For the following entry in our New Group Collection, we meet Jane Calhoun & Mark Zheltyshev, junior ice dancers who symbolize america. The group received the 2026 U.S. Ice Dance Last in Henderson, Nevada.
Inform us about your particular person skating journeys, together with any early particular reminiscences.
Jane: I began skating after I was 2.5 however began dance after I was 12. As for certainly one of my favourite reminiscences, my first time on a dance session needs to be my favourite.
Mark: I began skating after I was 4 years previous. A yr earlier than my dad and mom despatched me to the skating rink, I requested my mom to take me to the ice day by day from the age of three) That is in all probability the brightest reminiscence from childhood!
What drew you to ice dance?
Jane: My mother all the time beloved ice dance so I used to be very comfortable when the chance to strive dance got here up. I beloved it ever since.
Mark: My first coach invited me to ice dancing! She believed that I’ve a whole lot of potential!
Inform us how your partnership began. Describe the tryout.
Jane: The tryout was fairly quick. Our mothers knew one another and finally we determined to have a check out. It glided by very quick and we bought alongside immediately!
Mark: Our check out was very fast. We skated collectively for actually 2 days and determined that we had been a great match. We mentioned it with the coaches and determined to skate collectively! It was fairly troublesome for me, as a result of in Colorado Springs it’s excessive (right here is 2000 meters above sea stage).
What’s one thing that shocked you about your accomplice once you first began coaching collectively?
Jane: One thing that actually shocked me about Mark was that he was very simple to speak with. This actually helped us put together for competitors shortly.
Mark: Now we have comparable strains, comparable physique construction and even hair colour is considerably comparable. After we got here to work for Miss Randy on a brief one, she requested us this query: “are you guys brother and sister by any probability?”
What experiences do every of you carry to the partnership?
Jane: My coaches labored very lengthy and onerous on my skating abilities and edges earlier than I began skating with Mark in order that helped a bunch.
Mark: Earlier than I paired up with Jane, I skated with 3 totally different women and it was very simple for me to grasp her.
Jane: Actually, the partnership got here very naturally for particularly since I’ve lived in Colorado my complete life.
Mark: It was troublesome for me on the primary day, as a result of it’s very excessive right here. I actually skated 1 lap and I used to be in need of breath. And the second, it’s in all probability a language.
What’s it that you just already like most about dancing along with your new accomplice?
Jane: I like that Mark may be very simple to speak too and we resolve difficulties in a short time.
Mark: I believe we perceive one another very nicely. When certainly one of us shouldn’t be comfy, we instantly speak about it and remedy all the issues collectively!
Inform us about your coaching website.
Jane: We prepare at The World Enviornment Ice Corridor. A few of our coaching mates are Leah Neset and Artem Markelov we love coaching with them and so they’re such nice inspirations
Mark: We’re skating in Colorado Springs on the World Enviornment. We’re skating along with Leah and Artem. Now we have a really pleasant group; all of us talk very nicely and are pals with one another!
Who’re your coaches? Did both or each need to relocate? If that’s the case, inform us in regards to the transfer(s).
Jane: Our coaches are Elena Dostatni, Logan Giulietti-Schmitt, Tatiana Druchinina, Tatiana Nikitenko, Laureano Ibarra, Stephenie Kuban, and Leif Gislason. In addition to I’ve lived in Colorado my complete life.
Mark: We work on the ground with nice professionals! Tyrone provides us cardio and work out, Tatiana carried out in Cirque du Soleil and together with her we work on acrobatics, Tatiana Rudolfovna teaches us stretching, with Miss Stephanie we do spin, and with Mr. Larry we work on lifts!
Sure, I moved! The transfer was very simple and logical! I like every little thing right here.
Who choreographed your applications. Is another person arranging your music? If that’s the case, please share these experiences.
Jane: We’re very lucky to have labored with Hugo Chouinard on our music! As for selecting the music, I had needed to skate to “Ice Ice Child” for a number of years earlier than hand and we each actually just like the starvation video games story (my favourite ebook is “Catching Fireplace”)
Mark: Our applications had been set by our coach, Elena Dostatni! Randy Robust choreographed the rhythm dance for us, we went to work for her in Salt Lake Metropolis, it was very fascinating to work with such an expert! We’re engaged on choreography in free dance with Tatiana Druchinin and Elena Dostatni!
In the event you might have a lesson with any ice dancer previous/current, who would it not be? Why?
Jane: I would like to work with Tessa Advantage! I like her strains and her fashion of motion. In addition to I want to discover ways to do lifts in addition to she does!
Mark: I want to examine with Benoît Richaud and Povilas Vanagas. I want to work on applications with Benoît, I believe he has a really fascinating viewpoint on ice dancing. With Povilas, I want to work on skating abilities and partnering!
What have you ever loved essentially the most this skating season? What have been your largest problem(s)?
Jane: For me essentially the most fulfilling and difficult a part of this season was the identical factor. After we first began skating collectively, we had a complete of seven weeks to arrange for our first competitors (this consists of the tryout). Our coaches had been extraordinarily useful throughout this course of and didn’t make the time crunch really feel as nerve-racking because it realistically was. The method was very enjoyable and after we lastly competed it felt very gratifying!
Mark: I actually appreciated our first Junior Grand Prix! It was very fascinating, thrilling, large-scale! There was an excellent viewers that applauded everybody! Probably the most troublesome factor was in all probability to place applications and carry out in 7 weeks of preparation! For ice dancing, 7 weeks may be very little, as a result of you might want to provide you with each applications from scratch, however we did it because of our coaches, for which I thank them very a lot!
Inform us about your competitions to date this season.
Mark: The primary competitors was in Lake Placid. We ready for it in 7 weeks. After Lake Placid, we labored out the applications and ready for our first Junior Grand Prix in Baku!
Jane: After the JGP we cleaned or applications and added new issues earlier than flying to Henderson, Nevada to compete on the U.S. ice dance last! Later we competed in Budapest on the Santa Claus Cup!
What’s one phrase that finest describes your partnership?
Jane: Wild!
Mark: FUN!
Do you might have a Group Instagram web page? If not, the place can followers comply with you?
You will discover us on Instagram @Jane_skates, @_zheltyshev.m_, and @calhoun_zheltyshev.group.
