New Michigan Ice Dance Academy

TanithandBenFan

Author of the Ice and Edge Series
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Greg Zuerlein posted on Facebook that he is partnering with Tanith and Charlie White to open the Michigan Ice Dance Academy in Canton. Here is the text of his post:

“I’m excited to officially announce that I’ve partnered with @charlieawhite and @tanith_white to launch Michigan Ice Dance Academy—an elite training center in Canton, Michigan. We can’t wait to ring in the new year by opening our doors to the next generation of ice dancers. #midacanton #isufigureskating #usfigureskating #arcticedgeicearena #icedance #icedancing”

ETA: Charlie posted the website link on his Instagram:

 
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sap5

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My thoughts too. Excited to see what this team does!
I do wonder how that will affect politics though. Will Charlie feel free to criticize his own teams the way he currently feels free to criticize others?
 

VGThuy

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I think it'd be best for all if everybody involved with lead coaching here step away from any commentary roles that they have.

With that said, I am happy to see a new ice dance academy open up in the United States. It'll just help continue interest in ice dance for some time to come...I hope.

On another note, do Yuri Chesnichenko and Yaroslava Nechaeva still have their training base? I always wanted them to combine with another school who had talent in choreography and packaging because I always thought it was kind of a waste if they aren't being used in developmental and basics training. They created the likes of Madison Hubbell, Emily Samuelson, and Evan Bates and I think coaches who can instill those sorts of basics and skating skills need to be fostered even if they had really bad taste when it came to developing senior-level programs. Maybe that's why I like Wheaton so much because I find they really know how to teach the basics - for the most part.
 

sap5

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10,546
I think it'd be best for all if everybody involved with lead coaching here step away from any commentary roles that they have.

With that said, I am happy to see a new ice dance academy open up in the United States. It'll just help continue interest in ice dance for some time to come...I hope.

On another note, do Yuri Chesnichenko and Yaroslava Nechaeva still have their training base? I always wanted them to combine with another school who had talent in choreography and packaging because I always thought it was kind of a waste if they aren't being used in developmental and basics training. They created the likes of Madison Hubbell, Emily Samuelson, and Evan Bates and I think coaches who can instill those sorts of basics and skating skills need to be fostered even if they had really bad taste when it came to developing senior-level programs. Maybe that's why I like Wheaton so much because I find they really know how to teach the basics - for the most part.
It would be great if the elite academies were attached to feeder schools, so that a continuous philosophy could be applied throughout. That's what I'm hoping is happening at IAM.
 

Barbara Manatee

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Their tag line - "An elite training center where overall well-being is considered to the same degree as mastery of the sport." - seems aimed more at younger skaters than the level that makes national broadcasts.

I've heard Charlie speak very thoughtfully about the implications of skating and competition aside from winning vs losing. I think they could be exceedingly good coaches.
 

skatfan

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Their tag line - "An elite training center where overall well-being is considered to the same degree as mastery of the sport." - seems aimed more at younger skaters than the level that makes national broadcasts.

I've heard Charlie speak very thoughtfully about the implications of skating and competition aside from winning vs losing. I think they could be exceedingly good coaches.
This. Charlie is known for the school videos that he did with Meryl on goal setting and the like.
 

sap5

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Their tag line - "An elite training center where overall well-being is considered to the same degree as mastery of the sport." - seems aimed more at younger skaters than the level that makes national broadcasts.

I've heard Charlie speak very thoughtfully about the implications of skating and competition aside from winning vs losing. I think they could be exceedingly good coaches.
I would think that tag line would apply to all levels of skaters. The "elite" is what suggests to me that this school may be focused on older skaters.
 

angi

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Their tag line - "An elite training center where overall well-being is considered to the same degree as mastery of the sport." - seems aimed more at younger skaters than the level that makes national broadcasts.
It seems to be the direction in which North American dance schools are going and it's wonderful, I.AM have also been very vocal about allowing their skaters to not just be better skaters but also better people and supplying life skills that go beyond just competitive skating. If they all stay true to their words perhaps skaters will benefit from much healthier training environments from a young age.
 

sap5

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It seems to be the direction in which North American dance schools are going and it's wonderful, I.AM have also been very vocal about allowing their skaters to not just be better skaters but also better people and supplying life skills that go beyond just competitive skating. If they all stay true to their words perhaps skaters will benefit from much healthier training environments from a young age.
Scott spoke a bit in that recent Russian interview about preparing adult athletes for life after retirement. Considering how many Olympians have struggled with adjusting to "normal" life after a lifetime as an elite athlete, this is approach is much welcomed, and the more schools with this philosophy, the better, imo.
 

sap5

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They announced on IG that have a partnership with U of M department of dance which sounds like a wonderful addition!
This is the best news, and makes me really excited about the school! I've waited to see ice dancers work with multiple dance choreographers for so long now.

ETA: Also makes me hope that if we ever get "street dance rhythms" again, there will be high-quality programs that show a real understanding of both the technique and the social context of each rhythm.
 

Barbara Manatee

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I would think that tag line would apply to all levels of skaters. The "elite" is what suggests to me that this school may be focused on older skaters.
I bet they'd be happy to take on seniors, for sure. But Greg Zuerlein's announcement says "We can’t wait to ring in the new year by opening our doors to the next generation of ice dancers."
 

Katta

Active Member
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Scott spoke a bit in that recent Russian interview about preparing adult athletes for life after retirement. Considering how many Olympians have struggled with adjusting to "normal" life after a lifetime as an elite athlete, this is approach is much welcomed, and the more schools with this philosophy, the better, imo.

This is true for ALL elite athletes, figure skaters or hockey players, cross country skiers or wrestlers. For so long they have been told when to eat, when to train, when to do pretty much everything, so when they transition to "regular" life, they are in a lot of instances "lost".... My own daughter is a perfect example of the above, she hardly knew how to live, without being told what to do...
 

~tapdancer~

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I saw this today on Charlie's twitter. Very exciting news! Glad he is taking this direction, he will be a great coach. Don't know about Greg's coaching but I did enjoy him back in the day with M. Chock.
 

Sylvia

TBD
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Don't know about Greg's coaching but I did enjoy him back in the day with M. Chock.
Greg Zuerlein has been coaching the new U.S. Senior team of Emily Bratti/Ian Somerville (who were assigned to their first international in only their 2nd competition together!) with Dmytri Ilin, Charlie & Tanith:
ETA link to my post in the U.S. Dance news thread after B/S placed the highest among the 3 U.S. teams in Graz, Austria: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...eason-news-updates.108446/page-8#post-6111027

The U.S. Junior team of Angela Ling/Caleb Wein won their first JGP medal this fall (bronze in Krasnoyarsk, Russia) with coaches Dmytri Ilin & Greg Zuerlein listed in their ISU bio (Charlie is listed as one of thir choreographers): http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00108192.htm

The top scoring Novice team of Olivia Ilin (Dmytri's daughter) and Dylan Cain were also coached by Ilin & Zuerlein this season: https://www.instagram.com/p/CUthWFHLkjx/
 
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skatfan

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I bet they'd be happy to take on seniors, for sure. But Greg Zuerlein's announcement says "We can’t wait to ring in the new year by opening our doors to the next generation of ice dancers."
i'm guessing that they don't expect to start with senior skaters (although with the start of a new quad, who knows?), but rather the next levels down who are serious about skating.
 

Khaleesi

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If any ice dance program can challenge IAM/Gadbois’s behemoth hold on ice dance I feel like this team could. Granted it’s going to take some time but I don’t know, I just have good feelings about this. I like the team and what I’ve read so far.
 

Sylvia

TBD
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Bratti/Somerville's programs at CS Cup of Austria/Icechallenge (choreographed by Greg & Charlie) - 67.18/7th in RD; 99.65/9th in FD; finished 8th overall:
Emily Bratti/Ian Somerville's Elton John medley FD to Goodbye Yellow Brick Road/Your Song/I'm Still Standing starts in the recorded stream here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oho5XyaIUQA&t=6156s
Their RD to "Genius" by Labrinth, Sia, and Diplo, and "Sax" by Fleur East from the archived livestream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMdVB66CHG4&t=7505s
 

purple skates

Shadow Dancing
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On another note, do Yuri Chesnichenko and Yaroslava Nechaeva still have their training base? I always wanted them to combine with another school who had talent in choreography and packaging because I always thought it was kind of a waste if they aren't being used in developmental and basics training. They created the likes of Madison Hubbell, Emily Samuelson, and Evan Bates and I think coaches who can instill those sorts of basics and skating skills need to be fostered even if they had really bad taste when it came to developing senior-level programs. Maybe that's why I like Wheaton so much because I find they really know how to teach the basics - for the most part.
Yasa is still in Ann Arbor. Yuri is not. I don’t know any details.
 

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