Welcome to IDC’s New Workforce Collection! For this collection, we interview athletes who will enter the upcoming 2024-25 season in a brand new partnership, or debuted final season. In our sixth interview, we meet Sophia Bushell & Antonio Pena, senior ice dancers who characterize Nice Britain and practice at SK Worldwide Ice Dance College in Madrid, Spain.
Sophia Bushell (SB): I began skating at 4 years outdated. I started with solo determine skating, then a pair years in I started skating pairs with my brother. I realised I used to be too nervous to strive throw jumps, so we switched to ice dance collectively. Alongside, I used to be nonetheless doing jumps. I skated with my brother for practically 10 years. It was satisfying, nevertheless, I needed to place extra focus in skating and needed to take it extra significantly.
The perfect recollections I had thus far was with the ability to take part in worldwide competitions at a younger age and expertise them with my brother. We additionally carried out in some exhibitions collectively, some being for television. At round 7 years outdated, I realised performing in ice dance in entrance of a crowd introduced my enjoyment and I knew I needed to do that in my life.
Antonio Pena (AP): I began skating fairly late. I used to be 11 years outdated. I initially was a soccer participant, however one summer season I made a decision to strive ice skating throughout summer season holidays. That is once I realised I liked it. After that one week, I made a decision to hitch the college, and the coaches noticed my potential and I joined the skating membership. Early particular recollections was when my grandparents used to observe my trainings and it will make me so excited and pushed me to need to skate extra.
What drew you to ice dance?
SB: I attempted each self-discipline once I was youthful, attempting to determine which one I preferred one of the best. I began determine skating once I was 4, after which alongside that I did pairs with my brother from 6 years outdated. Then, I realised I didn’t need to do the “scary” throw jumps so we switched to ice dance. After a couple of years, I spotted determine skating wasn’t for me in any respect. I wasn’t a fan of the jumps, I a lot most well-liked the essential stroking and dancing of ice dance. I used to be additionally in a performing arts faculty in london, and I liked to all the time carry out and dance. Having the ability to be a part of a faculty like this, in addition to do ice skating, made me positive I needed to ice dance, so I targeted on simply ice dance and stopped the jumps. I realised this self-discipline was for me. I had extra enjoyment going onto the ice now that I can do extra dancing, and work on my fundamental stroking.
AP: I used to be a determine skater and in my membership they’d ice dance as effectively, so I needed to enhance my skating abilities. As there aren’t so many boys in Spain, my coach instructed me if I needed to strive ice dance I used to be to do it with a associate. I used to be doing each disciplines, till one summer season I did an ice dance camp and once I noticed the opposite wonderful ice dancers I fell in love with ice dance. I made a decision to cease single skating and begin my ice dance journey.
Inform us how your partnership began. Describe the tryout.
AP: I bear in mind I used to be skating with my sister and one lady wrote to me asking a few partnership, however I instructed her after all I used to be with my sister so it was not doable on the time. When my sister stopped skating, and I used to be on the seek for a brand new associate, I bear in mind this lady (Sophia) who wrote to me a couple of years in the past after which determined to ask her for a tryout.
SB: After my partnership had ended final yr, I used to be on the search throughout this time too for a associate. As my search was ending, I obtained the message from Anto and determined to fly to Spain for a tryout.
AP: At first of the tryout, I felt not so snug as I used to be solely skating with fairly tall women, Nonetheless, the angle and the best way Sophia was attempting to make all the pieces work, attempting new issues and be onerous working, was one thing I admired. I didn’t see a lazy lady. I noticed a woman who actually needed to work and that’s what I used to be looking for.
SB: And for me, I felt snug from the start of the week, however what made me like Anto was how I noticed he was onerous working, and the way we had a enjoyable time throughout this week, which is how I knew I needed him as my associate, as we might take pleasure in this journey collectively.
What’s it that you simply already like most about dancing along with your new associate?
SB: What I I like most about Anto is that we all the time have enjoyable on the ice. There are all the time jokes and we’re each wanting to work onerous I actually like Anto’s motivation, and having a associate who needs to push the boundaries on a regular basis makes coaching satisfying. Coaching is satisfying while you make it enjoyable, as it’s onerous work, however having a pal on the ice makes this entire expertise higher.. we’re on this collectively.
AP: How robust she is, and tremendous secure, however the factor I like probably the most, is that she is all the time pushing me to work. I’m additionally typically detrimental and she or he is tremendous constructive on a regular basis. I like the way it felt like a partnership from the very starting.
What experiences do every of you deliver to the partnership?
SB: We each skilled with our sibling. My first associate was my brother, and Anto’s earlier associate was his sister. I really feel that is an expertise not many ice skaters have, so it’s good to have the ability to have shared this identical expertise. After having these experiences, it’s simpler between us to unravel issues, so we will make coaching simpler and extra productive.
What has been the most important adjustment for every of you thus far within the partnership?
AP: For me was the peak, which was probably the most uncomfortable to get used to, as I solely skated with tall women. In addition to Sophia’s British accent, at first of the tryout I stored telling her to talk sluggish, as I perceive English, however at first I wasn’t used to it, so I couldn’t perceive her.
SB: The largest adjustment for me was transferring to Spain and having to regulate a few of the methods I’ve been used to, as Anto has been used to sure instructing strategies for a couple of years and a few of the issues are new to me. It was additionally onerous to determine learn how to put our strengths collectively to be extra productive. As we each are robust characters, and I discovered it onerous to know his accent too at first. Communication between us was a bit troublesome, nevertheless, now we’ve got overcome this!
Inform us about your coaching web site.
We practice in Madrid and we skate 4 hours on ice 5 days per week in addition to off ice 5 days per week. Two days per week is ballet, and two days is gymnasium. We additionally embody dance courses comparable to jazz. And typically off ice courses for lifts particularly in off season. We now have three different {couples} right here, which is kind of good, as it’s a small group, but it surely feels extra like associates than coaching mates. And we will help one another and use one another for inspiration.
Who’re your coaches? Did both or each must relocate?
Our coaches are Ksenia Monko, Sara Hurtado and Kirill Khaliavin. We now have probably the most enjoyable with them, they usually encourage us on a regular basis to be one of the best skaters we may be.
SB: I needed to transfer to Spain to relocate to hitch the SK Academy. It was fairly a simple and cozy transfer, because the coaches and the opposite athletes right here made me really feel so welcome immediately. And everybody listed below are all so pleasant. I like the best way this academy works, because it feels inspiring to have the ability to practice alongside these different athletes, in addition to working with these wonderful coaches.
Who’s choreographing your applications.
Our coach Ksenia has choreographed our applications. Which we predict she has accomplished an unimaginable job, and we’re very grateful for her.
In case you might have a lesson with any ice dancer previous/current, who would it not be? Why?
SB: I’ve all the time needed to have a lesson with each Tessa advantage and Scott Moir. Watching how Tessa is such a simple stunning skater is a giant inspiration. I’ve additionally been impressed by their partnership. Having what appears to be like like a pure connection between the 2 is what I like.
AP: I’ve all the time needed to coach with Sara and Kirill, as there aren’t many ice dancers in Spain, they’re the inspiration for skaters right here. As they made a lot for Spanish ice dance, I used to be impressed, which is the rationale I joined their faculty. Additionally, I’m grateful for the best way they consider in me and all of the work they’ve accomplished for me.
What’s every of you wanting ahead to most this skating season? What can be your greatest problem(s)?
We’re wanting ahead to competing internationally, and gaining a enjoyable expertise collectively. Our greatest problem can be determining how competitions work collectively. As we haven’t competed with one another earlier than so will probably be a brand new expertise. Nonetheless, we’ve got to attend until December to compete internationally.
What’s your debut competitors this season?
We now have our first competitors in November for qualifiers in England.
Please share something you desire to our readers to learn about you as a workforce?
We want for the long run, individuals to come back to observe us, and turn out to be that spectacular workforce, watching us do these cool tips and lifts, being a workforce with good fundamental skating/energy, and attempt to stand out from the others. We need to present our personalities on the ice, how good we work collectively and the way onerous we will push ourselves to see what the long run holds with this new journey collectively. We’re excited to indicate our programmes this season and make a reputation for ourselves.
