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Created in 2013, Skate Guard Blog explores the overlooked, forgotten, and underappreciated corners of figure skating history - from little-known stories to fresh perspectives on famous skaters, eras, and events. There’s always something new to discover, so grab a cup of coffee and glide into the rich, fascinating history of the world’s most beloved winter sport.
Alexandra Najarro's skating career to date has been a lesson in dedication. Rising through and finding great success in the novice and junior ranks, Alexandra has spent the last four years competing on the senior level in Canada and twice in that period has finished in the top five at Nationals. She's represented Canada internationally on the Junior Grand Prix circuit, at Junior Worlds and the Four Continents Championships as well in 2012. Alexandra, who is certainly a very fluid and artistic skater as evidenced through her work with choreographer Shae-Lynn Bourne, is a student of two time Canadian Champion and Skate Canada Champion Tracey Wainman. She took the time to speak with me about her accomplishments to date, working with Tracey Wainman, goals going forward in skating and much more in this wonderful Canada Month Skate Guard interview:
Q: After winning the Canadian novice title in 2008, you've had a steady rise of success over the years, three times finishing in the top six at Nationals (including this year as well). You have also represented Canada internationally on the Junior Grand Prix circuit, the World Junior Championships and the Four Continents Championships as well. What are your proudest moments or most special memories from competition so far?
A: Well, I would definitely say that my most special moment was at the 2011 Nationals where I finished fourth and made it on the national team for the first time. In the competitions leading towards those Nationals, I was really struggling with my short programs. It was some sort of a mental block I had to overcome since in training, they were done clean almost everyday. I was at a point where I didn't know if I could compete well again. I started doubting myself. So, to finally reach that potential and skate clean at a senior National Championship was very emotional for me, and truly a special moment.
Q: You're coached by two time Canadian Champion Tracey Wainman in Richmond Hill, Ontario. What makes Tracey a great coach and the best coach for you?
A: There's a lot of aspects that make Tracey a great coach. She has the ability to put you in the right mindset for training. She knows what to say in any situation. She's able to push you hard, but knows when it's time to pull back a bit. She's an excellent trainer. She's the best coach for me because I respond to her training habits and we see eye to eye on many things. I want to be trained properly and she knows exactly how to do it.
Q: What are your main goals for the 2014/2015 season and what can you share about the programs you will be skating?
A: My main goals for this season are improving my jump arsenal in programs, to improve consistency of jumps, getting a senior international and placing in the top three at Nationals. As for programs, I will be keeping both programs from last year since I barely got to truly perform and compete with them. My short program is a tango with a twist. It starts off as a traditional quick tango but later changes into a more modern beat. As for my long program, it is the music from the motion picture "Sabrina". This program is soft and very emotional. I am fully embodying the character from the movie. Every part of the solo follows a story line and the transformations of the character. Q: You speak four languages (English, French, Polish and Spanish) which I think is just incredible. I do well to speak one most days. Your parents mother tongues being Spanish and Polish, have you ever had chance to visit Poland or Spain and what are the most interesting aspects of both culture's traditions?
A: I have not yet had the pleasure to visit Poland, but I would really love to one day. My dad is actually from Nicaragua. As a family, we went there years ago to visit family and for a nice vacation. It was a great trip but I would also love to visit Spain one day as well, preferably Barcelona. Q: Who are your three favourite skaters of all time and why?
A: My three most favourite skaters of all time are Sasha Cohen, Yuna Kim and Daisuke Takahashi. All three of these skaters always have the ability to make an impact on you with their skating. Sasha was basically a beautiful ballerina that could skate. Her facial expressions and emotions in her programs were so captivating and she truly was one of the best performers. Yuna as well. She always skates really beautifully and I was a fan ever since I first watched her. On top of that, she has amazing jumps with great flow. I also just admire her as a person. I admire her strength and her mental toughness. I wasn't too much of a fan of Daisuke's at the beginning but his 2012 long program absolutely captivated me. I was instantly a fan from that point on. He also has that ability to move you emotionally and captivate you with his performances. He is truly an artist on the ice. Q: What's one thing most people don't know about you?
A: One thing people don't know about me is that after skating, I would love to pursue an acting career. It's the other thing that I love doing or would love to do. Q: What do you love most about figure skating?
A: For me, the thing I love most about figure skating is the fact that it combines both beauty and strength. The jumps are so exciting to do and to watch. At the same time, I love the performing aspect of skating as well. As a skater, you get tell a story on the ice, to captivate the audience even more. It's just so versatile, and when all the pieces combine it's just so magical to watch.
Skate Guard is a blog dedicated to preserving the rich, colourful and fascinating history of figure skating. Over ten years, the blog has featured over a thousand free articles covering all aspects of the sport's history, as well as four compelling in-depth features. To read the latest articles, follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube. If you enjoy Skate Guard, please show your support for this archive by ordering a copy of figure skating reference books "The Almanac of Canadian Figure Skating", "Technical Merit: A History of Figure Skating Jumps" and "A Bibliography of Figure Skating": https://skateguard1.blogspot.com/p/buy-book.html.
If you were at a figure skating competition in Canada in the 1960's, you really had to watch yourself. The very last thing you probably wanted to catch yourself doing was yelling out "hey, Don!" and causing a buzz of absolute confusion. In total, four men named Donald all won Canadian Figure Skating Championships in a decade. What are the odds of that even happening? What's in a name though, right? Apparently in this case, a lot. Let's take a look at the four incredible champions of Canadian figure skating that shared the same name, all won national titles in the swinging sixties and all left the sport better than they found it:
Canadian figure skating history without Donald Jackson is like golf history without Tiger Woods, hockey history without Wayne Gretzky or basketball history without the guy that said "but we need these baskets back!" Simply put, Donald Jackson is a skating legend. He made history by performing the first triple lutz in competition at the 1962 World Championships in Prague (in then Czechoslovakia) winning the World title that year, won four Canadian titles and two North American titles, won the Olympic bronze medal in 1960, developed his own line of skates, performed well into his sixties, coached a new generation of skaters and even inspired Brian Orser to become a competitive figure skater. What I always really appreciated about Jackson's skating wasn't just the quality of his jumps and spins but his longevity in the sport. As recently as 2008, he performed at the ISU Adult Competition in Obertsdorf and he often performed in professional competitions and even local ice shows throughout his career, eager to give back to the sport and encourage greatness in others.
DONALD KNIGHT
After winning the Canadian junior men's title in 1961, Donald Knight of Dundas, Ontario went on to win a bronze and two silver medals on the senior level before winning three consecutive Canadian senior men's titles from 1965 to 1967. He represented Canada at the 1964 Winter Olympics where he finished in the top ten, won the bronze medal at the 1965 World Championships and the 1967 North American Championships in Montreal as well - not at ALL bad for a skater who faced an enormous amount of competition from the other Dons (and 1964 Canadian Champion Charles Snelling) at home in Canada. A student of Ellen Burka and Sheldon Galbraith, Knight turned professional following the 1966/1967 season and toured for eleven years with Ice Capades and Holiday On Ice in Europe. He coached in both Burlington and Oakville, Ontario for many years. Knight was well known throughout his career for being an exceptional skater when it came to school figures as evidenced by this anecdote from legendary coach Sheldon Galbraith: "In 1967 at the North American Championships in Montreal, I was working with Donald and he had just performed the forward change bracket school figure for the judges. He had drifted off axis after the backward change of edge and missed his alignment, but had received good marks. It was the same figure Donald Jackson had skated poorly in 1962 at Prague, just five years earlier. I told Don that the American coaches had noticed this and had gone rallying to their judges. I told Donald 'you had better skate a cracker jack of a double three change double three because those coaches are after your hide'!Donald did just that! He was one of the few men in Canada that I had seen who could skate the 24 turns absolutely clean! Donald was a rarity." DONALD MCPHERSON
Photo courtesy Toronto Public Library, from Toronto Star Photographic Archive. Reproduced for educational purposes under license permission.
"I started skating when I was two years old," explained 1963 Canadian, North American and World Champion Donald McPherson of the Stafford Figure Skating Club in David Young's book The Golden Age Of Canadian Figure Skating. "We lived in a small apartment in the middle of town, and there was no place for me to go out and play. My mother read in a newspaper that a skating club was starting in the fall, so she got me a pair of skates". Already entering and winning competitions at age six, it was clear that skating was in the future World Champion's blood. McPherson represented Canada at the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley, where at fifteen he placed in the top ten. The devastating Sabena plane crash that claimed the life of the entire U.S. figure skating team slowed his rise to the top internationally but afforded McPherson extra time to hone his skills with coach Dennis Silverthorne. A complete lack of funds ended any hope of McPherson continuing his competitive career beyond the 1963 season and training to compete at a second Olympic Games. When the offer came to turn professional and tour with Holiday On Ice in Europe, he took it. McPherson moved to Europe, skated his heart out, battled with diabetes and passed away in Germany in 2001 at the age of fifty six. On his competitive career, he stated: "to be a champion, you have to have the desire to prove that you can be the best, even if it means giving up everything else. It's a marvellous feeling when you finally achieve your goal, but the work along the way means so much more." DONALD PHILLIPS
After teaming up in 1964 and coming of age in the sport by winning the 1966 Canadian junior ice dance title, success came quickly in the senior ranks for British Columbia's Donald Phillips and his partner Joni Graham. Winning the 1967 and 1968 Canadian ice dance titles, the team from the Kerrisdale Figure Skating Club went on to represent Canada internationally at the World Figure Skating Championships in both 1967 and 1968. The team also found success at the 1967 North American Figure Skating Championships held in Montreal, where they won the silver medal. Phillips and Graham were coached by Jean Westwood, who with partner Lawrence Demmy became the world's very first European and World ice dance champion in 1952. Based out of Vancouver, Phillips and Graham represented Canada in the ice dancing 'demonstration' competition that was held at the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble. Donald Phillips described ice dancing to an unfamiliar audience in a 1968 Andy O'Brien Ottawa Journal article called "Joni And Don Dance Into The Spotlight": "In ice dancing, there is never any degree of separation. The basic aim is for the couple to look like one unit. A dance team must work long hours at checking that legs and bodies are matched at all times, otherwise the one unit look is lost".
What's in a name? If it's Don and you're talking Canadian figure skating, the answer to that query appears to be greatness.
Skate Guard is a blog dedicated to preserving the rich, colourful and fascinating history of figure skating. Over ten years, the blog has featured over a thousand free articles covering all aspects of the sport's history, as well as four compelling in-depth features. To read the latest articles, follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube. If you enjoy Skate Guard, please show your support for this archive by ordering a copy of the figure skating reference books "The Almanac of Canadian Figure Skating", "Technical Merit: A History of Figure Skating Jumps" and "A Bibliography of Figure Skating": https://skateguard1.blogspot.com/p/buy-book.html..
I'm going to tell you right off the top that this particular Canada Month interview is just fascinating. Sasha Alcoloumbre's story is really a very interesting one. Let's see... he competed at a national level for years (winning medals at Québec Sectionals, Skate Canada Challenge and Canadian Novice Nationals), was coached by Shawn Sawyer, is an avid student of dance and has even ventured into doing choreography and coaching - all of this while pursuing a university education. I think you'll find in reading this interview that not only is Sasha a hard-working and multi-talented young man but a wonderfully well-spoken person as well. We talked about his recent decision to retire from competitive skating and the highlights of his career, working with Shawn Sawyer, his passion for dance and movement and much, much more. Get ready for a great read: Q: You've had a lot of success in your competitive career - medals at Québec Sectionals and the Canadian Novice Nationals and have competed on the senior level at Nationals the last three years. What are your proudest moments or most special memories from competition?
A: I am lucky to have collected so many wonderful memories from all of the years of competition! It is quite challenging to choose the most outstanding moments, but here are some of the ones I most vividly remember… Competing at my very first Skate Canada Challenge in 2007 (Eastern Challenge as it was then), I skated two great programs at the pre-novice level which earned me a trip to Nationals and a completely unexpected silver medal. I was surprised and extremely happy because I had surpassed my goals and expectations. Winning the short program at Novice Nationals in Calgary the following season, as well as the Bronze medal overall was magical. The best part was performing the short program, and delivering the performance as cleanly and fluidly as I could. I also skated a surprisingly good free skate at my first Senior Nationals in Moncton in 2012, after having skated so poorly the night before. Performing as I did in the short program allowed me to get rid of my own limiting expectations, and gave way for a memorable four and half minutes on the ice. Another great moment was getting my short program choreographed by David Wilson (along with other trips to Toronto for touch-ups). The time spent with him on the ice was truly wonderful; he taught me a lot in a very short amount of time. There are evidently so many more great memories from competition, but some of the best moments come from the simple day to day training, getting new programs and outfits, spending time with training mates, along with some great travels for training camps such as in Andorra and Switzerland lead by the wonderful Manon Perron.
Q: You spent two years working with the fabulous Shawn Sawyer. What made him a joy for you to work with?
A: What I really liked about working with Shawn was his open-minded approach; he encouraged my own sense of creativity and self-expression and allowed me to grow into myself as a performer while still focusing on training. I always loved his skating because of his creativity and innovation, so it was very cool to have his insight on my own skating as well as learn from his experience as an athlete. He is a funny and lively person and it was a pleasure to be coached by him for those two seasons.
Q: You have participated in Quest For Creativity before and obviously have a passion and flair for choreography. Is Quest For Creativity or YAS something you would get involved in again and for that matter, is choreography a world you would like to explore more?
A: Yes, I have participated in YAS, but unfortunately only for a short period of time. I underestimated the amount of work it would take and got very busy with school, training, and teaching, so I had to pull out of the competition after only submitting two videos. I think it is a wonderful concept! If I ever have the time, I will definitely try participating again. As for choreography, it is a domain I've been actively exploring over the last few years: creating some of my own competition and show programs, and occasionally choreographing for other skaters. While I was skating, I would dedicate a bit of time here and there (usually at the end of the training day) to moving freely to music that inspired me. This past season, I incorporated it into my training much more regularly because it is the aspect of skating I most enjoy. I continuously explore movement since it is my favorite mode of self-expression, and hope to do so for the rest of my life. I would definitely love to keep choreographing.
Q: This past season was your last competing. How did you reach the difficult decision to retire from "amateur" skating and what will be your next adventure?
A: Retiring from the competitive world was indeed a very difficult decision, but luckily it happened gradually. By the end of last spring, I had lost the motivation that had sustained me throughout my career thus far; I started to think seriously about my future before committing to another full season of training and eventually decided that it was time to move on with my life. I ended up teaching most of the summer alongside my longtime choreographer and coach, Suzanne Luis, who had started her own skating school. Seeing the students train hard and progress over the summer reminded me of all the wonderful moments and motivation I had as a young boy being taught by Suzanne. I was additionally very inspired while pursuing advanced training as an Essentrics (dynamic stretching and strengthening) instructor with the founder of the technique, Miranda Esmonde-White. She is an inspiring woman and has had a hugely positive influence on my physical training and health. By the end of the summer, I found more joy than ever before in being on the ice and decided to start training again for one last trip to Nationals, this time with very different goals in mind and with Suzanne as my coach. I focused less on the competition and more on the day to day training, which I thoroughly appreciated. I challenged myself in many new ways and learned a lot in the process. I am now teaching a lot of Essentrics, as well as teaching and occasionally choreographing on the ice. I'm hoping to finish up my undergraduate degree in the next year, and look forward to keep pursuing all of my passions in the coming years.
Q: What has been the most difficult or heartbreaking moment that you've had to face as a figure skater and how did you rise above it?
A: The most difficult period in my career was being seriously injured. In the summer of 2009, I sprained my ankle on a really bad fall in training, and damaged many stabilizing ligaments. My ankle was a disaster, and extremely weak. It was my landing leg (which is also the take-off leg for the loop, flip and lutz jumps), so getting back to the ice was challenging physically and emotionally. I re-injured it a few times in the same year, which added to the trauma, but with good recovery time I slowly got stronger. The following spring, after a rocky season, I regained confidence in my strength and started landing triple loops, flips and lutzs, which I couldn’t successfully land before the injury. That is also around the same time I started doing Essentrics with Miranda, which helped regain full range of motion and power in my ankle, as well as in the rest of my body. Q: What is the last book you read?
A: Dostoyevsky’s "Notes from Underground" is the last book I read, but I've been sporadically reading some of David Sedaris' wonderful essays.
Q: You're pursuing an education in the Liberal Arts. If you never had taken that first step on the ice and could have pursued any other passion in life with 100% of your time and energy, what would it have been?
A: I love the Liberal Arts, but it is not something I want to pursue professionally. It is rather a great way to expand my knowledge, challenge my thoughts, improve my writing, and better understand the world. If I had never skated, I would have loved to be a professional ballet dancer! I love that ballet challenges every single muscle in the body and I believe it is an extremely pure form of movement. I would have loved to be part of some great company, such as the New York City Ballet or the American Ballet Theatre. What a dream it would be to dance on stage at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City.
Q: Who are your three favourite skaters of all time and why?
A: Oh that’s a hard one! I'll give you three of my favorite skaters because there are many more that are worth being mentioned (such as Joannie Rochette, Stephane Lambiel)... Michelle Kwan, because she would skate from her heart every time she would perform, because she is so down to earth and genuine, and because she maintained her level of competition for so many years. Daisuke Takahashi, to me, is the epitome of a figure skater. He is extremely versatile, always has a great presence on the ice, and is brilliantly agile. Carolina Kostner because of her endless and elegant lines, her effortless jumps, and fluidity. She moves like a dancer... I’m sold.
Q: What's one thing most people don't know about you?
A: Most people don’t know that I took ballet and contemporary dance classes during the 2011/2012 season at l'École Supérieure de Ballet du Quebec, a great ballet school in Montreal lead by Anik Bissonnette. I had started taking classes with Samuel Abramian (a ballet master and Bolshoi graduate) in order to improve my jumps. I eventually decided to do their summer intensive as I was simultaneously preparing for the season. I danced more in the summer, and skated more once the season started, but I kept going to a few classes until the end of year show in which I participated... all of this while taking a few classes in university and teaching. I guess the REAL thing people don't know about me is that I always make room for more things in my schedule than I should. I LOVE being busy and productive! Q: What do you love most about figure skating?
A: The feeling of utter freedom when I’m on the ice; there is absolutely nothing like it. I always feel untouchable, just like a bird in the wild.
Skate Guard is a blog dedicated to preserving the rich, colourful and fascinating history of figure skating. Over ten years, the blog has featured over a thousand free articles covering all aspects of the sport's history, as well as four compelling in-depth features. To read the latest articles, follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube. If you enjoy Skate Guard, please show your support for this archive by ordering a copy of the figure skating reference books "The Almanac of Canadian Figure Skating", "Technical Merit: A History of Figure Skating Jumps" and "A Bibliography of Figure Skating": https://skateguard1.blogspot.com/p/buy-book.html.
As culture shifted in the world's great cultural centers like London, Paris, New York City, Berlin and Los Angeles with the advent of a new era following the drudgery and strife of World War I, economies around the world boomed and flapper dresses, the Charleston and art deco were all the rage. Canadian figure skating enjoyed that same surge in popularity following World War I. After a four year span where the Canadian Figure Skating Championships were not held from 1915 to 1919, they returned in 1920 with a flourish.
Jeanne Chevalier and Norman Scott
Jeanne Chevalier and Norman Scott, who had won the 1914 Canadian (and first American!) pairs title returned to dominate the singles competitions that year and the duo of Alden Godwin and Douglas Nelles claimed top spot in the pairs competition, which Chevalier and Scott did not team up to contest for. Chevalier and Scott were not to rest easily though that year. Joined by Winnifred Tait and J. Cecil McDougall, Jeanne and Norman won the fours title as well in 1920, a very popular tradition in Canadian pairs skating that saw two pairs teams join forces to skate a program together that continued to be held on a national level as late as 1997.
Canadian men's skating during the 1920's would be dominated by Melville Rogers, who won five Canadian titles from 1923 to 1928 and also (like many skaters of the era) competed in multiple disciplines. Rogers found success on the international stage as well, earning his rightful place in the history book as first male singles and pairs skater from Canada ever to compete at the Winter Olympics in 1924 at the Chamonix Games. Rogers also won two North American men's titles and three North American fours titles and went on to serve as the Canadian Figure Skating Association's President for two terms following his retirement from competitive figure skating in 1937.
A rare glimpse at the 1924 Winter Olympics in Chamonix from Frazer Ormondroyd (no footage of these wonderful Canadian skaters, unfortunately but gives you a wonderful glimpse into skating during that era)
Rogers' pairs partner at the 1924 Winter Olympic Games in Chamonix was none other than the same lady who would represent Canada in the ladies event (becoming the first Canadian ladies to compete at a Winter Games) Cecil Smith. David Young's book "The Golden Age Of Canadian Figure Skating" noted that Rogers and Smith were not originally intended to be Canada's sole representatives at those historic first Olympics for Canadian figure skating. Young explained that "originally, former Canadian champion Duncan Hodgson of the Montreal Winter Club, and the reigning ladies' champion, Dorothy Jenkins of the Minto Club, Ottawa, were selected to go as well. Marjorie Annable of the Winter Club, and John Machado of the Minto Club, were back-up skaters in case any of the original four had to drop out. In the end, however, only the Toronto pair travelled to France, as the others withdrew. 'They had no opportunity to practice,' was the reason. 'There has been no ice at Montreal or Ottawa, whereas Toronto has an artificial plant at the Dupont Street Rink.'" With most events still being held outside domestically in those days, it seems so funny but foreign to us today that a mild winter could be the reason for a skater's Olympic dreams being dashed. Cecil Smith, who competed mainly against Constance Wilson for much of her career, became a very popular and respected skater through her career. An account of Cecil's first Canadian title win (where she unseated Wilson) in Young's book reads: "Both did splendidly in the school figures... and their free skating performances were equally artistic and were both skated with the acme of grace and proficiency. Some favoured Miss Smith... for the delicate lightness of steps throughout, her airy leaps and her beautiful spins; others thought that Miss Wilson was a shade more finished and that in evenness and confidence of execution she had a slight advantage..." Smith again defeated Wilson in 1926 (winning both the figures and free skating) and would go on to become the first Canadian skater to win a World medal at the 1930 World Figure Skating Championships when she won the silver just behind Sonja Henie. An account of her medal winning performance from Young's book reads: "Miss Smith, who in her school figures had shown a subdued grace that won her the esteem of the critics... made her bow with a long swan glide, ending with a one foot spiral, and then set off to dance in complete abandon. Afterwards, the beautiful Canadian girl declared that she was startled for a moment as she looked up at the crowded galleries. Then, as the crowd, sensing her wonderful grace and poise began cheering, she set forth to outdo herself. Her performance was received by loud applause." Not to be outdone, Wilson would win a World medal of her own in 1932.
Although Smith (who won her first international medal in 1924 in Manchester, England) won two Canadian ladies titles, she would not win a Canadian pairs title like her Olympic pairs partner Rogers (who claimed the title in 1925 with Gladys Rogers). Wilson would win the 1926 Canadian pairs title with Errol Morson and then win a handful of titles in the late twenties and early thirties with her older brother Montgomery Wilson, who won the 1932 Olympic bronze medal. Constance Wilson's successes were in their own right remarkable - an account in Young's book describes the student of Mr. Gustave Lussi as "Pavlova in her prime, but Pavlova with winged feet and light as a fawn..." - and her fourth place finish at the 1932 Games remains to this day of one few top finishes by Canadian ladies skaters in an Olympic event, including her in a small but prestigious club amongst the likes of Barbara Ann Scott, Liz Manley and Joannie Rochette.
Montgomery Wilson
I think in examining this era of Canadian skating a couple things really stand out to me: the fact that Canadian skating really wasn't so much a nation wide affair by any stretch of the imagination but really a competition between a select few clubs such as Toronto's Old Orchard Skating Club, the Minto Club and Montreal Winter Club, that people changed pairs partners faster than some people change their hairstyles and that skating was really a family affair in those days. I'm not only referring to the Wilson's but also to the Smith's - Cecil would often skate in exhibitions and shows as a 'sister act' with her sister Maude. It really was a different time but it was when Canada was first making its mark internationally and we owe a lot to these pioneers of Canadian skating that paved the way for the Barbara Ann Scott's, Kurt Browning's, Toller Cranston's, Tessa and Scott's and Patrick Chan's to come.
Skate Guard is a blog dedicated to preserving the rich, colourful and fascinating history of figure skating. Over ten years, the blog has featured over a thousand free articles covering all aspects of the sport's history, as well as four compelling in-depth features. To read the latest articles, follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube. If you enjoy Skate Guard, please show your support for this archive by ordering a copy of the figure skating reference books "The Almanac of Canadian Figure Skating", "Technical Merit: A History of Figure Skating Jumps" and "A Bibliography of Figure Skating": https://skateguard1.blogspot.com/p/buy-book.html.
Quebec's Véronik Mallet is one of many Canadian ladies skaters that you absolutely want to be keeping your eye on. After winning medals on both the novice and junior level nationally, she finished in the top five at the Canadian Figure Skating Championships in her first year as a senior skater in 2013. Not to be outdone, she followed that up with a fourth place finish at this year's Nationals. She's represented Canada internationally as well at the Four Continents Championships, Skate Canada International and the Nebelhorn Trophy. With another appearance on the ISU Grand Prix circuit looming this fall, Véronik took the time to talk about her competitive career so far, working with some of skating's most brilliant choreographers, her favourite skaters and much more in this must read Canada Month interview:
Q: You've had such a steady climb up the ladder so far in your skating career - going from winning the bronze medal on the novice level at Nationals in 2010 to the silver on the junior level the following year, then fifth as a senior the next year and fourth in 2014. What have been your proudest moments or most special memories from competition so far?
A: The moment that impressed me most in my career so far was my Canadian Championships in the novice category. I had a performance during my short program which put me last. I was really disappointed because I was ready for the competition and it was not representative of my workouts at home. When I arrived at the arena in the morning for my practice, I was not confident and my practice had not been going very well. My coach Annie Barabé reacted very well and reassured me immediately. Before going on the ice to make my long program, I thought nothing was over, as it is not finished. I made a perfect long program, won the long program and I finished third overall. I learned a lot with this performance.
Q: Finishing fourth last year at Nationals, you've obviously got your eye on that podium. What are your main focuses in practice and how do you plan on getting on that podium in 2015?
A: I work a lot on the triple toe/triple toe combination because it is the only technical element that is not in my programs yet. I’m also working a lot on my choreography. I’m taking dance and ballet classes to improve on my posture. I also had the chance to work with David Wilson recently.
Q: What are your thoughts on vocals now being permitted in competition and what can you share about your new programs for the 2014/2015 season?
A: I am not against the idea of voice in programs, but for my new program I did not use music with voice because I think it is more for a show. My short program was set up by David Wilson. This is classical music and is different from my other programs.
Q: You have worked with Canadian and World Professional Champion Sébastien Britten, who I think is just a genius by the way. What makes Sébastien such a brilliant choreographer in your opinion?
A: Sébastien is a really good choreographer and I like him a lot. He always brings great ideas and his choreography is always very beautiful and very interesting. This year, I changed my choreographer for the short program because I had to make some small changes. David works in a different way and I enjoyed my experience.
Q: What would you say is your favourite and least favourite jump?
A: My favourite jump is the triple loop. This is the jump that is easiest for me. The jump that I like least is the triple salchow.
Q: Your home skating club is the CPA Sept-Îles in Quebec. What makes your skating club special?
A: What I like most about the club is that it is small and everyone is there to help. They are always there to support me during my competitions and events.
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you most like to go?
A: There are several countries that would like to visit. Last year I had the opportunity to see Germany and Taiwan during my competitions and I loved both places. I love the countries where it is warm. I would like to visit France, Hawaii, Japan and much more. Q: Who are your three favourite skaters of all time and why?
A: I had the chance to skate with Cynthia Phaneuf, Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison and Shawn Sawyer. They have always inspired me. I have always followed their competitions and I always wanted to be like them. Q: What do you love more than anything about figure skating?
A: I love everything about skating. When I'm on the ice I feel good and I feel in my place. What I like most is the feeling after a good performance.
Skate Guard is a blog dedicated to preserving the rich, colourful and fascinating history of figure skating. Over ten years, the blog has featured over a thousand free articles covering all aspects of the sport's history, as well as four compelling in-depth features. To read the latest articles, follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube. If you enjoy Skate Guard, please show your support for this archive by ordering a copy of figure skating reference books "The Almanac of Canadian Figure Skating", "Technical Merit: A History of Figure Skating Jumps" and "A Bibliography of Figure Skating": https://skateguard1.blogspot.com/p/buy-book.html.
Canada Month continues on the blog with the second of many, many wonderful interviews coming to you fast and furious all month. Winning the Canadian junior title in 2012, Gabby Daleman's rise to the top of Canadian ladies figure skating has been fast and fearless. The last two seasons, she has finished second on the senior ladies podium at the Canadian Championships and this season earned the right to represent Canada at both the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia and 2014 World Figure Skating Championships in Saitama, Japan. She placed in the top twenty in both events and proved that she is indeed a force to be reckoned with. The young rising star from Newmarket, Ontario took the time to talk about the Olympics, her goals for next season and much more in this short but sweet interview. Big thanks to Danielle Earl for the wonderful photographs!:
Q: You've won the Canadian junior title, the silver medal at the last two Canadian Figure Skating Championships, represented Canada at both the World Junior and Senior Championships and had the once in a lifetime opportunity of skating for Canada at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia. Looking back on your skating career so far, what are your proudest or special memories?
A: Really, every competition has a special memory for me but standing in the middle of the ice on the Olympic rings was magical. I was so proud to be Canadian.
Q: You train in Richmond Hill, Ontario with coaches Andrei Berezintsev, Inga Zusev and your father Michael and work with choreographer Lori Nichol. What makes your training team work so well?
A: They all talk to each other and work as a team. It is great they all gel really well.
Q: I have to ask! I saw a picture of the dress you wore at the reception after Worlds in Saitama. It was gorgeous! Where did you get it?
A: I got it at Laura's but we had to get six inches taken off the bottom... even in heels!
Q: Your goal for the 2014 World Championships was top fifteen and you placed thirteenth with two great skates. What are your goals for next season and what are you focusing on now in training? Have you given thought to programs for next season yet?
A: My goals are to win Nationals, place in the top five at two Grand Prix events and in the top six at Worlds. New programs are in the works!
Q: What do you see as your biggest strengths and weaknesses as a skater and how are you working hard to improve any weaknesses?
A: My strengths for sure are my jumps and I'm working with Lori (my choreographer) to improve my fluidity and second mark. Q: Sometimes you just have to pick favourites. What is your favourite book, song and movie?
A: "Gossip Girl", "Happy", and "Burlesque"!
Q: What's one thing most people don't know about you?
A: I love to do triple jump as my second sport. That was my dad's sport!
Gabby working it at World Pride in Toronto!
Q: Who are your three favourite skaters of all time and why?
A: Joannie Rochette, Carolina Kostner and Scott and Tessa. They have passion for their sport. Joannie Rochette didn't like being off for more than two days or she'd get restless. I get that! Me too!
Q: What do you love most about figure skating?
A: Everything!
Skate Guard is a blog dedicated to preserving the rich, colourful and fascinating history of figure skating. Over ten years, the blog has featured over a thousand free articles covering all aspects of the sport's history, as well as four compelling in-depth features. To read the latest articles, follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube. If you enjoy Skate Guard, please show your support for this archive by ordering a copy of figure skating reference books "The Almanac of Canadian Figure Skating", "Technical Merit: A History of Figure Skating Jumps" and "A Bibliography of Figure Skating": https://skateguard1.blogspot.com/p/buy-book.html.
After taking a look at Norval Baptie: The Father Of The Ice Show on Canada Day yesterday, Canada Month on the blog continues today with the first of MANY interviews we'll see this month! Jeff Langdon twice stood on the senior medal podium at the Canadian Figure Skating Championships and he also twice finished in the top ten at the World Figure Skating Championships. At the 1998 Canadian Figure Skating Championships in Hamilton, Ontario, the pressure couldn't have been any more on all of the athletes competing, and a young skater then fresh out of the junior ranks named Emanuel Sandhu surprised everyone by skating to a silver medal ahead of Langdon. Instead, Skate Canada sent Langdon, who had proven himself in national and international competition, to the Nagano Winter Olympic Games. Again in a position to prove himself, Langdon passed the test with flying colors, skating two very strong programs to finish in the top ten in his trip to the Olympics in what was a very deep field of skaters. Retiring from competitive skating in 2001, Langdon skated professionally with Willy Bietak and Holiday On Ice and now acts as a coach at Calgary's Calalta Community Figure Skating Club alongside World Ice Dance Champion Paul Thomas, Canadian Pairs Champions Annabelle Langlois and Cody Hay and U.S. Champion Scott Davis. Jeff took the time to talk about his own competitive career, coaching, his love of skating and much more in this fantastic interview: Q: You have won two medals on the senior level at the Canadian Figure Skating Championships, represented Canada at the 1998 Winter Olympics, World Championships (twice finishing in the top ten) and at countless international competitions, including the Nebelhorn Trophy which you won in 1994. Looking back, what are your most special or proudest moments from your competitive career... and which were the most challenging?
A: I am most proud of my first World Championships performances. I was able to skate two of my best programs of my career under the most pressure. It was a wonderful moment and I had my Mom and Dad and friends all in the audience which was incredible for me! I think the most challenging time in my career was actually during the last couple of seasons competing. I had many injuries and really struggled to get back to the form I had been in the late nineties. It was a physical and mental challenge. Looking back now I really learned a lot about tenacity and I learned how to surround myself with people that I trusted and that had my best interests at heart.
Q: You worked with Doug and Michelle Leigh during your career, training at the Mariposa School Of Skating in Barrie. What was your relationship like with your coaches and now, as a coach yourself at the Calalta Community Figure Skating Club, how important do you feel having a connection between skater and coach truly is?
A: I was fortunate enough to have some great coaches in my career and I was close to them as I grew up. I started with them when I was around eleven years old so they became very important in the development of who i became as a person and as an athlete. I put a lot of trust in them. Now, as a coach, I have tried to have a strong relationship with my athletes so they are able to trust me and what I am trying to get them to achieve. I have some great young skaters who I am excited to see grow as skaters and as people!
Photo courtesy Toronto Public Library, from Toronto Star Photographic Archive. Reproduced for educational purposes under license permission.
Q: While you were 'at the top', you competed against so many strong Canadian men's skaters - Elvis Stojko, Sebastien Britten, Marcus Christensen, Emanuel Sandhu, Jean-Francois Hebert and others... did you always get along with your competitors or was there a rivalry there?
A: I think we all really did get along well. It was an incredibly strong time in men's skating in Canadian history. I think we all respected one another and what we were all trying to achieve. I never felt any conflict or tension between us and as a skater I tried to be kind to all. We are all doing what we love and trying to reach our own goals. I think that in skating there is room for all.
Q:What prompted your decision to retire from competitive skating and did you ever regret your choice?
A: I think that injury was a big factor for me. I had a tough last few seasons and I was starting to lose my love of skating. I needed to step away from the competitive side. I don't regret my decision at all and it gave me the opportunity to coach at an early age. Also, I was able to do shows for many years which I absolutely loved and had some of the best times of my life. I also met some people who are still some of my closest friends. Q: Who are your three favourite skaters of all time and why?
A: I think my favourite skater is Brian Orser, whose skating I admired and who motivated me as a young boy to move to train with his coaches who I stayed with for my entire career. He was also the choreographer of my Olympic short program. I think beyond that it would be hard to narrow it down to two others. There have been so many skaters who have inspired me and made me love skating more and more. Q: What's one thing about you most people don't know?
A: I love to do interior design and real estate. It is always of interest to me and I am constantly trying to keep up with the trends and follow the markets. Q: If you could give a word of advice to anyone skating competitively today looking back on your own personal experiences, what would it be?
A: I would tell them to skate because they love it and skate for personal goals, regardless of what those goals are. Skate from the soul and appreciate all it gives us as we are not able to do it forever. Q: What is your favourite movie of all time?
A: I love all of the Bourne movies!
Q: Would you ever get into professional skating or performing again?
A: I don't think that I would perform myself anymore but I love being involved with coaching, choreographing and would like to perhaps someday be involved in the choreography of an ice show. Q: What do you love most about being on the ice?
A: I just love the freedom of expression and passion it allows us to share through body and soul, and the combination of the physical and artistry is so amazing if we allow ourselves to let go and just be ourselves! It's incredible!
Skate Guard is a blog dedicated to preserving the rich, colourful and fascinating history of figure skating. Over ten years, the blog has featured over a thousand free articles covering all aspects of the sport's history, as well as four compelling in-depth features. To read the latest articles, follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube. If you enjoy Skate Guard, please show your support for this archive by ordering a copy of the figure skating reference books "The Almanac of Canadian Figure Skating", "Technical Merit: A History of Figure Skating Jumps" and "A Bibliography of Figure Skating": https://skateguard1.blogspot.com/p/buy-book.html.
Before we get started, I want to take a minute and let you all know about my recent interview with PJ Kwong on Open Kwong Dore podcast! I recently had chance to talk everything from skating to drag to bullying with PJ (who is really the voice of Canadian figure skating) and it was just a lot of fun. For those of you who may enjoy the blog itself but might not know much about me personally, give it a listen! We talk about some interesting stuff.
Now... I can't think of a better way to get Canada Month rollin' on the river on Canada Day than with the first of several articles coming this month about Canadian skating history. I decided to take a look at the life of Norval Baptie. Born March 18, 1879 in Bethany, Ontario, a small village of less than three hundred in the Township of Manvere County, Durham, Norval was a pioneering force in figure skating and a real 'father' of the ice show, although many have never even heard his name.
From 1894 to 1910, Norval was a competitive speed skater who was unbeaten for sixteen years in his sport, winning almost five thousand races and setting records for broad jumping on skates, barrel jumping, skating backwards and skating on stilts. He turned his attention, however, to stunt and figure skating, and toured Canada and the Northern U.S. with a one man show that was a pioneering movement in presenting figure skating to audiences as a form of entertainment. He recounted his story in 1966, which was reproduced with much of the information found in this article in David Young's fantastic 1984 book "The Golden Age Of Canadian Figure Skating": "The show consisted of seven acts. First, I would help the ticket taker at the gate. Then I would loosen up with an exhibition of speed skating, just to get some of the 20 to 30 below (F) weather out of my bones... A fox chase usually followed with as many as fifty local youngsters skating their heads off in an effort to catch me. I would then jump some barrels, and in some of these towns, they had kids who were pretty handy at this, and they wouldn't be satisfied until you upped the number to exceed their best efforts. This would be followed with an exhibition of figure or fancy skating. The finale usually consisted of a stilt-skating exhibition, and mine usually measured twenty-six inches, although most of those used by today's spectacular acts are only fourteen inches high."
Norval's pioneering efforts and exhibitions - not only of figure skating but of barrel jumping on skates and skating on stilts - became staple acts in tours like Ice Follies, Ice Capades and Holiday On Ice that were to come. He shared his passion for figure (or "fancy" skating) in a 1929 interview with the New York City Public Schools Athletic League Annual: "... at this point I might say a good word for fancy skating. Few activities add so much to the grace and build of a man or a woman as does fancy skating for the benefit of those who might like to take it up. The gyrations, bending, twistings and curves of fancy skating give one more healthful exercise than any number of daily dozens."
After World War I ended near the end of the second decade of the 1900's, Norval expanded his shows to a format that was to better be known to skating audiences to come, employing other acts and joined both on and off the ice by Gladys Lamb, a dancer turned skater from Chicago, Illinois who he married in 1924.
Norval directed skating carnivals featuring three time Olympic Gold Medallist Sonja Henie and in 1938, retired from performing and moved to Washington, D.C. to coach skating at the Washington Figure Skating Club. At the club, he worked alongside 1936 and 1937 Canadian Figure Skating Champion and renowned coach Osborne Colson, who described Norval as "one of the most remarkable men that I had ever met".
Norval really was remarkable, not only for his pioneering efforts in the sport, but for the fact he continued to coach after having both legs amputated within a four year span due to complications with diabetes, teaching skating from a wheelchair until his death at age eighty seven on November 26, 1966 in Baltimore, Maryland. In a fabulous Pro Skating Historical Foundation article written by the late Janet Wright, Shirley Sherman recounted being taught by him: "Back in those days Norval was the only coach in the Winter Garden. [It was] open in September until sometime in the spring. He looked grumpy but was very gentle with me. In the earlier 30's there weren't many little kids figure skating. I think he felt sorry for a little girl struggling around school figures!... I only remember Daddy having complete faith in him."
Photo courtesy Library And Archives Canada
Having pioneered the ice show, entertained audiences in cities and towns across North America and taught so many skaters how to skate, Norval lived a remarkable and impacting life. He was named to the United States Ice Skating Hall Of Fame prior to his death and his pioneering efforts live on in the ice shows and skaters of today. He paved the way. And with that... Happy Canada Day!
Skate Guard is a blog dedicated to preserving the rich, colourful and fascinating history of figure skating. Over ten years, the blog has featured over a thousand free articles covering all aspects of the sport's history, as well as four compelling in-depth features. To read the latest articles, follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube. If you enjoy Skate Guard, please show your support for this archive by ordering a copy of the figure skating reference books "The Almanac of Canadian Figure Skating", "Technical Merit: A History of Figure Skating Jumps" and "A Bibliography of Figure Skating": https://skateguard1.blogspot.com/p/buy-book.html.
You know how on Christmas between opening presents and carving turkey and refilling wine glasses, there just don't seem to be enough hours in the day? It's really the same way with every holiday if you think about it. We anticipate these special days eagerly, our mouths salivating weeks ahead of the delicious meals laid out in front of us are even going in the oven, let alone making their way to our tables and bellies... and poof! Just as the meat sweats and the turkey hangover kick in, the plates are being cleared and the holiday in question is one for the history books. Sound about right? Well, I thought we'd mix things up a little bit on the blog this year. You know me... Conventional just is not something I'm prepared to put on the menu. After doing Christmas In July last year, I decided... you know? With July 1 and Canada Day just around the corner, it would be really be pretty rude of me to offer you just one day of great Canadian skating content and then move on to something else while the fireworks are still fading from the sky. SO I came up with this fabulous little idea I think you're going to love.
We're not doing Canada Day on Skate Guard this year. We're doing Canada freakin' Month! Why not, right? With a HUGE special thanks to Skate Canada, Canada Month on the blog will feature interviews with members of Canada's 2014 Olympic and World teams! Alma, no need to check your battery - you heard that right! Rather than keep you in suspense, I'm going to tell you exactly who you'll be seeing interviews with (in alphabetical order): GABBY DALEMAN
KAETLYN OSMOND
ALEXANDRA PAUL AND MITCH ISLAM
KEVIN REYNOLDS
There's SO much more! I've also got interviews coming with Alexandra Najarro, Veronik Mallet, Sasha Alcoloumbre, two time Canadian Champion Cynthia Phaneuf, 2001 Canadian Silver Medallist Jayson Dénommée, Michelle Leigh (coach to Canadian Olympians Elvis Stojko and Jennifer Robinson), 1998 Canadian Olympian Jeffrey Langdon and... WAIT FOR IT... I am hoping to have ready in time my interview with World Champion, two time Olympic Silver Medallist, eight time Canadian Champion and coach to Olympic Gold Medallists Yuzuru Hanyu and Yuna Kim...
BRIAN ORSER
Yeah, I am! I won't just be featuring interviews with great Canadian skaters during Canada Month... I've also got some new articles coming about Canadian skating history that you're going to just love. So now that I've got you all jazzed for Canada Month, I can't just leave you hanging... Why not take a look back at some of the great interviews with Canadians I've already done? They are ALL here in this list below:
My apologies to anybody I've missed! Somewhat like Gladys from Ellen's talk show, I love figure skating but I drink a little. Please bear in mind that although I already have most of these interviews finished and ready to go, a few of them are still as they say 'in the works' so if due to scheduling I am not able to get them all out in July, don't worry... they are all coming!
I'll also be re-sharing many of these above interviews I've already completed with Canadian skaters as well as a lot of the past articles I've written about Canadian skating history during Canada Month. You can't go wrong with a little Throwback Thursday action, now can you? At any rate, I'm a-cookin' somethin' right some special for you all up and I really hope that you're as excited for Canada Month as I am! It's going to be a time!
Skate Guard is a blog dedicated to preserving the rich, colourful and fascinating history of figure skating. Over ten years, the blog has featured over a thousand free articles covering all aspects of the sport's history, as well as four compelling in-depth features. To read the latest articles, follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube. If you enjoy Skate Guard, please show your support for this archive by ordering a copy of the figure skating reference books "The Almanac of Canadian Figure Skating", "Technical Merit: A History of Figure Skating Jumps" and "A Bibliography of Figure Skating": https://skateguard1.blogspot.com/p/buy-book.html.
Dick Button, Kristi Yamaguchi, Paul Wylie, Natalia Bestemianova, Jozef Sabovcik, Meagan Duhamel, Elena Bechke, Trixi Schuba, Tim Wood... Olympic medallists ALL and each one of them wonderful, wonderful people I've been so fortunate to have become acquainted with through having the opportunities to share their stories in their own words on this blog. It's my absolute honor and privilege to be able to add one more name to that list of Olympic medallists I've been so fortunate to have chance to interview... in this case the current Olympic Bronze Medallist Denis Ten. A world medallist, international champion, three time National Champion of Kazahkstan, ambassador of skating in his country and absolute joy to watch, Ten rose to the occasion to win his country's first Olympic medal in history at the 2014 Sochi Games. What I think you're going to really appreciate from getting to know Denis a lot more through this interview is just how intelligent and fascinating a person he is. From talking about his past, present and future in skating to his background in music and his ancestor Min Geung-ho, Denis was so kind to share so much and he was just an absolute treat to interview. I think you're going to love it:
Q: You've made history by becoming Kazakhstan's first medal winner at the Winter Olympic Games and World Championships. What did these moments mean to you and have things changed vastly for you in your life at home as a result?
A: Thank you! Of course, it meant a lot to me, to my family, coaches and the whole country. Kazakhstan never had figure skating before. I started skating at an open air rink and then my training location moved to a shopping mall until I turned ten years old. Looking back now, we can see that it was a long way to get where I am at the moment and I’m incredibly thankful to my parents for their unbelievable support throughout my career. Anyway, since 2011, when I won the gold medal at the Asian Winter Games (and it was held in Kazakhstan) the sport started getting recognition among people. The government built lots of wonderful ice arenas that are corresponding to the highest international standards. People got an opportunity not only to enjoy watching our beautiful sport but also to try skating themselves. Since 2011, the popularity of skating tremendously grew… officially one of the biggest ice rinks in Kazakhstan served over 200 000 people on public skating. Not to mention that in Astana alone we have about seven rinks and all of the learn-to-skate groups are overcrowded nowadays. Kids love figure skating. I really enjoy seeing such progress and I truly understand that from my point it's a huge responsibility to present myself well at competitions as there are so many young skaters looking up to me. That is why my position in sport is not just an athlete but also as an ambassador of figure skating in Kazakhstan.
Q: What do you see as your biggest strengths and weaknesses both as a skater and as a person?
A: It's hard to say. I had to deal with so many challenges and in particular with injuries for last two years. These problems sometimes didn't let me train properly and also to compete well at international competitions. However, when it's a very important event I know how to get myself together no matter what's going on and I was always like that... in music school, in school and now skating. I think that this is my biggest strength. Q: What does the future hold for you? Do you plan on going full steam ahead and working on new programs or is professional or show skating something you'd like to explore more?
A: It took some time to decide what was going to be next after the season was over. As I mentioned earlier, I struggled with injures for the last two years. In this way, this year was like a nightmare! I had one injury coming after another one. Just two weeks before the Olympics, I could barely walk as my ankle ligaments were completely damaged. It was a lot of stress. Did I mention that a few weeks before it happened my skates broke? I take my hat off to Mr. Carroll for being so patient with me! After the Games, I had some time to recover after injuries and to find myself doing other things. I've been pretty busy. I did some shows, lots of media activities and for the second time organized my own show which had great success. I got to hold a five day seminar for young skaters and their coaches in Kazakhstan after shows. Doing all these great things actually inspired me to keep competing for another four years. As you might know, Almaty (which is my hometown) is one of the bids for the Winter Olympic Games in 2022. I am an ambassador for the Bidding Committee and I truly hope that someday the Olympics will be held in Kazakhstan. I know we have a great chance and people have recently started to ask me "If we win, would you consider skating until 2022?" We will see. For now, my goal is PyeongChang 2018.
Q: You attended music school and competed as part of a choir, winning the silver medal at the 2002 World Choir Games in Korea. How important is music to you in your life and what pieces of music or songs to you listen to constantly?
A: My Mom is a professional violinist. She graduated from the Kazakh State Conservatory and performed all over the world before I was born. So since I was a child, music would always take an important part in my development. I used to go to a music school where I studied piano and sang in the choir. Unfortunately I had to quit the music school when we moved to Moscow for training and I graduated only five grades. I used to hate solfeggio but now I really miss it. After Sochi, there was some time to do what I enjoy and I slowly started getting back to music. One of my friends is a very famous composer in Kazakhstan, Renat Gaissin. He is incredibly talented! He actually wrote the music for my skating show. So this summer, I got to the point to record the pieces I wrote and we could work together. Although, the tracks were a bit personal and I don’t think anyone will ever hear them, he found them to be "ingenious". That makes me feel a bit more confident that in the future I’ll make a return to my music school.
Q: You have worked with some of the best coaches and choreographers in the business - people like Frank Carroll, Tatiana Tarasova, Stéphane Lambiel and Lori Nichol. What has each brought to your skating that has helped you grow as an artist?
A: I am truly the luckiest athlete in the world to have an opportunity to work with so many great coaches. They all gave me a lot. I became a professional skater by training in Russia with Elena Buyanova and Tatiana Tarasova. It was a wonderful time and I'm really grateful to them for everything they taught me. It was a priceless experience. I grew as a skater by working with Frank Carroll, Lori Nichol and Stéphane Lambiel. Frank is the most polite and wise person I've ever met in my life. Lori is the biggest professional in the whole world of skating choreography and it is an honor for me to work with her for four years in a row already. As for Stéphane, he was always a skater I looked up to and when I met him I realized that he is the most gifted skater I've ever seen. The things he does are impossible to execute unless you're him. He does all the triples both ways. Can you imagine? Starting in 2012, all my exhibition programs are choreographed by Stéphane.
Q: Tell me about some of the friendships you've formed through competitive figure skating. Who are some of the nicest skaters you've met or worked with?
A: I'll start with Stéphane. He is not only a skater or choreographer for me but also a great friend of mine. Even though he achieved so much in our sport, he remains as a very nice and easy person. We have so much fun together and the memories I have with Stef are just priceless. Carolina Kostner is also a wonderful person and friend. We stay in touch throughout the season and always support each other. There are actually way more people I want to mention but I am afraid there won’t be enough space on your website!
Q: Who are your three favourite skaters of all time and why?
A: Alexei Yagudin... he's a legendary skater. He was always my idol but he is also an awesome buddy. Stéphane Lambiel... as I previously said, he is the most gifted and talented skater I think. He is truly an artist! And Yuna Kim. Just because. Q: If you were stranded on a desert island and could bring only three things with you, what would they be?
A: Definitely not skates. It's a tough question. Maybe a solar power generator, a knife and… a friend?
Q: Your great-great-grandfather Min Geung-ho was a Korean independence fighter general during the era when Korea found for independence from Japan. What can you share about his story?
A: It's so inspiring. You know, when I was a kid I didn't even know about my grandfather. I always knew of course that I'm Korean but we never talked about him until 2010 I think. In January of 2010, the Four Continents Championships were held in Jeonju, South Korea. About a month before the event, the Korean channel KBS was filming a documentary about Min Geung-ho and his descendants and they wanted to film me as well. That was the time when my Grandmother told me all the stories about Min Geung-ho and I got so inspired! I couldn't believe that there was a real hero in our family's tree! After Four Continents, we went to Wonju with the TV crew to visit his tomb which is a very special place located on the mountain and has a huge territory. We also went to the monument of him which was constructed by the city in 1999 in honor of his patriotism. That inspiration made me interested in world history but in the Korean War of the 1900's in particular. I remember when I moved to the U.S., I would spent nights reading about him thanks to some fans who'd send me Korean-English translation of articles about him. His army was the largest in the country and had the strongest fighting spirit. They won around a hundred battles and most memorable fights were in Jeocheon, Jucksan, Janghowon, Yeoju and Hongcheon. "He was a man of integrity and fairness and held in great respect by his subordinates. Also he was a strong-willed commander with an excellent leadership skills and thus had many followers" it says on the monument of General Min Geung-ho. In 1962, he was posthumously awarded the Republic of Korea Medal of Order of Merit for National Foundation (the most prestigious civil decoration in the Republic of Korea) for his efforts for Korean independence. Only after getting to know the history better, I realized what he really has done for my second home country Korea and how great, smart and brave he was. In the beginning, I even felt ashamed that once there was one show where I was given to wear a headband which says Japan and back then I didn't know about my grandfather. When I got to know his biography better, I thought to myself "what if he saw it and got disappointed with me?". In the beginning, I got a bit frustrated but then I realized that the war is over and things have changed but since then I always skate with a thought of him. I try to be a worthy descendant and I want him to be proud of me. Q: What's one thing most people don't know about you?
A: Most of the people think I’m a very serious person but I bet they are wrong. Completely wrong. Q: What do you love more than anything about being on the ice?
A: I might sound strange but in skating I enjoy only one thing and it's not about my feelings. I like bringing joy to people. When I see people enjoying what I do, that means I do it for something. I do it for the love.
Skate Guard is a blog dedicated to preserving the rich, colourful and fascinating history of figure skating. Over ten years, the blog has featured over a thousand free articles covering all aspects of the sport's history, as well as four compelling in-depth features. To read the latest articles, follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube. If you enjoy Skate Guard, please show your support for this archive by ordering a copy of the figure skating reference books "The Almanac of Canadian Figure Skating", "Technical Merit: A History of Figure Skating Jumps" and "A Bibliography of Figure Skating": https://skateguard1.blogspot.com/p/buy-book.html.
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