2026-27 U.S. Ice Dance

[BlissfulSynergy]

Yes, I heard that about Kouevi/ Homawoo switching coaches. We had been discussing, in the Weddings thread, Lorraine and her marriage to Pierre, and wondering about their career plans. Apparently, they had already been coaching together (I assume at WISA), and are now branching out on their own? I could be wrong if they were based elsewhere. For sure, Lorraine knows and has worked with K/H over the years, though, as she is a WISA alum.

Honestly, a Sinners program choreographed for K/H as Annie and Smoke would be wonderful to see. Don't know if it will ever happen, though. These Sinners character portrayals could work for K/H since they are cousins, not siblings. Or, maybe they could plumb the program possibilities of other iconic films, like Lady Sings the Blues (with Diana Ross & Billy Dee Williams); or the ballet/ modern dance realm with DTH's Creole Giselle, and Alvin Ailey's Revelations.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Just saw that Kouevi/Homawoo are no longer with WISA. They are now coached by Lorraine McNamara & her husband Pierre Souquet-Basiege.

I did some checking. I was not previously aware, but WISA coaches, Elena Novak and Alexei Kiliakov moved their main training base from Maryland to Leesburg, VA, in 2020, where they train at the ION International Training Center. In Maryland, they had founded the Wheaton Ice Skating Academy, but they later changed the name to Washington Figure Skating Academy. They still brand themselves as SkateWISA (their web address).

Lorraine's husband, Pierre, apparently works alongside Novak/ Kiliakov, while Lorraine has transitioned into choreographing and coaching assistance. So, apparently, K/H are working with Lorraine and Pierre as part of the Novak/ Kiliakov coaching team, unless L&P have branched out on their own and taken K/H with them?

 

[labgoat]

I did some checking. I was not previously aware, but WISA coaches, Elena Novak and Alexei Kiliakov moved their main training base from Maryland to Leesburg, VA, in 2020, where they train at the ION International Training Center. In Maryland, they had founded the Wheaton Ice Skating Academy, but they later changed the name to Washington Figure Skating Academy. They still brand themselves as SkateWISA (their web address).

Lorraine's husband, Pierre, apparently works alongside Novak/ Kiliakov, while Lorraine has transitioned into choreographing and coaching assistance. So, apparently, K/H are working with Lorraine and Pierre as part of the Novak/ Kiliakov coaching team, unless L&P have branched out on their own and taken K/H with them?

Thanks for clarifying this. I am happy for my dancers, happy that Lorraine is involved and actually happy that this dance center seems to be intact in its new form. Good all around.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Additional FD videos are up now on icedancelover's YouTube account : some of the junior international competitors, including Stapert/ Korotcov; Lukanin/ O'Brien; Kouevi/ Homawoo; and the Canadian newly partnered team, Ben Khelifa/ Levesque, who look very good together, and performed very well for a new partnership.

Kouevi/ Homawoo skated to Blood Diamond. They are a skilled young team technically, with great flow, power, and speed. Like most young teams, they need more polish and refinement, including with storytelling nuances, and seamless presentation.

I'm disappointed not to see a video posted yet of Calhoun/ Zheltyshev's FD. And I haven't seen any RDs posted anywhere with synced music.

 

[FlyingFeather]

Yes, I heard that about Kouevi/ Homawoo switching coaches. We had been discussing, in the Weddings thread, Lorraine and her marriage to Pierre, and wondering about their career plans. Apparently, they had already been coaching together (I assume at WISA), and are now branching out on their own? I could be wrong if they were based elsewhere. For sure, Lorraine knows and has worked with K/H over the years, though, as she is a WISA alum.

Honestly, a Sinners program choreographed for K/H as Annie and Smoke would be wonderful to see. Don't know if it will ever happen, though. These Sinners character portrayals could work for K/H since they are cousins, not siblings. Or, maybe they could plumb the program possibilities of other iconic films, like Lady Sings the Blues (with Diana Ross & Billy Dee Williams); or the ballet/ modern dance realm with DTH's Creole Giselle, and Alvin Ailey's Revelations.

Yes to Revelations!!!!!!!!!!! One of my all-time favorites.

 

[bckabck]

Entries for the Kinoshita Group Cup are:
Andreeva/Blinou BLR
Taschlerova/Taschler CZE
Davis/Smolkin GEO
Tali/Lafornara ITA
Kushida/Shimada JPN
Yoshida/Morita JPN
Kihira/Nishiyama JPN
Pasechnik/Cirisano RUS
Mironova/Ustenko RUS
Kaganovskaya/Nekrasov RUS
Neset/Markelov USA
Wolfkostin/Tsarevski USA

subs:
Shcherbakova/Goncharov RUS
Pate/Bye USA

This will be Wolfkostin/Tsarevski's first competition of the season. I think it'll be a Russia and Georgia podium. I would love the US teams to be towards the top half of the standings, but I'm not sure. Anyone else have thoughts about how the US teams might do?

I am keeping an eye out for Bolero Cup entries, but might not hear till right before the competition as this isn't a Challenger. Last year Cui/Rogers and Koncius/Shchepetov participated in it.