Recap: 2023 U.S. Championships (Senior)

by Anne Calder | Pictures by Daphne Backman

RHYTHM DANCE

The U.S. Nationwide Championship Senior Rhythm Dance was carried out for the primary time with out a sample. It was changed by the Choreographic Rhythm Sequence with a base worth of two.00. 

Reigning U.S. Ice Dance Champions, Madison Chock & Evan Bates closed the Rhythm Dance section with  samba, rhumba, samba to “Let’s Dance by David Bowie (Remix by Ben Liebrand). The Montreal-based staff earned degree 4 for the twizzles, raise and Sample Steps. Each Midline Step Sequences have been degree 3. The brand new Choreographic Rhythm Sequence acquired all 4 and 5 GOE marks and a complete panel rating of 9.07. This system totaled 91.90. 

Chock defined their music. “It’s a twist on Latin. We have been on the lookout for one thing distinctive that we hadn’t heard earlier than.”

Caroline Inexperienced & Michael Parsons scored 81.40 for his or her program to “Vocalizando” by Alessandro Oliviato, “Historia De Un Amor” by Cesaria Evora and “Boutique” by Watazu. The dance earned degree 4 for the twizzles and raise. Each Midline Step Sequences have been degree 3. The staff made a serious transfer this season from their long-time WISA coaching web site to the Michigan Ice Dance Academy (MIDA) in Canton. 

“In a 12 months of plenty of change for us, it feels good to be again in a well-known place,” Parsons mentioned. “We’re actually very pleased with the development of our season. We’ve finished quite a bit this 12 months when it comes to development as a staff, and we actually confirmed that on the ice immediately. It’s first step.”

“We undoubtedly left some factors on the desk when it comes to the technical aspect of issues, but it surely offers us readability with what we have to work on and shift the main focus [to the Free Dance] now that we’re snug on the market and feeling all of the power of a Nationals,” Inexperienced mentioned.

The vary of scores for the following seven groups was 78.18 – 72-80 – solely 5.38 factors separated groups three to 9.

Making their U.S. Nationwide Championships debut, Emilea Zingas & Vadym Kolesnik danced into third place to “Congo” by Gloria Estefan, “Tan Sola” by Sole Gimenez and “Congo” by Meek Mill. Their raise and Sample Steps earned degree 4. The staff scored 78.18.

Kolesnik is the 2020 Junior World Champion with accomplice Avonley Nguyen. Zingas spent 13 years honing her abilities in singles prior to creating the transfer to ice dance. 

“The primary time I skated with Emy, I felt one thing particular. I felt I will be myself and skate the way in which I wish to skate. That’s the way it comes out,” Kolesnik defined about his extra carefree and new-found freedom to his skating.

“We had an incredible time performing immediately,” Zingas mentioned. “That is our first Nationals collectively and my first Nationals as an ice dancer. It’s additionally our first Senior Nationwide expertise.”

Christina Carreira & Anthony Ponomarenko chosen “Type of Latin Rhythm” by the Juju Orchestra, “The place do I Start” by Shirley Bassey and “Samba” by Gloria Estefan. The duo’s raise and her twizzle acquired degree 4. Each Midline Step Sequences have been degree 3. The Sample Steps and his twizzle have been degree 2. The whole section scored 77.37. The staff trains in London, Ontario Canada with I.AM.  

“The rating is a translation of what we’ve finished main as much as the occasion,” Ponomarenko mentioned. “All of the preparation we’ve finished engaged on our skating abilities. We had a serious mistake [his twizzle],  however total we’re nonetheless very pleased with the progress we’re making and look to capitalize on that.” 

Lorraine McNamara & Anton Spiridonov danced to “Careless Whisper” by George Michaels and scored 76.23. The twizzles and raise earned degree 4. The Sample Steps and his Midline Step Sequence have been degree 3. The Virginia-based staff is recent off successful the silver medal on the latest 2023 World Winter College Video games in Lake Placid.

“We thought the rating can be a bit greater, however that’s okay as a result of we confirmed an important enchancment over final 12 months,” Spiridonov famous. “The scores don’t matter. It’s not an Olympic 12 months. Ever since we bought again to coaching after final 12 months, we’ve been bettering, and we’ll proceed to enhance. We all know the place we wish to transfer. We now have a plan.”

Canton, Michigan primarily based (MIDA) Emily Bratti & Ian Somerville selected the music of “Gadda Rio” and “Hip Hip Chin Chin” by Membership Des Belugas, “Con mi Sombra” by S-Tone Inc. for his or her dance. The twizzles and raise have been degree 4. The Sample Steps and her Midline Step Sequence have been degree 3. The whole section scored 75.91.

Eva Pate & Logan Bye carried out to  “Lovely Creatures” by Barbatuques, Andy Garcia and Rita Moreno, “Fly Love” by Jamie Foxx and “Actual in Rio” by the Rio Singers. The raise, his twizzle and Midline Step Sequence earned degree 4. The Sample step, her twizzle and Midline Step Sequence have been degree 3. The section scored 75.52.

Isabella Flores & Ivan Desyatov danced to “Tiburon” by Proyecto Uno and “03 Bonnie and Clyde” by Jay-Z and Beyoncé. The raise, twizzles and his Midline Step Sequence earned degree 4. The Colorado Springs-based duo scored 73.91 whereas skating at their first US Championships collectively as a senior staff.

“We have been specializing in simply performing,” Flores mentioned. “Skating in entrance of such a big viewers made it very particular for us. On a stage like this the place everyone seems to be so gifted, it’s simple to doubt your self, and also you begin skating down. It’s one thing we did effectively immediately, and it’s one thing we’ll work on in our future competitions.” 

Oona Brown & Gage Brown selected “Bones” by Think about Dragons for his or her senior debut on the US Nationals. The reigning World Junior Champions earned degree 3 for the twizzles, Sample steps, and his Diagonal Step Sequence. The raise earned degree 4. The whole section scored 72.80.

“There have been a couple of small errors, however over all we’re fairly happy part sensible,” Gage mentioned. “As for being assured,” Oona added “even when we’re not assured, it’s essential to make it appear like we’re.”  “On this case we have been assured,” added Gage. 

Rafaella Koncius & Alexey Shchepetov withdrew from the competitors.

SENIOR FREE DANCE

The Free Dance started Saturday morning at 10:45 a.m. with Chock & Bates in a commanding 10-point lead. The order of podium positions would rely on the ultimate performances by the dancers. 

Three hours later the medals have been awarded to the next: Chock & Bates (gold), Inexperienced & Parsons (silver) Carreira & Ponomarenko (bronze) and Zingas & Kolesnik (pewter)

Chock & Bates danced final, however completed first to “Souffrance” by Orange Blossom and “Tectoniques” by Jorane, a Montreal artist. The story was initially impressed by their engagement and her 1920 classic ring that belonged to somebody very way back. It bought them pondering how love transcends the bodily and non secular world, and the way you will discover each other. Since Skate America, this system has developed right into a relationship extra between the spirits of fireside and air and unimaginable survival for one with out the opposite.

“We’re very pleased with the way in which our program has developed because the starting of the season,” Chock mentioned. “It’s discovered its groove. We’ve let this system communicate to us, and we’ve developed with it. We’ve not been afraid to adapt and work with new materials and maintain pushing ourselves to make one thing that we really feel could be very particular.”

The 2022 World silver medalists acquired all however two GOE marks of 4 and 5 and 15 good 10.00s for Program Parts. All of the required components earned degree 4 besides their Degree 3 One foot Turns. The section scored 137.85 and totaled 229.75. The margin between first and second place was 22.29.

“That is in all probability the very best we’ve ever skated in our careers,” Bates mentioned on NBC. “I feel that’s the assertion that we wished to make.”

Inexperienced & Parsons gained silver with a inventive Jazz Age dance to George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue”. The MIDA skilled staff earned degree 4 twizzles, spin and lifts. GEOs have been all three, 4 and 5. The Program Parts averaged above 9. The 2022 4 Continents gold medalists scored 126.06 for the Free Dance and a complete of 207.46

“This was a really vital Nationwide Championship to us due to the way in which we’ve approached the season and the way we wished to redirect ourselves as a staff,” Parsons mentioned. “I don’t assume we might have put out a greater skate immediately, and I’m so pleased with the work we we’ve put prior to now few months with our new coaches.”

Carreira & Ponomarenko are the 2023 bronze medalists. Their music choice consists of “Wet Streets” and “Public Disquiet” by Spine and two variations of George Gershwin’s “Summertime” one by Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald and the opposite by 101 String Orchestra.

The twizzles, rotational and curve lifts, dance spin and his One Foot  Flip earned degree 4. Each Diagonal Step Sequences and her One Foot Flip have been degree 3. The section scored 121.08 and totaled 198.45.

In February 2022, Ponomarenko underwent surgical procedure and rehab in Colorado Springs for an previous ankle sprain that additionally brought about joint harm. In the meantime Carreira continued to coach in London, Ontario till he returned in Could. The staff resumed coaching in June. Since their preparation for the brand new season was delayed, they didn’t compete till November 11-13 on the GP Collection occasion in Sheffield, Nice Britain, the place they completed fourth.

“We’re actually honored to be on this podium because the US Ice Dance is so sturdy now,” mentioned Carreira. We’ve been working actually arduous these previous couple of months and we’re actually pleased with how we skated immediately. We’re actually excited.”

Zingas & Kolesnik carried out their Free Dance to Music from Phillip Glass. The pewter medalists earned degree 4 for the spin, lifts, and twizzles. The Diagonal Step and One Foot Turns have been all degree 3. The section scored 119.95 and totaled 198.13, narrowly lacking the bronze by .32 factors. 

“We modified our Free Dance a lot that it’s unrecognizable,” mentioned Zingas. “Now it’s a bit bit extra fashionable.”

The previous singles skater gained the 2018 US Nationwide Novice silver medal the final time the occasion was held in San Jose.

On being again on the U.S. Championships once more in San Jose, Zingas famous, “It’s been actually surreal for me. I competed right here at Nationals 5 years in the past as a novice, so it’s been a full circle. I really feel extraordinarily honored to be right here and to face subsequent to the folks we sat subsequent to on the press convention.” 

Emily Bratti & Ian Somerville (189.84) dancing to La La Land picks and Lorraine McNamara & Anton Spiridonov (189.15) dancing to ”Rain, In Your Black Eyes” by Ezio Bosso have been a really shut fifth and sixth, separated by solely .69 factors.

CALIFORNIA CLIPS

• Chock & Bates set two U.S. Championship data for highest-ever FD and complete scores.
• Chock & Bates have stood on the Podium 11 instances – all however one have been first or second. (2018, third place)
• Inexperienced & Parsons earned their best-ever senior consequence on the U.S. Championships, setting new private bests for the free skate and total rating.
• Carreira & Ponomarenko earned their best-ever senior consequence on the U.S. Championships, setting new private bests for the free skate and over all rating.
• Zingas & Kolesnik earned their first U.S. Championships medal, setting new private bests for the free skate and total rating.
• Caroline Inexperienced spoke about her Free Dance costume colour change to sizzling deep pink. “At first we thought of this colour, however determined “Rhapsody in Blue” ought to have a blue costume. I don’t know if the ice is so brilliant, however I felt the blue colour we selected pale into the background. We would have liked one thing eye catching. Royal blue was within the dialog, but it surely was a joint staff effort, and that is what got here out of it.”
• On the 2022 Ice Dance Ultimate, Cara Murphy and Joshua Levitt missed the Nationwide’s qualifier by .26. When Molly Cesanek & Yegor Yegoror withdrew in mid December, the Pittsburg-based staff bought the decision. After the Ultimate, they’d felt their finest FD and complete rating have been finish to the season. They have been very excited to have one other likelihood to enhance the Rhythm Dance rating. They modified the complete first tune to “Final Dance” by Donna Summer time and moved the twizzles to the second ingredient. Their modifications improved the rating by over two factors.
• Caroline Depietri & TJ Carey didn’t qualify for the 2023 U.S. Nationals. Depietri continued coaching and Carey formally retired. Then Kaitlin Hawayek & Jean-Luc Baker withdrew from Nationals. Depietri was in Florida, and Carey had simply returned from volunteering on the College Video games in Lake Place. On January 17 an electronic mail arrived inviting them to San Jose. The previous companions agreed it was doable. Depietri flew house, and so they skilled each day till arriving at Nationals for his or her senior staff debut.
• The Senior ice dancers had solely observe on Friday, however Vadym Kolesnik doesn’t wish to exit and do one thing till after the competitors ends. “It’s one thing in my nature,” he mentioned. “I don’t wish to exit as a result of one time I did and twisted my ankle making an attempt to get out of a chair, so I attempt to not go.”
• Then again, after their disappointing Rhythm Dance, Junior Ice Dance Champions Leah Neset & Artem Markelov visualized this system, The Pirates of the Caribbean, and went to the ocean. place to visualise.