On-ice photograph by Melanie Heaney
Welcome to IDC’s New Staff Sequence! For this collection, we interview athletes who will enter the upcoming 2024-25 season in a brand new partnership, or debuted final season. In our second interview, we test in with Hana Maria Aboian (14) & Daniil Veselukhin (17).
Hana Maria Aboian (HA): On the age of three years previous, I watched the film Frozen. Frozen was very talked-about and I loved watching it due to the scene Anna and Elsa skated collectively on a pond. I needed to discover ways to skate like that so once I noticed a determine skates within the native publication promoting classes, I introduced it to my mom and confirmed it to her pointing eagerly in hopes that she would take me to classes.
She was not satisfied so I repeated my request a number of cycles and finally by the point I used to be 3, I had my first steps within the ice. It was not easy crusing as a result of I utterly fell off my toes and my mom held my hand your complete session, however I had a blast. I received my first skates, a very nice Zuka bag, and the enduring Mondor clothes and began Be taught to Skate at Nazareth Ice Oasis in Redwood Metropolis, CA. I quickly began as a freestyle skater with coaches Zina Kovalenko, Cherylynn Sebastian, Susan Blaisdel, and Charlie Tickner. I began competing in ISI at 5 years previous. I had many successes within the classes of Pre-preliminary and preliminary. But, as a result of my mom’s job, we needed to transfer to New Haven, Connecticut. There, I began coaching with Svetlana Kulikova. She moved me to the Juvenile class of women singles. I competed there for one 12 months, in the meantime competing in Juvenile Ice Dance with my former accomplice and her son Steven Moore. At first ice dance got here to the dialog, as a result of it will assist develop my skating abilities, and degree me up as a freestyle skater. Over time, combining singles and ice dance turned troublesome. I bear in mind one in all our competitions in Blaine, MN. I needed to do a warm-up in my dance outfit after which ran over to the opposite rink to do my freedance competitors after which proper after that I needed to do my freestyle.
For the subsequent season, I made a decision to deal with Ice Dance as a result of I liked the dancing and deal with expression that’s prevalent in Ice Dance. Additionally, the Nationwide Improvement Staff camp was an unimaginable expertise me. I set to work with wonderful ice dancers and coaches resembling Tanith and Charlie White and Judy Bloomberg. After that, I used to be extremely motivated and pushed to proceed working even more durable than earlier than. I competed with Steven for 3 years in ranges juvenile, intermediate, and novice. I actually loved Ice dance as a result of I may actually present my ardour for dance, which I had developed throughout my youthful years by way of rigorous coaching within the Vaganova approach in ballet and through my years in aggressive rhythmic gymnastics.
My novice season was reduce brief and was then adopted by an in depth seek for a accomplice. As a result of ice dance accomplice search web site, I used to be capable of establish a accomplice who is an ideal match for me and my coaches. I additionally transitioned to homeschool to deal with coaching 6-7 hours per day. Now after skating for six months collectively, we put together for our first season collectively as a junior couple.
Daniil Veselukhin (DV): I began skating on the age of 4. Initially, it was merely for well being, with none explicit objectives or aspirations. On the age of seven, I used to be invited to strive ice dancing, and that’s when my true journey into the world of determine skating started. It was then that I spotted I needed to change into knowledgeable and obtain success on this sport. Through the years, I needed to transfer a number of instances to proceed creating and bettering my abilities. Determine skating has change into one thing I deeply love and worth, and I’m devoted to placing forth my greatest efforts to succeed.
What drew you to ice dance?
HA: Ice dance permits me to specific myself and to inform tales to the audiences by way of music. It’s a very exact sport with cautious consideration to element and approach. It requires grace, musicality, and wonderful approach. I really feel challenged and impressed once I dance on the ice and I by no means get bored with studying.
DV: I actually like the sensation and feelings skilled throughout performances. I really like to look at well-known ice dance {couples} carry out on nationwide and worldwide occasions on this planet. I need to be work to succeed in their degree of excellence and to continue to grow in my skating and efficiency abilities in determine skating. I began determine skating due to my mother and father. I used to be sick lots as a baby and the docs really useful to my mother and father to introduce me to determine skating classes. As I began skating, my well being has improved and I fell in love with the game.
Inform us how your partnership began. Describe the tryout.
The partnership began when Daniil’s mother and father discovered Hana by way of Ice Companion Search web site. After the mother and father had a dialogue, we did a tryout at our native rink with our coaches, U.S. Olympians, Melissa Gregory and Denis Petukhov. The coaches really useful that we have been an excellent match, as a result of they appreciated that we have been each very onerous working and teachable. After a couple of extra weeks of coaching and skating collectively, we did a filming with OnIcePerspectives and officiated our partnership.
What’s it that you simply already like most about dancing together with your new accomplice?
We actually like that now we have a superb working relationship on the ice and perceive one another. We’re each very devoted and work with centered depth. Each of us need to obtain lots in sports activities.
What experiences do every of you deliver to the partnership?
HA: I’ve very in depth coaching in ballet and rhythmic gymnastics with vital expertise in a wide range of efficiency arts. This taught me how you can categorical music and theme behind completely different tales.
DV: I deliver vital expertise into our partnership as a result of I’ve been doing completely ice dance since an early age and competed in a number of worldwide competitions on this self-discipline.
What has been the most important adjustment for every of you thus far within the partnership?One of many greatest changes we made was the adjusting our mindset to a brand new approach taught by our coaches and the excessive degree of skating that’s anticipated of us now. We additionally had too modify to the brand new degree of depth and velocity of skating.
Inform us about your coaching website.
We practice at Newington ice Enviornment for six to seven hours every day. Now we have customized health club coaching, ballroom instruction, and ballet day-after-day. We even have limitless ice time with every day customized coaching from our coaches Melissa Gregory and Denis Petukhov.
Who’re your coaches? Did both or each must relocate? In that case, inform us concerning the transfer(s).
Our coaches are Melissa Gregory and Denis Petukhov who’re former Staff USA Olympians. Daniil relocated to Connecticut to coach at our coaching middle. To coach with Daniil full-time, I needed to begin on-line faculty in December.
Who’s choreographing your packages. Is another person arranging your music? In that case, please share these experiences.
Our Choreographers are Melissa Gregory and Denis. Our music is organized by Alex at SportMusic.com.
If you happen to may have a lesson with any ice dancer previous/current, who wouldn’t it be? Why?
If we may take a lesson with any visitor coaches, it will be from Grishuk and Platov. They introduced a sure degree of pleasure to the world utilizing artistry and magic, all mixed with velocity.
What’s every of you wanting ahead to most this skating season? What can be your greatest problem(s)?
We’re wanting ahead to exhibiting our progress to the determine skating group. Our greatest problem within the subsequent six months can be to discover ways to compete collectively and overcome obstacles that normally happen throughout competitors season.
Please share something you prefer to our readers to learn about you as a crew?
We’re wanting ahead to this debut season and having fun with each second with our coaches, households, and buddies.
