On this Q&A, we introduce you to Amanda City, an ice dancer who competes within the junior solo mixed dance occasions. She trains with ,at Ashburn Ice Home and is coached by IKatrina Shalin, Vitaliy Shalin, and Ruslan Goncharov.
Inform us about how your skating journey started. What drew you to the ice? Do you may have any particular recollections?
My skating journey started in 2015 when my mother and father signed me and my sister up for a study to skate summer time camp. I had no thought easy methods to skate and had by no means actually tried it earlier than the camp. I bear in mind the primary time I stepped on the ice, it felt a lot totally different than how I anticipated it might be, however I beloved it. After the week-long camp, I actually wished to proceed studying easy methods to skate so my mother and father signed me up for study to skate courses and it just about took off from there.
When and why did you select to do solo dance?
I started my skating journey competing on a synchronized skating staff. On my third season of synchro, my coach advised that I attempt ice dance classes to assist with issues like my timing, posture, skating abilities, and so on. I ended up taking classes and I beloved it! After just some weeks of classes my coach, Vitaliy Shalin, requested if I wished to attempt competing within the solo dance collection. He defined that I may compete within the preliminary patterns, and that if I scored excessive sufficient I may qualify for nationals. After all I stated sure, and in 2019 I competed in preliminary patterns, and I ended up qualifying and competing at nationals in Provo, Utah. I’ve competed yearly since, and I’m now competing Junior Mixed. Ever since my first season, I’ve completely beloved competing within the solo dance collection.
What do you want most about Solo Dance? What sort of music to you prefer to skate to the very best? Why?
I like that solo dance offers dancers the chance to nonetheless compete and not using a accomplice. I like to compete and whereas I’m looking for a accomplice, I’m so grateful I’m nonetheless in a position to carry out and keep aggressive. In solo dance, the junior and senior ranges have a rhythm dance and a free dance, identical to the ice dance groups. This season the junior rhythm dance theme was tango along with your alternative of favor from the choices they gave. I selected to skate to a flamenco together with the tango, and I actually have loved it! I prefer to skate to all kinds of music however I believe the flamenco and tango kinds this yr have been one in all my favorites. Once I hear my music I really feel I must skate with plenty of energy, I have to be quick and fierce, and I actually get pleasure from that. I additionally actually like skating to modern or lyrical items of music, I like to only skate and really feel the music, it’s top-of-the-line issues about skating.
Inform us about your coaching website.
I’ve skated on the Ashburn Ice Home in Ashburn, Virginia for the reason that first time I’ve ever stepped foot on the ice. This summer time, I’ve began coaching extra at SkateQuest in Reston, as we now have dance solely ice time Monday via Thursday which has been tremendous useful because it will get fairly busy on summer time freestyle classes. My teaching staff consists of Katrina Shalin, Vitaliy Shalin, and Ruslan Goncharov. I can’t think about a greater staff of coaches, all of them contribute various things to my skating/packages and are simply so useful to me. They’re every extraordinarily devoted at what they do and spend a lot of their time perfecting my skating, and all of their different skaters as properly. It is extremely essential to me to not solely have coaches who can educate properly, however to have coaches who actually care about their college students and wish the very best for them. We have now a reasonably large group of solo dancers, skaters from the decrease ranges to the upper ranges, however all of us help each other. This season we even have 5 junior dancers, together with myself. All of us are aggressive, in fact, however we’re all associates and we cheer one another on. We’re all a staff and really supportive of one another, it’s an incredible group!
Who choreographed your packages. What do you want finest about dancing to them?
Katrina Shalin and Ruslan Goncharov did my choreography this season. They’re very inventive and know precisely what every program wants. This yr I selected to skate to the “Avatar” film soundtrack for my free dance. Initially I selected a up to date model of music, we choreographed rather less than half this system however then I made a decision it simply didn’t really feel proper. In an effort to skate to music, you have to have a reference to it, which I didn’t really feel to that piece of music. I informed my coaches and we instantly started looking for new music. I used to be looking for one thing with extra of a storyline. I wished one thing distinctive and funky, one thing that might actually be fascinating to look at. I heard the “Avatar” soundtrack and I actually preferred the thought. I then informed my coach, Katrina, about this concept and he or she helped discover some extra songs and brainstorm new concepts. We received this program accomplished in a short time, simply in time for the 2023 Solo Dance Camp in Dallas, Texas. At solo dance camp I had the chance to work with Randi Sturdy who was additionally very useful in including issues to each of my packages.
Solo Dance shall be a global self-discipline this season? Share your ideas about this variation.
I’m so excited to listen to about Solo Dance changing into a global self-discipline! I believe this actually helps open the door for a lot of dancers who’re struggling to discover a accomplice, or simply need to compete in ice dance and not using a accomplice. Since my first yr of solo dance, again in 2019, I’ve seen it develop. I consider since it is going to be on the worldwide stage, extra consideration shall be dropped at it, and extra folks will need to attempt it. I believe it’s additionally nice to not solely compete in opposition to skaters out of your area or inside your nation, however to have the chance to compete in opposition to skaters from different international locations as properly. I’m simply so blissful to see that solo dance shall be worldwide, and might’t await the alternatives that this may deliver.
In skating, what are you most wanting ahead to this season? What shall be your greatest problem(s)?
I’m most wanting ahead to competing at my final couple of qualifying competitions, and hopefully the Nationwide Solo Dance last in Chicago, IL. I’m actually excited to compete in Lake Placid, New York. It’s a enjoyable competitors, and skating on the rink the Olympics passed off can be a nice expertise. I believe my greatest problem shall be nationals. I’ve been working more durable than I ever have in previous seasons and I actually do really feel it’s paying off. My purpose this season is to skate two skates that I’m happy with and earn a medal at nationals; I might like to win. To date I’ve earned a gold medal from all six of my competitions, and I’m actually happy with that. If you happen to had been to inform me final season and even simply earlier than this season began, the place I’m at proper now, I might not consider you. I’ve actually stunned myself to this point and I’m excited for what’s subsequent!
If you happen to may have a lesson with any ice dancer previous/current, who wouldn’t it be? Why?
It is a arduous resolution as there are such a lot of superb ice dancers I look as much as. However, If I had been to choose, I might say both Maddison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue or Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron. Each groups have such distinctive kinds of skating that basically encourage me. I like their energy and easy kinds of skating.
What are your favourite off-ice actions?
It is a query I get requested usually and I by no means know what to reply as a result of I prefer to be on the ice just about all day on a regular basis. It’s one thing I don’t get uninterested in, but when I needed to decide I might say buying and touring. I journey rather a lot for competitions and I’ve gone to actually cool locations, a few of my favorites have been Provo, UT, Lake Placid, NY and Nashville, TN. All of them are actually fairly areas and I’ve actually loved visiting there.
Please share anything you desire to our readers to find out about you as a skater?
One thing I need folks to see once they watch me skate is my ardour for skating. I don’t simply skate as a result of I’ve been doing it for some time or for some other purpose. I skate as a result of I really adore it and revel in coming to observe on daily basis. I believe that’s what actually could make a skater stand out.