by Jacquelyn Thayer Elegant and agile, few images in skating are more celebrated than that of the ballerina on ice, the dancer on blades. It’s away from the spotlight that the magic is born — through nine hour training days,…
by Jacquelyn Thayer What could be considered a disadvantage — a pending federation release that curtailed their chance to compete on the international circuit in 2014-15 — was, for Marissa Castelli and Mervin Tran, a distinct benefit. “I would say…
by Jacquelyn Thayer For Andréanne Poulin and Marc-André Servant, guided by the chance to try new program and musical styles, the logical senior follow-up to a lighthearted, character-heavy junior free dance — utilizing Alexandre Desplat’s whimsical Fantastic Mr. Fox score…
by Jacquelyn Thayer Gretchen Donlan and Nate Bartholomay, matched in July, kicked off their competitive career together under less than auspicious circumstances. After an initial assignment to November’s Ice Challenge, the team had to decline in favor of ankle surgery…
by Jacquelyn Thayer With a quiet entry to the senior ranks in 2013, marked by a silver at their single international assignment at Cup of Nice and an eleventh-place finish at the 2014 U.S. Championships, American pair Jessica Calalang and…
by Jacquelyn Thayer After disappointing results on the Grand Prix circuit, 2015 Canadian bronze medalists Alexandra Paul and Mitch Islam made a bold move to regroup before those national championships: swapping out a jazzy Frank Sinatra free dance, choreographed by…
As 2015 approaches, a last look back at 14 of our favorite dance and pairs elements offered up in 2014, presented in (rough) order of debut. (Note: In interest of inclusiveness, no team or specific element was repeated.) Ice Dance…
by Jacquelyn Thayer Though they skate this week for British national gold, North America has proven a home for Caitlin Yankowskas and Hamish Gaman. After the American Yankowskas and British Gaman kicked off their international partnership at the dance-centered Arctic…
by Jacquelyn Thayer In the first four years together, ice dancers Andréanne Poulin and Marc-André Servant took a sober-minded view towards their work–an “intense, super-serious” mentality, in their words, that accompanied a 2012 Canadian junior national title and two Junior…
In our second guide for the perplexed this off-season, a review of the major rule changes and revisions impacting your favorite sport and ours. 1. New Junior Age Limits Revoked A measure passed at the 2012 ISU Congress called for…
