Soucisse & Firus Cheer Thread!

[Jeanine]

I loved the program and can't wait to see it grow over the season! Agree with the dress, even if it did give me Madonna/Material Girl vibes!! I'll get over it! Very happy with this start to the season for them!

 

[champ]

Great start and loved both programs! Kaitlyn Weaver did a fab job with their RD! The free dance is stunning!

 

[Wyliefan]

Brief interview: https://www.instagram.com/p/C_9H_5XCkjZ/?e=999f8bc1-78b9-485e-bd52-03157dfb4647&g=5

 

[champ]

Lombardia RD

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

youtu.be

Lombardia FD

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

youtu.be

 

[Wyliefan]

Absolute Skating interviewed Caro and Shane at Lombardia:

Absolute Skating on Instagram: "#LombardiaTrophy2024 mixed-zone highlights. The two-time Irish ice dance champions Carolane Soucisse and Shane Firus started their season in Bergamo, where they finished fifth with 69.52 points for the RD, 101.82 poin

24 likes, 0 comments - absoluteskating on October 1, 2024: "#LombardiaTrophy2024 mixed-zone highlights. The two-time Irish ice dance champions Carolane Soucisse and Shane Firus started their season in Bergamo, where they finished fifth with 69.52 points for the RD, 101.82 points for the FD, and...

www.instagram.com

Here's the text in case anyone can't see it:
#LombardiaTrophy2024 mixed-zone highlights.
The two-time Irish ice dance champions Carolane Soucisse and Shane Firus started their season in Bergamo, where they finished fifth with 69.52 points for the RD, 101.82 points for the FD, and a total of 171.34.
“We're very happy,” they summed up their impressions of the event. “We did what we had to do, although today was a bit harder. It felt a little heavier, but we did everything solidly, so that's what we wanted.”

“We had a bunch of ideas for the RD,” they shared, “but they were too similar to the free. It was '60s-inspired and a bit too swingy, so we thought it felt too alike. Then we switched to James Brown and more funk - a little wilder - to keep the same energy but with a different vibe. We worked on that with Kaitlyn (Weaver), and we also brought in a hip-hop dance instructor. Carol (Lane) and Juris (Rasgulajevs) then fine-tuned it, rearranging what needed to be done. Carol and Juris also handled the free. We started working on the programs right after Worlds, as we wanted to present them at the Irish Nationals in June.”

"We definitely love this jazzy ‘big band’ style,” they explained about their FD. “The initial inspiration was the movie 'When Harry Met Sally,' the rom-com from the '90s and its genre-defining classics. We took the theme song, ‘It Had to Be You,’ and then found another Harry Connick Jr. song, as we wanted to add a little twist to the jazz by incorporating a more sexy, "almost tango-like" jazz in the middle before returning to the 'big band' style."

The couple, who partnered in 2016, initially skated for Canada and have represented Ireland since last season: “We find that the European ice dance community is very welcoming; they are super nice, and we felt at home right away.” Do they feel “more European” themselves? “Yeah, a little more sophisticated, much more cultured,” they joke.

Next up for them is the Trophy Metropole Nice Cote d'Azur in October, followed by the Denkova-Staviski Cup and Tallinn Trophy in November, with the latter being held at the same venue as the 2025 Europeans. “We’ll be in Estonia twice this season, and it’s great!”

 

[Wyliefan]

Carolane fell on a twizzle today in the RD and looked really shaken up. Hope she's all right and they can skate a strong FD Sunday.

 

[champ]

Carolane fell on a twizzle today in the RD and looked really shaken up. Hope she's all right and they can skate a strong FD Sunday.

Carol Lane posted on her facebook Carolane developed a serious chest infection.

 

[Wyliefan]

They withdrew. Hoping she feels better very soon.

x.com

x.com

 

[Sylvia]

Carolane’s post:

Carolane Soucisse on Instagram: "We unfortunately had to withdraw from the free dance tomorrow. I have been suffering from a bad chest infection for the past week and unfortunately my body is not allowing me to compete to the best of my abilities. T

200 likes, 31 comments - carosou6 on October 19, 2024: "We unfortunately had to withdraw from the free dance tomorrow. I have been suffering from a bad chest infection for the past week and unfortunately my body is not allowing me to compete to the best of my abilities. Thank you for all the...

www.instagram.com

 

[Wyliefan]

Carolane and Shane had a rough RD at Edusport Trophy, but pulled up to medal. Kirill Khalyavin was with them in the K&C. https://www.instagram.com/p/DDmrxrQMG2P/?igsh=ZGY2ejg5bnA1bGZo

 

[Wyliefan]

Photo of Caro and Shane visiting Ireland's ambassador to Estonia: https://www.instagram.com/p/DFaGIEoMzv5/?igsh=MTJremszMXZteDZ5Zw==

Wishing them two good skates at Euros this week!

 

[Wyliefan]

They had a rough time in the RD, but made the cut and gave a charming performance in the FD (photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/DFkOFVRRmlw/).

Interview with Golden Skate about upcoming plans: https://www.instagram.com/p/DFh2CpDutDn/
Post-RD interview with the Ice Skating Association of Ireland: https://www.instagram.com/p/DFfonwJNutO/
Post-FD interview with ISAI: https://www.instagram.com/p/DFiOqvsstkU/

 

[Wyliefan]

Rob Colling (The Skating Music Guy) on putting together their FD music:

Rob Colling on Instagram: "I'm currently sitting on the ferry to Tallinn, heading to #EuroFigure for the free dance, so it seems like a good time to talk about the free dance I edited for @carosou6 and @shanefirus ! . This was my fourth season workin

39 likes, 3 comments - skatingmusicguy on February 1, 2025: "I'm currently sitting on the ferry to Tallinn, heading to #EuroFigure for the free dance, so it seems like a good time to talk about the free dance I edited for @carosou6 and @shanefirus ! . This was my fourth season working with Caro...

www.instagram.com

 

[Wyliefan]

Shane's post for Carolane's birthday:

Shane Firus on Instagram: "Happy Birthday Bambino!!! You are my best friend, my confidante, and the best wife a man could ask for. Every day with you is a new adventure, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I can’t wait to see what adventures this n

90 likes, 7 comments - shanefirus on February 10, 2025: "Happy Birthday Bambino!!! You are my best friend, my confidante, and the best wife a man could ask for. Every day with you is a new adventure, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I can’t wait to see what adventures this next year holds...

www.instagram.com

 

[Wyliefan]

And hers for his birthday! https://www.instagram.com/p/DGa18dzRK36/?img_index=1

 

[Wyliefan]

A new interview from Ice-Dance.com, done during Euros:

Catching up with Ireland’s Carolane Soucisse and Shane Firus – Ice-dance.com

www.ice-dance.com

Excerpt:

What about the long run? Are you thinking about the next few years?

SF: We are definitely going one year at a time at this point. I think that is the mindset we are approaching each season with, so each season we assess and then go from there.

You are both in your thirties, with Carolane celebrating her thirtieth birthday this year.

SF: Some people are saying we are kind of young, but also older than most.

CS: We are the oldest of the youngest!

Longevity is quite a thing in the sport now, with the top three ice dance teams in the world being well into their thirties.

SF: Yes, for example Paul (Poirier), Marco (Fabbri), Evan (Bates), but also looking at Deanna (Stellato-Dudek)!

You might have another two Olympic cycles ahead of you!

CS: If we wanted, we could!

 

[Wyliefan]

New interview in the Irish Examiner:

To be eligible for Italy next year, Firus and Soucisse both need to be Irish citizens. For Soucisse to qualify, she needs to live in Ireland. Now here’s the problem: there is just one ice rink on the island and it isn’t suitable for their needs. So … they can’t live in Ireland.

This isn't something they foresaw.

Soucisse grew up just beyond the island of Montreal, an area roughly equal to Cork City, and on which there are over 50 ice rinks. Firus is from North Vancouver over on the west coast. Rinks aren’t as ubiquitous there, but there is no shortage either.

So, what they didn’t expect when preparing for their first Irish national championships two years ago was that the event would actually be held in Dundee. In Scotland. Soucisse summed up her surprise at this succinctly.

“If Africa has one, you would think…” In terms of ice rinks, Ireland is a black hole. Other European countries without one? Albania. And Liechtenstein. And Liechtenstein is a dot on the map surrounded by countries that are more than adequately equipped.

Irish skaters' Olympic dreams left in limbo by residency Catch-22

Firus and Soucisse, both Canadian-born, switched allegiance to Ireland in 2023. Now a married couple, they qualified via Rule 109 and his Gorey-born grandmother Dorothy, all of which is enough to allow them compete on the European and World stages.

www.irishexaminer.com

Wishing them a great skate tomorrow!

 

[Wyliefan]

Interview with The 42, an Irish sports publication:

“We needed to make a change. And this was a great change for us. We are so, so happy with how everything has gone. A slog at times, but worth it. Now, it’s about performing and doing well for us and everyone that has helped get us to this point.”

Skating on thin ice: a world stage for Ireland's compelling Olympian hopefuls

Canadian-born Carolane Soucisse and Shane Firus are in action for Ireland at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships tomorrow.

www.the42.ie

 

[Wyliefan]

Not the skate they wanted yesterday. The Irish fed has a short interview where they talk about what happened, about their plans, and about all the support they've felt from Ireland. https://www.instagram.com/p/DHw5Vn3qcjT/?igsh=MXNvbzJjYTBxdHJrNQ==

 

[Wyliefan]

Clip from a new interview with the iScore podcast: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIG_8zcNYd6/?igsh=MXhyemZ0a3lvdW50ZA==