Kelly Johnson today is known primarily as a coach and choreographer with the Mariposa School of Skating in Barrie, behind programs including Alexandra Paul and Mitch Islam’s 2012-13 short dance. But in the 1980s Johnson was one-half of Canada’s number two ice dance team — through two partners. Johnson & Kris Barber had an excellent…
Ice Dance
Flashback Friday: Jessica Joseph and Charles Butler, 1997-98 Junior Worlds FD
In the late ’90s and early ’00s, teams like Jamie Silverstein & Justin Pekarek and Tanith Belbin & Ben Agosto made a major mark on the international scene for American juniors, signifying the beginnings of ice dance’s shift to North America, and to the Detroit scene in particular as a world center. But they were…
Feature, Interview, Pairs
Purdy and Marinaro Ready for Senior Stage
by Jacquelyn Thayer; photos by Danielle Earl Canadian pair Margaret Purdy & Michael Marinaro capped off their junior international career with their best season to date. After taking gold at both JGP Lake Placid and JGP Croatia Cup, qualifying them for the Junior Grand Prix Final in Sochi, the team concluded their third trip to…
Pairs
Flashback Friday: Rachel Kirkland and Eric Radford, 2009 German Nationals LP
Before eventually capturing two national titles and a world bronze with Meagan Duhamel, Eric Radford’s longest-tenured partnership came with Rachel Kirkland, who would for her part later switch to dance. In the four seasons that the two skated together from 2005 through 2009, their accomplishments included silver at juniors at the 2006 Canadian Championships —…
Ice Dance, Pairs
Flashback Friday: Tiffany Stiegler & Sergei Magerovski, 2006 U.S. Nationals Free Dance
At the novice and junior levels, Tiffany Stiegler achieved major results in pairs with older brother Johnnie, winning both 1995 novice and 1997 junior national titles, a fourth-place finish at the 1999 World Junior Figure Skating Championships, and three medals on the Junior Grand Prix, as well as two pewters at the senior national level…