Kaitlin Hawayek & Jean-Luc Baker

[jwren]

Please tell me they are not skating to Carmen for the SD. I think a paso doble is just the ticket to force JLB to the fore.

Nope, not Carmen. I didn't recognize the music, but it sounded like the typical paso fare. nothing too exciting. And I agree, I think we'll see JLB start to present himself with more intensity as the season progresses and they get comfortable with the program. Definitely a lot of potential there.

 

[snowflakebeautiful]

Just wanted to update that these two will be at Nebelhorn!

 

[MoonlightSkater]

I've been watching Jean-Luc since he was doing preliminary dances (I used to skate in the Seattle area), and I've been saying for a long time that he and his partner (whoever she was at the time- too bad his previous partner's back couldn't hold up but yay for Katelyn) would be ones to watch! It's exciting to see them step onto the senior stage.

 

[jwren]

In case you missed it, here are the SD and the FD
4th in SD, 3rd in FD, 4th overall at 142.3 Not bad for their first senior international, and plenty of room to grow!
I LOVE their FD costumes, by the way

 

[snowflakebeautiful]

In case you missed it, here are the SD and the FD
4th in SD, 3rd in FD, 4th overall at 142.3 Not bad for their first senior international, and plenty of room to grow!
I LOVE their FD costumes, by the way

Yes! They looked lovely! I am very excited to see how their season progresses because they have two good programs that I think will develop quite nicely.

 

[dorispulaski]

They were great at 2015 US Nationals!

 

[Layback11]

Indeed! Their R&J FD is one of the first programs I ever saw that I would actually go back and watch over and over on YouTube...just stunning! Can't wait to see what they come up with for next season, especially since the pattern for the SD seems to be in their wheelhouse. :dance:

 

[dorispulaski]

http://www.goldenskate.com/forum/showthread.php?51106-Kaitlin-Hawayek-amp-Jean-Luc-Baker

I had a wonderful time updating Kaitlin and Jean-Luc's OP.

It was a great time to see their great programs again and their baby pictures!

 

[caitie]

It seems like Jean-Luc and Kaitlin have revamped their look going into the next season.

 

[caitie]

Kaitlin posted on instagram last week that they will be announcing their music soon: P.S. We might just be announcing our music realllllyy soooon... Keep your eyes peeled!! Any guesses??

Still nothing yet, but hopefully soon! I'm really curious to see what they do since their FDs the past two seasons have been quite similar and it seems like it's time for them to switch it up!

And Jean-Luc did a cool modern Bolero with a choreographer I'm not familiar with. Definitely worth watching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1D-vQclWv8

 

[slider11]

Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker

Haven't heard much from this young up-start US team. Their Romeo and Juliet FD last year was magical. I'm hoping they can put together something magical this year. Any news about music for either SP or FD or competitions other than the GPs? I think they were assigned Skate America and Rostelcom Cup? Any others?

 

[Alba]

Loved their FD last season also and their skating to it.

 

[dorispulaski]

We have had a fan fest for Kaitlyn and Jean-Luc for some time, so I merged this new thread into it.

I can't wait to hear what they have planned for this season.

 

[slider11]

Thanks for merging the thread. I wonder what music Kaitlin and Jean-Luc will pick? The Ravensburg waltz is a perfect match for their fast and flowing style. I'm guessing a more classical waltz type routine-maybe something in the de Fledermaus (sp) genre. For the FD, I'm thinking something different - maybe edgy and modern to show their versatility and maturity. It's hard to match the break-through season they just experienced. I'm sure they don't want to get stuck with the Shibs progression , or lack of it, after their break-out year. I'm a big Shibs fan, too, so I think that was just part of the maturation process for them and they are ready to forge ahead this year. There is a heavy pack of skaters vying for the top in the USA. Chock and Bates are not my faves and I'm not sure how Rach will fare with them for the FD. Hubbel and Donahue seem determined to renew their position on the podium but I'm a bit skeptical and they are injury prone with so much energy being put forward to improve. My bet is on the Shibs and Hawayek and Baker.

 

[aromaticchicken]

Thanks for merging the thread. I wonder what music Kaitlin and Jean-Luc will pick? The Ravensburg waltz is a perfect match for their fast and flowing style. I'm guessing a more classical waltz type routine-maybe something in the de Fledermaus (sp) genre. For the FD, I'm thinking something different - maybe edgy and modern to show their versatility and maturity. It's hard to match the break-through season they just experienced. I'm sure they don't want to get stuck with the Shibs progression , or lack of it, after their break-out year. I'm a big Shibs fan, too, so I think that was just part of the maturation process for them and they are ready to forge ahead this year. There is a heavy pack of skaters vying for the top in the USA. Chock and Bates are not my faves and I'm not sure how Rach will fare with them for the FD. Hubbel and Donahue seem determined to renew their position on the podium but I'm a bit skeptical and they are injury prone with so much energy being put forward to improve. My bet is on the Shibs and Hawayek and Baker.

I agree that the Shibs and h/b have more talent and ability. I just hope they have the programs that will encourage the judges to move them up.... Imo the Shibs have immensely better Polish and skating skills than chock and bates for instance. And h/b definitely has stronger skating than h/d...

 

[gsk8]

SD/FD for 2015-16

Excerpt from Hawayek and Baker ready to push boundaries

Both ice dancers agree that this season’s short dance, set to selections from The Nutracker, will be the hardest one they’ve done to date.

“We really pushed ourselves physically this year in the short dance,” said 21-year-old Baker, “from both an athletic approach and aesthetic stand point. Angelika (Krylova), Kaitlin and I choreographed it. Angelika did the ground work for it, but we all feel it’s a group effort and have a great rapport with our coaches.”

The free dance, which will be to music from The Theory of Everything soundtrack, is an in depth concept for both Hawayek and Baker in terms of a story line.

“We are portraying the aspects of falling in love with one another and then throughout the program, I begin to develop the struggles one has dealing with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS),” Baker explained. “Not just the patient’s problems, but the emotional standpoint of Kaitlin as she helps me through the issues. We are very proud of the product Pasquale (Camerlengo) has created for the two of us and how we all worked together to create it.”

 

[bramweld]

Their programs sound great.

 

[dorispulaski]

I added them, and the article to the OP- plus added links.

 

[Alchamei]

I really loved TOE, it was a great movie and it made me emotional. The idea is very unique and unusual! I belive they can pull it out. I wonder if we will see something similar to Bobrova/Soloviev 2013 FD, which is my favourite one of them.

 

[ice coverage]

Random burning question:
Why is the lovely Jean-Luc sooooo much more popular on Twitter than the lovely Kaitlin? By an order of magnitude :shocked:.

On Twitter:

62.6K followers for Jean-Luc https://twitter.com/jeanlucbaker
1944 for Kaitlin https://twitter.com/KaitlinHawayek​

On Instagram:

2408 followers for Kaitlin https://instagram.com/kait_hawayek/
1655 for Jean-Luc https://instagram.com/jeanlucbaker/​

Twitter stats for comparison:

52.2K followers for @jasonbskates https://twitter.com/jasonbskates
34.1K for @AlexShibutani https://twitter.com/alexshibutani
32.6K for @MaiaShibutani https://twitter.com/maiashibutani
11K for @ShibSibs https://twitter.com/shibsibs​