U.S. Ice Dance 2022-23 news & updates

[clairecloutier]

Here's an interview with Ben Agosto from Four Continents:

Ben Agosto: From Champion to Commentator - A divine sport

Ben Agosto is a man who needs little introduction for figure skating fans. During his 12 years competing with partner Tanith Belbin [now Tanith White] (1998-2010), Agosto amassed a pile of medals and played a pivotal role in bringing the United States into the top echelon of the ice dance world...

adivinesport.com

Ben talks about the role of the commentator in skating, the state of the sport, the pros & cons of having a pattern in the rhythm dance, and his other skating projects.

 

[BittyBug]

@clairecloutier thank you for that wonderful interview with Ben Agosto. It was very interesting to read about his evolution as a commentator, and I hope that we'll see more of him in that role in the future.

And SMH that a judge told him - as a child - that his head was too big for his body. This sport can be divine but it can also be just brutal, and I'm glad that his response to such a callous and mean-spirited remark seems to be a resolve to focus on constructive and actionable comments.

 

[AYS]

Great interview @clairecloutier I love his ingredients for calling an event, particularly where you have a relationship with the skaters, described as staying between the pillars of kind and informative/critical.

And of course I agree with him on missing the pattern dance in the RD, although his view is balanced with the additional burden it put on the skaters (and also agree, still miss the compulsories, but he's right, that ship has completely sailed, unfortunately).

 

[Debbie S]

The Browns have moved to IAM, splitting time between Montreal and their current coaches, per this post: https://www.instagram.com/p/CqkuYfmLVsB/

 

[Wyliefan]

Well, as tired as I generally am of the Borg assimilating everyone, that should be a very good move for them, and help them step up their game.

 

[BittyBug]

It will be interesting to see if the collaboration part of this change will be enduring or just a temporary transition.

 

[clairecloutier]

This sounds like a great move for Oona and Gage!!

It will be their first time training with a lot of other top ice dance teams, which I think can only be beneficial to them.

 

[AYS]

I think it's a great move for the Browns, and I'm happy with the idea that it's in collaboration with their current coaching team, to whom I suspect they owe a lot of their great unique qualities. I hope they can make this work logistically without too much stress.

I'm both curious and very excited to see how this goes.

 

[Sylvia]

Also tweeted an hour ago (2nd tweet): https://twitter.com/montreal_ice/status/1642865940902600704

"Oona and Gage have started training with us in the end of March. Their new programmes for the 2023/2024 season are being choreographed by @RomHaguenauer and @GuillaumeCIZ"

(ETA: I missed seeing that this part was included in the Instagram post. )

 

[sap5]

This is exciting! I think Romain and Guillaume are good fits for the Browns' style.

 

[skatfan]

I’m glad for them! They needed a higher level of input, and IAM can help a lot on the packaging side too.

 

[sap5]

I think it's a great move for the Browns, and I'm happy with the idea that it's in collaboration with their current coaching team, to whom I suspect they owe a lot of their great unique qualities. I hope they can make this work logistically without too much stress.

I'm both curious and very excited to see how this goes.

I think it's a great move for IAM as well. They need fresh ideas, and it seems that Browns' current coaching team has some.

 

[AYS]

I think it's a great move for IAM as well. They need fresh ideas, and it seems that Browns' current coaching team has some.

Given they'll be choreographed by Romain and Guillaume, it'll be interesting to see if their programs retain their hallmark pulsing, from-the-core musicality - for lack of a better way to express one of the things I most adore about them.

 

[georgiana08]

So happy that the Browns decided to make a change, but I'm surprised they went with Montreal. If anything, I could have pictured them in London with Scott.

Nevertheless, I'm glad they'll still be working with their old coaches. That combined with I.AM packaging has the potential to be really exciting.

 

[platniumangel]

Nice to see an interview with Ben Agosto. It says he has four ice dance teams. I know of the Fishers in Intermediate, what other teams does he coach?

Here's an interview with Ben Agosto from Four Continents:

Ben Agosto: From Champion to Commentator - A divine sport

Ben Agosto is a man who needs little introduction for figure skating fans. During his 12 years competing with partner Tanith Belbin [now Tanith White] (1998-2010), Agosto amassed a pile of medals and played a pivotal role in bringing the United States into the top echelon of the ice dance world...

adivinesport.com

Ben talks about the role of the commentator in skating, the state of the sport, the pros & cons of having a pattern in the rhythm dance, and his other skating projects.

 

[VGThuy]

The Browns really need help with their "finishing" and package as evidenced by all the responses to those things this past season, and I can't think of a better center to help them with that. As much as I want more centers to be competitive, I cannot deny what Montreal has been able to do in terms of cleaning up their teams and making them look great out there on competitive ice. Not talking about cosmetic things, but just in terms of glide, movement, and holding moves out and being seamless.

 

[sap5]

The Browns really need help with their "finishing" and package as evidenced by all the responses to those things this past season, and I can't think of a better center to help them with that. As much as I want more centers to be competitive, I cannot deny what Montreal has been able to do in terms of cleaning up their teams and making them look great out there on competitive ice. Not talking about cosmetic things, but just in terms of glide, movement, and holding moves out and being seamless.

Tbh, I prefer the IAM approach where coaching is collaborative and information is shared. I want athletes competing against each other, not centers. Sharing resources means that more athletes can become competitive.

 

[DreamSkates]

Well, as tired as I generally am of the Borg assimilating everyone, that should be a very good move for them, and help them step up their game.

Nice that even Star Trek can make an appearance here LOL.

 

[VGThuy]

Tbh, I prefer the IAM approach where coaching is collaborative and information is shared. I want athletes competing against each other, not centers. Sharing resources means that more athletes can become competitive.

I don’t like the idea of one center controlling everything for a whole discipline. It seems like a monopoly.

 

[clairecloutier]

I think it's a good thing to have multiple top-level ice dance centers. How can it not be a good thing? Different viewpoints & perspectives help keep things interesting & growing. I love the stuff we're seeing out of the Matteo Zanni group, for example. And looking forward to seeing how MIDA develops. Zoueva/Tkachenko have some interesting teams. IAM is great, but I want to hear different voices as well.

 

[Karen-W]

I think it's a good thing to have multiple top-level ice dance centers. How can it not be a good thing? Different viewpoints & perspectives help keep things interesting & growing. I love the stuff we're seeing out of the Matteo Zanni group, for example. And looking forward to seeing how MIDA develops. Zoueva/Tkachenko have some interesting teams. IAM is great, but I want to hear different voices as well.

Honestly, if I had my druthers, I'd have sent the Browns to Zanni/YGA rather than IAM. I think they would fit in marvelously with the power/speed of the Czech teams, plus the costume designer there really knows how to design for Oona's body type if Natalie Taschlerova's costumes are anything to go by. I don't think the same is true of Mathieu Caron, who seems to be IAM's go-to designer, tbh.

 

[clairecloutier]

Honestly, if I had my druthers, I'd have sent the Browns to Zanni/YGA rather than IAM. I think they would fit in marvelously with the power/speed of the Czech teams, plus the costume designer there really knows how to design for Oona's body type if Natalie Taschlerova's costumes are anything to go by. I don't think the same is true of Mathieu Caron, who seems to be IAM's go-to designer, tbh.

I agree there could have been synergy there. However, IAM is certainly more practical for the Browns (and possibly more affordable). Montreal is only a 1.5-hour flight from home vs. 8 hours to Milan or Venice.

 

[sap5]

I think it's a good thing to have multiple top-level ice dance centers. How can it not be a good thing? Different viewpoints & perspectives help keep things interesting & growing. I love the stuff we're seeing out of the Matteo Zanni group, for example. And looking forward to seeing how MIDA develops. Zoueva/Tkachenko have some interesting teams. IAM is great, but I want to hear different voices as well.

I don't mind multiple centers. It's more that I dislike the idea of competing centers, where attention becomes focused on the center, rather than the athlete. There's no reason one center can't have multiple viewpoints and perspectives. I'd like multiple centers so that skaters don't have to move far away to access one, but I'd love if more centers were willing to work together.

 

[sap5]

Honestly, if I had my druthers, I'd have sent the Browns to Zanni/YGA rather than IAM. I think they would fit in marvelously with the power/speed of the Czech teams, plus the costume designer there really knows how to design for Oona's body type if Natalie Taschlerova's costumes are anything to go by. I don't think the same is true of Mathieu Caron, who seems to be IAM's go-to designer, tbh.

I do wish IAM teams would use different designers. Do they have some kind of contract with Mathieu such that their teams have to go to him?

ETA: I'd say the same about choreographers. I wish IAM would bring in more outside choreographers, especially those that don't usually work on ice.

 

[layman]

I was nervous when I saw the Browns names mentioned (upthread)...until I read the Instagram press release. Now I am relieved!

 

[skatingguy]

The Browns certainly needed to do something after finishing 9th at US Nationals. If they didn't make a change there was a danger of remaining in a position of irrelevance for many years with the teams that are ahead of them.

 

[barbarafan]

I do wish IAM teams would use different designers. Do they have some kind of contract with Mathieu such that their teams have to go to him?

ETA: I'd say the same about choreographers. I wish IAM would bring in more outside choreographers, especially those that don't usually work on ice.

mmmm.....mtl is an ballroom dancing central.Several of their staff are ballroom vs ice dancers. Including the superb Sam who was off ice choreo. then found it easier to work with the teams on the ice as well. Mathieu is very much in demand with PPL running to him. As far as competing with other schools???????? IAM idea is to fully train their teams in everything to do with skating, coaching, training and running a school with the idea that when they finish competing they go back to their city and town or country and build their own school so kids do not have to leave home and family life to get good ice training. Marie-France and Patrice lived in France for 10yrs as at the time they could not get a high enough level of coaching at home. The teams are not competing against the other IAM teams as much trying to reach the highest level of their own skating and to bring the uniqueness of each team to the forefront and take it to the moon.

 

[emilieh]

I do wish IAM teams would use different designers. Do they have some kind of contract with Mathieu such that their teams have to go to him?

ETA: I'd say the same about choreographers. I wish IAM would bring in more outside choreographers, especially those that don't usually work on ice.

While a lot of the IAM teams do use Caron, I don't think they all do. I believe Elite Expression has worked with some of their dancers - Madison Hubbell, Tina Garabedian, Alicia Fabbri come to mind.

 

[sap5]

mmmm.....mtl is an ballroom dancing central.Several of their staff are ballroom vs ice dancers. Including the superb Sam who was off ice choreo. then found it easier to work with the teams on the ice as well. Mathieu is very much in demand with PPL running to him. As far as competing with other schools???????? IAM idea is to fully train their teams in everything to do with skating, coaching, training and running a school with the idea that when they finish competing they go back to their city and town or country and build their own school so kids do not have to leave home and family life to get good ice training. Marie-France and Patrice lived in France for 10yrs as at the time they could not get a high enough level of coaching at home. The teams are not competing against the other IAM teams as much trying to reach the highest level of their own skating and to bring the uniqueness of each team to the forefront and take it to the moon.

I know that they have ballroom dancers on staff as choreographers. I'd just like outside choreographers to join in as well at times, for new perspectives.

 

[skatfan]

I know that they have ballroom dancers on staff as choreographers. I'd just like outside choreographers to join in as well at times, for new perspectives.

I think it’s up to the teams to decide their choreographers. P&C did the whaaking RD program that used an outside choreographer to great effect.