Summertime, which in the world of figure skating is known as the off-season, is a transformative time of year. Skaters are eager to hit the drawing board to come up with inventive choreography to impress judges and fans next season. They begin with a blank slate, or more accurately a fresh sheet of ice, that they must fill with intricate edge patterns, turns, spins, jumps and lifts.
There's no rest for the weary. Some Team USA athletes began preparing for the 2019-20 season the moment as they took their final bow of the 2018-19 season. The pairs team of
Haven Denney and Brandon Frazier primarily train under the tutelage of John Zimmerman and Silvia Fontana in Wesley Chapel, Florida, but spent part of April in Colorado Springs, Colorado, to work with Tom Zakrajsek on jumps and plan to coordinate a bi-coastal training schedule with their coaching team as the upcoming season progresses.
"As soon as the 2018-19 season ended after Four Continents, Brandon and I got back into the rink right away," says Denney. "We started working on new things like lifts and required elements for [the] short program such as [a] back-inside death spiral. For us, it's smart to work on these new things while we are in shape, so no one gets injured."
In order to bring the most creative juices to the ice, other skaters elected to take a refreshing break and clear their minds first.
"I took a week off of skating and used my time to hike and explore what Colorado has to offer," says
Andrew Torgashev, who trains in Colorado Springs. "I had an amazing time and visited some memorable places such as Bishop Castle and climbed Blodgett Peak."
Expression Through Music and Movement
American skaters also have a love for the creative expression, artistry and musicality of the sport.
"I decided that I wanted to choreograph my own programs so that I could push my limits and come up with something unique and beautiful," Torgashev says. "I've been messing around with new movements and elements that would wow the audience. There is so much thought and heart that goes into choreography, the off-season is the perfect time for this. This is probably the only time in your career that you can experiment and create something that no one else ever has. I can't wait to show off my new creations."
The off-season is a time to take risks, push boundaries and workshop new moves such as jump rotations, lifts, transitions, entries, and exits both on and off the ice. "Our off-season process is...a process! We are working on progress at this time. There is a lot of new information being instilled in our bodies, from new choreography to new techniques on jumps to different lifts," explains Frazier. "Our capacity is evolving and so we need this time to get it in our bones. And with a lot of practice, by the time we compete, we will feel confident to perform all these tricks!"
When it comes time to officially choreograph new routines, skaters want to provide their choreographers with a toolbox full of elements to select from.
"Our coaches are very creative and we all kind [of] put our heads together and come up with interesting moves," added Denney. "We like to do this before our programs are choreographed, so we know what works and what doesn't work and so that our choreographer has things to pick and choose from. Also, if we try something but it's not quite working out, usually our choreographer will know exactly what to do to fix it. Or, one thing leads to another and our choreographer will come up with something really cool!"
The Past is Just as Important as the Future
With the upcoming skating season in the middle of the Olympic cycle, setting both short-term and long-term goals is essential in the off-season. "After having a successful season, we hope that our momentum from U.S. Championships will carry on into next season," ice dancer Anthony Ponomarenko projects. "The competitive field in ice dance in the U.S. is very tough and one of our main goals is to breakthrough and show our ability to skate at a higher level." His partner, Christina Carreira, hopes they'll make the 2020 World Team.
In order to plan ahead, athletes must also reflect on the past to identify areas where improvement is needed and then come up with a realistic and achievable game plan.
"I typically sit down with my coaches and evaluate the high and low points of the previous season," ladies figure skater
Megan Wessenberg tells FanZone. "By analyzing the specific factors that either contributed to or distracted from my success, I can identify my strengths and weaknesses in order to improve my future performances."
Something old, something new and something borrowed isn't only for weddings. It's also applicable to figure skating choreography. "In our free time, we watch old skating videos to find ideas for elements and transitions," Ponomarenko shares. "I'm very excited for our new free dance this year. It's very different from anything we've ever done. It's a lot of fun learning a new dance style and exploring different ideas."
He and Carreira will debut a flamenco number come fall. She announced on Instagram that they selected Farrucas music, including a live version of the song "Malagueña" by Benise. They've already begun working with coach Igor Shpilband and others on creative movement and character development. Off-ice, the partners take ballet and acting classes to learn transferable skills.
The Icing on the Cake
Getting competition ready isn't only about assembling a physically challenging and visually appealing routine. The glitz and glam of figure skating makes it unique from every other sport and requires very careful attention. The story behind a piece of music is portrayed through both choreography and fashion. "Brainstorming ideas for the perfect dress and putting on the finished product for the first time is always a highlight of the off-season as well!" Wessenberg says of costume
design.
