Meet ice dancer Amanda City

On this Q&A, we introduce you to Amanda City, an ice dancer who competes within the junior solo mixed dance occasions. She trains with ,at Ashburn Ice Home and is coached by IKatrina Shalin, Vitaliy Shalin, and Ruslan Goncharov. 

Inform us about how your skating journey started. What drew you to the ice? Do you could have any particular reminiscences?
My skating journey started in 2015 when my dad and mom signed me and my sister up for a be taught to skate summer time camp. I had no thought the best way to skate and had by no means actually tried it earlier than the camp. I bear in mind the primary time I stepped on the ice, it felt a lot completely different than how I anticipated it might be, however I beloved it. After the week-long camp, I actually wished to proceed studying the best way to skate so my dad and mom signed me up for be taught to skate lessons and it just about took off from there.

When and why did you select to do solo dance?
I started my skating journey competing on a synchronized skating staff. On my third season of synchro, my coach recommended that I attempt ice dance classes to assist with issues like my timing, posture, skating abilities, and so forth. I ended up taking classes and I beloved it! After just some weeks of classes my coach, Vitaliy Shalin, requested if I wished to attempt competing within the solo dance sequence. He defined that I might compete within the preliminary patterns, and that if I scored excessive sufficient I might qualify for nationals. After all I stated sure, and in 2019 I competed in preliminary patterns, and I ended up qualifying and competing at nationals in Provo, Utah. I’ve competed yearly since, and I’m now competing Junior Mixed. Ever since my first season, I’ve completely beloved competing within the solo dance sequence. 

What do you want most about Solo Dance? What sort of music to you wish to skate to the very best? Why?
I like that solo dance provides dancers the chance to nonetheless compete and not using a accomplice. I like to compete and whereas I’m looking for a accomplice, I’m so grateful I’m nonetheless in a position to carry out and keep aggressive. In solo dance, the junior and senior ranges have a rhythm dance and a free dance, similar to the ice dance groups. This season the junior rhythm dance theme was tango together with your selection of favor from the choices they gave. I selected to skate to a flamenco together with the tango, and I actually have loved it! I wish to skate to all kinds of music however I believe the flamenco and tango kinds this 12 months have been one among my favorites. After I hear my music I really feel I must skate with plenty of energy, I have to be quick and fierce, and I actually get pleasure from that. I additionally actually like skating to modern or lyrical items of music, I like to only skate and really feel the music, it’s top-of-the-line issues about skating. 

Inform us about your coaching website. 
I’ve skated on the Ashburn Ice Home in Ashburn, Virginia because the first time I’ve ever stepped foot on the ice. This summer time, I’ve began coaching extra at SkateQuest in Reston, as now we have dance solely ice time Monday via Thursday which has been tremendous useful because it will get fairly busy on summer time freestyle classes. My teaching staff consists of Katrina Shalin, Vitaliy Shalin, and Ruslan Goncharov. I can’t think about a greater staff of coaches, all of them contribute various things to my skating/packages and are simply so useful to me. They’re every extraordinarily devoted at what they do and spend a lot of their time perfecting my skating, and all of their different skaters as effectively.  It is extremely essential to me to not solely have coaches who can educate effectively, however to have coaches who actually care about their college students and wish the very best for them. We’ve got a reasonably large group of solo dancers, skaters from the decrease ranges to the upper ranges, however all of us assist each other. This season we even have 5 junior dancers, together with myself. All of us are aggressive, after all, however we’re all pals and we cheer one another on. We’re all a staff and really supportive of one another, it’s an important group!

Who choreographed your packages. What do you want finest about dancing to them?
Katrina Shalin and Ruslan Goncharov did my choreography this season. They’re very inventive and know precisely what every program wants. This 12 months I selected to skate to the “Avatar” film soundtrack for my free dance. Initially I selected a up to date model of music, we choreographed rather less than half this system however then I made a decision it simply didn’t really feel proper. To be able to skate to music, it is advisable have a reference to it, which I didn’t really feel to that piece of music. I informed my coaches and we instantly started looking for new music. I used to be looking for one thing with extra of a storyline.  I wished one thing distinctive and funky, one thing that will actually be fascinating to observe. I heard the “Avatar” soundtrack and I actually appreciated the thought. I then informed my coach, Katrina, about this concept and she or he helped discover some extra songs and brainstorm new concepts. We acquired this program accomplished in a short time, simply in time for the 2023 Solo Dance Camp in Dallas, Texas. At solo dance camp I had the chance to work with Randi Sturdy who was additionally very useful in including issues to each of my packages.

Solo Dance might be a global self-discipline this season? Share your ideas about this modification.
I’m so excited to listen to about Solo Dance turning into a global self-discipline! I believe this actually helps open the door for a lot of dancers who’re struggling to discover a accomplice, or simply wish to compete in ice dance and not using a accomplice. Since my first 12 months of solo dance, again in 2019, I’ve seen it develop.  I consider since it is going to be on the worldwide stage, extra consideration might be delivered to it, and extra individuals will wish to attempt it. I believe it’s additionally nice to not solely compete towards skaters out of your area or inside your nation, however to have the chance to compete towards skaters from different international locations as effectively. I’m simply so joyful to see that solo dance might be worldwide, and might’t look forward to the alternatives that it will convey.

In skating, what are you most wanting ahead to this season? What might be your greatest problem(s)?
I’m most wanting ahead to competing at my final couple of qualifying competitions, and hopefully the Nationwide Solo Dance remaining in Chicago, IL. I’m actually excited to compete in Lake Placid, New York. It’s a enjoyable competitors, and skating on the rink the Olympics passed off is mostly a nice expertise. I believe my greatest problem might be nationals.  I’ve been working tougher than I ever have in previous seasons and I actually do really feel it’s paying off. My purpose this season is to skate two skates that I’m pleased with and earn a medal at nationals; I’d like to win. To date I’ve earned a gold medal from all six of my competitions, and I’m actually pleased with that. When you had been to inform me final season and even simply earlier than this season began, the place I’m at proper now, I’d not consider you. I’ve actually stunned myself thus far and I’m excited for what’s subsequent!

When you might have a lesson with any ice dancer previous/current, who would it not be? Why?
This can be a onerous choice as there are such a lot of superb ice dancers I look as much as. However, If I had been to choose, I’d say both Maddison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue or Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron. Each groups have such distinctive kinds of skating that basically encourage me. I like their energy and easy kinds of skating. 

What are your favourite off-ice actions?
This can be a query I get requested typically and I by no means know what to reply as a result of I wish to be on the ice just about all day on a regular basis. It’s one thing I don’t get bored with, but when I needed to decide I’d say buying and touring. I journey rather a lot for competitions and I’ve gone to actually cool locations, a few of my favorites have been Provo, UT, Lake Placid, NY and Nashville, TN. All of them are actually fairly areas and I’ve actually loved visiting there. 

Please share anything you prefer to our readers to learn about you as a skater?
One thing I need individuals to see after they watch me skate is my ardour for skating. I don’t simply skate as a result of I’ve been doing it for some time or for some other cause. I skate as a result of I actually like it and revel in coming to follow on daily basis. I believe that’s what actually could make a skater stand out.