by Anne Calder | Photos by Daphne Backman
IDC caught up with Holly Harris and Jason Chan after their latest Skate America Free Dance.
“In the past three weeks after Nebelhorn, we made a lot of changes in the free dance because we had trouble with some levels and invalidated elements,” Chan defined. “We made a little mistake [today], but it was good for the first time out with the [updated] program.”
Harris was fairly impressed with the group, claiming later that it was in all probability essentially the most enjoyable she’s had in a efficiency, and that the group performed the most important half in that have.
“I felt really connected as a team and the skate overall felt really good,” Harris added. “The crowd was amazing. There were even Aussie flags. That was so cool. It was really enjoyable to skate, but with some small errors. The Rhythm Dance was incredible also.”
“Some small things to work on for next week at Skate Canada,” Chan confessed, “but fifth place at our first Grand Prix is very encouraging and something to be proud of.”
Fast ahead every week to Skate Canada International.
The group was disenchanted with their eighth place end in Mississauga, however readily admitted doing back-to-back competitions was a problem.
“Skate America was such a high being it was our first Grand Prix, and it’s hard to continue on that trajectory. You just have to learn to adapt and to go with it,” Harris mentioned.
“The important thing was we didn’t really think about it. We just chugged along and focused on our job. Now that it’s over we deserve a little time for a rest, then we’ll get back at it next week,” Chan added.
Actually, they solely have every week earlier than leaving for the Challenge Cup (November 9-13) in Graz, Austria.
Both Harris and Chan got here to the world of ice dance after initially skating as singles.
Harris was born in Sydney, Australia and started skating when she was 5.
“When I was seven, I started going overseas to train. Small trips turned into larger ones and eventually I was there mostly full time,” Harris defined. “I educated in Colorado Springs for about seven years in singles.“
In 2016, Harris gained silver on the Junior Volvo Open Cup in Riga, Latvia. The similar yr she additionally competed on the Dresden, Germany JGP after which represented Australia on the 2017 World Junior Championships in Taiwan. Shortly thereafter, she closed the door on her singles skating profession.
Harris had a few concussions and was afraid of hitting her head once more, so through the prolonged day without work the ice, she made the choice to attempt ice dance.
“I had a concussion doing singles, and it brought on a lot of stress jumping and all that. My whole career people kept telling me I should try dance, so I decided to give it a go, which eventually brought me to Montreal. I was meant to come with a previous partner, but it didn’t end up happening, so I found myself alone, and Jason was also skating alone.”
With three years of ice dancing beneath her belt, Harris mirrored on what she has grown to like most concerning the self-discipline.
“When I was doing singles, the biggest part of skating I loved was the artistry, choreography and telling a story on the ice. That’s really what ice dance is, so it’s a perfect match. I really enjoy sharing it with somebody else. It surprised me how much I’m finding comfort in having somebody out there with me telling a story together and creating art on ice.”
Chan who beforehand competed for Canada was born in Montreal, as have been his mother and father. The McGill University graduate can be fluent in French, which may generally be useful and complicated on the similar time.
“It’s funny sometimes,” Chan mentioned with amusing. “We’ll be in a lesson and one of the coaches will be speaking French, and I’ll be like, YES! YES! Holly will be right next to me saying, NO! NO! I don’t understand. Sometimes I don’t even realize it because it’s so natural.”
Chan started skating when he was five-years-old, however didn’t begin ice dancing till ten years later when he partnered with Valerie Taillefer in 2011.
“I enjoyed the skating, but didn’t enjoy jumping. I preferred staying on the ground, so I tried ice dance and really enjoyed it,” Chan mentioned. “During training and competitions I shared the experience with somebody else, so I wasn’t alone on the ice, and that was special.”
Taillefer & Chan gained the Canadian novice dance title in 2014. For the subsequent 4 years they competed at Junior Grand Prix occasions till Taillefer retired after the 2018 Canadian Championships to attend medical college.
“After Valerie retired, I skated alone at the I.AM until Holly and I partnered for the 2019-2020 season.”
Harris & Chan made their worldwide debut on the 2019 Challenger Series Warsaw Cup in November, adopted by profitable the Australian Championship in December after which competing on the 2020 Four Continents in Seoul, Korea.
Then got here Covid-19 and a sequence of worldwide and Canadian cancellations the place the Australians have been scheduled to debut. This included the March 2020 World Championships in Montreal and Skate Canada International in October. Their 2020 and 2021 Australian Nationals have been additionally cancelled, so 2022 would be the first alternative for them to defend their title.
The group opened their present season in August by profitable the bronze medal on the inaugural Britannia International Cup in Sheffield, Great Britain. They completed seventh on the CS Nebelhorn Trophy a couple of weeks later.
Harris & Chan mentioned the packages and music they’ve chosen for this season.
The 2022-2023 Senior Rhythm Dance requires a minimum of two totally different dance types/rhythms chosen from: Salsa, Bachata, Merengue, Mambo, Cha Cha, Rumba and Samba. There isn’t any sample, as an alternative a brand new Choreographic Rhythm Sequence has been added. The Pattern Dance Type Step Sequence is now evaluated as one unit with a mixed stage for each companions.
The Australian group selected (Samba) “The Beat” by Watazu, (Cha Cha) “Cha Cha Danzon” by The Latin Drums and (Merengue) “Suavemente – House Remix by Fred Perry.
“Our rhythm dance is Latin, which is something we’ve never done before because we’re a new team,” Chan famous.
In the final decade, Latin was competed within the 2011-2012 and 2017-2018 seasons each of which have been previous to the forming of their partnership in 2019.
“We actually loved some ballroom dance courses we did whereas we have been in Australia in addition to some courses right here in Montreal. That’s a facet we actually wish to discover, and we actually take pleasure in, so we have been making an attempt to translate that a little bit into our program.
“Our program is choreographed by Olympic Gold Medalist, Guillaume Cizeron. It’s been fun to work with him and see how he moves, and what ideas he brings to the table. It was really inspiring and fun.”
He challenged the group to execute some new strikes.
“He would do something, and we would tell him we were okay with it,” Chan famous.
“We would really try, but It was so hard, and he would do it so effortlessly” Harris mentioned. “He could do anything. It was really inspiring. I would feel really bad, but eventually we got the hang of things, and it came together.”
“This program is really special for us. It’s my favorite so far. We enjoy it a lot.”
Cizeron needed to be with the group at each Skate America and Skate Canada International, however he had obligations in France that prevented him from being on the occasions.
Harris and Chan have set each brief and long-term group objectives for the group.
“Last year we qualified for the Free Dance at Worlds, which was one of our [immediate] main goals. This year we’re aiming to set ourselves up for the next four years and also to improve on our ranking,” Chan mentioned.
“Our long term goal is to not only qualify for the 2026 Olympics, but to do pretty well in Italy – to achieve things for Australia that haven’t been achieved before. It’s the main goal – a four year dream.”