On-ice picture by Melanie Heaney
Welcome to IDC’s New Team Series! For this sequence, we interview athletes who will enter the upcoming 2024-25 season in a brand new partnership, or debuted final season. In our second interview, we examine in with Hana Maria Aboian (14) & Daniil Veselukhin (17).
Tell us about your particular person skating journeys, together with any early particular recollections.
Hana Maria Aboian (HA): At the age of three years outdated, I watched the film Frozen. Frozen was extremely popular and I loved watching it due to the scene Anna and Elsa skated collectively on a pond. I needed to learn to skate like that so after I noticed a determine skates within the native publication promoting classes, I introduced it to my mom and confirmed it to her pointing eagerly in hopes that she would take me to classes.
She was not satisfied so I repeated my request a number of cycles and finally by the point I used to be 3, I had my first steps within the ice. It was not easy crusing as a result of I fully fell off my toes and my mom held my hand the complete session, however I had a blast. I acquired my first skates, a very nice Zuka bag, and the long-lasting Mondor clothes and began Learn to Skate at Nazareth Ice Oasis in Redwood City, CA. I quickly began as a freestyle skater with coaches Zina Kovalenko, Cherylynn Sebastian, Susan Blaisdel, and Charlie Tickner. I began competing in ISI at 5 years outdated. I had many successes within the classes of Pre-preliminary and preliminary. Yet, as a consequence of my mom’s job, we needed to transfer to New Haven, Connecticut. There, I began coaching with Svetlana Kulikova. She moved me to the Juvenile class of girls singles. I competed there for one yr, in the meantime competing in Juvenile Ice Dance with my former companion and her son Steven Moore. At first ice dance got here to the dialog, as a result of it will assist develop my skating expertise, and degree me up as a freestyle skater. Over time, combining singles and ice dance grew to become troublesome. I keep in mind one in all our competitions in Blaine, MN. I needed to do a warm-up in my dance outfit after which ran over to the opposite rink to do my freedance competitors after which proper after that I needed to do my freestyle.
For the subsequent season, I made a decision to give attention to Ice Dance as a result of I beloved the dancing and give attention to expression that’s prevalent in Ice Dance. Also, the National Development Team camp was an unimaginable expertise me. I started working with superb ice dancers and coaches resembling Tanith and Charlie White and Judy Bloomberg. After that, I used to be extremely motivated and pushed to proceed working even more durable than earlier than. I competed with Steven for 3 years in ranges juvenile, intermediate, and novice. I actually loved Ice dance as a result of I may actually present my ardour for dance, which I had developed throughout my youthful years by rigorous coaching within the Vaganova method in ballet and through my years in aggressive rhythmic gymnastics.
My novice season was reduce quick and was then adopted by an in depth seek for a companion. Due to the ice dance companion search web site, I used to be in a position to establish a companion who is an ideal match for me and my coaches. I additionally transitioned to homeschool to give attention to coaching 6-7 hours per day. Now after skating for six months collectively, we put together for our first season collectively as a junior couple.
Daniil Veselukhin (DV): I began skating on the age of 4. Initially, it was merely for well being, with none explicit targets or aspirations. At the age of seven, I used to be invited to strive ice dancing, and that’s when my true journey into the world of determine skating started. It was then that I noticed I needed to turn into knowledgeable and obtain success on this sport. Over the years, I needed to transfer a number of instances to proceed growing and bettering my expertise. Figure skating has turn into one thing I deeply love and worth, and I’m devoted to placing forth my greatest efforts to succeed.
What drew you to ice dance?
HA: Ice dance permits me to specific myself and to inform tales to the audiences by music. It is a really exact sport with cautious consideration to element and method. It requires grace, musicality, and wonderful method. I really feel challenged and impressed after I dance on the ice and I by no means get bored with studying.
DV: I actually like the sensation and feelings skilled throughout performances. I like to look at well-known ice dance {couples} carry out on nationwide and worldwide occasions on the earth. I need to be work to succeed in their degree of excellence and to continue to grow in my skating and efficiency expertise in determine skating. I began determine skating due to my mother and father. I used to be sick rather a lot as a toddler and the medical doctors really useful to my mother and father to introduce me to determine skating classes. As I began skating, my well being has improved and I fell in love with the game.
Tell us how your partnership began. Describe the tryout.
The partnership began when Daniil’s mother and father discovered Hana by Ice Partner Search web site. After the mother and father had a dialogue, we did a tryout at our native rink with our coaches, U.S. Olympians, Melissa Gregory and Denis Petukhov. The coaches really useful that we had been an excellent match, as a result of they favored that we had been each very laborious working and teachable. After a number of extra weeks of coaching and skating collectively, we did a filming with OnIceViews and officiated our partnership.
What is it that you simply already like most about dancing together with your new companion?
We actually like that we’ve an excellent working relationship on the ice and perceive one another. We are each very devoted and work with centered depth. Both of us need to obtain rather a lot in sports activities.
What experiences do every of you carry to the partnership?
HA: I’ve very intensive coaching in ballet and rhythmic gymnastics with vital expertise in a wide range of efficiency arts. This taught me learn how to specific music and theme behind completely different tales.
DV: I carry vital expertise into our partnership as a result of I’ve been doing solely ice dance since an early age and competed in a number of worldwide competitions on this self-discipline.
What has been the largest adjustment for every of you up to now within the partnership?One of the largest changes we made was the adjusting our mindset to a brand new method taught by our coaches and the excessive degree of skating that’s anticipated of us now. We additionally had too regulate to the brand new degree of depth and pace of skating.
Tell us about your coaching web site.
We practice at Newington ice Arena for six to seven hours day by day. We have customized health club coaching, ballroom instruction, and ballet day by day. We even have limitless ice time with day by day customized coaching from our coaches Melissa Gregory and Denis Petukhov.
Who are your coaches? Did both or each must relocate? If so, inform us in regards to the transfer(s).
Our coaches are Melissa Gregory and Denis Petukhov who’re former Team USA Olympians. Daniil relocated to Connecticut to coach at our coaching middle. To practice with Daniil full-time, I needed to begin on-line college in December.
Who is choreographing your packages. Is another person arranging your music? If so, please share these experiences.
Our Choreographers are Melissa Gregory and Denis. Our music is organized by Alex at SportMusic.com.
If you would have a lesson with any ice dancer previous/current, who wouldn’t it be? Why?
If we may take a lesson with any visitor coaches, it will be from Grishuk and Platov. They introduced a sure degree of pleasure to the world utilizing artistry and magic, all mixed with pace.
What is every of you wanting ahead to most this skating season? What can be your greatest problem(s)?
We are wanting ahead to exhibiting our progress to the determine skating group. Our greatest problem within the subsequent six months can be to learn to compete collectively and overcome obstacles that normally happen throughout competitors season.
Please share something you desire to our readers to learn about you as a crew?
We are wanting ahead to this debut season and having fun with each second with our coaches, households, and pals.