by Anne Calder
The 2024 Lake Placid Ice Dance Championships was held July 27-31 as a part of the U.S. Determine Skating Nationwide Qualifying Collection (NQS). Rivals ranged from pre-juvenile via seniors. The Lake Placid Ice Dance Worldwide (LPIDI) for juniors and seniors was held concurrently on the similar venue.
The NQS awarded medals for the highest 4 scores (gold, silver, bronze, pewter) in every stage. The Worldwide high three junior and senior scores (gold, silver, bronze) obtained medals.
The Lake Placid Ice Dance Championships is the oldest ice dance occasion in world. The 2024 competitions have been held on the newly renovated Herb Brooks Enviornment (1980 Olympic rink).
JUNIOR COMBINED DANCE
The groups started the competitors with their Rhythm Dance on Tuesday, July 30.
The theme and music chosen for the Rhythm Dances for each Junior and Senior for the season 2024/25 is “Social Dances and Types of the Fifties, Sixties and Nineteen Seventies.
The Rhythm Dance for the 2024/2025 season takes inspiration from the excessive power and entertaining dance types from these a long time. These dance types originated as a pair dance and because of their contagious, up beat rhythms, they turned an invite for others to affix alongside in social settings and mass gatherings, turning into crowd pleaser favorites. (ISU Communication 2630)
The Free Dances have been carried out on July 31.
The next Junior Championship groups have been awarded medals after the Free Dance: Michelle Deych & Ryan Hu (gold), Emily Renzi & William Lissauer (silver), Annelise Stapert & Maxim Korotcov (bronze), Effie Chen & Kenny Eckert (pewter).
IDC spoke with every of the dance groups following the Free Dance efficiency.
Michelle Deych & Ryan Hu (133.69), who prepare on the Novi Ice Enviornment in Michigan with Igor Sphilband’s group, made their Junior debut. The 2023 Lake Placid Novice Mixed was their first occasion after the partnership was fashioned fourteen months in the past.
“As we speak was a terrific skate, past what we might think about,” Deych mentioned. “The rating was nice. We’re so glad. It was a lot enjoyable.” Hu added, “We got here right here not fascinated with the scores; we simply like to skate.”
Deych & Hu have been assigned to the primary Junior Grand Prix in Riga, LAT, August 28-31.
Emily Renzi & William Lissauer (133.45) are of their third season as a group and second in Juniors. The group trains with Kristen Fraser Lukanin and Igor Lukanin in Montclair, NJ.
“It was one of the best rating we’ve completed to date,” Renzi mentioned.
“There’s room to develop, however we undoubtedly did one of the best we might.” Lissauer added, “That is manner higher than Chesapeake and Dallas.”
Renzi & Lissauer have been assigned to the second Junior Grand Prix in Ostrava, CZE, September 4-7.
Annelise Stapert & Maxim Korotcov (127.51) prepare on the ION Worldwide Coaching Heart in Leesburg, VA with Elena Novak and Alexei Kiliakov. The group made it’s Junior Lake Placid debut.
“We’re actually actually glad about our skating this week” Stapert mentioned. “We really feel we’ve grown rather a lot since final season. We undoubtedly must work on our pace, however I feel we did very effectively.”
Korotcov added, “We’ve been training rather a lot and beginning to get even higher. We wish to preserve working as onerous as we are able to. There have been undoubtedly a couple of errors, however I’m pleased with it general. I really feel we’re doing our greatest to simply carry out and provides a great present.”
Effie Chen & Kenny Eckert (113.48) prepare in Novi, MI with Igor Sphilband’s group. The partnership is barely about six weeks previous.
“We’ve had our program solely a short time,” Eckert mentioned. “It’s good to get it on the market to see the place it’s at, however we all know there’s much more we are able to do for positive.”
The group withdrew from the Dallas Basic in mid-July because of Eckert’s donation to his dad’s profitable stem cell transplant. His father was not too long ago launched from the hospital and is doing effectively.
Anaelle Kouevi & Yonn Homawoo (111.49) are the third group within the group to make their Junior LP Championships debut. The cousins prepare on the ION Worldwide Coaching Heart with Elena Novak and Alexei Kiliakov.
Kouevi described her dance. “It was a bit terrifying, however actually a extremely good studying expertise for me. It helped me develop with my skating.”
Homawoo added, “It was fairly nerve wracking. It’s our first season in juniors. We’re additionally a few of the youngest junior skaters. It was an excellent expertise. It confirmed me what we might skate as a group collectively.”
When requested if each felt comfy with their skate, the unison response was an emphatic, “YES!”
FREE DANCE PROGRAMS
- Deych & Hu: Romeo & Juliet 2013 soundtrack
- Renzi & Lissauer: “Warriors” by League of Legends Music, 2WEI and Eddie Hayes and “Assault on Titan-Warriors” and “The Name”
- Stapert & Korotcov: “We Will Rock You” and “Underneath the Identical Solar”
- Chen & Eckert: Music from the movement image Moulin Rouge
- Kouevi & Homawoo: Faolan – “Princess of Persia” [Middle Eastern Music]
SENIOR COMBINED DANCE
The next Senior Championship groups have been awarded medals after the Free Dance: Rafaella Koncius & Alexey Shchepetov (gold), Amy Cui & Jonathan Rogers (silver), Grace Yi & Danila Savelev (bronze) and Emilia Ziobrowska & Shiloh Judd (pewter).
IDC spoke with every of the dance groups following the Free Dance efficiency.
Rafaella Koncius & Alexey Shchepetov (159.60) prepare with MIDA in Canton, MI. The group spoke about this system and dealing with choreographer Jean-Luc Baker.
“We’re actually glad,” Koncius mentioned. “We actually join with this program. It’s lots of enjoyable skating it.”
“We simply trusted the coaching and trusted ourselves,” Shchepetov added. “Working with Jean-Luc was very particular due to his model. Earlier than choreographing this system, he requested what we wished to get from it. We instructed him, and what he did was superior.”
“Now we have very comparable skating types. The best way he choreographed this system is the best way we might wish to skate it,” added Koncius. “We picked this system and the coaches picked the music. I heard the music a couple of years in the past and now that we’ve had a full season with our new coaches, I wished to make use of it.”
Shchepetov beforehand used hockey skates with ice dance blades as a result of irritation attributable to a dance boot. He now makes use of particular dance skates. “They’re not pores and skin tight to trigger the issues, however provide lots of assist. It was an adjustment the primary month or two moving into common determine skates once more. I’d been within the hockey skates since 2016.”
Amy Cui & Jonathan Rogers (158.70) who fashioned their partnership in March 2024, prepare in Novi, MI with Igor Shpilband’s group. The group skated solely the Rhythm Dance on the Dallas Basic.
“First trip, so not dangerous,” Rogers mentioned. “We’ve been making some small modifications as much as leaving Novi, so it’s been good to get on the market and see particularly how the costumes really feel,” famous Cui. “We simply acquired them the day earlier than we left. We hadn’t completed something (with them) till we simply skated.”
[We’ll be working on] making enhancements,” Rogers defined. “We had such an enormous bounce from Dallas within the Rhythm Dance…(61.58—>67.05), so simply getting extra comfy with all the pieces. One factor at a time…day-to-day.”
Grace Yi & Danila Savelev: (143.14) prepare in Colorado Springs, CO with Elena Dotstatni. The partnership is one yr previous. Yi spoke concerning the efficiency.
“This system is a piece in progress,” Yi mentioned. “We’re fairly glad about the way it went. Clearly it’s the start of the season. We made some errors right here and there that we have to clear issues up, possibly our lifts. We’re making an attempt one thing new this season, so we’re making an attempt to verify we’re actually good and constant.”
Yi spoke concerning the Rhythm Dance. “With the RD, there are lots of issues we wish to work on choreography clever. We’re heading in the right direction and have to work on our stamina.”
The group trains a mile excessive within the Rocky Mountains, so it’s often simpler when competing on the decrease altitude. Nonetheless, in Lake Placid the group had problem with the temperature contained in the rink.
[The altitude change] “in all probability does assist,” Yi defined, “however the issue right here is that this rink is rather a lot hotter than the one the place we prepare, so we’re actually sweating. We like heat rinks, however we’re simply not used to this.”
Emilia Ziobrowska & Shiloh Judd (125.53) characterize Romania. The group has been skating collectively since October 2023. The Lake Placid Championships is their first occasion collectively. They prepare on the ION Worldwide Skating Heart in Leesburg, VA with Alexei Kiliakov. Judd has beforehand competed at Lake Placid, however that is the primary time collectively. They started coaching their program in January.
Judd mentioned their efficiency. “I really feel like we haven’t been skating collectively for a very long time, so this type of simply exhibits the place we have to enhance in that space – attending to know precisely the place we’re going to go and monitor one another at an occasion like this. Over all, I’m actually happy with what we might do.”
“We’ve been doing our Rhythm Dance to Donna Summer time – “Stroll Away” and “Final Dance for 3 months.”
Michela Melillo & Karl Schapfel (109.06) is a ten month previous partnership who prepare in Connecticut with Svetlana Kiliakov. Schapfel, who’s from Lexington, MA, described his prior ice dancing expertise.
“I’ve been ice dancing about 6 years. I began moving into Ice Dance in Excessive College. I had a slew of companions who I might skate with for about three months or so, however then when it got here time to dig in and get some work completed, they couldn’t commit the time that I wished. Then the Pandemic hit.”
Melillo continued. “We’re introducing us as a brand new group. We got here to carry out one of the best we are able to. I really feel we’re undoubtedly making lots of enhancements in each applications. I’m very excited to be skating with Karl.”
Marin Hessel & Daniel Klaber (68.53) completed in sixth place. Klaber is the 2012 U.S. novice dance champion and three-time U.S. junior pewter medalist (2013-15) with Holly Moore.
“Marin is my pupil,” Klaber mentioned. “In March 2024, Marin’s mother and father got here to me and requested if we might do aggressive ice dance. That was quick discover. I mentioned that If I used to be not capable of finding her a associate, I’d take her out myself.”
“I’m additionally an ex-synchro skater on the senior and junior stage,” Hessell added. “I’m relearning lots of issues. I really like the method of it. I really feel I slot in although that is my first time being right here. It’s an honor to be right here. I’m very grateful to be afforded these alternatives.”
Hessel spoke concerning the efficiency. “It wasn’t actually our greatest. We’ve solely had this system collectively for about three weeks. I’m nonetheless happy with being on the market as is. I’m excited for what we have now extra in retailer for the long run for positive, however to have the ability to carry out a Free Dance and the Rhythm Dance earlier than it, it’s like my dream. I simply wish to get all of the suggestions to see what we are able to do higher.”
Hessel & Klaber’s partnership is exclusive as it’s a coach skating with a pupil.
“It’s a really totally different expertise,” Hessel defined. “Having your associate choreograph and coach you on the similar time is rather a lot, however you undoubtedly get to know one another effectively. I get a very totally different view than most individuals get, and I’m very grateful for that.”
That is Hessel’s first ice dance aggressive expertise and introduction to the ice dance neighborhood.
“At first it was undoubtedly a little bit tough for me,” defined Hessel. “I felt a little bit bit misplaced. It’s like, okay, do I actually belong right here? I mentioned, “Sure, I do.” I actually belong right here. I do know who I’m. I do know what I wish to do. I form of turned it into this, I’m grateful to be right here. So long as I simply breathe and I don’t suppose and I skate with a clean slate, no destructive ideas are available in, and I’m in a position to be me and do what I wish to do. That’s after I began becoming in a little bit bit extra. Additionally it was so cool to simply see all people else skate.”
FREE DANCE PROGRAMS
- Koncius & Shchepetov: Romeo and Juliet (1996 film dramatic rating soundtrack) and “Kissing You”
- Cui & Rogers: Swan Lake Suite, Op. 20: I. Scene 1 by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Yu Simonov
- Yi & Savelev: “Je Te Laisserai Des Mots” Patrick Watson; “Wild Aspect” Roberto Cacciapaglia
- Ziobrowska & Judd: “The Most Stunning Boy” (Felsmann & Tiley Reinterpretation) and “On this Shirt” by The Irrepressibles
- Melillo & Schapfel: ”El Mariachi”, “Siente Mi Amor”, “Malaguena Salerosa”
- Hessel & Klaber: Frank Sinatra medley: “Ring A Ding Ding”, “Younger At Coronary heart” and “When You’re Smiling (The Complete World Smiles With You)”
