by Anne Calder
The 2025 Ice Dance Last was held in Plano, Texas from November 20-23. Six senior, eleven junior and 5 novice groups certified for the U.S. Championships in Wichita, Kansas. They are going to be joined by these athletes who earned a bye.
Twenty-four Juvenile, Intermediate and Novice groups superior to the Nationwide Excessive Efficiency Improvement Camp. Day one of many occasion, the juvenile, intermediate and novices (JINs) skated their assigned patterns:
- Juvenile: U.S. Hickory Hoedown and U.S. Ten-Fox
- Intermediate: American Waltz and Foxtrot
- Novice: Westminster Waltz and Tango.
Day two the groups carried out their Free Dances. Medals have been awarded to the highest 4 groups in every stage.
Juvenile:
Agnes Yang & Sean Kay (gold), Ava Reinkensmeyer & Aiden Shen (silver), Lucy Brooks & Jeffrey Li (bronze) and Hilda Qin & George Qin (pewter). The groups elevated their scores from the Lake Placid Championships in July the place they stood on the rostrum in the identical order. Y&Okay (+6.24) R&A (+8.32) B&L (+11.76) Q&Q (+12.71)
Intermediate:
Karen Li & James Zhu (gold), Sophia Kartashov & Nicholas Kartashov (silver). Isabella Chang & Ken Chen (bronze) and Megan Ashcroft & Adam Ashcroft (pewter). The groups’ scores all improved from their first 2024-25 NQS competitors: Dallas Basic Okay&Okay (+13.92), A&A (+20.73) Lake Placid Championships L&Z (+12.75) and Problem Cup: C&C (+8.16).
Novice:
The 5 highest scoring groups certified for the U.S. Nationwide Championships.
Marian Carhart & Denis Bledsoe (gold), Grace Fischer & Luke Fischer (silver), Sophia Feige & Wiles Middlekauff (bronze), Clara Fugate & Warren Fugate (pewter). A season greatest rating was achieved by Carhart & Bledsoe (118.09), Fischer & Fischer (113.50) and Fugate & Fugate (106.15). Feige & Middlekauff’s season greatest was 111.78 on the Austin Autumn Basic. Problem Cup winners Annie Huang & Simon Mintz have been fifth (105.97).
Junior Dance:
In July 2024, the Board of Administrators diminished the variety of junior ice dance U.S. Nationwide Championship qualifiers to 10. The quantity has been returned to the unique twelve.
The medalists completed in the identical order for each the Rhythm and Free Dances.
(Gold) Hana Maria Aboian & Daniil Veselukhin (RD: 68.37) (FD:99.25) (T:167.62)
RD: “Coronary heart of Glass” by Blondie and “Knock on Wooden” by Amii Stewart
FD: “Clarinet Concerto in A significant Okay 622/II”, “Piano Concerto No.21 in C main Okay.467/II” and Symphony no.40 in G minor – Molto Allegro composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Choreographers: Melissa Gregory and Denis Petukhov
(Silver) Caroline Mullen & Brendan Mullen (RD:63.73) (FD:88.77) (T:153.50)
RD: “Stayin Alive, “Saturday Evening Fever”, “You Needs to be Dancing” by the Bee Gees and organized by Hugo Chouinard
FD: “La terre vue du ciel” by Armand Amar and Karl Hugo organized by Hugo Chouinard:
Choreographers: Greg Zuerlein, Ruslan Goncharov, Charlie White
(Bronze) Olivia Ilin & Dylan Cain (RD:60.09) (FD: 85.81) (T:145.90)
RD: “Boogie Wonderland” by Earth Wind & Hearth, “Coronary heart of Glass”by Blondie, “Scorching Stuff” by Donna Summer time
FD: “Carry You” (feat. Fleurie) by Ruelle, “Echoes of Isolation” by Karl Hugo
Choreographer: Greg Zuerlein
(Pewter) Annalise Stapert & Maxim Korotcov (RD:56.73) (FD:81.65) (T:138.38)
RD: “Automotive Wash” and “Shake Your Groove Factor”
FD: “ We Will Rock You” and “Below the Identical Solar”
Choreographer: Alexei Kiliakov
Senior Dance:
Fifteen senior groups will compete on the 2025 U.S. Nationwide Championships. 9 earned byes and 6 certified in Plano.
The Rhythm Dance second and third place groups switched positions after the Free Dance and whole scores have been posted.
(Gold) Annabelle Morozov & Jeffrey Chen (RD: 73.51) (FD:109.66) (T:183.17)
RD: “Get Up Off That Factor” and “I Really feel Good ”by James Brown, “Shout” by the Isley Brothers
FD: Star Wars (soundtrack) by John Williams
Choreographers: Charlie White, Nikolai Morozov (FD)
(Silver) Raffaella Konicius & Alexey Shchepetov (RD: 67.04) (FD: 106.62) (T: 173.66)
RD: “A Little Much less Dialog” and “Bossa Nova Child” by Elvis Presley
FD: Romeo and Juliet (1996 film dramatic rating soundtrack) and “Kissing You”
Choreographer: Jean-Luc Baker
(Bronze) Amy Cui & Jonathan Rogers (RD: 67.79) (FD: 102.93) (T:173.00)
RD: “Blame It On the Boogie”, “Don’t Cease Until You Get Sufficient”, “Shake Your Physique” (All the way down to the Floor)
FD: Black Swan
Choreographers: Pasquale Camerlengo, Igor Shpilband, Renee Petkovski.
Music: Sk8mix Hugo did the musical composition for the applications.
(Pewter) Vanessa Pham & Anton Spiridonov (RD:65.59) (FD: 102.93) (T:168.52)
RD: “Do You Love Me?” By the Contours, “Cry To Me” by Solomon Burke, “Wipe Out” by The Surfaris
FD: Carmen (2022 film soundtrack)
Choreographers: I.AM workforce
Stuffie Story
U.S. ice skating legend means that flowers have been first thrown on the ice on the finish of a efficiency in Squaw Valley on the 1960 Winter Olympics. In 2001 U.S. Determine Skating banned the custom for security of particles considerations. Flowers break aside on the ice and also can delay clear up. Followers as a substitute largely throw stuffed animals onto the ice.
On the Ice Dance Last, stuffed toys of all shapes and sizes have been offered within the enviornment foyer. After a skaters efficiency, supporters of the predominately youthful groups flooded the ice. The dancers swept up their new cherished toys and skated to the Kiss and Cry to await the scores. The items have been squeezed and cuddled with smiles of appreciation.
Lots of the stuffed animals are donated to hospitals and charities.
Enjoyable Info
Six groups plus 9 dancers with different companions competed in Plano and on the 2020 inaugural Ice Dance Last.
Juvenile: Clara Fugate & Warren Fugate (5), Reese Hamilton & Ethan Darnell (13)
Michelle Deych, Rowan Le Coq, Nathan Leitan, William Lissauer, Wiles Middlekauff, Simon Mintz
Intermediate: Olivia Ilin & Dylan Cain (2), Julia Epps & Blake Gilman (3) Caroline Mullen & Brendan Mullen (5)
Annelise Stapert & Maxim Korotcov (8)
Novice: Kenny Eckert, Vanessa Pham, Jonathan Rogers
Groups taught by the father or mother(s) of one of many dancers:
Juniors: (Dima Ilin) Olivia Ilin & Dylan Cain
Novice: (Kristen Frazier- Lukanin & Igor Lukanin) Rylen Lukanin & Patrick O’Brien,
(Svetlana Kulikova) Mia Aisin & Steven Moore
13 units of siblings and one set of cousins competed:
Juvenile: Hilda Qin & George Qin,
Intermediate: Megan Ashcroft & Adam Ashcroft, Sophia Kartashov & Nicholas Kartashov, Bryndolin Rudedenman & Ryedin Rudedenman, Zoe Stone & Jerry Stone, Auburn Sago & Colson Sago
Novice: Celine Chen & Nathan Chen, Grace Fischer & Luke Fischer, Clara Fugate & Warren Fugate, Vanessa Hollis & Evan Hollis, Natalia Leitan & Nathan Leitan, Cianin Rudedenman & Brysin Rudedenman
Junior: Caroline Mullen & Brendan Mullen and cousins Anaelle Kouevi & Yann Homawoo
Groups with the longest partnerships:
Olivia Ilin & Dylan Cain (July 2015) Julia Epps & Blake Gilman (August 2015), Caroline & Brandon Mullen (2017)
