By Matteo Morelli
Olivia Sensible and Tim Dieck accomplished their second season after becoming a member of forces as a brand new partnership representing Spain. With each of them being skilled ice dancers, they rapidly went from a primary season understanding how their partnership may work, to reaching necessary outcomes on this second season simply ended.
Tim Dieck (TD): We’re actually joyful and actually happy with our efficiency. It was somewhat extra nerve wracking than typical, however the crowd helped a lot.
Olivia Sensible (OS): It was a dream come true second. It has been some time since now we have competed on the Europeans, and to be amongst all the highest groups as such a brand new staff is sort of a blessing. We need to be up there the place we need to combat for a podium.
Listening to them and seeing their enthusiasm, one virtually forgets that their partnership remains to be fairly new. The concept of changing into a staff began to form up round three years in the past, however in a little bit of an uncommon means.
TD: It’s a good story, really. It began with a no from Olivia: once I heard that she stopped skating with Adrián (Díaz), I knew that I needed to skate along with her. I had a tryout deliberate in Montreal, and I knew that she was nonetheless there. Earlier than that tryout, she was the primary one I texted, however again then she was in a special temper, as if she stopped along with her profession. However then, once I went to Montreal, the coaches noticed me skating and determined to maneuver issues ahead.
OS: I used to be invited over for dinner at Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon’s home. After a few glasses of wine, they mentioned I wanted to have a tryout with Tim. Per week prior, I simply signed my Dancing on Ice contract, so I requested why they thought I wanted to have a tryout with Tim, and so they informed me that he was in Montreal and appeared very sturdy, and this may very well be my alternative if I needed to proceed skating. I mentioned I’d do the tryout, but in addition talked about I used to be going to do Dancing on Ice and depart for eight months, which meant no coaching. So, we had our tryout, and it was a no brainer for us each to proceed, even when we each needed to sacrifice the time of me being away doing Dancing on Ice, which gave us a later begin into our first season collectively. It was a sluggish however regular begin, and an uphill climb from there.
Contemplating how a lot they achieved already, it has certainly been fairly a speedy climb!
TD: To say that we didn’t qualify final season for the Europeans, and now we’re within the high 5! It’s nice.
OS: We name it our “accelerated programme”. We’re each very sturdy personalities and we’re each Aries, so we bump heads generally, however now we have probably the most wonderful staff that has taught me for years the way to handle my feelings and power. Now Tim is on board and he’s studying himself: it’s cool to observe someone you’re so near going via the identical studying course of you probably did, and I’ve discovered lots watching him be taught and develop as nicely. We have gotten an excellent powerhouse collectively, utilizing our weaknesses as strengths.
After the European Championships, they focussed on coaching to enter the World Championships in Boston in the most effective form potential: their sixth-place end there in all probability exceeded their expectations, however confirmed how their “accelerated programme” is already paying them again for all of the onerous work they’re placing in. After their small bronze medal within the free, they couldn’t fairly consider what they achieved.
OS: I’m speechless. I’ve by no means had a smile on my face like that! The sensation of it, the connection we had collectively: I used to be so emotional all day. If you happen to would have requested me two years in the past once we first held one another’s arms that we might be right here at this time, I’d have laughed in everybody’s face. However we made it!
TD: Each second, I actually felt the reference to Olivia on the ice.
OS: We have now constructed so many followers and relationships via this (free) programme.
From their storytelling to their characters impersonation, their free dance on music from the film Dune was certainly one of the crucial common of the season.
TD: It was really Olivia’s concept. She got here into the ring sooner or later and advised Dune. Then we each went to observe the film once more with our dance coach (Sam Chouinard).
OS: I used to be on the lookout for a bit of music with sturdy feminine vocals. I like listening to sturdy, ethereal feminine vocals, one thing very whimsical that provides you chills. After which I watched the film and thought it was precisely it. I assumed that possibly it’s too cliché to do Dune, as a result of it had simply come out and possibly lots of people had been going to do it. Nobody did it in ice dance, and some different individuals did it within the different disciplines, however it grew to become the film of the yr for individuals to make use of. I’m very proud that we may very well be the ice dance staff to place it ahead.
Their costumes, designed by Madison Chock and Mathieu Caron, stand out all through the whole programme, and earned them the 2025 ISU Skating Award for Finest Costume.
TD: Mine was by Mathieu, I caught with the primary model of it.
OS: We had two variations of mine. An excellent programme wants a complete vibe and power, together with the costumes and the look. That’s what ice dance is, the look is an enormous a part of it. After Nebelhorn Trophy, I spotted that I wasn’t 100% positive of what my costume was and I used to be going to vary it anyway. I had these concepts on paper and photos, however I couldn’t put all of them collectively and make up a design, so I went to Madison for assist. She already helped me with my Olympic season costume, and he or she nailed it with this one.
The ice dance area they left of their earlier partnership just isn’t precisely the one they discovered after teaming up: from shows to costumes and music types, the self-discipline is evolving in many alternative methods, with new instructions of journey being explored.
OS: I’d undoubtedly say that the inventive persons are pushing the boundaries. Yearly, individuals need to assume outdoors the field and the creativity is shifted, not simply from the youthful groups but in addition from the highest ones: you could have Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri doing a really trendy, robotic programme, Evgeniia Lopareva and Geoffrey Brissaud doing a techno one like what we hear once we exit at golf equipment, Lilah Worry and Lewis Gibson skating to Beyoncé. Issues are so completely different to what we had been used to, however individuals pushing the boundaries additionally implies that everybody pushes one another due to that. It’s fascinating as a result of, for instance, how do you decide a Beyoncé programme in opposition to a robotic programme? It’s actually troublesome, however I assume that’s what makes our sport fascinating to observe as nicely. It isn’t simply tango after tango after tango, and I do know there are lots of people which can be lacking that primary dance idea of waltzes, tangos, and foxtrots. I’m not going to lie, I’ve by no means completed a golden waltz or something like that and I’d like to in some unspecified time in the future. It might be cool for the rhythm dance to see that come again somewhat bit after which have full inventive area for the free dance, however I do know they’re making an attempt various things yearly with the rhythm dance, and it’s good. We are going to see the way it evolves, with the theme altering yearly it actually retains us on our toes. However with the free dance, I feel persons are simply going to maintain pushing boundaries of what they’ll do to not simply entertain the crowds but in addition to get the judges consideration, as a result of if the judges don’t like your programme, you aren’t going to be getting the scores you need. You need to please everybody, not simply your self.
The best way the rhythm dance is evolving is especially fascinating, however appears like it’s posing some challenges on the similar time.
TD: Particularly on the subject of the Olympic season, the place more often than not the ISU is making an attempt to grasp what crowds would really like. It is rather troublesome, however I agree with Olivia that it could be good to take a step again once more, again to the “classical” half the place you may actually examine one another’s skating abilities, after which you may have full freedom for the free dance.
One other change we’re witnessing within the area is the longevity of some groups on the market. With Olivia and Tim of their late twenties, may we anticipate to see them for some years to come back?
OS: Our predominant objectives because the staff is, in fact, to compete on the Olympic Video games collectively, so that’s our subsequent long-term purpose for 2026, the Olympics. We did say we might actually re-evaluate yr by yr how we’re doing and the way we might need to put together for the subsequent season. We love what we do, and with the uphill climb we’re having proper now, it will likely be onerous to step away from it after the Video games. Each of us additionally know that there’s life past skating, however we each have an excellent steadiness in the intervening time and we’re simply going to maintain one another in line and in test with how we really feel and the place we’re at, taking it season by season. If we see there’s a gap there for us, I don’t assume we’ll miss that probability.
That is very true for each of them, however significantly for Olivia, when occupied with her resolution to simply accept the chance to enter the Dancing on Ice expertise within the UK (and win it!).
OS: I discovered lots doing that present. One of many largest the reason why I did it was as a result of Marie-France informed me that I’d be taught a lot from it, from partnering abilities to endurance and power administration. I’d say the largest studying I had was endurance: it took time, work and endurance to enter a brand-new partnership the place each of us have very completely different skating abilities and mindsets and making an attempt to get these aligned. I used my abilities from competing in a staff sport with my superstar companion Nile (Wilson), as a result of he was used to compete alone (he’s a former creative gymnast for Nice Britain, winner of an Olympic bronze medal on the 2016 Video games in Rio de Janeiro). I’ve additionally discovered lots by way of efficiency abilities on the ice, that regardless of how you’re feeling, how nervous you’re, you simply do your job. I had quite a lot of these moments on Dancing On Ice: for instance, once I lifted Nile, I used to be probably the most nervous I’ve ever been, and I used to be on reside tv however I needed to do it, and I simply did! After I go into competitors now, even when I’ve all these ideas or I’m nervous, I feel that I’ve to do it. And if I don’t do it, I don’t do it, however I do know I can and I’ve to do it.
It’s clear that Olivia and Tim have discovered their steadiness and are actually having fun with their partnership, on and off the ice. I needed to conclude our chat by asking a key query: Olivia is well-known to like canine, together with her personal Linda in Montreal and the numerous canine in her household. Is Tim additionally an enormous fan of canine?
TD: After all! I’ve a canine at house in Germany, and each time Olivia is busy in Montreal, I care for Linda. I completely love canine!
Thanks a lot to each for the time spent speaking with us, and better of luck with the subsequent season.