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HAIR-RAISING Hatfield practices a “ headbanger ” trick during apretour rehearsal at Feld Entertainment Studios in Ellenton , Florida . |
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“ The thing with Jessica is that she couldn ’ t leave skating ,” Leib says .“ So she went to college , and she skated — and she went to nursing school , and she skated . She kept growing in many different ways , but skating stayed with her .”
Leib remembers the first time he met Hatfield , when she was about 8 or 9years old . She was energetic and always smiling . Hecould tell then she had a “ great big heart .” Asaskater , her technical skills were limited , he says , but through training , that quickly changed . “ It was like watching atulip bulb being planted and then turning into aflower ,” says Leib ,“ where you didn ’ t know the end product until it started to blossom . And , what happened with Jessica was , she got better and better each year .”
Now , Hatfield does it all . She can perform solo or as part of apair . She can be part of agroup , orincostume . She ’ s an all-around performer , Leib says , and “ a chameleon who can do anything .”
Leib coached Hatfield for about 13 years . The two still talk regularly , and Leib watches Hatfield ’ sperformances whenever she is in New York or New Jersey . Seeing one of his former skaters create alife through skating isspecial ,
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he says .“ If you can have somebody who ’ s acompetitor and leave skating with love , it ’ sareal successful relationship ,” Leib says .“ Iwas able to pass on my drive , my thirst for improvement and my love for the sport . To me , that ’ s aspecial bond that you have with somebody .”
‘ THE BEST FEELING IN THE WORLD ’
That special bond issomething Hatfield has also found with her 19-yearold niece , Gwyneth Settar . Settar was born when Hatfield was asenior in high school . Hatfield remembers taking her niece to the ice rink when she was about 3years old for the first time , and then giving her lessons anytime she was home from touring . This past year , Setter auditioned for arole on Disney on Ice , and got the job .
Knowing her niece is following in her footsteps isspecial for Hatfield . It ’ s something she wished more people her niece ’ s age would consider .“ It ’ sthe best feeling in the world ,” she says ,“ because I ’ ve felt like her mentor , and Itried to train her to get her ready just for shows . Itried to teach her the things that
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she would need to know just to make it here , and when she got the email that she was accepted , it was the best feeling .”
In asentimental Instagram post in September 2022 , Hatfield credited her niece for reigniting her love of skating during the pandemic , when live entertainment shut down for several months . Hatfield admits she thought her time as askater had expired . Because her tour was halted , Hatfield found herself back in New Jersey as apracticing nurse . Though she wasn ’ t practicing as anurse while on tour , she always maintained her license allowing her to work in more than 25 states . After the world shut down , she found ajob working for a doctor ’ soffice . She then worked her way back into ahospital .
But the draw of performing in front of an audience pulled her back . “ When you train your whole life asaskater , it ’ sinyour soul ,” Hatfield says .“ Ican always go back and work in the hospital or use my nursing degree in some capacity . But while my body is physically capable of performing and skating , I just feel like Iwant to do it as long as Ican .” ■
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COURTESY OF JESSICA HATFIELD |
14 MAY 2023 WAYNE MAGAZINE |