by Daphne Backman | Banner picture of Yang & Kay by Robin Ritoss
Ice dance (and determine skating) is particular. Throughout the previous 25 years, my crew and I’ve been privileged to {photograph} or interview lots of the ice dancers at competitions just like the Lake Placid Ice Dance Championships, Dallas Classic or Challenge Cup. We’ve watched new groups come collectively, welcomed children and fogeys to the ice dance neighborhood and helped households navigate a few of the nuances of their new determine skating world. We’ve watched kids kind friendships and adults discover a camaraderie with others who perceive the each day challenges. We’ve captured the fun of success or disappointment in quotes and pictures or given phrases of encouragement when wanted. We’ve watched athletes say goodbye to the game as they retire and transfer on to new adventures. All are cherished recollections for us and our neighborhood.
Writing an article about this profound loss is difficult. It’s tough to search out the proper phrases to precisely seize the enjoyment of their lives. It appears not possible, but it’s vital to share these ideas and to recollect these we misplaced by sharing even a small piece of what made them particular.
For Sasha, Sean, Julia, Angela, Lily, Alydia and people who perished on this crash…I’ll do my greatest to shine a lightweight on the ice dance neighborhood members who have been misplaced.
On January 29, American Airlines Flight 5342 took off from Wichita, Kansas carrying 60 passengers and 4 crew members. The 60 passengers included 11 members of the U.S. National Development Team in addition to 4 coaches and 13 members of the family. The skaters had been in Wichita for the high-performance improvement camp, an annual program for athletes on the juvenile, intermediate and novice stage that was created in 2020 to encourage and foster the event of the following era of skaters. National Development Team members certified through placement at three sectional occasions (singles) or through the ice dance or pairs finals. In addition to coaching and different instructional alternatives, members attended the weekend’s senior aggressive occasions.
It was not possible to not discover the electrical vitality emanating from the stands in part 119 as the children supported each senior competitor. The connections constructed between the athletes have been heartwarming, and it was apparent the friendships fostered by this expertise would proceed far past the few days at this camp. Our tabled media seating was situated in the back of this part so we had a entrance row seat to witness the thrill that grew all through that weekend. While the Nationals opponents and households headed dwelling on Monday, the National Development Team athletes remained in Wichita for 2 extra days to work with specialists and proceed with on and off-ice coaching and efficiency enchancment actions.
At roughly 8:48pm, flight 5342 collided mid-air with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter whereas approaching Reagan National Airport in Washington, DC. There have been no survivors.
The DC space is central to various skating golf equipment and coaching facilities. When studying in regards to the crash, my mind went by a psychological listing of everybody from the Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Maryland areas to think about who may very well be misplaced. Waiting to be taught who was on the flight and affirmation of those that have been passengers was heartbreaking.
From the 28 members of the determine skating household who perished within the crash, 9 have been from the ice dance neighborhood. Angela Yang & Sean Kay, the 11-year previous juvenile champions from the 2025 U.S. Ice Dance Final had attended the camp together with their moms Lily (Yang) and Julia (Kay) and coach Alexandr Kirsanov. Alydia Livingston, additionally 11, was invited to attend the camp along with her new ice dance companion. Her sister Everly and fogeys Donna and Peter have been additionally on the flight as was Everly’s singles coach Inna Volyanskaya.
This isn’t the primary time the determine skating neighborhood has mourned such a tragic loss. Nearly 64 years in the past, on February 15, 1961, Sabena Flight 548 crashed close to Brussels, Belgium, whereas approaching to land. Tragically, all 72 individuals on board, together with 18 members of the U.S. determine skating crew who have been on their approach to the World Championships in Prague, died within the accident.
About the Victims
Alexandr (Sasha) Kirsanov was a former aggressive ice dancer who represented the United States, Azerbaijan and Russia. After retiring in 2004, he turned a determine skating coach and choreographer primarily based within the Newark, Delaware space. The first time I met Sasha was in Lake Placid on the Ice Dance Championships as he was a part of the teaching crew for one of many groups I knew. The final time I noticed him was on the Ice Dance Final in Plano in November. I needed to share this story.
In 2012, I used to be on my approach to the U.S. Championships in San Jose, and my connecting flight was in Philadelphia. Due to climate the airplane was delayed lengthy sufficient that I missed my connection in Phoenix. Back then, I didn’t plan my journey as fastidiously as I do now, and this missed connection meant no likelihood of arriving in San Jose that night and certain lacking the Novice Pattern Dances that have been scheduled to start out at 10am the following morning. Sasha was additionally on my flight, and one among his groups was a part of the identical novice dance occasion which means he would additionally miss it.
Unlike earlier Nationals, I might be staying with my good friend Robin Ritoss at her dwelling. When I known as to let her know of the predicament, she urged I fly into San Francisco as a substitute, and he or she would come to satisfy me. Once my flight was modified, I went to search out Sasha, and he was in a position to e-book the identical flight. Robin was completely satisfied to make an additional cease, and I used to be glad one of many groups wouldn’t be with out one among their coaches. I share this story as a result of again in July, whereas on the Dallas Classic, I talked with Sasha about this journey, and we each had an excellent snicker about it. I’m glad I had that second.
Sasha leaves behind a spouse, Natalya Gudin, who additionally coached Angela and Sean however was not in Wichita, and a daughter, Nicole. Nicole is a gifted solo dancer and a multi-time nationwide medalist on the National Solo Dance Final.
This season was the primary as a crew for Angela Yang & Sean Kay, who represented the University of Delaware Figure Skating Club and each competed in solo dance. Although a brand new crew, they positioned first at each occasion together with the Dallas Classic, Lake Placid Ice Dance Championships and the U.S. Ice Dance Final. It was great to look at them proceed to develop as a crew by every competitors. I keep in mind Anne (Calder) messaging me in the course of the Ice Dance Final to ensure I’d seen them enjoying with their stuffies within the kiss ‘n cry after the free dance. Juvenile is such a enjoyable stage to {photograph} due to the competitor vitality and pleasure of skating.
I met and had a quick dialog with Julia (Sean’s mom) on the Dance Final. When she realized I used to be from ice-dance.com, she thanked me for all the images that we’ve posted of her children. I discovered later from one other guardian who was on the camp, that each Lily and Julia had one among Robin’s images from Lake Placid as their cellphone background. That meant so much.
In September, Angela completed second within the Juvenile Combined occasion on the 2024 National Solo Dance Final. Sean received the Novice Combined on the identical occasion and his brother Skyler received Intermediate Combined.
Angela and Sean had a lot potential as a crew and of their solo careers. Their love of skating and fervour for efficiency will likely be missed.
Angela’s mom Lily in addition to Julia, Sean’s mom have been additionally on the flight. Angela is survived by her father Jacob, sister Tiki and brother Miller. Tiki has arrange a GoFundMe for the household. Sean is survived by his father Vitali, sister Samantha and two brothers. A GoFundMe to proceed the skating journeys of Sean’s siblings has been created.
There will likely be a celebration of life for Sasha, Sean, Julia, Lily and Angela from 8 am till 12 pm on Saturday, February 22, 2025, on the University of Delaware Fred Rust Ice Arena in Newark, DE. In lieu of flowers, donations could also be made payable to the University of Delaware Skating Club and mailed to the Fred Rust Ice Arena, 549 S. College Avenue, Newark, DE, 19716.
On January 20, singles skater and solo ice dancer Alydia Livingston (Washington Figure Skating Club) and Matthew Jacoby introduced their ice dance partnership on Instagram. Matthew had competed in intermediate ice dance on the Ice Dance Final and was invited to attend the High Performance Development Camp together with his new companion.
Alydia’s sister Everly, a singles skater, had additionally certified to attend the camp through a fourth place end in intermediate girls at Eastern Sectionals. Alydia and Everly have been often known as the Ice Skating Sisters on Instagram and Youtube and had a rising social media presence sharing movies of their performances and adventures. Their father, Peter, had taught them to skate, and the household embraced the world of determine skating.
I spoke with Liz (Matthew’s mom) on the final day of the U.S. Championships. She shared that Alydia and Matt have been excited to be on the camp and searching ahead to the season. Things have been going effectively. I used to be trying ahead to seeing this new crew debut at a summer season competitors in the beginning of the 2025-26 season.
Liz and Matthew took a flight again to Philadelphia earlier on Wednesday.
Including these talked about above, a complete of 28 members of the determine skating neighborhood have been misplaced on January 29. The following singles skaters and coaches additionally perished:
- Jinna Han (and mom Jin)
- Spencer Lane (and mom Christine)
- Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov (coaches)
- Brielle Beyer (and mom Justyna)
- Cory Haynos (and fogeys Stephanie and Roger)
- Olivia Eve Ter (and mom Olesya)
- Franco Aparicio (and father Luciano)
- Eddie Zhou (and fogeys Yu Zhou and Kaiyan Mao)
- Inna Volyanskaya (coach)
If you have an interest in contributing to assist the households left behind on this tragedy, U.S. Figure Skating has created the U.S. Figure Skating Family Support Fund to help these straight impacted.
On February 5, Monumental Sports & Entertainment, Entertainment Gang and U.S. Figure Skating introduced they are going to host a stay determine skating tribute to be held at Capital One Arena in downtown Washington D.C. on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Legacy on Ice will honor the 67 lives misplaced and lift funds to assist victims’ households and the primary responders and aviation professionals who labored tirelessly within the aftermath of the tragedy. All proceeds will likely be collected by the Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation and equally distributed to the U.S. Figure Skating Family Support Fund, Greater Washington Community Foundation’s “DCA Together Relief Fund” and DC Fire & EMS Foundation. The occasion will likely be co-hosted by 1988 Olympic champion Brian Boitano and can embrace Ilia Malinin (three-time U.S. Champion and 2024 World Champion), Amber Glenn (two-time U.S. Champion and 2024 Grand Prix Final Champion), Madison Chock & Evan Bates (six-time U.S. Champions and two-time World Champions) and extra.
It is my hope that the sense of connection in our ice dance neighborhood brings consolation to everybody as we transfer ahead whereas grieving this loss. Though they’re now not with us, their influence stays — in each reminiscence and each act of kindness impressed by their lives. We carry them ahead in our hearts, guaranteeing that their legacy continues to form our neighborhood for the long run.
Photo Gallery: Ice Dance Community Members Lost on Flight 5342
Photos by Daphne Backman, Melanie Heaney and Robin Ritoss