2022-23 US Pairs Discussion - Second to None!

[Sylvia]

Junior pair Olivia Flores/Luke Wang's FS music announcement & clip on Star Wars Day : https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cr1AaqnLAh0/

: ‘The Force Theme’ & ‘Rey’s Theme’
Star Wars Cover by Samuel Kim
Choreo: Drew Meekins
Music Arrangement & Composition: Hugo Chouinard & Luke Wang
: Ivan Desyatov

 

[Sylvia]

Chelsea Liu & Balazs Nagy ("We're back") shared this triple twist clip just now: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cr_cJRApLCE/

(I'm assuming they plan to compete for USA but we'll see.)

 

[Karen-W]

Chelsea Liu & Balazs Nagy ("We're back") shared this triple twist clip just now: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cr_cJRApLCE/

(I'm assuming they plan to compete for USA but we'll see.)

I dunno... Hungary has a 2nd spot for both Euros and Worlds...

 

[Sylvia]

There's been a LOT of turmoil in the Hungarian skating federation this past season and one of the articles had mentioned that Nagy had left the HUN federation (he was not listed in the 2022-23 national team) - edited to link to a machine translated article excerpt: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...federation-news-articles.110708/#post-6431284

I guess we'll find out soon enough.

 

[happycamper2554]

Latest update from Alexa and Brandon. They have both left the door open but I think they are done

Knierim and Frazier Close Out Season with World Silver and Big Plans - U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone

When Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier made the decision to compete in the 2022-23 season, the duo seemingly had nothing to prove.

usfigureskatingfanzone.com

 

[Karen-W]

Latest update from Alexa and Brandon. They have both left the door open but I think they are done

Knierim and Frazier Close Out Season with World Silver and Big Plans - U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone

When Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier made the decision to compete in the 2022-23 season, the duo seemingly had nothing to prove.

usfigureskatingfanzone.com

Except that Brandon has one year left to complete his undergraduate degree at UC-Irvine and the Knierims have relocated to Chicago, so I'm not sure how that would work out for them this coming season...

 

[Taso]

Except that Brandon has one year left to complete his undergraduate degree at UC-Irvine and the Knierims have relocated to Chicago, so I'm not sure how that would work out for them this coming season...

Yes. I am wondering if they are considering keeping the door open for Milano, but yes clearly next season is not in the picture. If the Russians aren't back for Milano I could see them considering making a comeback if their hearts are in it.

 

[TanithandBenFan]

Tarah Kayne has been sharing some deep thoughts and emotions on her new blog:

Female Hysteria | Tarah | Substack

Born in a corner of an ice rink amidst a particularly heavy bout of what I can assume would have been diagnosed as female hysteria. FH is a creative blog relating my experiences with love, loss & existentialism to a variety of multimedia forms. Click to read Female Hysteria, by Tarah, a...

tarahkayne.substack.com

 

[Sylvia]

^^^ I've cross-posted the link in this GSD thread that includes Polina's interview with Tarah last year: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...es-with-dylan-moscovitch.109866/#post-6434605

WASA Pairs news:

Naomi Williams and Lachlan Lewer have announced their new SP music: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CsT4my7LpHV/
Joli Garçon by Pink Martini
Choreo: Drew Meekins
Music Editing: Hugo (@sk8mixhugo)
Clip filmed by Luke Wang

New team announced last week - Jolena Grohne & Reede Lunt: https://www.instagram.com/p/CsH0o59LA28/
He is new to pairs, having competed in Junior Men at the Midwestern Sectional in November 2022 ("Junior pairs skater" is on his IG profile); she won Intermediate gold at the U.S. Pairs Final with Jared McPike.

 

[Alilou]

Tarah Kayne has been sharing some deep thoughts and emotions on her new blog:

Female Hysteria | Tarah | Substack

Born in a corner of an ice rink amidst a particularly heavy bout of what I can assume would have been diagnosed as female hysteria. FH is a creative blog relating my experiences with love, loss & existentialism to a variety of multimedia forms. Click to read Female Hysteria, by Tarah, a...

tarahkayne.substack.com

OMG she's a good writer! Definitely worth a read.

 

[BittyBug]

OMG she's a good writer! Definitely worth a read.

I second this.

 

[Frau Muller]

I second this.

I stopped. A trap to gain information. Impossible to just click a button and read.

 

[SidelineSkater]

I stopped. A trap to gain information. Impossible to just click a button and read.

Uh. Or you just click no thanks when it asks for your email. Although I'm not sure you would appreciate the content.

 

[BittyBug]

I stopped. A trap to gain information. Impossible to just click a button and read.

That’s if you want to subscribe but there’s a ‘No Thanks’ option below that you can click and process to her website.

 

[Sylvia]

Congrats to former Team USA pair skater Olivia Serafini on graduating from New York University yesterday : https://www.instagram.com/p/CsZt0G6LbkL/
She competed with NYU's figure skating team at the National Intercollegiate Final last year (April 2022).

ETA:

I did a quick search for Mervin Tran's whereabouts - he is in Vancouver now and the Director of Operations at Coquitlam Skating Club.

I posted excerpts from an article on Timothy LeDuc in the Club Shows thread yesterday (he is a guest skater tomorrow at his former hometown rink in Cedar Rapids, Iowa): https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...ice-shows-benefits.110383/page-3#post-6434995

 

[Debbie S]

Looks like Alexa (and Tim LeDuc!) will be coaching with Chris Knierim and his new program: https://instagram.com/oakton_edge_skatingacademy

 

[Karen-W]

Looks like Alexa (and Tim LeDuc!) will be coaching with Chris Knierim and his new program: https://instagram.com/oakton_edge_skatingacademy

And they just announced their first new pairs team - Ashley Fletcher & Aaron Felberbaum, who will be competing as juniors.

Chicagoland Illinois - Figure Skating on Instagram: "New Pairs Team: Ashley Fletcher and Aaron Felberbaum USA Junior Pair Both skaters are 18 years old and their goal is to become part of Team USA!🇺🇸"

oakton_edge_skatingacademy on May 22, 2023: "New Pairs Team: Ashley Fletcher and Aaron Felberbaum USA Junior Pair Both skaters are 18 years old and their goal is to become part of Team USA!🇺🇸".

www.instagram.com

 

[Sylvia]

Ashley Fletcher previously skated at Great Park Ice in Irvine, CA (she and Aidan Brown had qualified for 2022 Nationals in Junior Pairs before withdrawing).

Isabelle Martins (now re-partnered with Ryan Bedard) and Aaron Felberbaum (he was new to pairs this past season) qualified for 2023 Nationals in Junior but withdrew 12/15/22. M/F were coached by Rockne Brubaker & Stefania Berton in Chicago (Geneva, IL).

 

[Rukia]

I'm very intrigued by this school and excited to see how Fletcher/Felberbaum do. Alexa, Chris, and Timothy all have some very interesting things to bring to this coaching team I think.

 

[kalamalka]

I'm very intrigued by this school and excited to see how Fletcher/Felberbaum do. Alexa, Chris, and Timothy all have some very interesting things to bring to this coaching team I think.

I hope the pair and the school do well. The world needs more pairs schools, and more pairs teams (speaking as a pairs fan).

 

[happycamper2554]

Chicagoland Illinois - Figure Skating on Instagram: "New Pairs Team: Adele Zheng and Andy Deng. Adele is 17 and Andy is 18. This is Adele’s first try at pair skating. She is courageous and learning her pair skills quickly. Andy has experience in pa

oakton_edge_skatingacademy on May 27, 2023: "New Pairs Team: Adele Zheng and Andy Deng. Adele is 17 and Andy is 18. This is Adele’s first try at pair skating. She is courageous and learning her pair skills quickly. Andy has experience in pairs as he qualified for the JGP final last season...

www.instagram.com

New Pairs Team:
Adele Zheng and Andy Deng. Adele is 17 and Andy is 18.
This is Adele’s first try at pair skating. She is courageous and learning her pair skills quickly.
Andy has experience in pairs as he qualified for the JGP final last season. Andy pursues his college education at Indiana University Bloomington. The team will reside in different states but travel to each others home rinks to pursue their Team USA goals! Go get ‘em!

Blurb taken from Oakton Edge Skating Academy Instagram Page

 

[Sylvia]

Adele Zheng is a quality skater - 7th in Junior at 2022 U.S. Nationals and won Junior at the Midwestern Sectional Singles Final in November 2022 but had to WD from 2023 Nationals (coached in singles by Denise Myers and Jeremy Allen and is currently listed in the ISP).

 

[Karen-W]

That's the 4th new pairs team announced by the new coaching staff in Oakton. They're quickly building a solid training base in the Midwest!

 

[Wyliefan]

Oh yes, he was paired with Cayla Smith. Was she going to continue? I can’t remember. I hope so -- she was a lot of fun.

 

[Karen-W]

Oh yes, he was paired with Cayla Smith. Was she going to continue? I can’t remember. I hope so -- she was a lot of fun.

I believe she's also looking for a partner.

 

[Sylvia]

Cayla Smith last updated her IPS profile on Feb. 4 - it says she wants to stay in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Her latest practice video (spread eagle to 2A, 3S+2T): https://www.instagram.com/reel/CsrGYS8J-w7/

ETA (from a JGP Final thread in December 2022):

Cayla Smith won the bronze at the Midwestern Sectional Singles Final last month at the Intermediate (Pre-Novice) level - was credited with landing 3S, 3T+2T & 2A in her SP there.

 

[ice coverage]

That's the 4th new pairs team announced by the new coaching staff in Oakton. They're quickly building a solid training base in the Midwest!

Joining other Midwest bases for pairs, such as those led by: Brubaker/Berton; Peterson/Evora; Oltmanns

... New team announced last week - Jolena Grohne & Reede Lunt: https://www.instagram.com/p/CsH0o59LA28/
He is new to pairs, having competed in Junior Men at the Midwestern Sectional in November 2022 ("Junior pairs skater" is on his IG profile); she won Intermediate gold at the U.S. Pairs Final with Jared McPike.

Follow-up to May 17 post from Sylvia:

WASA Pairs posted again about the new Grohne/Lunt partnership on May 21, including a video clip.

"Junior Free Skate - Announcement
: ‘Dance For Me Wallis’ by Abel Korzeniowski
Choreo: Natalia Mishkutenok (@natalia.mishkutenok)

: @lukeawang @coldangles"

M&M Pairs on Instagram: "Junior Free Skate - Announcement 🎶: ‘Dance For Me Wallis’ by Abel Korzeniowski Choreo: Natalia Mishkutenok (@natalia.mishkutenok) 🎥: @lukeawang @coldangles This newly partnered team is beyond excited to showcase what they

319 likes, 7 comments - mmpairs on May 21, 2023: "Junior Free Skate - Announcement 🎶: ‘Dance For Me Wallis’ by Abel Korzeniowski Choreo: Natalia Mishkutenok (@natalia.mishkutenok) 🎥: @lukeawang @coldangles This newly partnered team is beyond excited to showcase what they’ve been working on...

www.instagram.com

(I wonder whether one or both of the new partners will continue in singles too -- they recently competed at Fort Collins Classic in Senior Men SP on Mar 31 and Junior Women FS on Apr 1.)

Two recent Chan/Howe articles:

Chan/Howe (USA) on a mission to inspire diversity among future Skaters’ generations - International Skating Union

Emily Chan and Spencer Akira Howe, American Pair Skaters with Asian heritage, praise Figure Skating for being a safe space for inclusion.

isu.org

(May 25)​

Spencer Howe and Emily Chan Honor Asian American Heritages - U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone

Like many skaters and fans of the sport, Emily Chan and Spencer Howe grew up watching Michelle Kwan and idolizing her for her athleticism, grace and charisma. The

usfigureskatingfanzone.com

(May 23)​

I thought the Fan Zone article already was posted somewhere on FSU, but can't remember/find where?

 

[Karen-W]

Time to continue the discussion in a new thread for the new season!

2023-24 US Pairs Discussion - Chan you count Howe many teams we have?

Seems like it's time to start a new thread since there are so many new teams forming and music announcements from existing teams already! USFS' International Selection Pool for pairs - 10 are listed now [Jr./Sr. Grand Prix Final/Nationals/4CC/Junior Worlds/Worlds placement(s) included below]...

www.fsuniverse.net

 

[Sylvia]

Since Polina Edmunds' podcast conversation (uploaded today, May 30) with Alexa & Brandon is more about this season and past ones, I'm posting the link in this thread and not in the one for the upcoming season:

The Iron Butterfly: Shared Tenacity and a Matched Energy ft. Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier

I sit down with World Pairs Champions Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier to chat about their careers: -when and how they got into skating -Alexa on skating with her husband Chris Knierim -Brandon on growing up with former partner Haven Denney -the initial team up together -the challenges of...

bleav.com