{"id":25955,"date":"2021-01-20T00:41:56","date_gmt":"2021-01-20T05:41:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/?p=25955"},"modified":"2021-01-20T00:43:35","modified_gmt":"2021-01-20T05:43:35","slug":"recap-u-s-ice-dance-crowns-new-national-champions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/recap-u-s-ice-dance-crowns-new-national-champions\/","title":{"rendered":"Recap: U.S. Ice Dance Crowns New National Champions"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Anne Calder | Photo by Jay Adeff (U.S. Figure Skating)<\/em><\/p>\n

The 2021 U.S. National Championships for the senior level was held January 9 -17 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Eleven ice dance couples competed virtually but supported by familiar cardboard faces and pumped-in applause.<\/p>\n

RHYTHM DANCE<\/strong>
\nThe rhythm dance pattern (Finnstep) and theme (Musicals) remained the same for a second straight season. While many of the dancers chose to keep their 2019-2020 programs, a few broke out new ones.<\/span><\/p>\n

Madison Chock & Evan Bates won the rhythm dance with a US Championship record-breaking 90.10 score to last season\u2019s \u201cToo Darn Hot\u201d from Kiss Me Kate. <\/em>It earned level 4 for all five elements.<\/p>\n

The Program Component marks were mostly above 9.50, including two 10s for music interpretation.<\/p>\n

The 2020 U.S. National Champions skipped Skate America in October to concentrate on their training in Montreal, Canada. They hadn\u2019t competed in eleven months and were a bit apprehensive about returning to competition.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe try not to think about it too much, but I\u2019d be lying to you if I said that we were not a little bit extra nervous today,\u201c Bates said.<\/p>\n

Madison Hubbell & Zachary Donohue were a close second with 89.66 points. All the elements earned level 4, except the Finnstep, which had a timing deduction. The couple performed their Burlesque<\/em> program that had made its debut at Skate America, but with a much different costume.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe feel that we really attacked the performance and look forward to another chance to compete tomorrow,\u201d Hubbell said.<\/p>\n

Kaitlin Hawayek & Jean Luc Baker scored 85.28 points with last season\u2019s disco dance medley from the 1970\u2019s hit movie, Saturday Night Fever.<\/em> A missed key point in the Finnstep earned it a level 3, but the other elements were all level 4.<\/p>\n

Hawayek spoke about using a program for the second time and keeping it fresh.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe kept our FD program for two years several seasons ago. We hit a point in the second season where we felt flat with it \u2013 finding it hard to reenergize the real emotion in the program. I haven\u2019t felt that way with this program. The coaching staff is pushing us to different levels of awareness. There\u2019s still so much more growth in the program.\u201d<\/p>\n

Caroline Green & Michael Parsons competed for a second-time at the US Championships together as a team. The duo scored 80.10 for a new program to music from Thoroughly Modern Millie<\/em>. They earned level 4 for all their elements. Parsons spoke about the joy they showed during the performance.<\/p>\n

\u201cSkaters have their own specialties \u2013 the styles they\u2019re best at. This type of program is what is more comfortable for me. It let me enjoy myself on the ice – enjoy my new partner on the ice. I think we grew a lot because of it.<\/p>\n

Molly Cesanek & Yehor Yehorov scored 71.11 in their senior debut at the Championships.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe tried to stay very connected throughout this week,\u201d Cesanek said. \u201cThe entire performance went by so quickly. We both felt every moment. We\u2019re proud of our delivery.\u201d<\/p>\n

FREE DANCE
\n<\/strong>What a difference a day makes. Chock & Bates took a slight .44 lead over Hubbell & Donohue into the Free Dance. Bates made a slight bobble in the twizzles; Hubbell & Donohue skated clean and reclaimed the Championship title.<\/p>\n

Hubbell & Donohue introduced a new program to \u201cHallelujah\u201d choreographed by Olympic and World Champion, Scott Moir. Hugo Chouinard arranged the music, a combination of Jeff Buckley and k.d.lang vocals with a short piece by Karl Hugo that connected the two versions. It was a collaborated team effort that also included their coach, Marie-France Dubreuil.<\/p>\n

The mesmerizing performance scored 134.90 points, enough to slip them past their Montreal training mates. The lifts, spin, twizzles and One-foot Step were rated level 4. The opening perfectly in-sync Choreographed Step Sequence was breathtaking and scored a perfect 4.15 GOE with the seven judges awarding it all 5s.<\/p>\n

\u201cThird-time National Champions has a real nice ring to it,\u201d Hubbell said at the Press Conference. \u201cWe worked really hard this year and through all the struggles, it\u2019s been a really productive year for us. It wasn\u2019t the easiest performance tonight. We had to keep calm and stay on, but we couldn\u2019t be happier to be here and accomplish this big goal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chock & Bates performed their very popular \u201csnake dance\u201d from last season. It was the first time the team skated in competition since winning the 2020 Four Continents in Seoul, South Korea last February. All the elements, but Bates\u2019 twizzle earned level 4. The segment scored 132.83; the total was 222.93.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m really proud of us for being here and putting it out there,\u201d Bates said at the Press Conference. \u201cWe really did a lot of great things in both performances. I think there\u2019s a lot of positive things we showed \u2013 of growth in our skating, commitment to improving, and that we continued training all year long without the opportunity to compete.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to be optimistic and stay positive and focus on what we did well,\u201d he concluded.<\/p>\n

Hawayek & Baker won the Bronze medal for the third straight Championships with a new program to a Phillip Glass medley. The Montreal based duo was the only team to earn level 4 for all its elements. The segment scored 127.27 points; with a 212.55 total.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday we\u2019re quite proud of our performance,\u201d Baker told the Press. \u201cWe trained really hard this season working with a lot of adversities and obstacles \u2013 but who hasn\u2019t. It\u2019s been real exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Green & Parsons was another team that performed a new program. The Pewter medalists danced to a fast-paced Prince medley. The lifts, spin, circular step and man\u2019s one step sequences rated level 4. Parson\u2019s stutter-stepped on the second twizzle, resulting in level 2 and negative GOEs. The segment scored 112.29 and totaled 192.39.<\/p>\n

The team worked on the program after Skate America even changing the rotational lift after struggling with it at the event.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter Skate America, we realized what we wanted this program to do,\u201d Green explained. \u201cWe had time between the competitions to break everything down.\u201d<\/p>\n

Parsons added, \u201cWe learned a lot about the intention of our programs, and we can definitely apply that to the coming season.<\/p>\n

Cesanek & Yehorov danced to last season\u2019s \u201cMake It Rain\u201d and \u201cTake Me to Church\u201d. The program earned level 4 for all the elements except the Diagonal and One-Foot Step Sequences that were rated level 3. The technically strong program earned a 106.29 score, a 177.40 total and fifth place. The couple made their senior Championship debut and skated in the final fleet.<\/p>\n

Cesanek shared their thoughts about the experience. \u201cTo be in the final group is just so exciting for us. It was a dream come true [to being introduced on the same ice as World medalists]. We are so inspired by them.”<\/p>\n

Remaining Placement Order:<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. (162.86) Lorraine McNamara & Anton Spiridonov<\/li>\n
  2. (154.93) Eva Pate & Logan Bye<\/li>\n
  3. (131.10) Livvy Shilling & Alexander Petrov<\/li>\n
  4. (122.68) Hillary Asher & Ryan O\u2019Donnell<\/li>\n
  5. (100.76) Breelie Taylor & Tyler Vollmer<\/li>\n
  6. (096.91) Cara Murphy & Joshua Levitt<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Junior Competition:<\/strong><\/p>\n

    January 20-21\u00a0<\/p>\n

    Visit the Virtual Fan Experience<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0and enjoy the competition.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    by Anne Calder | Photo by Jay Adeff (U.S. Figure Skating) The 2021 U.S. National Championships for the senior level was held January 9 -17 at the Orleans Arena in 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