by Anne Calder
Samantha Ritter & Daniel Brykalov symbolize Azerbaijan in senior ice dance.
IDC not too long ago spoke with the duo in Boston, USA the place they made their debut on the 2025 World Determine Skating Championships. Ritter & Brykalov opened the Rhythm Dance session with “Daddy Cool”, “Fever” and “Sunny” by the Seventies German Disco group, Boney M.
“We had been nervous, however took it as a chance to start out out the occasion with a bang,” Ritter stated. “We simply needed to make a splash and be remembered.”
“The power from the gang was very optimistic,” Brykalov added. “They actually helped, so any nerves on the market had been slowly transitioned to pleasure.”
Daniel Brykalov was born in Minneapolis, MN on October 19, 2000.
“After I was ten, I began skating due to my sister, Paulina. My dad and mom didn’t wish to take us to separate actions, so that they put me in determine skating. We had been each in free fashion,” Brykalov defined. “Three years later our household traveled to Colorado to talk with some skating coaches. After wanting on the peak of our dad and mom, it was urged we alter course.”
“You guys are going to be tall. Companion up and go into ice dance. Free fashion could be very powerful.”
The kids heeded the recommendation and at age 13, Daniel started ice dancing along with his sister.
The siblings educated in Novi, MI with Igor Shpilband and competed at 4 U.S. Nationwide Championships.
They had been tenth at their 2015 debut in Greensboro, NC as Juveniles. The subsequent 12 months on the identical stage and in entrance of a house city viewers in St. Paul, MN, they vaulted up 5 spots to a fifth place end.
After profitable the Intermediate bronze medal in Kansas Metropolis, MO on the 2017 occasion, the duo moved to Novice. They danced at their remaining Nationals on the SAP Heart in San Jose, CA in January 2018.
Throughout the next summer time, the siblings competed twice on the Junior stage. They skated solely a Free Dance at each the Chesapeake Open (June) and once more on the Dance-Pairs Chicago (August) previous to retiring.
Daniel Brykalov teamed with Russian-born Ekaterina Kuznetsova in 2019 to symbolize Azerbaijan. The duo educated in Philadelphia, USA with Coaches Slava Uchitel, Penny Coomes and Nick Buckland. They competed at 4 worldwide occasions together with JGP Russia and JGP Croatia earlier than ending the partnership.
Samantha Ritter was born in Buffalo, NY on Might 25, 2003.
When Ritter was three-years-old she began skating along with her brother, who now not skates. Initially she did dance and singles, however switched to dance-only when she was 13. She preferred it’s creative facet higher than jumps. She additionally had the same peak scenario. She was instructed she was going to be manner too tall to leap.
“I all the time preferred dance far more anyway,” Ritter admitted. “After I was 14, I moved to Novi, Michigan to coach in ice dance. That’s the place I met Daniel.”
In Might 2019, Ritter partnered with Jim Wang. Simply 4 months later, the junior workforce gained gold on the 2019 Novice & Junior Dance Problem. In November on the inaugural Ice Dance Remaining in Hyannis, MA, Ritter & Wang certified for the 2020 U.S. Championships in Greensboro, NC the place they they positioned tenth. Within the subsequent 12 months, Covid-19 affected the complete skating world.
A brand new starting
Ritter & Brykalov partnered in January 2021.
“We had been mates for a very long time. Finally we started relationship. Individually we had stopped skating with our former companions, so determined to skate collectively. We already obtained alongside nicely and had been appropriate,” Ritter stated.
The duo moved to London, Ontario Canada to coach on the Ice Academy of Montreal campus with coaches Scott Moir, Madison Hubbell, and Adrian Diaz.
Starting a partnership and shifting to a brand new location overseas, particularly throughout a pandemic, proved very difficult.
“We struggled speaking correctly in supporting one another after we first obtained to London,” Brykalov admitted. ”With all of the coaches assist, we’ve made nice strides in overcoming the nervousness. We additionally solely did two competitions that season.”
“The coaches all the time deliver such excessive power to the rink,” Ritter stated.
“Each is barely totally different, nevertheless it makes an ideal mixture of what you want, so we adore it,” her companion added.
“The London campus is sort of a sub college of the Ice Academy of Montreal,” Brykalov continued. “It’s a really pleasant group. All of us assist one another. Nice teaching!”
“The situation additionally labored out nicely for us since Samantha’s dad and mom reside in Buffalo, which is only a two and a half hour drive from London. It’s good.”
The coaching and depth stage is about the identical in London as in Montreal. They skate three, generally 4 hours a day with further off-ice conditioning for power plus ballet courses.
“We even have Yoga Fridays, which is a superb ship off for the weekends. It’s nice to let loose all of the stress of the week,” Ritter laughed.
Brykalov defined their very sturdy however totally different connection to music.
“Samantha is aware of all the pieces about music. She is aware of music historical past greater than I do. She’s a specialist on decade fashion. Play a track, she is aware of it, who made it, and when it was launched.”
“I’ve extra of an ear for the rhythm and music. I really feel sure issues within the music greater than different individuals do. I feel that comes partially from enjoying the piano.”
“She is aware of it. I really feel it. It’s a terrific mixture,” concluded Brykalov.
For the 2022-2023 season, the workforce’s Free Dance music included: “She Intro” by Daniel Brykalov, “She” (Acoustic Model) by Piano Nest, Harry Kinds and “She” by Harry Kinds,
Brykalov acknowledged his contribution to the opening music.
“I organized and performed roughly the primary 30 seconds of our program that 12 months. We would have liked one thing that began “She” by Harry Kinds softer, so I made a decision to provide it a strive since I play piano. It’s comparatively easy, nevertheless it labored, so we stored it.
“With regard to doing extra compositions, I’ve considered it, however now we have been fortunate with discovering music that matches precisely what we want. I’m open to including extra of my work to our applications if the necessity arises. It’s enjoyable skating to one thing that you created.”
Ritter & Brykalov mentioned areas of enchancment included of their objectives for the approaching season.
“We have to develop extra confidence with our fundamental abilities in competitions,” Ritter stated. “In observe we’re extra assured, extra relaxed, and possibly carry out just a little bit higher. Typically [at competitions] whenever you’re nervous, you neglect a few of the methods that you are able to do. I feel I simply need extra competitors expertise.”
“One other factor we sort of wish to work on is bettering our arty just a little bit. Usually we rating a bit higher in our Free Dance for no matter causes,” Brykalov added. “We wish to attempt to hone on this season on the arty for the Rhythm Dance and attempt to match it as much as our Free Dance stage.”
Ritter continued, “We’re naturally balletic skaters, so we wrestle with the sharpness and quickness of the Rhythm Dance, the place we like to decide on very balletic and gentle for the Free Dance. Plus we’re tall and that lends itself additionally. We’ve got to determine how you can merge the 2 and discover the sensation now we have within the Free Dance.”
The workforce spoke about being a pair on and off the ice.
“We get to expertise collectively all of the hardships, all of the reminiscences, victories and losses. Not lots of people get to expertise that collectively. It’s very particular.”
In closing, Ritter shared her ideas about getting ready for his or her fifth season collectively as dance companions.
“We’re actually enthusiastic about subsequent 12 months. I like the creativity of the off season and making new issues”.
