{"id":19623,"date":"2019-02-01T21:48:47","date_gmt":"2019-02-02T02:48:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/?p=19623"},"modified":"2020-02-16T12:05:53","modified_gmt":"2020-02-16T17:05:53","slug":"recap-2019-u-s-nationals-senior-dance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/recap-2019-u-s-nationals-senior-dance\/","title":{"rendered":"Recap: 2019 U.S. Nationals – Senior Dance"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Anne Calder | Photo by Daphne Backman<\/em><\/p>\n

The 2019 ice dancers skated to a packed and enthusiastic audience both nights in Detroit. Many came to cheer on local favorites, but left discovering new talent to support. The award ceremony was a trip down memory lane. Past champions who had paved the way for those now headlining the sport joined the medalists for a huge round of applause.<\/p>\n

The final podium included: Madison Hubbell & Zach Donohue (gold), Madison Chock & Evan Bates (silver), Kaitlin Hawayek & Jean-Luc Baker (bronze), and Lorraine McNamara & Quinn Carpenter (pewter)<\/p>\n

Rhythm Dance<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Friday night crowd at Little Caesars Arena was treated to an evening of tango ice dances that ranged from the sultry to romantic and everything in between. At the end of the evening, the leader board included: Madison Hubbell & Zachary Donohue (1), Madison Chock & Evan Bates (2), Kaitlin Hawayek & Jean-Luc Baker (3) and Christina Carreira & Anthony Ponomarenko (4).<\/p>\n

The 2018-2019 Senior Rhythm Dance includes two sections of Tango Romantica. Each pattern level is determined by the performance of its four key points. Effective 2018-19 the man and lady are awarded twizzle levels separately, and the GOE scores range from -5 to +5.<\/p>\n

It was a homecoming for the top three teams who previously trained in the area before they all moved to Montreal. For Hubbell & Donohue, it was their second time on the Little Caesars Arena ice.<\/p>\n

\u201cZach and I were here this spring for Stars on Ice<\/em>, and we got a small taste of what it would be like,\u201d Hubbell said. \u201cIt\u2019s just great to be here in this beautiful arena.\u201d<\/p>\n

The defending champions skated first in the final group and took the lead with a captivating tango to \u201cMaria de Buenos Aires\u201d by Astor Piazzola. Except for the one missed key point in the second pattern, they earned all level 4\u2019s. The GOEs were +3, +4, +5; the component marks were 9.5 and above. The segment scored 84.56, four points higher than the Grand Prix Final.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday was the rhythm dance, and we\u2019ll enjoy the fact that we came out on top,\u201d Hubbell said. \u201cTomorrow it would be lovely to take another title and share it with my family that\u2019s in the crowd. No matter what, our focus will be on giving a performance we are proud of. The rest isn\u2019t in our control.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chock & Bates received a thunderous applause and 82.33 points for their \u201cAssassin\u2019s Tango\u201d from the Mr. & Mrs. Smith<\/em> soundtrack. The alluring rhythm dance earned all level 4\u2019s \u2013 an amazing fete considering their season began in January due to Chock\u2019s ankle surgery and recovery.<\/p>\n

The team missed the Grand Prix season and only tested their programs recently at the Torun Cup in Poland. In addition to the injury, Chock & Bates moved to Montreal six months ago with new coaches, a new language, and a new schedule. In the mix, they have found a new joy in skating.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur goal for the US Championships and beyond is simply to show the way we are feeling about our own skating, which is a new passion \u2013 our passion never died \u2013 but it\u2019s been reinvigorated, and we are very excited about the direction it\u2019s going,\u201d Bates said.<\/p>\n

Hawayek & Baker round off the U.S. Montreal training trio. Their dance to \u201cVuelvo Al Sur\u201d and \u201cA Los Amigos\u201d scored 76.77 points. The curve lift, twizzles and first Tango Romantica pattern earned level 4. The Midline step sequence and second pattern were level 3. In the rhythm dance, the team achieved its level goals.<\/p>\n

\u201cGoing into Nationals we wanted to put out two really improved programs from our previous competitions,\u201d Baker said. \u201c We\u2019ve really been working on our Tango Romantica levels and want to get higher than a level 2.\u201d<\/p>\n

Baker received a concussion in August and was off-ice for a few months before winning gold at NHK and placing fourth at the Internationaux de France. The points qualified them for the Grand Prix Final.<\/p>\n

Christina Carreira & Anthony Ponomarenko closed the rhythm dance competition with a lively tango to \u201cYo Soy Maria\u201d and \u201cTango Jalousie\u201d. In their Nationals\u2019 senior debut, the team earned all level 4\u2019s and placed fourth. The young 2018 U.S. junior champions, who train in nearby Novi, were pleased with their performance.<\/p>\n

\u201dWe have been working on improving the entire program so we could come here and show we can complete with the older teams and be part of this competition,\u201d Carreira said.<\/p>\n

\u201cGreat atmosphere, great ice and everything was perfect,\u201d Ponomarenko added. \u201cWe had a lot of friends come to watch us, so we are really happy with everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lorraine McNamara & Quinn Carpenter (74.42) finished fifth; Rachel Parsons & Michael Parsons (72.52) finished sixth. Both hold the title of World Junior Ice Dance Champions.<\/p>\n

Free Dance<\/strong><\/p>\n

The audience must have loved what they saw on Friday because a packed house braved cold, snowy conditions Saturday evening to again cheer on the ice dancers.<\/p>\n

Hubbell & Donohue and Chock & Bates began the free dance in first and second place, 2.23 points apart. The two teams share a lot of skating history. Both trained in the Detroit suburbs; both won U.S. Nationals medals every year since 2012, and now both train together in Montreal, Canada.<\/p>\n

So how do they balance the fine line between competitiveness, being friends and training mates?<\/p>\n

Hubbell attributes it to the coaches and atmosphere at the Gadbois Centre where the focus is to become the best version of yourself.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo today we went out focused on being our best. I\u2019m sure they did the same exact thing, so that allows us to support each other while still wanting to be the winner at the end of the day,\u201d Hubbell said.<\/p>\n

Hubbell & Donohue debuted their free dance in September at the Salt Lake City Classic. In four months the program underwent several changes, including the addition of the powerful \u201cO Verona\u201d as the opening music.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe keep trying to perform the same exact thing every time,” Hubbell said.\u00a0 “It feels like we\u2019re unable to give a fully genuine performance, and that\u2019s why we change parts of our programs and little things.\u00a0 I\u2019m not sure if one version is better than the other, but Zach and I have figured out, along with our team in Montreal, that we thrive on change, and we thrive on continuing to push ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

The dance by the reigning Ice Dance Champions to the 1996 Romeo +Juliet<\/em> film soundtrack earned 131.32 points. The elements received all but one level 4; the GOEs were mostly +4 and +5. The program components included ten perfect 10.00 scores. Their high-flying Midline step sequence scored 11.68, the highest of the evening. The program total was 215.88.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think in this performance more than ever before, Zachary and I were really connected,\u201d Hubbell said. \u201cWe kept looking into each other\u2019s eyes, so we created a bubble, and there wasn\u2019t a realization until the end. We were in a bubble time, but to find a way to open up our bubble and see everyone standing, it was really special.\u201d<\/p>\n

For their free dance, Chock & Bates chose a medley from the \u201cIf I Can Dream\u201d album of Elvis Presley hits re-recorded with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The program opens with \u201cFever\u201d by Michael Bubl\u00e9 and Elvis Presley followed by a Presley\u2019s solo to \u201cBurning Love\u201d.<\/p>\n

The skater\u2019s smoldering interpretation and great chemistry in the up-beat program created a vehicle to share their love of dance with the audience.<\/p>\n

\u201cUp-tempo free dances are rare,\u201d Bates said. \u201cIn the last minute of our program, we did something fun and really geared for entertaining the audience. We are happy we created a dance that will stand out a bit and also reflect our personalities really well.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 2015 National Champions earned level 4 for all the elements except a level 3 for the diagonal footwork. Their spectacular curve lift\/curve lift, that demonstrated flexibility and strength received a 13.98, the top combination lift score of the night. The judging panel rewarded them with mostly +4, +5 marks and six 10.00 program component scores. The total was 211.52.<\/p>\n

Kaitlin Hawayek & Jean-Luc Baker skated last and scored 120.18 for their performance to “Trampoline Theme” and “In This Shirt” by the Irrespressibles.\u00a0They earned all level 4\u2019s except for his twizzle that was level 3. The total was 196.95.<\/p>\n

The 2018 Four Continents gold medalists shared their thoughts on two new elements added for this season – the new choreographic elements (GOE scored only \u2013 no level) and the one-foot step sequences, for which Hawayek & Baker earned level 4.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love the choreographic steps,\u201d said Baker. \u201cThere\u2019s so much freedom to it. With it being just a GOE based step you can really allow yourself to let go and feel and dance as opposed to structuring your turns properly and making sure everything is squeaky clean on top of dancing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not that we\u2019re not fans of one-step sequences, but on the aspect of creativity and the range of what you\u2019re able to do, it\u2019s limited,\u201d Hawayek said. \u201cThere are only so many one-footed sequences you can do. It\u2019s hard to be creative while on one foot. I think it\u2019s dull in relation to some of the other elements in the FD, but I\u2019m sure they\u2019ll find ways to develop it as the seasons go on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lorraine McNamara & Quinn Carpenter moved up to fourth place to win the pewter medal with their lyrical and seamless free dance to “Porz Goret” and\u201d Penn Ar Roc\u2019h\u201d by Yann Tiersen and “Modern Piano” by Piano.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe really, really love this program,\u201d McNamara said. \u201cIt felt so good of all places at Nationals to really just leave it all out there and have a blast doing it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOur programs in the past have either been characters like Carmen, from Phantom of the Opera, or something a little more traditional like last year\u2019s tango,\u201d Carpenter added. \u201cWe wanted to take this opportunity, with this music, this program, to really branch out from that and do something our own.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 2016 World Junior Champions earned level 3 for the one-foot step sequence; all the rest were level 4. The segment scored 116.68. The total was 191.10.<\/p>\n

Christina Carreira & Anthony Ponomarenko performed their free dance to a Tokio Myer’s medley including \u201cClair de Lune\u201d, \u201cBloodstream\u201d, and \u201cAngel\u201d and finished fifth.<\/p>\n

In their senior Nationals debut, the 2018 World silver medalists earned level 4\u2019s for their spin, lifts, her twizzle and his one-foot step sequence; the remaining elements were level 3. The segment scored 114.78; the total was 190.01. They felt they held back a little bit.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe could have given more energy, and we had a few mistakes, but we\u2019re pretty happy for our first senior Nationals,\u201d Carriera said.<\/p>\n

\u201cGoing out internationally was a great experience [this season]. We wanted to show we could compete with the seniors. It was a great learning experience,\u201d Ponomarenko added.<\/p>\n

Rachel Parsons & Michael Parsons were seventh in the free dance with a brand new program to “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen, but finished sixth overall. The segment scored 97.74; the total was 170.26.<\/p>\n

For many, Karina Manta & Joe Johnson stole the show with their animated “Sweet Dreams” by the Eurythmics, performed by Emily Browning and choreographed by Christopher Dean. The free dance was sixth technically, but the audience didn\u2019t care about the score. They jumped to their feet before the final beat was heard.\u00a0The well-deserved standing ovation brought tears to Manta\u2019s eyes. The Colorado Springs-based team finished seventh with a 159.97 score.<\/p>\n

Ice Chips <\/strong><\/p>\n