The Dearborn, Michigan-based Crystallettes began their season by creating their short program to "Never Tear Us Apart" by Bishop Briggs – and immediately put that concept to the test.
The team, which has a storied three-decade history competing at the senior level, lost four skaters who decided to return to collegiate skating. With just 16 athletes, it was too risky in terms of possible sickness or injury to stay in the senior division, which requires 16 skaters. As a result, they made the choice to move into the senior elite 12 division, which is in its first official season.
"That song, 'Never Tear Us Apart,' felt like it was ours," said head coach Holly Malewski. "It's the glue that's kept us together. No one tore us apart. We worked our tails off, changed everything, started from scratch in the summer and have had a very successful season."
Team member Rachel Teets found the song while scrolling through Apple Music and thought it would be a good fit. Teets has been with the Crystallettes since 2005, on the senior team since 2016, captain since 2018, and this year, added coaching to her responsibilities with the team in addition to skating.
Having a skater on the team that's also coaching is "super comforting," according to second-season Crystallette Julia Dolce.
"When we're in that huddle, she tells us what we need to hear – not always what we want to hear, but what we definitely need to hear," Dolce said. "It's very calming. I always appreciate it and look forward to it."
For Teets, it's a bit of a fake-it-'til-you-make-it scenario.
"When I do that, it's also calming me down and easing my nerves," Teets explained. "I know I have to put on a good front for everyone and pretend that I'm not nervous when I am nervous."
At the 2023 French Cup, Teets recalled, walking out to the ice before the free skate, the team was faced with a sold-out crowd for the first time.
"I know that most of these girls have never experienced that before," Teets said of the full house. "I reminded everyone, 'we have to pretend that it's just us and the judges. No one's here right now watching us.'"
"Also, it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience," Teets added. "You have to enjoy it and be present."
Ultimately, the Crystallettes secured bronze at the French Cup. Another U.S. team, Hayden Select, earned the silver medal at the same competition, setting up a fierce duel for the U.S. title.
"Our goal is to win Nationals," said Malewski, who skated on the Crystallettes senior team when it was made up of 32 skaters.
Over time, Malewski has seen the benefits that switching to senior elite 12 can bring.
"I think at first I viewed it as a challenge, because all I've ever known is skating with 16 people at once," Teets said. "I've really enjoyed the creativity we've been able to implement this year with how much more space we have. Overall, the elite 12 division is pushing both the athletes and the coaches to be the best they can be."
"I've enjoyed every single bit of it," Dolce agreed. "You can't hide, either. Everybody's skating skill has to be up to par. That's only helped us grow even more. I think it's only pushed me to become a better skater."
And while Malewski wouldn't have believed it if you told her 30 years ago that the size of the team would be cut by more than half, she appreciates what the smaller field brings to the sport.
"It's faster, it's stronger," Malewski said. "There's more room to grow and to be so creative with top speed, which is what the audience wants. They love the speed."
Bringing that added creativity are two of the Crystallettes' secret weapons this season: developing their programs with choreographers Randi Strong and Benoît Richaud. Strong is best known for her appearances on "So You Think You Can Dance" while Richaud is known for working with singles skaters like Bradie Tennell.
Strong choreographed the first iteration of both the short program and the free skate (set to a Christina Aguilera medley), Malewski said.
"What I love about Randi is she's very direct," Malewski said. "She's very creative. She expects greatness. She will not accept a pinch less than what she's asked for. I love that about her because that's the only way to push yourself."
A month or so after developing the programs with Strong, Malewski said, the team had the opportunity to work with Richaud, who was visiting the United States. The team got on the road at 3:30 a.m. to drive to a rink an hour away, to be on the ice with the famed Frenchman at 5 a.m.
Richaud was "very particular, to the way that we would flick our foot," Teets remembered. "We'd be standing there for five minutes trying to flick our foot correctly, which was helpful."
"He and Randi, they're not settling," Malewski said. "That's good. They're not going to accept mediocrity. And that's what we needed."
And about Richaud in particular, Malewski added that "he's super confident. I love him though. I mean, he has every right to be confident. He's good. You know what? If we all had that air of confidence, we'd never lose!"
They'll try and take that confidence with them into the 2023 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships, March 1-4.
