by Anne Calder | Photographs by Melanie Heaney
“Despite the fact that I’m not technically born in Montreal (born in Lévis, Québec), I contemplate myself a ‘born and raised-in-Montreal lady’.”
Bronsard started skating on the Gadbois Middle when she was two and a half years previous. She skated with the Membership’s coaches – then, when she turned extra severe, she skilled for a number of years with larger degree freestyle coaches.
“I began in freestyle at my dwelling skating membership: CPA Gadbois. On the time, Aissa [Bouaraguia] (pictured, proper) was additionally skating in CPA Gadbois. A few of the coaches seen that we have been each left-handed skaters. We did a tryout collectively after I was about 9 or ten. That’s once we each began ice dance. That’s the place the entire aggressive journey began as properly!”
“I started doing dance assessments after I was very younger, however I had by no means actually thought-about ice dance till I attempted out with Aissa. I admired Tessa & Scott and the fantastic thing about Ice Dance, however I wished to leap and land triple axels.”
“Nevertheless, when the tryout ended up being profitable, Marie-France [Dubreuil], Patrice [Lauzon] and Pascal [Denis] took over for the Membership coaches.
“We competed the subsequent two years. After our first Skate Canada Problem [as pre-Novice in December 2016] we break up to focus on freestyle. That was a vital second for me as two paths have been attainable: pursuing a freestyle profession or skating with a companion.”
Ice Dance or Freestyle?
Bronsard voiced the positives and negatives of each disciplines.
“If I’m trustworthy, I at all times have been a freestyle lady within the sense that I actually get pleasure from skating alone, so skating with a companion was and nonetheless is a giant adjustment for me. I can say that I’m a reasonably “impartial lady”, so I’ve at all times had a tough time following a companion’s lead, for instance, accepting assist to stand up after a fall. Though, trying again, I feel I improved from my first partnership. A minimum of I hope I did!
“A distinction [in couple dance] is you’re not in your personal “skating bubble”. It’s essential to create a “third get together” of some type to permit you and your companion to skate as a complete… That is perhaps very unclear, however ice dancers would possibly know what I’m speaking about.
“There are additionally quite a few totally different parts and required skating qualities in each disciplines. For instance, in freestyle, twizzles are simply one other step to get a degree in a footwork, however in dance, there’s a entire set of them that have to be positioned strategically in a program to create a “wow impact”. The “wow results” in freestyle are largely the jumps and perhaps the inventive parts like spirals.
“I’d say that each have their challenges, however the primary distinction is that in a single you’re performing as a group in entrance of the judges (dance) and within the different, it’s solely you (freestyle). Consider me, after dancing with a companion for greater than 5 years, you’re feeling very a lot alone – it’s a really distinctive feeling!
“Clearly, with my being in a Prime-of-the-class ice dance college, I used to be influenced by my atmosphere – I wished to be a part of them, and I wished to be a champion.”
Second Time Round
Bronsard & Bouaraguia partnered again up as Juniors for the 2018-2019 season.
“When Aissa got here again, I acquired the possibility to achieve excessive heights and get a bit style of what it was prefer to be a part of the sport. (not less than in Junior) It was a fantastic alternative, and I’m so grateful for it.”
One of many perks was competing overseas within the Junior Grand Prix Collection.
“Skating internationally is touring the world together with your ardour alongside you. Not solely you get to journey and have enjoyable, however you additionally meet so many nice individuals alongside the best way, from each yours and different nations. I actually can’t categorical how wonderful a possibility it’s.
“By way of competitors, I’d say Ostrava, Czech Republic – my very first JGP – was my favourite location. The venue was wonderful, I met great individuals. Some I nonetheless chat with every now and then. Additionally, I carried out in my yellow gown. (All-time favourite). It was a contest the place neither me nor my companion anticipated something, and it ended up being one in every of our greatest performances ever. [The team finished fourth.]
“I actually have a humorous anecdote about this competitors: after the quick, I needed to take a doping check. Thoughts you, I used to be solely 13, and it was my first time doing it – however all the pieces went properly as I used to be accompanied by the perfect particular person (Manon Perron). Fortunately sufficient, I wanted to pee! Haha. All jokes apart, Ostrava, CZE was actually the best worldwide competitors expertise for me.”
The second season again collectively, the group received the 2020 Canadian Nationals Junior Ice Dance gold medal.
“It was very particular as a result of we had simply been via a tough patch,” Bronsard famous. “We barely missed Youth Olympics, and so this win was significant. There was additionally a joke for me relating to this podium. In St. John’s, on the nationals the 12 months earlier than, I had informed one in every of my fellow rivals on the time that I might be on the rostrum the subsequent 12 months, and it really occurred! Smartest thing: she was on the rostrum with me too. It was a really particular second. It actually made me imagine that if you put your thoughts to one thing, something can occur.”
The group positioned ninth on the World Junior Championships in Tallinn, Estonia. Covid raised havoc with the 2020-2021 skating schedules, cancelling the JGPs and the Canadian Championships. After attending a nationwide group camp early within the month, the duo introduced the tip of their partnership on July 30, 2021.
Bronsard teamed up with Jacob Richmond in 2022 and competed at two worldwide occasions and the 2023 and 2024 Canadian Championships on the senior degree. The partnership ended after their second Nationals.
Solo Dance Worldwide
The silver medalist shared the genesis of her preparation.
After Jacob and I break up, I knew I didn’t wish to cease skating, and that I didn’t wish to wait round for a companion with out having a objective or a “short-term objective”.
“Certainly one of my teammates, in addition to my coaches, spoke about a global solo ice dance competitors, acknowledged by ISU, happening within the Washington DC space in mid April. After a few days, I believed why not and determined to browse for music to see if I might probably prefer to carry out *alone* in a contest once more.”
“I despatched official emails to my federation, Patinage Quebec and Patinage Canada, saying I used to be nonetheless on the lookout for a companion, however that within the meantime I might check out solo ice dancing. I acquired good suggestions, so I registered and began coaching extra intensively and started engaged on my solo ice dance applications on March 20.”
“It was a mash-up of many applications I had. I stored my previous freestyle music (Mozart) as a sort of message to myself: all the pieces, in time. Hugo Chouinard from Studio Unison did that blend some time in the past.”
“For the Rhythm Dance, skating on Cindy Lauper was a manner of reminding myself to have enjoyable. It was a journey to recollect why I began all of this: for the beautiful feeling of gliding on the ice, for the satisfaction of feeling a wind brushing my face and letting music command my actions. AND, most of all, to have enjoyable.”
“Romain LeGac, one in every of my I.AM teammates, kindly organized the music for me.”
“Two weeks in, it began to be fairly enjoyable. Once I noticed the submit on the Washington Determine Skating Membership’s account, all of it turned official.”
“The entire group helped me put together for this competitors: from Romain Haguenauer serving to me learn the foundations, Sam Chouinard – Kaitlin Hawayek – Ginette Cournoyer – Marie-France Dubreuil serving to me get extra snug shifting alone on the ice (and off ice) and to Josée Piché accompanying me to the competitors. I.AM was with me all alongside the best way.”
Bronsard shared her ideas about competing on the history-making occasion.
“It was eye-opening for me. I went to this competitors not realizing what to anticipate. I used to be actually stunned by how properly it was organized and the way a lot potential it actually had. I noticed a excessive degree of sportsmanship; it was such a wholesome atmosphere of rivals.
“One factor united all of us: our ardour for the game. And that was very particular!”
“On Rhythm Dance Day, I can confidently say that I used to be very nervous. This was like leaping in a pool of unknown: I used to be alone once more, in a brand new self-discipline and with two one-month-old applications. Nevertheless, I got here again the subsequent day extra motivated than ever, and I used to be happy with my Free Dance!
Bronsard was fourth after the Rhythm Dance. The following day, she vaulted into second place together with her Mozart Free Dance – .66 factors behind the gold medalist, Lucas Appel.
Bronsard commented on Solo Dance normally.
“Many proficient skaters can’t discover their ardour and have entry to worldwide degree competitions as a result of they don’t have a companion. Solo ice dance is a method to break the codes and discover their artistry.”
“It’s additionally the proper alternative to push the boundaries of what skaters can do with their our bodies and a chunk of music they get pleasure from. It doesn’t require jumps, so one can focus on the standard of the skating by creating an inventive second with out worrying about leaping.”
“Solo Ice Dance is a platform to show the artwork of skating expertise, dancing and efficiency. It is usually very wholesome for the game world to have a self-discipline that makes men and women compete in opposition to one another. It’s the true that means of a contest: “Could the perfect skater win”.
Targets and Recollections
Bronsard shared a few of her skating objectives.
“Whereas I’m nonetheless on the lookout for a companion, I do assume that one in every of my short-term objectives is to deliver a solo ice dancing competitors to Canada. One other is I wish to end my CEGEP at college.”
“Long run for ice dancing, if I nonetheless haven’t discovered a companion, can be to take solo ice dance to a different degree – to make it extra worldwide.”
“Now, in fact I might like to go to the Olympics as it’s a goal I’ve grown with my eyes on for so far as I can go in my reminiscence.”
Bronsard mirrored on a few of her skating reminiscences.
“Once I was ten years previous I requested my mom for a really particular Christmas current: to have choreography with Marie-France Dubreuil. I’d say that’s one in every of my earliest and really clear reminiscences.”
“When Marie-France and Adrian Diaz choreographed a Micmac program for me after I was in freestyle.”
“Once I met Tessa and Scott for the primary time on the rink (identical factor for Gabriella and Guillaume).”
“My first medals… To be trustworthy although, I don’t have to go very far for my finest skating reminiscence as a result of the sensation of gliding on the ice is sufficient for me, and that was simply this morning.”
