Avonley Nguyen & Vadym Kolesnik | Page 4 | Golden Skate

Avonley Nguyen & Vadym Kolesnik

dorispulaski said:
Well, well. Igor has stolen Natalia Deller from the Detroit Skating Club
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natalia_Annenko

She is a great pattern dance teacher, AFAIR.

And a great ice dancer in the day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGD9VKWIl58

We have known Pasquale is with Igor for some time.
Click to expand...

Happy to read your thoughts on Natalia Deller.

IIRC, she has been listed as one of the coaches on Avonley and Vadym's bios since the beginning of the season.
Only my guess, but seems very possible to me that Natalia migrated to Novi around the same time as Pasquale??

ETA (very belatedly on May 20):
Just now stumbled upon this Sep 2018 photo of Natalia with Avonley and Vadym:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BnTBctulOUu/ (second photo)​

ETA:

So Vadym and Avonley head to their first Junior Worlds with coaching over the years from at least three Junior World champions: Vitaly Egorov (for Vadym), Igor, and Natalia. :cool:​

ETA (on Mar 13):
I forgot that Junior World champion Greg Zuerlein also used to be one of Avonley/Vadym's coaches.​

Have been meaning to mention that ice-dance.com's recap of Nats had this other little bit about Vadym's gravitation to ice dance:

Kolesnik began his skating in Ukraine as a singles skater. However, his mother discouraged that discipline after several broken arms due to falls. “You must do ice dancing,” she told her young son.

https://www.ice-dance.com/site/recap-2019-u-s-nationals-junior-dance/ (Jan 29)​

Thanks to Mama Kolesnik for steering him toward ice dance. :thank:

At this stage of the game, Vadym's passion/talent/skill make it seem as if he were born to be an ice dancer.
 
I agree, she probably came over with Pasquale; but this is the first I have seen it mentioned.

And I am glad to hear it! Any school aiming at Novices and Juniors really needs a good PD coach.
 
IDC: If you could have a lesson from any ice dancer past/present, who would it be?
….
Kolesnik: I think it would be cool to have lessons with Charlie White and Scott Moir.
Click to expand...

I wonder whether part of Vadym's wish (from 2017) is getting closer to having a chance of becoming true???

Christina Carreira's Instastory today has a mini-snippet of video of Scott Moir working on ice with Anthony and her. At Novi, if I am not mistaken. :cool:

ETA:
Definitely at Novi Ice Arena. The logo is clearly visible in a subsequent mini-snippet in which Scott's voice can be heard as C/P skate.
And … Christina refers to it as "Day 1", implying that today is not the only day with Scott.​

Maybe/maybe/maybe Vadym and Avonley also will have an opportunity down the road to work with Scott? I hope so. :pray:

(Scott has been a guest coach elsewhere too. And it would make sense for C/P to have a guest coach while Shpilband presumably is away at Junior Worlds with Avonley and Vadym. But I am pleasantly surprised to see that none other than Scott :luv17: is today's guest coach for one of Igor's couples. :ghug: At least that is my extrapolation from the Instastory.)

BTW, never got around to posting a link to a short Avonley-centric pre-JGPF article from local Virginia website/newspaper. Excerpts:

Avonley Nguyen won her first gold medal in ice dancing at the national level in 2014 while performing with the Ashburn Ice House. ...

Nguyen, a graduate of Arcola Elementary and Mercer Middle School, began ice dancing at a young age. While living in the Stone Ridge community, Nguyen had an illustrious time performing with the Ashburn Ice House between 2009-2016.

“I love ice dancing and performing in front of large audiences,” Nguyen said. “The way I get to tell a story with music and dancing is so beautiful and special.” ...​


(The article mistakenly refers to Vadym as a Michigan native, but nice to see the hometown interest in Avonley's career and partnership.)
 
Did someone say mutual support? :ghug:
I love these comments on their Nats RD:

"We did a little mistake and it cost a lot, but overall we're happy with what we did," said Kolesnik …

"It was my mistake at the end of the step sequence, I fell out," Nguyen said, before being quickly corrected by her partner.

"I would say there is no your mistake, or my mistake -- it is our mistake," he said. "We will work on it and get it better and better." ...

https://content.digitalpub.blue-soh...SKATING/html/index.html?page=44&origin=reader (from Lynn Rutherford's recap of junior dance in March issue of Skating magazine)​

I guess it is embarrassingly :hopelessness: obvious that I am excited that Avonley and Vadym are about to compete again.

So happy that ISU streaming of Junior Worlds will be available in the U.S. :yay:

ETA:

Scott Moir worked with Daniel Eaton and Yura at Novi Ice Arena too.

Also with Ella Ales and Daniel Tsarik, U.S. junior dancers on Team Novi.

Scott, pleeeeease come back to Novi when Vadym and Avonley are there. :pray:​
 
Avonley & Vadym have a very high chance of podiuming at JW... I don't dare say WIN yet, but silver/bronze, maybe??? I love them so much, and I hope they can flourish in juniors for a little longer, since US ice dance is so stacked. My wishes for this talented young pair: podium at JW, win at JGPF next season... and JW! ;) They will be '22 Beijing champions if I can guarantee it! :dbana:
 
Fancam of Avonley and Vadym's tango practice in Zagreb this morning :dance2::


:hap36: :cheer2:

On the ISU streaming yesterday, they could be seen cheering at the men's SP. :cool: (Last group, including U.S. men.)
Also on Instagram.

ETA:
More of Avonley/Vadym yesterday from Instagram/Instastories.​

ETA:

USFS used a photo of Avonley and Vadym to promote ISU's live stream of RD:


Ditto for the FD:




:bm: 2019 JUNIOR WORLDS Zagreb​
 
Twas a good day for Avonley and Vadym, who earned themselves a place in the final group for Saturday's FD. :bow:

They set a new SB/PB in RD PCS of 31.48 (previous SB/PB: 30.20 from JGP Ljubljana).
RD Total Score of 65.18 almost as high as their SB/PB (65.41 from Ljubljana).

GS recap of RD has quotes from both partners.

ETA:​
From USFS recap:
Avonley Nguyen and Vadym Kolesnik lead the way for Team USA after the rhythm dance, finishing in fifth place with 65.18 points … opened their tango with Level 4 twizzles followed by a Level 4 curve lift. ... grades of execution over 1.90 points for two of their five elements.​

Getty has RD photos of their lift and (I think?) end pose.

ETA:
A different photo of their RD lift was published by Absolute Skating.​

(On archived ISU streaming of Group 6 RD, Avonley and Vadym start at approx. 12:20, after Gropman/Somerville. Not geo-blocked in U.S.
Mentioning just in case YouTube video is taken down.)

Minor costume notes:
If my eyes do not deceive me, Vadym had a slightly different top for the RD? More patterning/texture to the central back panel (compared to the plain opaque back at Nats). Maybe to highlight his strong back???
As for the small collar, I think the slight sparkle from Nats was gone.​

(Although I already am getting curious to see what Tea Time Foxtrot holds for them, also am kinda sad that it was their last tango of the season. Tango in general is not my favorite thing, but theirs really had grown on me.)
 
Their FD from 2019 Junior Worlds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJOoFAHWYDM

Can anyone tell us what the commentator is saying?

They placed third in the free dance, with the highest base value, and the second highest TES. They were the only team to get level 3 on a step sequence, and Avonley was the only woman to get level 3 on the one foot step. They get a small bronze medal, but were only fourth overall. They were perhaps a little slower than the Russian teams, and so had a lower skating skills mark. IMO, they should have scored a bit better in choreo and performance, and some of the judges thought so too. :). Their PCS grades were very mixed, depending on the judge.

I am so sad that this is the last chance I will have to see their free dance this season. It never fails to move me emotionally as few other FDs have this season.

Congratulations guys!
 
Last edited:
^^ I had the exact same thoughts about their FD plus one judge gave them very low marks in the RD but I have no quarrels with the outcome... these two know how wonderful and elegant they are and I cannot wait to see what they come up with next season.. thank you for posting the FD , Doris!!!

Editing to say, though much is rightfully said about Avonley's grace, emotion, beauty in the dance, Vadym is argueably the most handsome and lyrical of all the junior male dancers this season... I love his expression and his display of enthusiasm in the K & C on learning the FD score was priceless!!
 
Excited that Avonley and Vadym will skate in the gala for Junior Worlds. :yay:

A great way for them to celebrate their many successes this season, small ISU bronze medal and all.

I wonder what their gala program will be? :popcorn:
ETA:
Would love to see Vadym's cantilever :cool: make an appearance.​

As for their FD, I will add that it earned them new SBs/PBs across the board: Total score; FD score; FD TES; FD PCS. Surpassing the old ones from Ljubljana.

They had highest total GOE for the two choreographic elements: 2.61 for ChSt1 + 3.32 for ChLi1.

(Shevchenko/Eremenko's ChSt1 tied for highest GOE for one choreographic element.)

Thanks to GS for the recap, including post-FD comments/photo from Avonley and Vadym:

From the USFS notes on FD:
The American duo of Avonley Nguyen and Vadym Kolesnik had a strong free dance, earning 102.72 points in the free dance for 167.90 points overall and a fourth place finish. Both scores were ISU personal bests. They were awarded two Level 4 lifts on Saturday, a Level 4 spin and Level 4 twizzles. ​

Getty Images photos of their FD:

For posterity, will mention that in the no-commentary archived ISU streaming of Group 4, their FD starts at approx. 12:50, after Ushakova/Nekrasov.
 
I confess this is the first time I really followed the Jr. Dance at this WJC. They became immediately one of my favs. Such a charming duo and Vadym in particular is a stunning dancer for his age. Looking forward to following their career in coming years, and wishing them all the best :luv17:
 
The very first :yes: in the batch of ISU photographer Joosep Martinson's favorite images that he shot at Junior Worlds is one of Avonley and Vadym's FD rotational lift:


For the gala, Avonley and Vadym performed an adapted (and slightly shortened) version of their beautiful FD :luv17:.

In the archived ISU streaming of Part 1 of the gala, their program begins at approx. 28:20, after Yuna Shiraiwa.

Among Avonley and Vadym's modifications ...

Music: For the gala, they skated to the original "Demons," sung by Imagine Dragons. (Nothing from "Experience.")

Costuming: Avonley was (ETA: almost) all in black -- pants and leg-warmers; long-sleeved top with understated neck/shoulder detail (ETA: with tiny hints of yellow sometimes peeking through). Vadym in street clothes -- blue jeans with belt; dark-ish collared shirt (untucked) with thin light-colored vertical stripes and two chest pockets with flaps.

Choreo: It was reworked, and some elements were omitted (partly for time, I would guess?), but Avonley and Vadym did keep the rotational lift :luv17: (performed to "Demons" music this time).​

ETA:

Avonley and Vadym also are in the group finale in Part 2 of the gala, which starts at approx. 48:45 -- after the highly entertaining Tomoki.
Continuing my excessive :laugh: costume notes: Vadym changed into a short-sleeved dark V-neck for the finale.​

ETA:

@vinyamee's fan-cam of group finale: https://youtu.be/2nY_aa5pSBk (15:03) ...

… which shows Vadym's cantilever. :yes2: At about 8:48 at screen right, he lets go of Avonley's hand; then a few seconds later, his cantilever moves from right to left across the screen.

Avonley/Vadym straight-line(?) lift at approx. 12:10.

Avonley/Vadym take bows at approx. 12:45.​

Gala practice video of group finale:

ETA (on Mar 11):
Vandevska's fan-cam of the gala finale gives a slightly different/better view of Vadym's cantilever, starting at approx. 7:18.
Avonley/Vadym's lift at approx. 10:46. Their bows at approx. 11:19.​

Lovely FD photos from Absolute Skating:

 
Tweeted video of the small medal ceremony is worthy of a separate post. :yes:

In Part I, Avonley/Vadym, Shevchenko/Eremenko, Lajoie/Lagha receive their small medals. Hugs and handshakes all around.

In Part II, Avonley and Vadym put their medals around their necks again and step back onstage, joining Khudaiberdieva/Nazarov, L/L, and S/E for questions from the audience. First question is about goals for next season.
At approx. 1:45, Avonley answers, but beginning of Part III also has her answer -- and with (IMO) slightly better audio.

Part III starts with Avonley's answer re goals for next season. Hard to hear exactly, but she starts by saying that they are staying junior. Then something about going into next season much stronger and building upon what they already have. When it is Vadym's turn, he kinda shrugs pleasantly and agrees with a simple "Yeah," and a smile. Gets a big laugh.
I can't hear next question, from moderator standing next to Avonley and Vadym. Something about hobbies, what they like to do off ice? Can't hear complete answers, but one thing Avonley mentions is poetry, and one thing Vadym mentions is chess. (I can't hear whether Avonley means writing poetry or reading poetry or both. Does Vadym say swimming too??)

In Part IV, Khudaiberdieva answers the question about hobbies, and all the skaters leave the stage.

Great to see Vadym :medal" and Avonley :medal" happily wearing their small medals.

Thanks to @vinyamee for so much content from Junior Worlds.

ETA:

This cool photo :luv17: from @asverit shows Avonley and Vadym's rotational lift in shadow. (Under gala spotlights.)

https://twitter.com/asverit/status/1104757411691270146 (Mar 10)​

ETA (on Mar 12):

Photo of small medal ceremony:

Team USA group photo at closing banquet:

USFS tweeted Vadym's ICC photo to promote its Fan Zone social media recap of Junior Worlds. (And it is the sixth item discussed within the recap.)​
 
Thank you for sharing that! I'm so happy they got a "small" medal from Jr. Worlds. I adore them, they have such a charm about them and I can't wait to see what they do next year!!
 
elbkup said:
… Editing to say, though much is rightfully said about Avonley's grace, emotion, beauty in the dance, Vadym is argueably the most handsome and lyrical of all the junior male dancers this season... I love his expression and his display of enthusiasm in the K & C on learning the FD score was priceless!!
Click to expand...

:agree: I had vaguely heard of Avonley and Vadym before Kaunas, but never had laid eyes on them until their silver there made me curious to take a look at their FD. It was Vadym's expressiveness in the opening seconds that originally made me sit up and take notice -- and gave me the first inkling that the program and the partnership were/are something special.

Vadym's gifts continue to wow me, and Avonley brings her share too. Love them both. :luv17:

Brief comments re Avonley and Vadym's competitive hopes for next season are in Junior Worlds coverage in the April issue of Skating magazine. (Nothing surprising. ;))


BTW, if anyone is wondering about the difference in physical size of the small ISU medal, so happens that it can be seen in Marjorie's photo:
 
I should try not to get ahead of ourselves, but it occurred to me a few days ago that if(?) USFS once again holds the Emerging Athletes Program in conjunction with Champs Camp, Vadym and Avonley likely would be invited. The Greens were invited last year to the first-ever Emerging Athletes Program, but were unable to attend b/c of Caroline's illness.

Per the 2018 article: "The Emerging Athletes Program provides these elite junior-level athletes access to performance services and athlete testing with the United States Olympic Committee, opportunities that they didn't have in previous years."

(2019 Champs Camp will be at Great Park Ice in Irvine instead of the OTC, so I don't know whether/how that would affect USOC involvement.)
 
@stationarylift's fan art of Avonley and Vadym:


First time that an artist has drawn them, AFAIK? :cool:

Thanks to @stationarylift both for the drawing and for the words of praise for them.

Throwback photo of Vadym and Avonley tweeted by ice-dance.com to promote its upcoming shoots:


ETA (on May 13):

New photo album from JGPF was published today. Includes lots of RD and FD photos of Avonley and Vadym (and of all entries).

http://absoluteskating.com/index.php?cat=photogallery&id=2018grandprixfinal_juniordance​
 
Avonley & Vadym will be competing at the Chesapeake Open! The season is starting!

Gardens Ice House
13800 Gun Powder Road
Laurel, MD United


RD - Thu, Jun 20, 2019 11:20 AM Patrick Rink

FD - Fri, Jun 21, 2019 3:00 PM Patrick Rink
 
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