Google is better that I am….
At the dawn of a new Olympiad, the ice dancers Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron open their season on a gentle slope after taking the time, once the Olympic winter closed, to breathe. To better find a new breath.
Friday, on the ice of Villard-de-Lans (Isère), which hosts the Masters, traditional national competition at the beginning of the season, Papadakis and Cizeron (23 years) will skate for the first time their short dance vintage 2018/2019 - now called rhythmic dance - with imposed tango accents. The two pieces they have chosen are played on the violin.
But they will not reveal the next day their free program, "not yet operational 100%", according to their coach Romain Haguenauer.
After four years without breathing or almost, marked by their flash rise to the top of their discipline, four European crowns, three world crowns and an Olympic silver despite a famous misadventure dress, the two dancers agreed a "long break" and did not seriously raise the skates until around August 10. It was not luxury.
"They needed it after four years when everything went very fast from one season to the next, they were tired," confirmed AFP Haguenauer.
"As they leave for at least four years, he had to recharge the batteries, take a step back" to maintain the desire, he continues.
- Finished the piano -
At one point, Papadakis and Cizeron had even considered zapping the first half of the season. They have finally left this option aside, without compromising on their willingness - and the need - to renew themselves on the brink of a new Olympiad.
By the end of last winter, they were already fully aware of it but had not defined anything yet.
Since then, they have pushed several doors.
Music side, first. On the free program, goodbye piano, hello guitar. During one of their brief summer round trips to Montreal, where they have been living since mid-2014, Papadakis and Cizeron have set their sights on two "lyric folk" songs by American artist Rachael Yamagata for their free dance.
"We had five days to choose the music, we eliminated everything that was piano-based, we had practically always been on this basis, whether it was classical or contemporary music. something else, "recalls Haguenauer.
If they once again trusted to put on their short dance to the British Christopher Dean, figure of their discipline in the 1980s, associated with Jayne Torvill, the young people of Clermont have turned to the Swiss Stéphane Lambiel, double world champion of skating artistic (2005 and 2006), for "going out of ice dance specific choreographies" for their free program.
Papadakis and Cizeron have finally begun a long-term work on their lifts.
- Lifts more acrobatic -
"Generally, in ice dance, once you have found a nice, different, and well-worn, the year after, you use some, it's always more or less a transformation of what we can do, "explains Haguenauer.
"The idea was to start on a new basis for all the lifts, that's what we did, keeping the fluidity that is their quality but trying to add things a little less slipped, of show that they are able to do surprising things, fast and a little more acrobatic, "he develops.
To carry out this demanding evolution, Papadakis and Cizeron initiated a collaboration with a well-known circus company from Quebec, "The Seven Fingers", designed to last throughout the Olympiad.
It is not without risk. A week ago in training, Cizeron had a serious fall on the head. More fear than harm - a sore jaw - but this is the main reason why it will take another six weeks, until the Japanese Grand Prix (9-11 November), to discover their free dance.
"They are still learning about some of the lift techniques I did not want to give up new elements to be ready," says Hagnenauer, "nor do they take the risk of hurting themselves by skating a program that has not been mastered. 100% in competition, do not forget they are on ice and on two blades. "
Can we now call this idolatry on our part? 
.They are the BEST for us so just let us BE!!!!Thank you!!!
