by Daphne Backman | Banner photograph of Yang & Kay by Robin Ritoss
Ice dance (and determine skating) is particular. All through the previous 25 years, my group and I’ve been privileged to {photograph} or interview lots of the ice dancers at competitions just like the Lake Placid Ice Dance Championships, Dallas Basic or Problem Cup. We’ve watched new groups come collectively, welcomed youngsters and oldsters to the ice dance group and helped households navigate a number of the nuances of their new determine skating world. We’ve watched kids type friendships and adults discover a camaraderie with others who perceive the every day challenges. We’ve captured the fun of success or disappointment in quotes and pictures or given phrases of encouragement when wanted. We’ve watched athletes say goodbye to the game as they retire and transfer on to new adventures. All are cherished reminiscences for us and our group.
Writing an article about this profound loss is difficult. It’s tough to seek out the suitable phrases to precisely seize the enjoyment of their lives. It appears inconceivable, but it’s essential to share these ideas and to recollect these we misplaced by sharing even a small piece of what made them particular.
For Sasha, Sean, Julia, Angela, Lily, Alydia and those that perished on this crash…I’ll do my finest to shine a light-weight on the ice dance group members who have been misplaced.
On January 29, American Airways Flight 5342 took off from Wichita, Kansas carrying 60 passengers and 4 crew members. The 60 passengers included 11 members of the U.S. Nationwide Improvement Workforce in addition to 4 coaches and 13 relations. The skaters had been in Wichita for the high-performance growth camp, an annual program for athletes on the juvenile, intermediate and novice stage that was created in 2020 to encourage and foster the event of the subsequent era of skaters. Nationwide Improvement Workforce members certified through placement at three sectional occasions (singles) or through the ice dance or pairs finals. Along with coaching and different instructional alternatives, contributors attended the weekend’s senior aggressive occasions.
It was inconceivable to not discover the electrical vitality emanating from the stands in part 119 as the youngsters supported every senior competitor. The connections constructed between the athletes have been heartwarming, and it was apparent the friendships fostered via this expertise would proceed far past the few days at this camp. Our tabled media seating was situated behind this part so we had a entrance row seat to witness the thrill that grew all through that weekend. Whereas the Nationals opponents and households headed dwelling on Monday, the Nationwide Improvement Workforce athletes remained in Wichita for 2 extra days to work with consultants and proceed with on and off-ice coaching and efficiency enchancment actions.
At roughly 8:48pm, flight 5342 collided mid-air with a U.S. Military Black Hawk helicopter whereas approaching Reagan Nationwide Airport in Washington, DC. There have been no survivors.
The DC space is central to plenty of skating golf equipment and coaching facilities. When studying concerning the crash, my mind went via a psychological listing of everybody from the Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Maryland areas to think about who might be misplaced. Ready to study who was on the flight and affirmation of those that have been passengers was heartbreaking.
From the 28 members of the determine skating household who perished within the crash, 9 have been from the ice dance group. Angela Yang & Sean Kay, the 11-year previous juvenile champions from the 2025 U.S. Ice Dance Closing had attended the camp together with their moms Lily (Yang) and Julia (Kay) and coach Alexandr Kirsanov. Alydia Livingston, additionally 11, was invited to attend the camp along with her new ice dance companion. Her sister Everly and oldsters Donna and Peter have been additionally on the flight as was Everly’s singles coach Inna Volyanskaya.
This isn’t the primary time the determine skating group has mourned such a tragic loss. Almost 64 years in the past, on February 15, 1961, Sabena Flight 548 crashed close to Brussels, Belgium, whereas approaching to land. Tragically, all 72 folks on board, together with 18 members of the U.S. determine skating group who have been on their technique to the World Championships in Prague, died within the accident.
Concerning the Victims
Alexandr (Sasha) Kirsanov was a former aggressive ice dancer who represented the USA, Azerbaijan and Russia. After retiring in 2004, he grew to become a determine skating coach and choreographer primarily based within the Newark, Delaware space. The primary time I met Sasha was in Lake Placid on the Ice Dance Championships as he was a part of the teaching group for one of many groups I knew. The final time I noticed him was on the Ice Dance Closing in Plano in November. I wished to share this story.
In 2012, I used to be on my technique to the U.S. Championships in San Jose, and my connecting flight was in Philadelphia. As a result of climate the airplane was delayed lengthy sufficient that I missed my connection in Phoenix. Again then, I didn’t plan my journey as fastidiously as I do now, and this missed connection meant no likelihood of arriving in San Jose that night and certain lacking the Novice Sample Dances that have been scheduled to start out at 10am the subsequent morning. Sasha was additionally on my flight, and one among his groups was a part of the identical novice dance occasion that means he would additionally miss it.
In contrast to earlier Nationals, I might be staying with my pal Robin Ritoss at her dwelling. Once I known as to let her know of the predicament, she instructed I fly into San Francisco as a substitute, and she or he would come to satisfy me. As soon as my flight was modified, I went to seek out Sasha, and he was capable of ebook the identical flight. Robin was blissful to make an additional cease, and I used to be glad one of many groups wouldn’t be with out one among their coaches. I share this story as a result of again in July, whereas on the Dallas Basic, I talked with Sasha about this journey, and we each had an awesome snort about it. I’m glad I had that second.
Sasha leaves behind a spouse, Natalya Gudin, who additionally coached Angela and Sean however was not in Wichita, and a daughter, Nicole. Nicole is a proficient solo dancer and a multi-time nationwide medalist on the Nationwide Solo Dance Closing.
This season was the primary as a group for Angela Yang & Sean Kay, who represented the College of Delaware Determine Skating Membership and each competed in solo dance. Though a brand new group, they positioned first at each occasion together with the Dallas Basic, Lake Placid Ice Dance Championships and the U.S. Ice Dance Closing. It was fantastic to observe them proceed to develop as a group via every competitors. I bear in mind Anne (Calder) messaging me through the Ice Dance Closing to verify I’d seen them taking part in with their stuffies within the kiss ‘n cry after the free dance. Juvenile is such a enjoyable stage to {photograph} due to the competitor vitality and pleasure of skating.
I met and had a short dialog with Julia (Sean’s mom) on the Dance Closing. When she realized I used to be from ice-dance.com, she thanked me for all the photographs that we’ve posted of her youngsters. I discovered later from one other guardian who was on the camp, that each Lily and Julia had one among Robin’s photographs from Lake Placid as their telephone background. That meant rather a lot.
In September, Angela completed second within the Juvenile Mixed occasion on the 2024 Nationwide Solo Dance Closing. Sean received the Novice Mixed on the similar occasion and his brother Skyler received Intermediate Mixed.
Angela and Sean had a lot potential as a group and of their solo careers. Their love of skating and keenness for efficiency shall be missed.
Angela’s mom Lily in addition to Julia, Sean’s mom have been additionally on the flight. Angela is survived by her father Jacob, sister Tiki and brother Miller. Tiki has arrange a GoFundMe for the household. Sean is survived by his father Vitali, sister Samantha and two brothers. A GoFundMe to proceed the skating journeys of Sean’s siblings has been created.
There shall be a celebration of life for Sasha, Sean, Julia, Lily and Angela from 8 am till 12 pm on Saturday, February 22, 2025, on the College of Delaware Fred Rust Ice Enviornment in Newark, DE. In lieu of flowers, donations could also be made payable to the College of Delaware Skating Membership and mailed to the Fred Rust Ice Enviornment, 549 S. School Avenue, Newark, DE, 19716.
On January 20, singles skater and solo ice dancer Alydia Livingston (Washington Determine Skating Membership) and Matthew Jacoby introduced their ice dance partnership on Instagram. Matthew had competed in intermediate ice dance on the Ice Dance Closing and was invited to attend the Excessive Efficiency Improvement Camp together with his new companion.
Alydia’s sister Everly, a singles skater, had additionally certified to attend the camp through a fourth place end in intermediate ladies at Japanese Sectionals. Alydia and Everly have been often known as the Ice Skating Sisters on Instagram and Youtube and had a rising social media presence sharing movies of their performances and adventures. Their father, Peter, had taught them to skate, and the household embraced the world of determine skating.
I spoke with Liz (Matthew’s mom) on the final day of the U.S. Championships. She shared that Alydia and Matt have been excited to be on the camp and searching ahead to the season. Issues have been going nicely. I used to be trying ahead to seeing this new group debut at a summer season competitors initially of the 2025-26 season.
Liz and Matthew took a flight again to Philadelphia earlier on Wednesday.
Together with these talked about above, a complete of 28 members of the determine skating group have been misplaced on January 29. The next singles skaters and coaches additionally perished:
- Jinna Han (and mom Jin)
- Spencer Lane (and mom Christine)
- Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov (coaches)
- Brielle Beyer (and mom Justyna)
- Cory Haynos (and oldsters Stephanie and Roger)
- Olivia Eve Ter (and mom Olesya)
- Franco Aparicio (and father Luciano)
- Eddie Zhou (and oldsters Yu Zhou and Kaiyan Mao)
- Inna Volyanskaya (coach)
In case you are excited by contributing to assist the households left behind on this tragedy, U.S. Determine Skating has created the U.S. Determine Skating Household Assist Fund to help these immediately impacted.
On February 5, Monumental Sports activities & Leisure, Leisure Gang and U.S. Determine Skating introduced they are going to host a dwell determine skating tribute to be held at Capital One Enviornment in downtown Washington D.C. on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Legacy on Ice will honor the 67 lives misplaced and lift funds to assist victims’ households and the primary responders and aviation professionals who labored tirelessly within the aftermath of the tragedy. All proceeds shall be collected by the Monumental Sports activities & Leisure Basis and equally distributed to the U.S. Determine Skating Household Assist Fund, Higher Washington Group Basis’s “DCA Collectively Aid Fund” and DC Fireplace & EMS Basis. The occasion shall be co-hosted by 1988 Olympic champion Brian Boitano and can embody Ilia Malinin (three-time U.S. Champion and 2024 World Champion), Amber Glenn (two-time U.S. Champion and 2024 Grand Prix Closing Champion), Madison Chock & Evan Bates (six-time U.S. Champions and two-time World Champions) and extra.
It’s my hope that the sense of connection in our ice dance group brings consolation to everybody as we transfer ahead whereas grieving this loss. Although they’re now not with us, their affect stays — in each reminiscence and each act of kindness impressed by their lives. We stock them ahead in our hearts, guaranteeing that their legacy continues to form our group for the longer term.
Picture Gallery: Ice Dance Group Members Misplaced on Flight 5342
Pictures by Daphne Backman, Melanie Heaney and Robin Ritoss