by Maria Bagdasarova | On-Ice Photos by Daphne Backman & Yoriko Suzuki<\/em><\/p>\n Competing of their eighth senior season and eleventh total collectively, Canadians Marie-Jade Lauriault & Romain Le Gac proceed to enchant audiences with their distinctive storytelling on the ice. On 14-19 January 2025, they may take part within the Canadian National Skating Championships within the hope to safe a spot on the nation\u2019s staff for the World Championships in Boston.<\/p>\n Despite not reaching their desired podium placements on this 12 months\u2019s Grand Prix sequence, Lauriault & Le Gac keep a constructive outlook, viewing the expertise as a chance for progress. \u201cWe were expecting a lot from this season,\u201d Marie-Jade admitted. \u201cBut even though we didn\u2019t meet our goals, we\u2019re proud of the efficient work we did between the two competitions.\u201d<\/p>\n Romain echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the significance of studying from their performances. \u201cWe started early this season in Lake Placid and got great feedback. Unfortunately, we left some points on the table at the Grand Prix events, but we\u2019re proud of the preparation and training we\u2019ve done,\u201d he mentioned. For the rest of the season, the staff is concentrated on refining their packages and reaching consistency. \u201cIt\u2019s about understanding why certain levels weren\u2019t achieved and making sure we don\u2019t leave any points behind,\u201d Marie-Jade defined.<\/p>\n Lauriault & Le Gac are identified for his or her fastidiously crafted packages with creative storytelling. This season, their rhythm dance attracts inspiration from the Sixties quantity known as \u201cThe Rich Man\u2019s Frug\u201d from the musical movie \u201cSweet Charity\u201d. The program incorporates quirky actions, reflecting the colourful and carefree essence of the period.<\/p>\n \u201cWe chose Rich Man\u2019s Frug knowing it would require a lot of work, but also recognizing the fascinating story behind Bob Fosse\u2019s choreography. His style is full of little quirks, and yet it all ties back to the basics of social dance \u2013 connecting with someone and dancing together. If you watch the video clip from Sweet Charity, the movements show people enjoying themselves, creating a sense of fun and connection. At the same time, there\u2019s an eccentric edge to the choreography, as if the dancers are a bit arrogant but not taking themselves too seriously. We loved that vibe, and it perfectly captured what social dance should be about: having fun with others and dancing freely without caring what the others think. For us, the goal in the rhythm dance was to reflect that connection and playful, slightly weird energy in our movements,\u201d Marie-Jade explains.<\/p>\n In distinction, their free dance takes audiences to the Wild West, showcasing a cinematic narrative impressed by iconic Western movies. From the sheriff to the outlaw, this system juxtaposes the themes of regulation versus freedom. \u201cMarie-Jade brought up the idea,\u201d Romain revealed. \u201cAt first, I wasn\u2019t sure, but as we explored more Western music, it started to come together.\u201d<\/p>\n The program brings collectively stereotypical Western imagery of a superb man, unhealthy man, and a sheriff with fashionable parts. \u201cWe used those familiar images as the foundation to create a story with various characters and elements people associate with Westerns. We also wanted to modernize the vibe, especially in how women are portrayed. We wanted the woman to be powerful,\u201d Marie-Jade mentioned, referencing her pantsuit costume and dominant function in some lifts. \u201cIn some of the lifts, I\u2019m positioned higher than Romain. These subtle touches allowed us to maintain the Western aesthetic while introducing a fresh perspective.\u201d<\/p>\n Lauriault & Le Gac\u2019s 11-year partnership has been a journey of creative exploration and pushing the boundaries with their daring decisions of characters they create to the ice. Whether evoking humor in Pink Panther<\/i> or gothic appeal in Corpse Bride<\/i>, their packages persistently stand out for his or her creativity. \u201cIt\u2019s easier to work by theme,\u201d Marie-Jade defined. \u201cThe idea takes form as we develop the program, from costumes to choreography.\u201d<\/p>\n Their inventive course of begins with music choice. \u201cWe start with a four-hour playlist of music,\u201d Marie-Jade defined. \u201cIt builds throughout the season, and then we filter it, because some music isn\u2019t made for skating. We also think about the elements \u2013 the lifts, spin, and the cues we want when listening.\u201d<\/p>\n Once the music and theme are chosen, the duo works with their coaches at Ice Academy of Montreal to refine their imaginative and prescient.<\/p>\n \u201cWe always try different ideas and themes,\u201d Marie-Jade shared. \u201cFor the Western free dance, we didn\u2019t just listen to movie scores; we explored Western show music and Cirque du Soleil to broaden our horizon. The music evolves continuously on the ice as the coaches bring their perspectives.\u201d<\/p>\n Their storytelling features depth from the specialists they work with. \u201cEmilie [Josset], our theater coach, is great at creating characters and backstories,\u201d mentioned Marie-Jade. \u201cEva [Airapetian], our ballet teacher, helps us dig deeper into themes. For this year\u2019s free dance, she explored the law versus freedom theme: Is the law always right, or is freedom sometimes?\u201d.<\/p>\n Romain elaborated, \u201cMarie-Jade is the sheriff, representing law, and I\u2019m the bad guy, representing freedom. But is he really bad?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhen we build a program, we know the tools and team we have,\u201d Romain concluded. \u201cEach person brings their expertise to add another layer, making the story richer and more complete.\u201d<\/p>\n Their inventive method extends past their performances. \u201cWe try to share this process with young skaters we coach now,\u201d mentioned Marie-Jade. \u201cIt\u2019s important for them to bring something to the table. It\u2019s hard to skate on something imposed on you. Researching and believing in the music makes a difference. It helps you connect to the program and bring out that deeper performance, especially when the technical part is already there.\u201d<\/p>\n After the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted their routines in 2020, Marie-Jade and Romain made the choice to modify from representing France to Canada. The transfer grew to become a catalyst for reigniting their ardour for skating. Reflecting on the transition, Romain defined, \u201cDuring the pandemic, everybody questioned themselves because we had time; everything stopped. We had already done five or six seasons together, every competition we could have done \u2013 Europeans, Worlds, Olympics. We looked at that and saw that something was missing at that point. We were not aligned with our values.\u201d<\/p>\n Logistically, the fixed journey between France and Canada was pricey and left little time for high quality interactions with their household in France. Marie-Jade defined: \u201cWhen you train in a country you don\u2019t represent, it\u2019s incredibly challenging. Making the switch really allowed us to feel the values we were talking about. Everything was in place. One of our core values is family and now we see our family in France with more quality time. Before, it was always on the go: competition, maybe one day to visit, and then back. Now we\u2019re more relaxed and can truly enjoy those moments.\u201d<\/p>\n The sources accessible in Canada additionally performed a key function of their progress as athletes and people. \u201cThe team around us \u2013 physios, mental coaches, physical trainers \u2013 we have access to so many great resources,\u201d mentioned Marie-Jade. \u201cIt\u2019s not just about becoming better skaters; we\u2019re becoming better people. They\u2019re building the whole picture, giving us skills beyond skating, which helps prepare us for life after the sport.\u201d<\/p>\n For Romain, the choice to symbolize Canada has been transformative. \u201cWe\u2019re proud of what we achieved skating for France; it\u2019s part of our story,\u201d he acknowledged. \u201cBut what keeps us competing now is the support we\u2019ve found in Quebec and Canada. We\u2019re still learning so much from the incredible people we\u2019re surrounded by. That\u2019s why we\u2019re still here today, and as long as we\u2019re learning, we\u2019ll keep going.\u201d<\/p>\n As Marie-Jade Lauriault & Romain Le Gac proceed their journey as skilled ice dancers, their off-ice priorities mirror a balanced and considerate lifestyle past competitors. \u201cFor now, at the beginning of the year, we both took a break \u2013 me from my studies and Romain from osteopathy \u2013 to fully immerse ourselves in the off-ice training opportunities we had access to,\u201d Marie-Jade shared. \u201cI\u2019ll go back to school in December, but coaching remains an integral part of our daily routine. It\u2019s important to us to give back and share what we\u2019ve learned, as it\u2019s also a way for us to keep learning.\u201d Both emphasize the significance of getting a \u201cplan B\u201d, not only for themselves but in addition for the youthful skaters they mentor.<\/p>\n Romain echoed this sentiment, reflecting on how their households instilled the worth of preparation. \u201cBoth of our families were aligned in ensuring we have a plan B. That\u2019s why we\u2019re still here today; knowing there\u2019s something after skating gives us peace of mind,\u201d he mentioned. He additionally highlighted their openness to new experiences, recalling a post-pandemic collaboration with Montreal\u2019s \u201cCircus des 7 doigts de la main\u201d. \u201cIt was a great experience, and we\u2019re open to shows like Cirque du Soleil in the future. For now, though, we\u2019re living fully as professional athletes for the first time, with a schedule that\u2019s aligned with recovery, nutrition, and training.\u201d<\/p>\n This resolution to focus totally on skating is a shift from their traditional steadiness of athletics and different commitments. \u201cIt was a bit of a change for us,\u201d Romain admitted. \u201cWe\u2019ve always had something on the side, but we realized this might be our only chance to go all in as full-time athletes. We want to look back and say, \u2018We gave it everything.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n For Marie-Jade, this method ensures they will skate with out worry of the long run. \u201cKnowing we have something waiting for us after skating means we\u2019re not here because we have to be; we\u2019re here because we still find joy in it,\u201d she defined.<\/p>\n For Lauriault & Le Gac, this season\u2019s main purpose is to safe a spot on the Canadian world staff. The duo takes it one season at a time, reevaluating their priorities often. \u201cEach year, we ask ourselves, \u2018Where am I in my life? Is this where I want to be?\u2019\u201d Marie-Jade mentioned. \u201cIt\u2019s an exercise that has allowed us to keep skating longer while staying true to our evolving goals.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n [ad_2]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" [ad_1] by Maria Bagdasarova | On-Ice Photos by Daphne Backman & Yoriko Suzuki Competing of their eighth senior season and eleventh total collectively, Canadians Marie-Jade Lauriault & Romain Le Gac proceed to enchant audiences with their distinctive storytelling on the ice. On 14-19 January 2025, they may take part within the Canadian National Skating Championships […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":135483,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[1823,3256,6068,3264,5715],"class_list":{"0":"post-135481","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-dance","8":"tag-creativity","10":"tag-growth","11":"tag-ice","12":"tag-icedance-com"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/showbizztoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135481","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/showbizztoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/showbizztoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/showbizztoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/showbizztoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=135481"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/showbizztoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135481\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/showbizztoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/135483"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/showbizztoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=135481"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/showbizztoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=135481"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/showbizztoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=135481"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Lauriault-LeGac-2024-GPdF-MB.jpg?w=376&ssl=1)
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/24GPFRA-FD-29_600.jpg?w=497&ssl=1)