PSA's 2018 U.S. Open Pro comp. & Conference in Orlando, FL; 'EDI' Nationals Best Performance, coaching & other award winners

[Sylvia]

"The 2018 U.S. Open Professional Figure Skating Championships will feature one event, comprised of men’s, ladies, pairs, dance, specialty act, and group and will be judged based on their "total performance" with an eye to costuming, presentation, music selection, choreography, style and technique. ( Link to the Competition Announcement)
Date & Time: Tuesday, May 22, 2018 from 7-10 pm (TONIGHT)
Rink: RDV Sportsplex Ice Den in Orlando, Florida

I posted this in the U.S. Pairs thread back in late March:

Mark Ladwig and Amanda Evora will be re-teaming! https://twitter.com/LadwigMark/status/979444184552787968

An update posted yesterday: https://www.instagram.com/p/BjDKSwulDjl/?taken-by=ladwigmark

Rohene Ward was filmed by Jordan Cowan on "the first day of choreography for his new routine for the US Open. Here’s a snippet of the #footworksequence he made right before my very s!" Clip: https://www.instagram.com/p/BiXGkZtlzA1/?taken-by=oniceperspectives

More names of this year's U.S Open competitors to be posted later today before or after they compete.

ETA that I don't know if Jonathan Cassar will compete (like he has in previous years); I posted links to a new program of his in the U.S. Club & other local shows thread here: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...galas-2018-edition.103780/page-2#post-5358704

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The Professional Skaters Association (PSA) Annual Conference & Trade Show in taking place May 23-26, 2018 in Orlando, Florida: http://www.skatepsa.com/Conference 2018/Conference Home.html

 

[Sylvia]

2018 Best Performance Award Winners for the 2018 Prudential U.S. Championships in San Jose, CA (announced by the PSA on Facebook on March 23) - criteria and winners through the years are linked in this thread: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...inners-through-the-years-criteria-etc.103733/

Ladies - Mirai Nagasu – Championship Ladies Free Skate Program
PSA Coach – Tom Zakrajsek
Choreographer – Jeffrey Buttle Music Selection – Miss Saigon
Costume Designer – Pat Pearsall

Men - Ross Miner – Championship Men Free Skate Program
PSA Coaches – Mark Mitchell, Peter Johansson
Choreographer – Jamie Isley
Music Selection – Queen
Costume Designer – Alicia Jackson

Ice Dance - Madison Hubbell / Zachary Donohue - Championship Dance Free Dance Program
PSA Coaches – Patrice Lauzon
Choreographers – Marie-France Dubreuil, Samuel Chouinard
Music Selection – “Across the Sky” Instrumental by Rag N’Bone Man, “Caught Out In the Rain” by Beth Hart
Costume Designers – Susan Hubbell and Mathieu Carron

Pairs - Tarah Kayne / Danny O’Shea - Championship Pairs Free Program
PSA Coaches – Jim Peterson, Amanda Evora
Choreographer – Shae-Lynn Bourne
Music Selection – “Swan Lake” by Pytor ILyich Tchaikovsky (selected and edited by Jim Peterson)
Costume Designers – Tarah Kayne, Jim Peterson, Dawn Imperatore

Synchronized Skating (2018 U.S. Synchro Nationals were held in Portland, OR, Feb. 22-24)
Skyliners, SC of New York - Senior Free Skate Program
PSA Coaches – Josh Babb
Choreographer – Josh Babb
Music Selection – Cleopatra
Costume Designer – Hazel Matthys

"A formal presentation of these awards will take place during U.S. Figure Skating’s Champs Camp later this year [August 18-23, 2018]."

 

[Sylvia]

The other 2018 EDI award winners will be announced at the 50th Annual PSA Awards Dinner on Friday, May 25.
"The PSA Edi awards are named in honor of Edi Scholdan, an Olympic coach at the Broadmoor Skating Club, who was killed in the 1961 crash. Edi was president of the PSA from 1950 to 1954 and was inducted to the Coaches Hall of Fame in 2001."

The four Joint PSA USFS EDI Awards are: Coach of the Year, Developmental Coach of the Year, Paul McGrath Choreographer of the Year Award & Pieter Kollen Sport Science Coaching Award.

 

[HeatherC]

If anyone happens to see it, I would love to hear how Amanda & Mark skated tonight!

 

[Debbie S]

If anyone happens to see it, I would love to hear how Amanda & Mark skated tonight!

I received a couple of texts from someone who was there. It sounds like Amanda and Mark skated to Pocahontas, but I didn't get any details. She is at the airport, I may get more info after she returns home. She did say that Rohene won. The skaters perform, then go up to the judges, who give positive comments and then hold up scores. It's all in fun (and a PSA fundraiser).

 

[Sylvia]

Group photo of the U.S. Open competitors on Tuesday: https://www.instagram.com/p/BjISDBRl2JV/

Congratulations to all of our 2018 U.S. Open Professional competitors! Results: Grand Champion - Jonathan Cassar, “Creative Visionary Award” - Jason Graetz, “The Skater’s Skater” Award - Rohene Ward, “Ground Breaker Award” - Piercyn Hunt

Photo shared by Jonathan Cassar of him with Rohene and Ryan Jahnke: https://www.instagram.com/p/BjIL1NnliNX/

Such an honor to share the ice with these two Trail Blazers last night! I’ve always looked up the these two, both brilliant technicians and artists. They’ve paved the road for the generations to follow...

 

[Sylvia]

JOINT PSA USFS EDI AWARDS - gala dinner in Orlando, Florida on May 25, 2018

Tanith & Charlie White are hosting the PSA EDI Awards dinner tonight! Photo of them at the podium: https://twitter.com/ProfSk8rsAssoc/status/1000177461617979393

Coach of the Year: Patrice Lauzon - photo: https://twitter.com/ProfSk8rsAssoc/status/1000200962982760449
2018 Nominees: Rafael & Vera Arutunian & Nadia Kanaeva; Saga Krantz; Patrice Lauzon; Denise Myers; Dalilah Sappenfield; Marina Zoueva

Paul McGrath Choreographer of the Year Award: Scott Brown - photo: https://twitter.com/ProfSk8rsAssoc/status/1000181400061038592
2018 Nominees (3): Josh Babb, Scott Brown, Jamie Isley

Developmental Coach(es) of the Year: Josh Babb and Pam May of the the Skyliners Synchronized Skating program: http://skylinerssynchro.com/Page.asp?n=86880&org=SKYLINERSSST
Skyliners make history, win silver at junior worlds (March 17, 2018): http://web.icenetwork.com/news/2018/03/17/269007228
2018 Nominees: Alexei Kiliakov, Elena Novak & Dmytri Ilin; Aleksey Letov & Olga Ganicheva; Darlene & Peter Cain; John Zimmerman, Silvia Fontana & Jeremy Barrett; Josh Babb & Pam May; Laura Lipetsky

Pieter Kollen Sport Science Award for use of scientific technology in figure skating: Devin Wang
Pretty sure this is the same person ("ESPN recounts the incredible story of U.S. Synchro Skater, Boston Marathon First Responder & BU alum, Devin Wang"): https://twitter.com/BU_Tweets/status/855211780209070080
Link to Bonnie Ford's article last year: http://www.espn.com/sports/enduranc...evin-wang-another-year-brings-closure-tragedy


PSA HALL OF FAME

"Marina Zoueva is inducted into the PSA Hall of Fame": https://twitter.com/icedancecom/status/1000186591359496192
"PSA Coaches Hall of Fame inductee, Nancy Rush. Accepting on her behalf, Frank Carroll" (photo): https://twitter.com/ProfSk8rsAssoc/status/1000186252300378113


PSA EDI AWARDS

*New this year* President's Award of Excellence - photo of description & list of 9 nominees: https://twitter.com/ProfSk8rsAssoc/status/1000181872939421697

The Betty Berens Award: Carol Fox
Established in memory of Betty Berens who gave unselfishly of her time and talent both on the ice and off. It is presented to a coach who has overcome adversity - physical or emotional - and who has continued in dedication and perseverance to serve their profession with dignity and fortitude.

Gustave Lussi Award: Adam Rippon (not present)
https://twitter.com/ProfSk8rsAssoc/status/868289600774688769
Presented to a male, professional skater who has brought recognition to the sport in a positive and favorable manner.

Sonja Henie Award: Mirai Nagasu (not present): https://twitter.com/ProfSk8rsAssoc/status/1000183922024763392 )
Presented to a female, professional skater who has brought recognition to the sport in a positive and favorable manner.

F. Ritter Shumway Award: Kathy Casey - photo: https://twitter.com/ProfSk8rsAssoc/status/1000183631858622464
Presented to a person who has earned distinction for unending dedication and significant contribution to the world of figure skating.

Joe Serafine National Volunteer of the Year Award: Patrick O’Neil - photo: https://twitter.com/ProfSk8rsAssoc/status/1000195984973090816
Recognized for outstanding service to the PSA over the past year.

2017 Shulman Award for Lifetime Achievement Award: Jan Tremer

Fritz Dietl National Award: The Rinx Total Skating Program

Action Photo of the Year: Melanie (née Hoyt) Heaney (fpart of Team Ice-Dance.com) - for her photo of Virtue/Moir in their FD at the 2018 Canadian Championships: https://twitter.com/ProfSk8rsAssoc/status/1000198524225585152

(I'll be editing in the winner's names above as they are tweeted...)

 

[floridaice]

Just looked up the conference -- the event hotel and RDV Sportplex (where the rink is) are on opposite sides of town, and Interstate 4 is a major construction zone the entire route between the two. I hope that has been working out ok for them this week! I wasn't aware this was going on until now -- should have been hanging out at Disney this week...

 

[Sylvia]

Congratulations to PSA/USFS Coach of the Year, "Patch" (IIRC, he's the one credentialed on behalf of Hubbell/Donohue by USFS for international competitions & U.S. Nationals): https://twitter.com/ProfSk8rsAssoc/status/1000200962982760449

Past winners of the 4 joint PSA/USFS EDI awards: http://www.skatepsa.com/psa/Joint PSA USFS EDI Awards.html