by Anne Calder | Images by Daphne Backman
Daphne, Robin and I arrived on the Credit score Union of Texas Occasion Middle on Friday afternoon in time to observe the junior and senior groups apply. There have been a number of new faces on the ice who I didn’t acknowledge. At first of a brand new Olympic Quad, there’s normally a whole lot of shuffling round. Groups retire, transfer up a degree, change companions, and infrequently select new coaches and coaching places.
I spent Saturday afternoon renewing previous acquaintances and assembly new groups. At 5:05 the Mixed Rhythm and Sample Dances started their competitors. There have been 24 groups representing the USA, POL, MEX and GBR. This included juvenile, intermediate, novice, junior and senior ranges.
The juniors danced first. The season rhythm is Tango plus one of many following dance types: Paso Doble, Flamenco, Spanish Waltz, Fandango, Bolero, Jota, Sevillanas, Milonga. The Sample Dance Ingredient consists of two sections of the Argentine Tango, skated in any order to the Tango rhythm.
The completed order: Leah Neset & Artem Markelov, Vanessa Pham & Jonathan Rogers, Jenna Hauer & Benjamin Starr, Elliana Peal & Ethan Peal, Kristina Bland & Matthew Sperry, Julia Epps & Blake Gilman, Harlow Stanley & Nikita Sosnenko, Anabelle Larson & Jonathan Younger, and Emily Phillips and Luke Anderson.
The juvenile, intermediate and novice (JIN) groups every skated two patterns (juvenile: Foxtrot and ChaCha, intermediate: Tango and Fourteenstep, and novice: Westminster Waltz and Argentine Tango).
The seniors closed the night competitions. The Latin dance types embody not less than two totally different dance types/rhythms chosen from Salsa, Bachata, Merengue, Mambo, Cha Cha, Rhumba, Samba. The Sample Dance Kind Step Sequence and Step Sequence have to be skated to a unique Latin Model/Rhythm.
The completed order: Lorraine McNamara & Anton Spiridonov, Emilea Zingas & Vadym Kolesnik, Raffaella Koncius & Alexey Shchepetov and Jenna Hertenstein & Damian Binkowski.
The Free Dances started Sunday at 8:30 a.m. After every efficiency, the ice dancers shared their ideas about their program, adjusting to new ranges, and their music, and many others. Quotes are in end order.
Juvenile:
Rylen Lukanin & Patrick O’Brien: “I get nerves on a regular basis, however Patrick says to focus and that makes me really feel higher. Then we skate good,” mentioned Rylen. The crew is coached by Kristin Frazier and Igor Lukanin in New Jersey. They topped their Chesapeake Open Rating with a 77.58 whole.
Sophia Kartashov & Nicholas Kartashov practice with Kristin Frazier and Igor Lukanin in New Jersey. The twins additionally do ballroom dancing. Nicholas demonstrated how the body and the maintain are comparable, which helps with each disciplines. Sophia shared how a lot enjoyable she had skating together with her brother. Nicholas added,”Skating with my sister, I’ve somebody to assist me. In singles you don’t have anybody.” The whole rating was 68.44.
Maria Sidorova & Jackson Hill practice in Oklahoma Metropolis, Oklahoma. Coach Jackie Brenner mentioned they’re the state champions as a result of they’re the one ice dancers in Oklahoma. Maria & Jackson have been ice dancing for 2 years. In addition they do singles, however they love to return collectively and be inventive and imaginative. Their whole rating was 45.02.
Intermediate:
Celine Chen & Nathan Chen have educated with Pierre Panayi in Dallas since March 2022. Their whole 87.58 topped their Chesapeake rating by a large margin. Requested about having a well-known skating identify, Nathan shared that they beforehand educated on the similar California rink because the reigning Olympic Champion. It was enjoyable to see him there. Their former coach all the time launched the ice dancer Nathan Chen, with a particular emphasis on his identify.
Cianin Rudedenman & Brysin Rudedenman (61.25)
Bryndolin Rudedenman & Ryedin Rudedenman (54.19)
The siblings are coached by their older sister, Caylin in Riverside, California. Cianin & Brysin are of their second yr as a crew whereas Bryndolin & Ryedin started 4 months in the past. Cianin mentioned that she started ice dancing as a result of she didn’t wish to bounce anymore. Ryedin additionally skates Novice Males. Whereas Brysin thought their packages had been nowhere pretty much as good as they may very well be, Coach Caylin defined their goal. “It was form of a apply occasion. It was the primary of the season. We went into it with out nice expectations,
simply making an attempt to get used to the brand new packages.”
Violet Yan & Dylan Logsdon competed in simply the sample dances, for which they earned the very best rating – 41.19. The crew had solely partnered for one week previous to this occasion. On the 2022 Broadmoor Open, Violet received the Intermediate Girls’s Solo Mixed and Dylan competed with a earlier associate. The crew trains in Colorado Springs with Elena Dostatni and Logan Giuletti-Schmitt.
Novice:
Michelle Deych & Wiles Middlekauff have returned to the Novi Ice Area to coach with Igor Shpilband’s crew. Their 99.05 rating was larger than the earlier outing, which in keeping with Michelle, “It was significantly better than Chesapeake. Hopefully we obtained all the degrees.” As for challenges, “Most likely our footwork, our edges. We have to get them clear,” Michelle added.
Emily Renzi & William Lissauer, who partnered solely 4 months in the past, totaled 91.13 and beat their Chesapeake rating. It’s additionally Emily’s first season in ice dance, whereas William has skated the self-discipline for six years. The duo is coached by Kristin Frazier and Igor Lukanin in New Jersey.
Jasmine Robertson & Hayden Wooden, who practice in Nashville, Tennessee, scored a complete 83.04. The crew moved up a degree this season after profitable the 2022 Championship Collection (Intermediate) in Alpharetta, Georgia final November. Jasmine described the transition as, “Difficult in a great way. I like a problem.” Hayden added, ”Final yr we had been typically ten factors extra forward on the decrease degree. It’s been a little bit of adjustment making an attempt to determine what we have to do to get extra factors. But it surely’s enjoyable.”
Samhita Jonnalagadda & Vedanth Jonnalagadda practice in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The siblings earned a complete 63.84. Vedanth mentioned it was higher than their final yr’s skate earlier than Samhita obtained sick, and so they didn’t skate for a while. Vedanth then added, “Subsequent time we hope to enhance the lifts and presentation.”
Junior:
Leah Neset & Artem Markelov who practice in Colorado Springs, Colorado with Elena Dostatni danced to Pirates of the Caribbean. The 160.13 whole scored larger than their gold medal efficiency on the 2022 US Nationals. Artem commented on this system, “We now have some work to do, however we’re glad with the general efficiency.” Leah added that they’d be engaged on the step sequences and patterns earlier than the Silicon Valley Open in San Jose, California (August 5-6).
Vanessa Pham & Jonathan Rogers had been third within the Free dance to Scheherazade and silver medalists over all. Each packages totaled 140.77. Angela desires to enhance her endurance all through the competitors. Jonathan spoke concerning the crew’s presentation targets., “We’re attending to the purpose now the place we don’t should grind down the weather so onerous. We are able to focus extra on efficiency and connecting with the viewers.” Subsequent cease is their first competitors journey to Lake Placid, New York.
Jenna Hauer & Benjamin Starr vaulted from fifth place within the Rhythm Dance to the bronze medal after ending second with their Free Dance to alternatives from the Pina Soundtrack. “It was higher than our final competitors,” Jenna mentioned. “It was the perfect we’ve finished it up to now.I don’t know the protocols; I simply know the way it feels.” They’ve added a brand new exit to their raise and in addition the Choreographic twizzle, which they’ve by no means finished earlier than of their careers. “Hopefully, all of it works out,” Ben added. “There’s no room left however up!”
Elliana Peal & Ethan Peal had been disenchanted with their program,“We clearly didn’t skate clear, and I didn’t come by personally of the crew” Ethan mentioned. “It’s a crew effort, however you may’t assist take the only real duty to your mistake.” Elliana countered. “Truly our scores improved for the reason that final competitors, even with a mistake within the Free Dance.” Coach Rob Peal defined the music. “It’s Halo, a 25-year operating online game created by Microsoft.” The whole rating was 135.55.
Kristina Bland & Matthew Sperry claimed fifth place with their dance to “Wishful Pondering” and “The Feeling Begins”. Noting the twizzle mishap, Kristina and Matthew mentioned collectively, “It was not our greatest program, however we made it by.” They are going to return to Novi, Michigan to work on endurance and consistency earlier than heading to Lake Placid in two weeks. The packages totaled 130.86.
Julia Epps & Blake Gilman are adjusting to the transfer to Juniors. “It’s undoubtedly extra enjoyable to maneuver as much as a brand new degree,” Julia mentioned. “It’s additionally an enormous problem. We’re not the largest crew in Juniors. Different groups have extra expertise and are bigger.” The crew trains on the Philadelphia Skating Membership and Humane Society with Slava Uchitel. Their music is “Speaking to the Moon” and “Runaway Child” by Bruno Mars.
Anna Sophia O’Brien & Steven Wei have additionally moved as much as Juniors. Anna shared her new experiences. “It’s been troublesome. We had been fairly profitable in Novice. Now we’re studying much more troublesome issues like doing each a Rhythm and Free Dance. It seems like two Free Dances for us versus doing simply two patterns and a Free Dance.” Anna additionally mentioned their skate. “I feel we skated properly, besides Steven fell on a three-turn. It’s higher with the sooner competitors than a extra essential one on the finish.” The crew trains in New Jersey with Kristin Frazier and Igor Lukanin. The music is from a James Bond soundtrack.
Harlow Stanley & Nikita Sosnenko, who skate for the Mexican Federation have educated in Leesburg, Virginia with Elena Novak and Alexei Kiliakov for over eight months. The crew waltzed throughout the ice to the acquainted strains of Masquerade and earned a 62.30 rating and 103.12 whole.
Anabelle Larson & Jonathan Younger started skating collectively in November 2021. Each got here from earlier partnerships. Jonathan has ice danced for 5 years, whereas Anabelle was a solo dancer earlier than she started dancing a yr and a half in the past. The crew trains with Marina Zoueva on the Worldwide Skating Academy in Estero, Florida. Their Free Dance music is “Steppin’ Out With my Child” and “Don’t Imply A Factor”.
Emily Phillips & Luke Anderson signify the Nationwide Ice Skating Affiliation of UK. They had been in Texas working with Pierre Panayi, who coached Emily’s mom when she skated as Lucine Chakmajian for Nice Britain. After the Dallas Traditional, the crew headed north to Scarborough, Ontario Canada for a two week session with Carol Lane earlier than heading again to Cardiff, Wales to coach together with her mother and father, Lucine and David Phillips.
Senior:
Lorraine McNamara & Anton Spiridonov received the gold medal with their efficiency to “Rain in your Black Eyes”. “It was our first competitors with each our packages,” Lorraine mentioned. “We went out and confirmed how a lot we beloved them and to see what works and what doesn’t.” Anton added, “Sadly at the moment errors occur. We had been excited, so after our spin, we fully reversed – mirrored our program. It was a problem making an attempt to get again on observe. We weren’t going to alter the place we had been going, so we simply continued the entire program in reverse. I’m certain that affected our (102.54) rating. The whole was 171.31.
Emilea Zingas & Vadym Kolesnik debuted their program. ”It wasn’t prepared for Chesapeake,” Vadym famous. “We had been nonetheless switching music many instances. For the primary time, it wasn’t dangerous, however there’s a whole lot of work with a view to enhance.” Emilea continued, “It is a complete new expertise for me. It’s the primary time I’ve finished a free dance in competitors. Lack of apply and the start of the season. It’s an thrilling begin, however we’ve a whole lot of work on for certain.” Like many coming off the ice in July, the 2020 World Junior Champion struggled together with his endurance. “I used to be dying,” he laughed.
Raffaella Koncius & Alexey Shchepetov scored 83.47 for his or her bronze medal efficiency to alternatives from the W.E. soundtrack. “I completely love our program,” Raffaella mentioned. “It makes me actually glad going on the market. We undoubtedly improved from Chesapeake.” The crew trains with Marina Zoueva’s group in Estero, Florida. “We now have the Japanese crew of Kana & Daisuke with us,” Alexey mentioned. “They’re such an inspiration to see them skate daily. I didn’t know his age. He’s superb.” The whole rating was 139.56.
Jenna Hertenstein & Damian Binkowski signify Poland, however practice in Leesburg, Virginia. “I used to be happy with our (Arabian themed) efficiency for the primary competitors of the season,” Jenna mentioned. “It’s early. We had been skating sensible, making an attempt to get these components.” Damian added, “The season in Poland begins a lot later, so we’re grateful they allow us to compete right here.” The crew will likely be engaged on the spin, Rhythm Dance raise and the final pace of components as they put together for the Lake Placid competitors. The whole was 124.84.
Congratulations to all of the skaters, coaches, officers, volunteers and fogeys for a profitable Dallas Traditional.
Remaining NQS Competitions:
August 05-06 – Silicon Valley (San Jose, CA)
August 19-21 – Onyx Problem (Rochester Hills, MI)
September 22-25 – Problem Cup (Ardmore, PA)
November 08-12 – Ice Dance Remaining (Norwood, MA)
