Pictures by Melanie Heaney
Welcome to IDC’s New Workforce Sequence! For this sequence, we interview athletes who will enter the upcoming 2024-25 season in a brand new partnership, or debuted final season. On this interview, we meet Gabriela Palomeque & Tanner White, senior ice dancers who signify Ecuador.
Inform us about your particular person skating journeys, together with any early particular reminiscences.
Gabriela Palomeque (GP): I discovered about skating when my dad and mom took us to a sports activities advanced in Amaguaña (south east of Quito, Ecuador). We went to the pool, slides, soccer fields however on our manner again to the automotive we discovered a really distinctive constructing so we have been curious to know what it was.
I remembered watching a couple of skaters taking classes in an 21 x 15 mts of ice, mesmerized by the thought of how they will glide and dance on a skinny blade beneath them.
My older sister (Ana cris) determined to ask about how can we take classes. The rink solely opened on the weekends so we have been taking classes on Saturdays and skating on public classes on Sundays.
Tanner White (TW): I began skating once I was about 4 years outdated at my native enviornment within the study to skate program. My earliest reminiscence on the ice I’ve is from round age 5 once I instructed a coach I used to be going to do a double axel after which I jumped, and faceplanted. I used to be by no means essentially the most gifted with jumps, however I beloved skating from a younger age. I started my journey in aggressive ice dancing on the Minto Skating Membership in Ottawa, ON, coached by Darryl Vanluven, Marie-Josee Cloutier and Siobhan Karam. I competed at Jap Ontario sectionals and Skate Canada Problem from about 2006-2010 then in 2011, I moved to Michigan to coach and compete with a brand new companion from the Netherlands. I then moved to Toronto to coach on the Ice Dance Elite program on the Scarboro Determine Skating Membership, coached by Carol and Jon Lane, and Juris Rasgulajevs.
What drew you to ice dance?
GP: Since I used to be little, my sister at all times encourage me to get out my shell, that’s how I began to improvised and create my very own routines.
I struggled to be constant on my jumps in order that was taking a toll on my psychological well being and I knew I didn’t wish to give up skating so altering to ice dance gave me a chance to take pleasure in skating once more.
TW: Initially I had needed to change into a pairs skater, as I used to be so impressed by the lifts and throws from that self-discipline. My household and II spoke to my coach in regards to the concept of going into pairs skating and he advised I began out in dance so I might learn to skate with a companion whereas I continued to work on my singles skating. As soon as I began ice dancing, I fell in love with the self-discipline. I appeared as much as skaters equivalent to Shae-Lyn Bourne and Victor Kraatz, Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon, Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto, Tessa Advantage and Scott Moir, and Meryl Davis and Charlie White all through my early years in dance.
Inform us how your partnership began. Describe the tryout.
GP: A Canadian coach and an excellent pal, Jan Calnan, knew that I used to be transitioning from single skater to ice dance so she contacted Tanner asking him if he’s prepared to signify Ecuador in ice dance.
TW: Our partnership, for me, began fully unexpectedly. I had initially retired from aggressive ice dance in 2014, transferring house to Ottawa from Toronto the place I had educated at Scarboro Skating Membership’s Ice Dance elite program coached by Carol and John Lane, and Juris Rasgulajevs. I then competed in college determine skating with Brock College in males’s singles and was injured in my third yr, I tore my labrum and had FAI syndrome in each hips. I had hip surgical procedures to restore each of my hip joints.
I returned to the ice, teaching in April of 2022, and later that summer season a fellow teaching colleague of mine, Jan Calnan got here as much as me asking me if I used to be considering making a comeback to ice dancing, as she had a skater (who’s now my companion) from Ecuador and was on the lookout for a companion to compete with. On the time, I had solely been on the ice doing very minimal exercise as a coach, I had thought I wouldn’t have the ability to skate once more after my harm. After initially turning it down, I assumed it over, I had flashbacks to once I left the game in 2014, my final day on the rink in Toronto leaving for the final time once I felt like I wasn’t completed, however wanted to maneuver on with my life. I assumed to myself, I higher give this an opportunity, I owe it to my youthful self who dreamed large and put a few years into this sport to offer it an opportunity. The worst that may occur is it doesn’t work out.
In September 2022, we had a tryout, doing primary stroking workout routines on our personal. Fairly rapidly, issues got here collectively. I used to be in a position to lastly notice that I used to be totally recovered and in a position to skate once more, though I used to be out of form. We appeared to be a superb match, regardless of our peak distinction and we started coaching collectively.
What’s it that you simply already like most about dancing along with your new companion?
GP: As that is my very first ice dance companion, it has been enjoyable to study from Tanner and attempting out various things like lifts, spins, dance holds and steps.
TW: I like our willingness to strive new issues most of all. For me, at 32 years outdated and after virtually 10 years away from ice dancing, I’m doing tougher parts than I ever did earlier than. The game has modified immensely over the previous 10 years, and I’m very a lot having fun with studying new issues with Gaby. I respect Gaby’s means to choose issues up rapidly, as that is her first dance partnership, she places in 100% effort daily. I like how she pushes me to be a greater and extra devoted athlete.
What experiences do every of you deliver to the partnership?
GP: Despite the fact that I don’t have earlier expertise in ice dance I feel for me is the drive, the motivation and the ‘no giving up’ mentality that helps us centered on our personal journey. I even have a extremely good visible reminiscence, so at any time when we’ve classes with a choreographer I used to be in a position to remind Tanner his steps.
TW: I competed within the Canadian aggressive dance scene from round 2006-2011 coaching in Ottawa on the Minto Skating Membership, then I moved to Michigan the place I educated and competed with Auvikki DeBoon in Junior Dance on the 2011 Nationwide championships of the Netherlands in Tilburg, NL. After our partnership ended I moved to Toronto to coach on the Scarboro Determine Skating Membership within the Ice Dance Elite program coached by Carol Lane, Jon Lane, and Juris Rasgulajevs and ended half one in all my aggressive profession competing at Skate Canada Problem in 2012. I then went to Brock College and competed within the Males’s Free Skate self-discipline at Ontario College Athletic Championship occasions.
What has been the largest adjustment for every of you to date within the partnership?
GP: Discovering ice time hasn’t been constant all through the season. Our largest changes is aligning our schedules with the ice time we’re supplied.
I’ve a component time job as an early childhood educator and an ice determine skater coach.
TW: For me, it’s been the comeback after a very long time away from ice dancing and skating usually. I went from having about 3 years off of the ice ready for and recovering from my surgical procedures, to coaching full time at a excessive influence stage, and competing at Worldwide occasions. The bodily conditioning facet of issues has been the largest adjustment. It’s additionally been an ongoing problem to maintain up with the calls for of our coaching and my work schedule and permitting for ample restoration time between coaching classes.
Inform us about your coaching web site.
GP: We skate essentially the most on the Nepean Sportsplex, few early mornings on the Gloucester skating membership, and weekends in Aylmer, Gatineau.
We’ve had few alternatives to coach in Montreal with Mylene Lamoureoux, Shawn Winter and Elise Hamel.
TW: We prepare on the Gloucester Skating Membership, CPA Asticou, Rideau Skating Membership and the Nepean Skating Membership. We’re the one ice dancers at a lot of the golf equipment we skate at and have restricted entry to ice time, as most of our native golf equipment are centered in the direction of singles skating. We skate on ice wherever we’re welcomed and respect the golf equipment who enable us to coach on their ice very a lot.
Who’re your coaches? Did both or each need to relocate? If that’s the case, inform us in regards to the transfer(s).
GP: Michael Coreno has been serving to us since spring of 2024. It has been a bit difficult adjusting our schedules with him as nicely. Our different coach is Dylan Harries, he specializes extra off the ice like conditioning and psychological coaching however he additionally has an important background on turns, presentation and little particulars that makes a distinction on our coaching classes.
TW: We’re coached by Michael Coreno, we are also coached just about over zoom by Nick Buckland, and Mylene Girard and her group. We’ve additionally been coached by Justin and Chantall Bell and have spent a while coaching with Shawn Winter, Elise Hamel and Mylene Lamoreux. We additionally work with Dylan Harries for our off ice coaching.
Neither Gaby nor I are in a position to relocate completely presently to a bigger dance coaching centre, as we’re each working adults in Ottawa, so we do our greatest to work with native coaches, quick journeys to bigger centres and convey coaches from far-off to us via digital teaching. It’s a problem aligning our work and coaching schedules with our coaches schedules, nevertheless we do the most effective we are able to.
Who’s choreographing your applications. Is another person arranging your music? If that’s the case, please share these experiences.
GP: The choreography has been a group effort between many coaches and our personal concepts. Few instances, we’ve gone to coach in Pierrefonds with Mylene Lamoreoux for choreography, Elise Hamell and Shawn Winter for approach classes.
TW: Our applications have been choreographed by a group of a number of coaches, and our personal choreography. We began our free dance with Vanessa Chartrand, and since then we’ve labored with Mylene Lamoreux, Michael Coreno, Justin and Chantall Bell, all of whom have made their mark on our applications. Our rhythm dance was predominantly choreographed by Justin and Chantall Bell, with some alterations made by Michael Coreno and Mylene Girard. Our free dance music was edited by Rob Collins “The Skating Music Man” who additionally did our 80’s rhythm dance from final season.
In the event you might have a lesson with any ice dancer previous/current, who would it not be? Why?
GP: It’s laborious to decide on however I’ve at all times appeared as much as Tessa Advantage, Gabriella Papadakis, Guillaume Cizeron, Kaitlyn Weaver for his or her artistry, humility, and keenness for skating.
TW: I very a lot would love a lesson with Charlie and Tanith White, and Scott Moir. I went to look at the free dance occasion on the 2009 Skate America occasion in Lake Placid to see Tanith and Ben in particular person. I additionally was in awe of the highest two groups on the planet on the time, Tessa and Scott and Meryl and Charlie. It might be an honour to have a lesson with them.
What’s every of you trying ahead to most this skating season? What can be your largest problem(s)?
GP: Despite the fact that we’re working laborious on getting the technical rating greater. I’m trying ahead to see the next mark on our program elements, get our names on the market and impress the judges.
The most important problem for me is throughout competitors to remain centered on our journey. Being a brand new group and having much less expertise than different groups, I really feel the stress that I’m not ok, however all the pieces fades away once I step on the ice. I bear in mind all what we’ve labored and all of the hours of coaching and the boldness begins to develop.
TW: I’m trying ahead to the expertise of all of it, touring the world, doing what I like essentially the most. Competing internationally was one thing I dreamed about as a child and after retiring in 2014. I by no means thought I might get the possibility. The Lake Placid Worldwide this previous summer season was a dream come true, and all the pieces since has been such a blessing.
Inform us about your debut competitors this season?
TW: Our debut was a bit tough, we competed at an area occasion in Ottawa, ON. It was our first ever competitors collectively. It was Gaby’s first competitors in ice dancing, and for me it was my first competitors in nicely over 10 years in Ice Dancing. We have been nervous, and our aim was easy: get from the begin to the end of each applications.
Our worldwide debut was on the Lake Placid Ice Dance Worldwide occasion this previous summer season. We had an important expertise there, it was such an honour to have the possibility to signify Ecuador on the Worldwide stage for the primary time in ice dance. We discovered loads from all the technical suggestions and since then we’ve continued to enhance.
Please share something you desire to our readers to learn about you as a group?
GP: Being the primary Ecuadorian ice dance group means loads to me. And we’ll work very laborious to get us to 4 Continents Championships and ultimately Worlds.
TW: I would love the readers to know that we’re each working adults, Gaby is an Early Childhood Educator, I’m a full time coach. We work to help our personal skating and we benefit from what amenities and coaching alternatives that we’ve entry to in our metropolis. I need readers to know that typically alternatives come up in life if you least anticipate them, and in case you are prepared to place the work in, nothing is not possible. It’s the alternative of a lifetime and an enormous honour to have the ability to signify Ecuador Internationally and we’ll do our best possible to attain our objectives.
