Hello from the other side (of summer that is)! I can't believe summer is already coming to an end and the competitive season is approaching quickly! Time really does fly when you're having fun (sorry… corny, I know).
Cheesy lines aside, this summer really has been fun for Jean-Luc and I! Though we often times coin the months following World Championships as the "off-season," it is far from a period of down time. For me, the off-season is a period of exploration. From learning new elements, to refining skating techniques, to the process of creating our new programs for the upcoming season, there is so much room for creativity and innovation in these summer months.
Not to mention, now that we have fully settled into life here in Montreal, the past summer months have allowed us to explore the ins and outs of the city. I have explored every dog park imaginable and have started checking off the long list of incredible coffee shops the city has to offer. Meanwhile JL can probably pass for a Montreal food guide by now with his expert knowledge of all the best places to eat around the city (trust me… That. Guy. Can. Eat.).
Now that summer is coming to a close, training is starting to ramp up and our programs are starting to settle into our bodies. It takes months to develop a program and there are many steps that go into the three and four minutes you see when we take the ice at a competition. Here is a breakdown of the process.
Phase 1: Constructing Our Programs
Everything starts with a piece of music and a concept for the programs that we create with our choreographers Marie-France Dubreuil, Romain Haguenauer and Samuel Chouinard. Once the concept is created, we create a blueprint for the layout of the programs, including where elements will go musically and the pattern and flow of the elements on the ice.
We then create the initial cuts of our music with our master music mixer Hugo Chouinard. Throughout the few weeks of initial choreography on the ice, handfuls of adjustments are made to the music from adding a few seconds here and there and removing phrases, or even adding layers of instrumentation to certain parts of the music.
As the program begins to develop and the storyline behind it becomes clearer, we also begin creating elements to accent where they are placed in the music. For example, we could add a big curve lift on a large crescendo of music, or a spin or twizzles set where the cadence of the music increases in the program.
Phase 2: Adding Flair
As the weeks go by, we naturally transition into "phase two" of the choreographic process, where adjustments are made to allow the program to flow better and details are added to create more depth and character within the performance. Think of this step as the interior décor process after the foundation of a new home has been built. Just like adding furniture to a room and artwork to the walls, the second phase of developing a program adds flair and personality to our story. This is my favorite part of the creative process, because I can see a clear vision of what our program looks like from beginning to end, and Jean-Luc and I start to create unique moments between one another within the choreography of the program.
Phase 3: Train, Train, Train
Phase three is where the physical labor comes into play. We train lots of sections that eventually turn into run-throughs, which allow us to ingrain the choreography into our body and build cardio for the new routines. Though this is a physically demanding part of the process of developing our programs, it is also really rewarding because you can see the little improvements and growths that occur day to day in training!
As I am writing this, I am mid-week of one of the last few weeks of training leading up to U.S. Figure Skating Champs Camp, our first "event" of the season. This year, the camp is in sunny Irvine, California! This camp is always such a fun way to wrap up a productive summer of training. We get to see all our fellow Team USA athletes, perform our programs for U.S. officials, and get a fresh set of eyes and great feedback for the programs leading into the competitive season!
I cannot wait to kick off another season with our amazing team in Montreal and I am excited to continue to share parts of this journey with you all as the year goes by with more blogs on the Fan Zone. Wishing everyone a sunny, warm end to your summer!
Until next time!
