{"id":13813,"date":"2017-10-04T14:34:00","date_gmt":"2017-10-04T18:34:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/?p=13813"},"modified":"2020-02-16T11:47:33","modified_gmt":"2020-02-16T16:47:33","slug":"getting-to-know-olivia-mcisaac-elliott-graham","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/getting-to-know-olivia-mcisaac-elliott-graham\/","title":{"rendered":"Getting to Know Olivia McIsaac & Elliott Graham"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Jacquelyn Thayer | photo by Danielle Earl<\/em><\/p>\n

When a career-spanning nine-year partnership with Hannah Whitley concluded last December, Canadian junior ice dancer Elliott Graham embarked upon his first real partner search. And after one unsuccessful tryout, coach David Islam alerted Graham to some key news: with the end of the 2016-17 season, novice couple Olivia McIsaac and Liam MacDonald had split. <\/span><\/p>\n

McIsaac, previously based at the Burlington Skating Centre, was familiar with the Mariposa School of Skating where Graham trained \u2013 Mariposa coach Kelly Johnson had choreographed a free dance for her and MacDonald, and they had worked there periodically. A tryout was proposed, and the decision to pair up came soon after.<\/span><\/p>\n

In preparation for their debut season, the team traveled to York, Ontario, for a week to work with Shae Zukiwsky on a free dance to Ray LaMontagne\u2019s \u201cLet It Be Me\u201d and Serena Ryder\u2019s \u201cWhat I Wouldn\u2019t Do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe originally wanted a bit more of a contemporary piece,\u201d McIsaac said, \u201cand we\u2019ve both worked with Shae before a little bit, so when we gave him our ideas, he told us that he already had a vision for us, which was this country-waltz kind of free dance. We were a little bit shocked\u2014it wasn\u2019t really what we were going for, but we really liked it and it was really different.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

While Zukiwsky was set on the Serena Ryder selection, he provided the team with a few options for the slower cut, which they chose with Johnson. And as the program prepares to segue from slower track to up-tempo, it\u2019s illustrated by one particularly packed sequence that moves from straight line lift into an interdependent transition into spin and exit\u2014a challenge the team welcomed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAt the beginning, because the music was so fast\u2014big with full speed\u2014we had to start off really slow,\u201d Graham said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLike walking through it a lot before we could fully skate it,\u201d McIsaac added. \u201cBut we knew it was good, because then we could grow into it. We couldn\u2019t do it right away, so we knew that it was good for us.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Their rhumba\/Cha Cha Congelado short dance to Latin staple \u201cQuiz\u00e1s Quiz\u00e1s Quiz\u00e1s\u201d and Lou Bega\u2019s \u201cAngelina\u201d was an in-house team effort, with Johnson responsible for technical construction and former ice dancer Alexandra Paul offering rhumba touches and performance nuance.<\/span><\/p>\n

Indeed, in working at Mariposa, the two have enjoyed guidance from alumni Paul and partner Mitch Islam. They are among the skaters, along with Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir, that the new team most admires. Paul & Islam were present for McIsaac & Graham\u2019s first tryout, and remained a prominent presence over the off-season. This fall, Islam is continuing to coach while Paul has recently entered law school.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s really nice having them teach us\u2014those were some of our most productive lessons, I think,\u201d Graham said. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI really like working with Mitch and Alex because they can do things with us and feel what we\u2019re doing,\u201d McIsaac said. \u201cThey also have so much experience that they can relate to us, which is really helpful sometimes. Like if we\u2019re struggling with something, they can kind of tell us how they got through something like that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

For McIsaac, the new partnership could have proven daunting. While she\u2019s tackling her first season competing at the junior level, Graham is a relative veteran, with three seasons of international competition under his belt.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think what came really easily to me was that I was really motivated,\u201d McIsaac said. \u201cAll the coaches that we work with, and Elliott, were really helpful helping me step into junior, I feel. But it was a little bit of a challenge with all the pressure that we had on us, because Elliott and Hannah were very successful, so I wanted to be able to skate to that. I never really had pressure before \u2013 I skated just because I loved it. I never really had high expectations, and that kind of changed.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And the team has gelled quickly, showing clean skates and solid results across their first three competitions\u2014all part of Skate Canada\u2019s Summer Series\u2014and earning an assignment to the sixth Junior Grand Prix event.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think we work together really well together, even from the start,\u201d Graham said. \u201cLike Minto, we just thought about working together, keeping everything the same, not changing anything, doing what we do every day.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

After top-five finishes at Minto Summer Skate and the Qu\u00e9bec Summer Championships, they finished first in the free dance at Skate Ontario SummerSkate, breaking the 70-point barrier, and took silver overall.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI thought our summer went really well,\u201d Graham said. \u201cWe were really consistent. Every skate was getting better and better, and going into our Junior Grand Prix, we just have to keep it the same and just keep focusing on getting better.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe were really happy that we got a lot of feedback,\u201d McIsaac said about the summer competitions. \u201cWe were able to use that to try out some new things, like a couple of little things between competitions, and see what worked best.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

But while good performances in those club events secured their spot for JGP Gdansk, the process began back in the spring, when the team was \u201clong-listed\u201d for an international assignment after federation monitoring.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe filled out all the forms and everything, and you basically have to compete and if it goes well, then you have a good chance,\u201d McIsaac said. \u201cIt was really motivating.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe didn\u2019t know, really, where we were at in the summer. When we were at Minto, it was just like \u2018do our best,\u2019 you know?\u201d Graham said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJust show everybody that we can prove to them that we\u2019re still getting better,\u201d McIsaac added.<\/span><\/p>\n

The environment at Mariposa fosters such a spirit. The team trains alongside two other Canadian junior couples, Keelee Gingrich & Parker Brown and Kaitlyn Chubb & Alex Gunther\u2014the former just in their second season together, the latter newcomers to the rink. The set-up encourages friendly competition.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLike trying to be better than one another, but still supporting each other when we\u2019re getting there,\u201d Graham said. <\/span><\/p>\n

With McIsaac still a student, studying on a co-op basis through Innisdale Secondary School, the team trains on an early schedule, typically 7:30 to 11 AM. They tackle separate off-ice workouts, and Graham coaches while McIsaac attends class. <\/span><\/p>\n

And off-ice dance, of course, forms another pillar of training, particularly in the off-season. This summer, Paul, who has a strong background in studio dance, taught ballet and contemporary for the Mariposa skaters. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat was really helpful, because she can teach us things that we can apply on the ice,\u201d McIsaac said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Life off the ice presented the team\u2019s major early challenge: McIsaac is boarding with Graham\u2019s family, requiring a little more togetherness than many new teams have to face. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI felt like I was always invading because most people don\u2019t spend that much time together,\u201d McIsaac said. \u201cSo it\u2019s kind of like\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHaving the space,\u201d Graham interjected.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLike a personal life outside of skating because we\u2019re driving everywhere together and then getting home and still being together,\u201d McIsaac continued. After some months, they conclude that they are getting used to the arrangement.<\/span><\/p>\n

And when not training, the two still find active ways to keep busy. Graham enjoys yoga classes, while McIsaac looks forward to snowboarding after the season\u2019s end.<\/span><\/p>\n

With a JGP assignment secured, the team\u2019s remaining season goals? A podium spot at Nationals and, along the way, regular improvement.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cKeep building and building, and then hopefully we\u2019ll get there,\u201d Graham said.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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