Two years after its start, the pandemic's effects continue to ripple through the figure skating world. COVID-19 cost U.S. junior ice dancers Oona Brown and Gage Brown some of their biggest competition opportunities this season. However, the Browns will get one more chance to compete at the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships 2022, in Tallinn, Estonia, rescheduled for April 13-17. And they're ready to grab the opportunity.
"We're going to put absolutely everything into this," Gage declared.
The Browns said that the first season of the pandemic (2020-21) re-set their expectations.
"I think that 2020 prepared us for this," Gage reflected. "In [fall] 2020, we had no idea what we were going to be doing – in-person competitions or virtual. But we just stayed on full throttle, working as hard as we could. And I think that transferred to this year. We're trying to look for the light at the end of the tunnel."
The Browns opened this season with a win at Dallas Cannon Classic last July.
"That was our first time having fans, and people in the stands, for a year and a half or so," Gage commented. "Just that alone was very cool. It was a different feeling."
The Browns then competed at two Junior Grand Prix events in Courchevel, France, and Linz, Austria, winning gold and silver.
"It was a relief to get back to [competing] in different countries," said Oona. "The competitions were fun."
The duo's rhythm dance is set to the 1980s rap hit "How Ya Like Me Now" by Kool Moe Dee.
"We were waiting for this moment to do hip-hop, but tango and hip-hop are our favorite styles," Gage revealed. "Ever since we saw Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir's Prince hip-hop dance [2016-17], we were like, 'I hope there's [another] hip-hop year.' And this was the year."
The Browns were seeking a piece "that everyone wants to dance to," said Gage. "How Ya Like Me Now" fit the bill. They worked with coach Joel Dear, as well as the late Serge Onik, to choreograph the number.
For their free dance, the Browns chose a Muse medley.
"Our other coach, Inese Bucevica, pitched us the idea," Gage said. The team chose some lesser-used Muse songs – "I Belong to You" and "Exogenesis" part 1 (not the better-known part 3)--for their program, which Dear and Bucevica choreographed.
"While preparing for the Junior Grand Prix Final, we made some significant changes that no one has [yet] seen," Gage said. "I feel like our programs have grown a lot since our last outing, in line and speed and extensions."
The Browns were disappointed by the cancelation of the Junior Grand Prix Final in December. A few weeks later, a heavier blow fell. On January 1, 2022, the siblings learned that they had tested positive for COVID-19.
"It was out of the blue," Oona said. "No one around us had it."
"That made it even worse," Gage added. "We weren't expecting it at all. It was pretty rough, that first day when we got the positive test. There were so many emotions; it was crazy."
The siblings experienced only mild, cold-like symptoms. However, their disappointment ran deep at having to withdraw from the 2022 Toyota U.S. Figure Skating Championships. The Browns have almost a full set of U.S. Championships medals in junior ice dance, winning pewter, bronze, and silver the last few years. They had high hopes of completing their medal collection in Nashville.
"Nationals [U.S. Championships] was the pinnacle," Gage said. "We wanted the gold [medal] so badly. And then we couldn't go. That was one of the toughest things we've had to go through."
The couple was also forced to withdraw from Bavarian Open. However, watching the ice dance events at the Olympic Winter Games in Beijing this February helped boost their motivation.
"Seeing all the athletes …It's like this culmination," Gage noted. "This competition, the Olympics, is what everyone is working toward. And everyone is putting out their best stuff. It was the best that I've seen all of the teams. Just seeing that really makes me want to get to that level."
With Junior Worlds now taking place in April rather than March, the Browns expect some overlap in preparing for the competition and starting their new programs for next season.
"It's going to be something," Gage mused. "We're going to try to work on new material, while working on our Worlds material. We're going to have to–"
"--Work our butts off," Oona added, with a giggle.
The team must also determine whether to continue in juniors next season or move up to seniors. They will rely primarily on their coaches' advice to make the decision.
"If we're shooting for the next Olympics–if that's an option–it'd be nice just to get our feet wet in seniors," Gage said.
If they remain junior, the Browns' focus will be to maximize their potential. "The goal would be to place first or second at every single competition that we possibly can," Gage said.
Also at stake: Their unfinished business at the U.S. Championships. When asked how important it was to add that missing U.S. junior ice dance gold medal to their collection, the siblings laughed.
"It's pretty important," Oona said.
"It's really important," Gage agreed. "If we had ended up coming away as junior champions [from the U.S. Championships], that would have changed a lot of things for us."
Off the ice, Oona is finishing her junior year in high school via homeschooling. Gage recently graduated from high school and anticipates starting university next fall.
"It will definitely be local and part-time," he said of his college choice. "I have to schedule it around Oona. Finding that time and scheduling is going to be difficult."
The siblings continue to also pursue cross-country running.
"Running is pretty much a part of our training. I know a lot of people don't enjoy it. Maybe we're crazy, because we do kind of enjoy it," Gage said with a laugh.
The Browns also play in an Irish marching band on Long Island, with Oona on snare drum and Gage on bagpipes. They're currently preparing for an Irish band competition in Florida.
"Another competition to look forward to!" Oona said, with a laugh.
