Tai Babilonia Interview: "Jump Higher, Spin Faster"

[Vagabond]

'Jump Higher, Spin Faster': Olympic Figure Skater Tai Babilonia on Her Rise to Fame | KQED

World Champion figure skater Tai Babilonia speaks on her rise to the Olympics during the 1970s-'80s, growing up mixed race in Southern California and how she’s creating new paths to diversify the sport.

www.kqed.org

This is part of a series of interviews with mixed-race Americans. I recommend listening to the entire eighteen-minute podcast, which touches on many subjects.

She is working on a film about Mabel Fairbanks, who was also of mixed-race background.

 

[aliceanne]

'Jump Higher, Spin Faster': Olympic Figure Skater Tai Babilonia on Her Rise to Fame | KQED

World Champion figure skater Tai Babilonia speaks on her rise to the Olympics during the 1970s-'80s, growing up mixed race in Southern California and how she’s creating new paths to diversify the sport.

www.kqed.org

This is part of a series of interviews with mixed-race Americans. I recommend listening to the entire eighteen-minute podcast, which touches on many subjects.

She is working on a film about Mabel Fairbanks, who was also of mixed-race background.

I would like to see a movie about Mabel Fairbanks. She was self-taught for the most part (with some input from sympathetic coaches) and went on to have a show career. She then went on to develop several champions including Babilonia/Gardner and McCladdie/Ewell (1972 Junior champs). She must have had phenomenal talent and will.

I remember Tai’s interview with Michelle McCladdie in IFS magazine many years ago. Michelle was light-skinned and Richard was dark-skinned. Michelle endured harassment at the rink - people accusing her of lying about being black so she could skate with Richard. When they joined Ice Capades Michelle was forced to wear wigs to make her look blacker and it was even suggested she get a nose job to make her look blacker. Obviously it would have been unthinkable for a white to skate with a black at that time.

I remember watching Tai compete on tv. I didn’t realize she was mixed race until the camera picked out her mother. I don’t remember it being remarked on by the announcers period. The news articles and announcers quoted in the podcast were creepy “lush chocolatey complexion”.

 

[Sylvia]

This is part of a series of interviews with mixed-race Americans. I recommend listening to the entire eighteen-minute podcast, which touches on many subjects.

She is working on a film about Mabel Fairbanks, who was also of mixed-race background.

Thanks, I will add this to my podcast listening queue.

Here's a related thread (Babilonia and Atoy Wilson are working on "bringing the life story of coach Mabel Fairbanks to the screen"):

Tai Babilonia, a U.S. Winter Olympic original, credits figure skating trailblazer Mabel Fairbanks

By Nick Zaccardi: https://sports.yahoo.com/tai-babilonia-u-winter-olympic-135547260.html Excerpts: Fairbanks was a trailblazer. In the 1930s, she wasn’t allowed to join a figure skating club because she was Black, and thus barred from competition. Yet Fairbanks still ended up in the U.S. Figure...

www.fsuniverse.net

 

[Vagabond]

I remember watching Tai compete on tv. I didn’t realize she was mixed race until the camera picked out her mother. I don’t remember it being remarked on by the announcers period. The news articles and announcers quoted in the podcast were creepy “lush chocolatey complexion”.

I suppose no one realized that she was mixed race when they saw her as that blonde-haired girl in the photograph. But, as she makes clear, her identity is defined by her own sense of herself and noy by others'.

ETA: I was interested that she regarded Gardner as the leader in the pair. Thise whi think that the female partner is always the leader should take note.

 

[kedrin]

I never realized she was mixed race until by chance I met her brother. I don't think it was ever commented on.

I enjoyed watching the video link in the article- the levels of the 'tricks' were easier, but the unison was amazing, and- those pull Arabians! Still maybe my favorite pairs move.

 

[layman]

That was a great interview. Thank you for sharing!

 

[aliceanne]

Tai/Randy had great unison and lines because they were practically the same size. The tricks that pairs do now are much harder but that beautiful synchronicity has been lost due to the vast size difference between the man and woman.