strong><span> Just to see themselves, honestly. I think people go to social media to escape reality and maybe find comfort. There are a lot of people who have told me that when they were young, their parents would say, \u2018You\u2019re not good enough to do that\u2019 or \u2018You\u2019re too fat to do that.\u2019 When they see that fat person out there on the ice, especially as an adult and not as a nine-year-old prodigy skating child, I think that resonates with a large audience of people.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Winter sports, and figure skating in particular, have been having a moment right now, especially because of athletes like Alysa Liu. What do you make of this current interest in winter sports?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Laine:<\/strong><span> We always see this during the Olympic cycle, right? There are gonna be those breakout stories, but I don\u2019t think I expected this, the Blade Angels and the women&#8217;s skating specifically, to hit so intensely. I think Ilona Maher had a huge moment for Paris 2024, and I was like, \u2018Oh, that\u2019d be so cool if they did that for skating,\u2019 but skating never gets that much story coverage. Seeing it skyrocket is great.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>As someone who watches skating year-round, I see myself in Alysa; she\u2019s Chinese and I am Chinese-American as well, so I can connect with her on that. And, just to see how carefree she is. I\u2019m also in a spot where I am so carefree and skating for fun, not caring about certain placements and really prioritising mental health.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-tiktok\" data-id=\"7600065886157917471\">\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><strong>What is your pre-competition ritual?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Laine:<\/strong><span> I think it\u2019s shaking out my legs. My legs get so jello, jiggly and tingly, so I have to keep moving my legs constantly. And taking a lot of deep breaths, closing my eyes and bending my knees.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Nice. What song always pumps you up on the ice?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Laine:<\/strong><span> Probably \u2018Pink Pony Club\u2019 by Chappell Roan.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>While most people give up recreational activities after college, you\u2019ve kept skating into adulthood. Why do you think that it<span>\u2019<\/span>s important to pursue what you love, even as an adult?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Laine:<\/strong><span> I listen to a lot of self-help or reflective podcasts. Even the expert ones always say you need to have a little bit of whimsy, a little bit of healing your inner child. There\u2019s absolutely nothing wrong with that. And what else are you gonna do? Just work?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Adults need hobbies and to get outside, especially in the post-pandemic world. I think it\u2019s important to keep curious. You miss 100 per cent of the shots you don&#8217;t take. I think going into things with an open mind and not being afraid of rejection is key. Putting yourself out there and just trying \u2013 going to one meeting or one activity \u2013 you never know what that could bring. You just have to start.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>What\u2019s one piece of advice you\u2019d give to someone who wants to start skating, or just start something new in general?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Laine:<\/strong><span> I would say the first thing that comes to my head: just go for it. Again, you just never know what\u2019s gonna come. You are in charge of your own life, and you can either live in misery or you can live in a fun, whimsical world where you\u2019re doing what you love and being successful at it.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"newsletter-inline-last\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-small\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<h1 class=\"newsletter-title\">Escape the algorithm! Get The Drop<\/h1>\n<div class=\"meta-row\">\n<p class=\"meta\">Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"confirmation\" aria-live=\"polite\">\n<p class=\"confirmation-title\">Thank you. You have been subscribed<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69794\/1\/tiktok-figure-skater-laine-on-ice-dubin&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/1179\/0-483-1179-786\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1430\/9\/1439851.jpeg&#8221;] Photography courtesy of Laine Dubin March\u00a0 2,\u00a0 2026 Life &amp; Culture \/ Q+A Life &amp; Culture \/ Q+A Figure skater Laine Dubin wants you to outside and get a hobby Amid the winter sports craze, the 23-year-old athlete talks to Dazed about holding on to whimsy into adulthood and skating as a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,76],"class_list":["post-1802321","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-dazeddigital-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1802321","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1802321"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1802321\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1802321"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1802321"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1802321"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}