New Group Collection: Adrienne Carhart & Oleksandr Kolosovskyi
Welcome to IDC’s New Group Collection! For this collection, we interview athletes who will enter the upcoming 2023-24 season in a brand new partnership, or debuted final season. In our second interview, we test in with Adrienne Carhart (21) and Oleksandr Kolosovskyi (21) who characterize Azerbaijan on the senior stage. New articles on this collection might be posted each Monday.
Adrienne (AC): I began skating at 7 years previous, when a good friend of mine invited me to a skating lesson. From there, I continued on with my youthful sister Helena and I’ve beloved it since then.
Oleksandr (OK): I began skating once I was 7 years previous as nicely, however in Odessa. There is just one rink in Odessa however I’ve plenty 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 previous. Then I moved to Kiev to begin ice dancing.
What drew you to ice dance?
AC: In all honesty, I keep in mind watching ice dance as a child and pondering there was no manner I might be an ice dancer! After rising up in a family full of ladies and going to an all-girls highschool, the thought of skating with a boy didn’t attraction to me. It wasn’t till I had reconstructive hip surgical procedure once I was 15 years previous and needed to take a 12 months off the ice that I even thought of ice dancing. Nevertheless, after just some weeks of attempting it out I knew this was what I needed to do. Now I like skating with a companion and I like engaged on all of the little particulars that go into ice dancing. There may be a lot precision and thought put into each step.
OK: My mother heard there was an important ice dance coach in Kiev that had a lady searching for a companion, so she thought it will be good for me to strive ice dancing. At first, I discovered it fairly uncommon to skate with one other particular person in place, however it supplied me with a brand new problem which I favored. I like the technical points of ice dance, like turns and footwork, however I additionally actually take pleasure in lifts and the acrobatics concerned in partnered skating.
Inform us how your partnership began (Companion Search, coaching mate, and many others.) Describe the tryout.
AC: Sasha and I truly knew one another earlier than we began skating collectively. We each skilled with Marina in 2019 with completely different companions and we had been good pals. I ended up transferring to France and Sasha was coaching with a brand new companion in Russia, so we misplaced contact for a couple of years. Once 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 referred to as me proper after my earlier partnership ended. She was my coach once I was junior and we had stayed in touch, so I used to be completely satisfied to listen to from her. She instructed me Adrienne was additionally searching for a companion, and Adrienne and I had been pals for a very long time. So we had a tryout and we had been an important match.
What’s it that you just already like most about dancing along with your new companion?
AC: It doesn’t matter what form of day we’re having, Sasha at all times makes me chuckle. We steadiness one another out so nicely. Sasha could be very affected person – he’s so good at staying calm and relaxed below stress. Coaching is really easy and particular when you find yourself skating with a good friend.
OK: Adrienne and I are each very fortunate as a result of we have now had an important friendship off the ice for thus a few years. I’ve by no means seen anybody work as onerous as Adrienne! Additionally, she is an incredible dancer and she or he could be very inventive. She has an important imaginative and prescient for every of our packages and I belief her.
What experiences do every of you carry to the partnership? (Worldwide competitions, coaching, and many others.)
OK: I’ve competed internationally for a few years now, so I introduced plenty 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 to date within the partnership?
AC: There are the traditional challenges of a brand new partnership, studying to skate collectively and attending to know the opposite particular person. Sasha and I’ve nice communication, and we work so nicely collectively. I’ve by no means had a partnership the place we might talk as overtly as we do.
OK: There hasn’t been an enormous adjustment. We’re at all times sincere with one another about what’s working and what’s not, and Adrienne could be very variety.
OK: We practice on the Worldwide Skating Academy in Estero, FL. Coaching in Florida, the climate is heat and delightful. We do plenty of coaching exterior within the recent 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, and so they all practice with Marina in Florida. Attending to see them every single day and share all these experiences with them is one thing I’m extraordinarily grateful for. My sister Helena and her companion Vova are the reigning US Junior Silver Medalists, and they’re an important crew to observe. We additionally practice with Pilipino crew Isabella Gamez and Alexandr Korovin, and Ukrainian crew Zoe Larson and Andrei Kapran. We’re so fortunate to coach with groups which are additionally our good pals.
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 one among my closest pals and the rink will not be the identical with out them. We use Kana and Dais as our inspiration loads.
Who’re your coaches? Did both or each must relocate? In that 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 Sturdy, Henry Byalikov, and Maksim Kozhevnikov. Sasha and I each skilled in different international locations 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 rather more like house.
Who’s choreographing your packages. Is another person arranging your music? In that 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 started working with Henry, one among 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 beloved our Egyptian program from final season, so it took us some time to discover a piece of music that everybody favored for our FD. Nevertheless, as soon as Max began working with us this system actually got here collectively. Ilya is a superb choreographer as nicely; 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 would it not be? Why?
AC: Mmm there are such a lot of wonderful 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 variety and I actually look as much as them as athletes and as individuals.
OK: I’d 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 wonderful. I’ve at all times beloved and admired their skating.
What’s every of you trying ahead to most this skating season? What might be your largest 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 trying ahead to performing loads this season. Final season our purpose was to place out stable performances each time. This season, we need to skate fearlessly and with confidence. Now could be the time to place our heads down and work so we will enhance over the subsequent few years.
OK: I believe we have now a lot potential as a crew. We’re tall and have lengthy stunning strains with plenty of velocity. In fact we need to enhance our outcomes and world standing from final season, however greater than that we need to solidify our skating and look as a crew. Will probably 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 are going to do a couple of native competitions first earlier than we head to our internationals.
Please share something you desire to our readers to find out about you as a crew?
OK: We’ve got labored onerous within the off season to enhance our method 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 take pleasure in them too!
AC: I owe a lot to my household, to my dad and mom for his or her fixed love and help, and in addition to my sisters who I get to share this journey with. We’ve got a lot extra to show and to point out – that is just the start for us!
