US PSA Dance Awards through the years

[dorispulaski]

Madison Chock and Evan Bates just won the PSA Award for 2020 for the Snake!
https://www.facebook.com/135977363114767/posts/2885778941467915/?substory_index=0

The PSA awatds are interesting awards since they are awarded for the best program at US Nationals. Quite often, the winner was not the winner of the event. One year, a junior team even won! They have been awarded every year since 1999.

Here are the formal criteria:
https://skatepsa.com/best-performance-awards

One winner is chosen from each category in men’s, ladies, pairs, dance, and synchronized skating. Selection will be based on performance, not placement and will not necessarily reflect the best technical skater. Elements considered include artistry, charisma/appeal, balance, originality, drama/emotion, music, costuming, humor, showmanship, quality, theme, and technical ability. Votes are tabulated by the executive director’s office and determined by a majority vote.

I thought it would be fun to go back through the years and rewatch these amazing programs, when they could be found. I want to start with ice dance, because it is my favorite discipline, but if you guys like this thread, I will do the other three disciplines in new threads.


2020 Madison Chock / Evan Bates - Championship Dance Free Dance Program
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeA1CqN_m8A
PSA Coach – Patrice Lauzon, Pascal Denis
Choreographers – Marie-France Dubreuil, Samuel Chouinard
Music Selection - Egyptian Snake Dance: Yearning" by Raul Ferrando, "Sahara Nights" by DJ Quincy and "Layali Al-Sharq" by Al-Ahram Orchestra
Costume Designer – Mathieu Caron

The interesting thing here-Mathieu Caron did Madi's fabulous snake outfit.​

2019 -Madison Chock / Evan Bates - Championship Dance Free Dance Program
The US Nationals performance is not on youtube, but their 4CC version is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezAGwksI898
PSA Coach – Patrice Lauzon
Choreographers – Marie-France Dubreuil, Samuel Chouinard
Music Selection – “Fever” by Elvis Presley and Michael Bublé and “Burning Love” by Elvis Presley
Costume Designer – Mathieu Caron/Feeling Company

Chock and Bates did not win the event, but won the PSA.​

2018 Madison Hubbell / Zachary Donohue – Championship Dance Free Dance Program
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMLwOhURL0I
PSA Coaches – Patrice Lauzon
Choreographers – Marie–France Dubreuil, Samuel Chouinard
Music Selection – “Across the Sky” Instrumental by Rag N’Bone Man, “Caught Out In the Rain” by Beth Hart
Costume Designers – Susan Hubbell and Mathieu Carron

Their best FD IMO , and started the huge wave of Beth Hart's popularity with ice dancers.​

2017 - Madison Chock and Evan Bates – Championship Ice Dance Free Dance Program
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kjmcri6tTlc
PSA Coach – Igor Shpilband
Choreographers – Christopher Dean, Igor Shpilband
Music Selection – “Under Pressure” by David Bowie and Freddie Mercury
Music Work– Oleg Karpachev, Dmitriy Rubezhov and Igor Shpilband
Costume Designer – Feeling, Mathieu Caron

It is interesting the PSA listed "Music Work" here.​

2016 - Maia and Alex Shibutani – Championship Free Dance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70dg8fBUR1s
PSA Coaches – Marina Zoueva, Massimo Scali
Choreographer – Peter Tchernyschev, Marina Zoueva, Massimo Scali
Music Selection – “Fix You” by Coldplay
Costume Designer – Maia Shibutani, D. Gschwendtner

I did not know Maia was a costume design person! They were US Champions this season.​

2015 - Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean–Luc Baker – Championship Free Dance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udHS0BllMVw
PSA Coaches – Pasquale Camerlengo, Angelika Krylova
Choreographer – Pasquale Camerlengo
Music Selection – Soundtrack of Romeo and Juliet (2013)
Costume Designer – Stephanie Miller & Nina Maluda

They were the fourth place finishers! My love for this team started here.​

2014-Meryl Davis and Charlie White – Championship Free Dance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqB_HeOQ6PU
Coaches– Marina Zoueva, Oleg Epstein
Choreographer – Marina Zoueva
Music – Selections from “Scheherazade” by Nikolai Rimsky–Korsakov. Kirov Theatre Orchestra
Costume Design – Meryl Davis

Meryl did their costumes???? For their Olympic season?? WOW.​

2013 - Meryl Davis and Charlie White – Championship Free Dance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dv9M4E8eD8s
Coaches – Marina Zoueva and Oleg Epstein
Choreographer – Marina Zoueva
Music – “Notre–Dame de Paris” by Riccardo Cocciante and Luc Plamondon

If they wanted to give it to D&W, I thought their polka SD was far better, as a program.
So the Doris award goes here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBjRshTZv9Y
It was genius to realize the required polka could be combined with ballet if you picked Giselle! IMO the best part of this is the Yankee Polka (and thanks to Sladky and Schwomeyer and their coaches for creating it.)
​

2012 - Meryl Davis and Charlie White – Championship Free Dance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53BotahnuJ0
Coaches – Igor Shpilband and Marina Zoueva
Choreographer – Igor Shpilband and Marina Zoueva
Music – “Die Fledermaus"

The rotational lift shows how to make a rather ordinary type of lift jaw dropping-an amazingly quick entry, (how did she get up there???) Very fast rotation, and the split legs of the lady parallel to the ice.​

2011- Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani – Short Program
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VL4colfd-F0
Coaches – Igor Shpilband, Marina Zoueva
Choreographer – Igor Shpilband, Marina Zoueva
Music – “The Carousel Waltz” by Richard Rogers

Maia & Alex were just out of juniors. This SD served instant notice they were a force to be reckoned with, a campaign that ended with them winning the bronze medal at 2011 Worlds.​

2010 - Meryl Davis & Charlie White – Free Dance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJVd39Re-xw
Coaches – Igor Shpilband, Marina Zoueva, Johnny Johns, Adrienne Lenda
Choreographer – Igor Shpilband, Marina Zoueva
Music – “Music of the Night” by Andrew Lloyd Webber from the Phantom of the Opera Soundtrack

The Doris award goes to their Bollywood SD instead.
https://youtu.be/1oGa0ukzplk?list=PLRts3TuTkzm3XhnrqZMggfe99aT3sKuBL
​

2009 - Meryl Davis & Charlie White – Original Dance
The 4CC version exists
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SO1I4X8D_7w
Coaches – Igor Shpilband, Marina Zoueva, Johnny Johns, Adrienne Lenda
Choreographer – Igor Shpilband, Marina Zoueva
Music – “Happy Feet” by Manhattan Rhythm Kings

This was a program so tricky they never quite got it right and Charlie fell three times during it in Russia. None the less, this is some of the best Charleston choreography. Charlie is a college guy on the town, Meryl is a very random, ditzy flapper.​

2008 - Meryl Davis & Charlie White – Original Dance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xlYpQPK_Tg
Coaches – Igor Shpilband, Marina Zoueva
Choreographer – Igor Shpilband, Marina Zoueva
Music – “Kalinka"

The original version at Skate America had Charlie in a more ethnically correct hat, and had them waving handkerchiefs, which again was more authentic, but the US audience did not get it at all.​

2007 - Melissa Gregory & Denis Petukhov – Free Dance
The GPF version exists
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3msZ68pLL4g
Coaches – Natalia Linichuk, Gennardi Karponosov
Choreographer – Patti Wilcox
Music – “Adam and Eve,” by Yoav Goren

I wish I knew who did the costumes!​

2006 - Kimberly Navarro & Brett Bommentre – Free Dance
https://youtu.be/664k3L1ym3E
Coaches – Robbie Kaine, Cheryl Snyder
Choreographer– Natalia Linichuk
Music – “How Sweet it is,” “Feeling Good,” by Michael Buble

They were a new team. They finished fourth over all. They got a tremendous standing ovation. This dance seemed a celebration of their new beginning.​

2005 - Tanith Belbin & Benjamin Agosto
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9iUiRTzPuI
Coaches – Igor Shpilband, Marina Zoueva
Choreographer – Igor Shpilband
Music – “Gypsy Dance"

Love it!​

2004 - Lydia Manon & Ryan O’Meara – Free Dance
I could not find this program
In fact there were few vids of them at all
Here is their 2005 FD instead. Sorry about that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_OgObnJslM
Coaches – Igor Shpilband, Marina Zoueva
Choreographer – Igor Shpilband
Music – Medley from Cabaret

2003 - Tanith Belbin & Benjamin Agosto – Original Dance
The Four Continents version
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADOcbuq8bcc
Coaches – Igor Shpilband, Marina Zoueva
Choreographer – Igor Shpilband
Music – “Jolly Robbers Polka

2002 - Tanith Belbin & Benjamin Agosto
The Worlds version exists
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRQLmisCLTY
Coaches – Igor Shpilband, Marina Zoueva
Choreographer – Igor Shpilband
Music – “Plight of Sarajevo” by Goran Bregovic

They skated this in both junior and senior Worlds that year! They hit the ground running in seniors, for sure.
​

2001 - Kakani Young & Ikaika Young – Free Dance
This won two years running, but there is no trace of this team on youtube
Coach – Bernard Ford
Choreographer – Bernard Ford
Music – “Dos a Dos”

2000- Kakani Young & Ikaika Young – Free Dance
This won two years running, but there is no trace of this team on youtube
Coach – Bernard Ford
Choreographer – Bernard Ford
Music – “Dos a Dos”

1999 - Jamie Silverstein & Justin Pekarek – Original Dance (Junior)
The JGPF version exists
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b16CLKRIWT4
Coaches – Igor Shpilband, Elizabeth Coates
Choreographer – Igor Shpilband

They were an amazing team.​

Do/did you agree with the choices?

Do the programs stir any good memories?

Did you enjoy this thread?

I hope you will tell us?

 

[Mathman]

I agree with the Doris Awards. Giselle (especially the Polka part ) and Bollywood over the free dances for Davis and White.

Jamie Silverstein! Possibly the most talented ice dancer in U.S. history. Her career was cut short by health struggles, although she tried to make a comeback with a different partner and made the 2006 Olympic team. She went to Cornell. Maybe she can give Karen Chen some pointers.

 

[heartyxo]

I love the fact that Chock & Bates have won it 3 times! All for great programs

*Under Pressure was great, fight me (when they actually skated it clean which wasn’t often but..)*

 

[dorispulaski]

I have been trying to find out more about the Youngs.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kakani_Katija_Young

Kakani is now a bioengineer.

Ice-dance.com had photos, but not of them in their 2000 or 2001 FD costumes.

In 2000 they were fourth in juniors! which explains repurposing their FD for seniors.

2000 Junior OD- They do have style!
https://photos.ice-dance.com/1999-2002-seasons/00USNats/Dance/JrNov/00USN-JrOD-2111-YY-MW.jpg.php

2002 FD
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/...a-young-compete-during-the-news-photo/1491971

 

[Mathman]

I have been trying to find out more about the Youngs.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kakani_Katija_Young

What a remarkable person!

I found this video of Kakani Young giving a motivational talk at a school in which she gets into the transition between her dream of competing at the Olympics as an ice skater, and then forging ahead to new passions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNFGz8mSgow

 

[dorispulaski]

Doesn't any one else have any opinions on US ice dance programs

 

[Seven Sisters]

Doesn't any one else have any opinions on US ice dance programs

Naturally we have opinions

The thing that stuck out to me was the 2009 award to DW’s OD—in the year they rocked the house at Nationals with their Samson & Delilah free, which I’ve always considered their finest hour. I guess this organization doesn’t agree!

 

[dorispulaski]

Naturally we have opinions

The thing that stuck out to me was the 2009 award to DW’s OD—in the year they rocked the house at Nationals with their Samson & Delilah free, which I’ve always considered their finest hour. I guess this organization doesn’t agree!

Here is the Nationals version of Samson & Delilah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S65MXD3XHvQ

Meryl & Charlie won both the FD and OD at that nationals, and it was their very first national championship.


Yes, it is puzzling. I loved the choreo of the OD, but they never executed it flawlessly. The FD was a stunner from the start, and had difficult and unique moves, including the curve lift where Charlie is in a back spiral while Meryl jumps onto his back- showing that lifts can be difficult and yet be a seamless part of the choreo. They need not be just gymnastic stunts.

https://youtu.be/S65MXD3XHvQ?t=173

 

[dancelion21]

The only opinion I have is that C/B should have won nationals last year, and I'm happy that the audience agrees.

 

[dorispulaski]

Me too!

 

[PaulE]

What a remarkable person!

I found this video of Kakani Young giving a motivational talk at a school in which she gets into the transition between her dream of competing at the Olympics as an ice skater, and then forging ahead to new passions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNFGz8mSgow

Mathman, thank you very much for this link. I totally agree that she is a remarkable person. Wow, how far she has come and I would certainly bet on her going further.

 

[noskates]

OMG - I got lost in Davis & White Youtubes. As much as I appreciate the current crop of ice dancers in the US - Charlie and Meryl are still "it" for me. I loved how he flew himself into everything with those blonde curls bobbing up and down and how lithe and limber Meryl was. Their choreography was perfect to their music and there werent any extraneous steps. They weren't trying to cram evey last point into their program - or rather they did it so seamlessly.

Thanks Doris - awesome.

 

[ice coverage]

... 2001 - Kakani Young & Ikaika Young – Free Dance
This won two years running, but there is no trace of this team on youtube
Coach – Bernard Ford
Choreographer – Bernard Ford
Music – “Dos a Dos”

2000- Kakani Young & Ikaika Young – Free Dance
This won two years running, but there is no trace of this team on youtube
Coach – Bernard Ford
Choreographer – Bernard Ford
Music – “Dos a Dos”
...

... In 2000 they were fourth in juniors! which explains repurposing their FD for seniors.

2000 Junior OD- They do have style!
https://photos.ice-dance.com/1999-2002-seasons/00USNats/Dance/JrNov/00USN-JrOD-2111-YY-MW.jpg.php ...

What a remarkable person!

I found this video of Kakani Young giving a motivational talk at a school in which she gets into the transition between her dream of competing at the Olympics as an ice skater, and then forging ahead to new passions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNFGz8mSgow

The Youngs were juniors in 2001 as well (third place). Juniors for both years that they won the PSA award.

FWIW, comments on their 2001 CDs and OD (no FD notes at this link):

Judging in the compulsories was pretty wild ... I probably would have picked the Youngs to be first in both dances, but what do I know? [Their actual CD placements were third and second.]

In the OD, I thought it was pretty close between the top three couples. ... The Youngs had some really unusual choreography in their program -- their side-by-side footwork pass was done as mirror skating, and their quickstep included a lot of syncopation in its steps. [They placed third in OD.]

http://frogsonice.com/skateweb/reports/2001-nationals/​

The link below has three photos of the Youngs from 2000 Nats.
Segment information is not provided, but in the first photo, their costumes are different from their OD costumes ... so there is at least a chance that it shows their FD costumes.

http://www.skateygirl.com/nat2000/junior/dance/YoungManob/youngmanob.htm​

Some VIDEO of the Youngs skating tango at 2002 Nats is in the May 2019 TED Talk linked by Mathman. The ESPN clips start at approx. 5:25.
(In 2002, the year after their two PSA awards, they were chosen as second alternates for the Olympic team, although of course they had hoped to make the team outright.)
Kakani is an excellent speaker -- so engaging that I kept watching the TED Talk even after her discussion of her skating career (which is covered in approx. the first seven minutes).

Their (possibly incomplete?) ISU bio shows that the Youngs represented the U.S. at four internationals in 1999 and 2000.

 

[ice coverage]

More about the Youngs:

In the acknowledgments section of Kakani's doctoral thesis, she included a paragraph about Ikaika and their skating partnership.

https://thesis.library.caltech.edu/5838/1/thesis_kakani_2010_1.pdf (18 pages, see bottom of p. 6)​

Fun facts:

~ Seems that at least on a preliminary basis, the sports ministry of Malaysia had taken an interest in the Youngs, with the possibility of sponsoring them.

Also, foreshadowing the likes of Julian Yee:

... Kakani said she was very happy to note a craze among Malaysians, especially youths, for ice-skating. ...

"... I strongly believe Malaysia can produce good ice skaters to compete in international-level competitions," she said.

http://lib.perdana.org.my/PLF/Digit...1996-1998/1997aj/ings may get sponsorship.pdf (1997)​

~ Jean-Luc Baker's mother also was one of the coaches for the Youngs. A quote from her is in a 1998 article about the Youngs:

https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19980805&slug=2764819​

~ Ikaika Young was an early coach for Lewis/Bye.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/usfsa/8020946029 (great photo from 2012 U.S. Challenge Skate)

https://www.oregonlive.com/olympics/2014/02/olympic_ice_dancing_watched_by.html (very nice 2014 article about Logan and Chloe)​

 

[PaulE]

More about the Youngs:

Thanks for the extra info and the links. An impressive person and an impressive family which seems to be fairly common in ice skating.

 

[LauraV]

Doris, thanks so much for this thread! I come back to it whenever I can and I am enjoying all the linked performances.

My love of Meryl and Charlie started with their wonderful Samson and Delilah FD, and I am likewise puzzled that FD didn't win the award that year. However, D&W had some outstanding ODs/SDs over the years. I loved Bollywood of course, but my favorite of all their SDs (possibly of all their programs) is the astonishing Yankee Polka to Giselle. I seem to recall a lot of teams were unhappy with the prospect of skating the Yankee Polka that season, and with most of the programs, it showed. Who would have ever expected such a creative ballet adaptation to that dance? Amazing stuff, and D&W skated it to near perfection at Worlds, as I recall.

 

[dorispulaski]

They did!

Here is their performance of Giselle at Worlds:
I love the hi def quality of this video!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBjRshTZv9Y

but also this is Canadian commentary by Tracy Wilson & Kurt Browning
Worlds was in London Ontario
and they got a Standing O!!

For fans of today's version of ice dance, check what kind of amazing timing used to be required in dance

That is so hard to do with a dance with so many, many brief steps like the Yankee Polka!!

:hap93:

In fact, I now have to watch this again.