by Anne Calder
Samantha Ritter & Daniel Brykalov signify Azerbaijan in senior ice dance.
IDC just lately 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 have been nervous, however took it as a possibility to begin out the occasion with a bang,” Ritter stated. “We simply wished to make a splash and be remembered.”
“The vitality from the gang was very optimistic,” Brykalov added. “They actually helped, so any nerves on the market have been slowly transitioned to pleasure.”
Daniel Brykalov was born in Minneapolis, MN on October 19, 2000.
“Once I was ten, I began skating due to my sister, Paulina. My dad and mom didn’t need to take us to separate actions, so that they put me in determine skating. We have been each in free model,” Brykalov defined. “Three years later our household traveled to Colorado to talk with some skating coaches. After trying on the peak of our dad and mom, it was recommended we modify course.”
“You guys are going to be tall. Associate up and go into ice dance. Free model can be very robust.”
The kids heeded the recommendation and at age 13, Daniel started ice dancing along with his sister.
The siblings skilled in Novi, MI with Igor Shpilband and competed at 4 U.S. Nationwide Championships.
They have been tenth at their 2015 debut in Greensboro, NC as Juveniles. The following yr 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 closing Nationals on the SAP Middle 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 signify Azerbaijan. The duo skilled 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 together with her brother, who 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 an identical peak state of affairs. She was instructed she was going to be approach too tall to leap.
“I at all times preferred dance far more anyway,” Ritter admitted. “Once 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 group gained gold on the 2019 Novice & Junior Dance Problem. In November on the inaugural Ice Dance Last in Hyannis, MA, Ritter & Wang certified for the 2020 U.S. Championships in Greensboro, NC the place they they positioned tenth. Within the subsequent yr, Covid-19 affected the whole skating world.
A brand new starting
Ritter & Brykalov partnered in January 2021.
“We have been pals for a very long time. Ultimately we started courting. Individually we had stopped skating with our former companions, so determined to skate collectively. We already acquired alongside nicely and have been suitable,” 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 transferring to a brand new location out of the country, particularly throughout a pandemic, proved very difficult.
“We struggled speaking correctly in supporting one another after we first acquired 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 at all times carry such excessive vitality to the rink,” Ritter stated.
“Every one is barely completely different, but it surely makes an ideal mixture of what you want, so we find it irresistible,” her associate 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 placement 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 excellent.”
The coaching and depth stage is about the identical in London as in Montreal. They skate three, generally 4 hours a day with extra 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 set free all of the stress of the week,” Ritter laughed.
Brykalov defined their very sturdy however completely different connection to music.
“Samantha is aware of all the things about music. She is aware of music historical past greater than I do. She’s a specialist on decade model. Play a tune, 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 folks do. I believe that comes partially from taking part in the piano.”
“She is aware of it. I really feel it. It’s an awesome mixture,” concluded Brykalov.
For the 2022-2023 season, the group’s Free Dance music included: “She Intro” by Daniel Brykalov, “She” (Acoustic Model) by Piano Nest, Harry Types and “She” by Harry Types,
Brykalov acknowledged his contribution to the opening music.
“I organized and performed roughly the primary 30 seconds of our program that yr. We would have liked one thing that began “She” by Harry Types softer, so I made a decision to provide it a attempt since I play piano. It’s comparatively easy, but it surely labored, so we saved it.
“With regard to doing extra compositions, I’ve considered it, however we now have been fortunate with discovering music that matches precisely what we want. I’m open to including extra of my work to our packages if the necessity arises. It’s enjoyable skating to one thing that you created.”
Ritter & Brykalov mentioned areas of enchancment included of their targets for the approaching season.
“We have to develop extra confidence with our primary expertise in competitions,” Ritter stated. “In follow we’re extra assured, extra relaxed, and possibly carry out a bit of bit higher. Typically [at competitions] if you’re nervous, you neglect a number of the strategies that you are able to do. I believe I simply need extra competitors expertise.”
“One other factor we form of need to work on is bettering our arty a bit of bit. Usually we rating a bit higher in our Free Dance for no matter causes,” Brykalov added. “We need 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 battle with the sharpness and quickness of the Rhythm Dance, the place we like to decide on very balletic and delicate for the Free Dance. Plus we’re tall and that lends itself additionally. We’ve to determine the best way to merge the 2 and discover the sensation we now have within the Free Dance.”
The group spoke about being a pair on and off the ice.
“We get to expertise collectively all of the hardships, all of the recollections, 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 yr. I like the creativity of the off season and making new issues”.
