Tell us about your particular person skating journeys, together with any early particular reminiscences.
Adrienne (AC): I began skating at 7 years outdated when a buddy of mine invited me to a skating lesson. From there, I continued on with my youthful sister Helena and have cherished it since then.
Oleksandr (OK): I began skating after I was 7 years outdated as properly, however in Odessa. There is just one rink in Odessa however I’ve a whole lot of nice reminiscences of that rink and studying learn how to skate there. I competed in singles skating loads all through Ukraine till I used to be about 15 years outdated. Then I moved to Kiev to start out ice dancing.
What drew you to ice dance?
AC: In all honesty, I bear in mind watching ice dance as a child and pondering there was no method I could possibly be an ice dancer! After rising up in a family full of girls and going to an all-girls highschool, the concept of skating with a boy didn’t enchantment to me. It wasn’t till I had reconstructive hip surgical procedure after I was 15 years outdated and needed to take a 12 months off the ice that I even thought of ice dancing. Nevertheless, after only a few weeks of making an attempt it out I knew this was what I wished to do. Now I like skating with a accomplice and I like engaged on all of the little particulars that go into ice dancing. There’s a lot precision and thought put into each step.
OK: My mother heard there was an ideal ice dance coach in Kiev that had a lady in search of a accomplice, so she thought it might be good for me to strive ice dancing. At first, I discovered it fairly uncommon to skate with one other individual in place, however it supplied me with a brand new problem which I appreciated. I like the technical features of ice dance, like turns and footwork, however I additionally actually benefit from the lifts and the acrobatics concerned in partnered skating.
Inform us how your partnership began (Companion Search, coaching mate, and so forth.) Describe the tryout.
AC: Sasha and I really knew one another earlier than we began skating collectively. We each skilled with Marina in 2019 with totally different companions and we had been good associates. I ended up transferring to France and Sasha was coaching with a brand new accomplice in Russia, so we misplaced contact for a number of years. After we noticed one another once more, it was like no time had handed – our friendship picked up proper the place we left off.
OK: Marina known as me proper after my earlier partnership ended. She was my coach after I was junior and we had stayed involved, so I used to be completely happy to listen to from her. She instructed me Adrienne was additionally in search of a accomplice, and Adrienne and I had been associates for a very long time. So we had a tryout and we had been an ideal match.
What’s it that you just already like most about dancing together with your new accomplice?
AC: It doesn’t matter what sort of day we’re having, Sasha all the time makes me chortle. We stability one another out so properly. Sasha could be very affected person He’s so good at staying calm and relaxed below strain. Coaching is very easy and particularly if you end up skating with a buddy.
OK: Adrienne and I are each very fortunate as a result of we’ve had an ideal friendship off the ice for therefore a few years. I’ve by no means seen anybody work as laborious as Adrienne! Additionally, she is an incredible dancer and she or he could be very creative. She has an ideal imaginative and prescient for every of our packages and I belief her.
What experiences do every of you convey to the partnership? (Worldwide competitions, coaching, and so forth.)
OK: I’ve been internationally certified for a few years now, so I convey a whole lot of expertise to the partnership.
AC: Sasha was very supportive of me this season, since this was my first season competing internationally.
What has been the most important adjustment for every of you up to now within the partnership?
AC: There are the traditional challenges of a brand new partnership, studying to skate collectively and attending to know the opposite individual. Sasha and I’ve nice communication, and we work so properly collectively. I’ve by no means had a partnership the place we might talk as overtly as we do.
OK: There hasn’t been a giant adjustment. We’re all the time sincere with one another about what’s working and what’s not, and Adrienne could be very sort.
Inform us about your coaching website. (Location, amenities, dance mates, lessons, and so forth.)
OK: We prepare on the Worldwide Skating Academy in Estero, FL. Coaching in Florida, the climate is heat and delightful. We do a whole lot of coaching exterior within the contemporary air, and I’m going to the seaside and soar within the water after a protracted day of skating.
AC: I’m the oldest of 4 women, all of whom skate, they usually all prepare with Marina in Florida. Attending to see them day by day and share all these experiences with them is one thing I’m extraordinarily grateful for. My sister Helena and her accomplice Vova are the reigning US Junior Silver Medalists, and they’re an ideal staff to observe. We additionally prepare with Pilipino staff Isabella Gamez and Alexandr Korovin, and Ukrainian staff Zoe Larson and Andrei Kapran. We’re so fortunate to coach with groups which might be additionally our good associates.
Final season we skilled with Kana Muramoto and Daisuke Takahashi earlier than they introduced their retirement this 12 months. It was very unhappy for me, since Kana is certainly one of my closest associates and the rink shouldn’t be the identical with out them. We use Kana and Dais as our inspiration loads.
Who’re your coaches? Did both or each need to relocate? If that’s the case, inform us in regards to the transfer(s).
AC: We’re coached by Marina Zoueva, Ilya Tkachenko, Nora Hoffmann, Johnny Johns, and Yelena Sokolova. We additionally work with ballroom dancers Randi Robust, Henry Byalikov, and Maksim Kozhevnikov. Sasha and I each skilled in different nations earlier than we got here again to Marina.
OK: I relocated from Austria to Florida. Nevertheless, since I had already skilled right here earlier than, it already felt far more like dwelling.
Who’s choreographing your packages. Is another person arranging your music? If that’s the case, please share these experiences.
AC: Sasha and I had been very excited in regards to the 80’s theme for the RD this 12 months. We set to work with Henry, certainly one of our ballroom coaches, on choreography off the ice. Our coach Ilya Tkachenko then took that and helped us adapt all of the dancing for the ice.
OK: Max Kozhevnikov helped us with the idea for our free dance. We cherished our Egyptian program from final season, so it took us some time to discover a piece of music that everybody appreciated for our FD. Nevertheless, as soon as Max began working with us this system actually got here collectively. Ilya is a superb choreographer as properly; he has been so concerned in our artistic course of this season, and due to that our packages are coming alongside properly.
In case you might have a lesson with any ice dancer previous/current, who wouldn’t it be? Why?
AC: Mmm there are such a lot of superb groups…I must say Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier. I noticed their Evita FD at worlds final season and it introduced me to tears. They’re so dedicated to the story they’re telling – as quickly as they step on the ice they’re in character! They’re each so sort and I actually look as much as them as athletes and as individuals.
OK: I might say Meryl Davis and Charlie White, as a result of they had been so revolutionary. They had been so fast on the ice and their lifts had been superb. I’ve all the time cherished and admired their skating.
What’s every of you wanting ahead to most this skating season? What will likely be your greatest problem(s)?
AC: Final season was my first competing on the worldwide circuit, and since we had been a brand new partnership we didn’t begin till the tip of October. I like to compete, so I’m wanting ahead to doing loads this season. Final season our purpose was to place out stable performances each time. This season, we wish to skate fearlessly and with confidence. Now could be the time to place our heads down and work so we will enhance over the following few years.
OK: I believe we’ve a lot potential as a staff. We’re tall and have lengthy stunning traces with a whole lot of velocity. In fact we wish to enhance our outcomes and world standing from final season, however greater than that we wish to solidify our skating and seem like a staff. It is going to be our second season collectively, so we’re nonetheless studying learn how to transfer collectively and learn how to compete collectively.
What’s your debut competitors this season?
AC: Our first competitors would be the Dallas Traditional in July, after which we’ll head to Lake Placid as our first worldwide for the season.
OK: We’ll do a number of native competitions first earlier than we head to our internationals.
Please share something you desire to our readers to learn about you as a staff?
OK: We have now labored laborious within the off season to enhance our approach and our velocity throughout the ice. I’m very enthusiastic about our packages for this season, and I hope the judges and skating viewers will get pleasure from them too!
AC: I owe a lot to my household, to my mother and father for his or her fixed love and assist, and in addition to my sisters who I get to share this journey with. We have now a lot extra to show and to point out – that is only the start for us!