New Staff Sequence: Adrienne Carhart & Oleksandr Kolosovskyi

Welcome to IDC’s New Staff Sequence! For this sequence, we interview athletes who will enter the upcoming 2023-24 season in a brand new partnership, or debuted final season. In our second interview, we verify in with Adrienne Carhart (21) and Oleksandr Kolosovskyi (21) who signify Azerbaijan on the senior stage.  New articles on this sequence shall be posted each Monday.

Tell us about your particular person skating journeys, together with any early particular recollections.
Adrienne (AC): I began skating at 7 years previous, when a pal of mine invited me to a skating lesson. From there, I continued on with my youthful sister Helena and I’ve cherished it since then.

Oleksandr (OK): I began skating after I was 7 years previous as properly, however in Odessa. There is just one rink in Odessa however I’ve numerous nice recollections of that rink and studying how you can skate there. I competed in singles skating rather a lot all through Ukraine till I used to be about 15 years previous. Then I moved to Kiev to start out ice dancing. 

What drew you to ice dance?
AC: In all honesty, I keep in mind watching ice dance as a child and considering there was no method I might be an ice dancer! After rising up in a family full of girls and going to an all-girls highschool, the concept of skating with a boy didn’t enchantment to me. It wasn’t till I had reconstructive hip surgical procedure after I was 15 years previous and needed to take a 12 months off the ice that I even thought of ice dancing. Nonetheless, after just some weeks of attempting it out I knew this was what I needed to do. Now I really like skating with a accomplice and I really like engaged on all of the little particulars that go into ice dancing. There may be a lot precision and thought put into each step.

OK: My mother heard there was an incredible ice dance coach in Kiev that had a lady in search of a accomplice, so she thought it might be good for me to attempt ice dancing. At first, I discovered it fairly uncommon to skate with one other individual in place, nevertheless it supplied me with a brand new problem which I favored. I really like the technical points of ice dance, like turns and footwork, however I additionally actually get pleasure from lifts and the acrobatics concerned in partnered skating. 

Inform us how your partnership began (Accomplice Search, coaching mate, and so on.) Describe the tryout.
AC: Sasha and I truly knew one another earlier than we began skating collectively. We each skilled with Marina in 2019 with completely different companions and we have been good mates. I ended up shifting to France and Sasha was coaching with a brand new accomplice in Russia, so we misplaced contact for a couple of years. Once we noticed one another once more, it was like no time had handed – our friendship picked up proper the place we left off. 

OK: Marina known as me proper after my earlier partnership ended. She was my coach after I was junior and we had stayed in touch, so I used to be glad to listen to from her. She informed me Adrienne was additionally in search of a accomplice, and Adrienne and I have been mates for a very long time. So we had a tryout and we have been an incredible match. 

What’s it that you just already like most about dancing together with your new accomplice?
AC: It doesn’t matter what type of day we’re having, Sasha at all times makes me snort. We stability one another out so properly. Sasha may be very affected person  – he’s so good at staying calm and relaxed underneath strain. Coaching is really easy and  particular if you find yourself skating with a pal.    

OK: Adrienne and I are each very fortunate as a result of we’ve had an incredible friendship off the ice for thus a few years. I’ve by no means seen anybody work as laborious as Adrienne! Additionally, she is an incredible dancer and he or she may be very inventive. She has an incredible imaginative and prescient for every of our packages and I belief her.   

What experiences do every of you deliver to the partnership? (Worldwide competitions, coaching, and so on.)
OK: I’ve competed internationally for a few years now, so I introduced numerous expertise to the partnership.

AC: Sasha was very supportive of me this season, since this was my first season competing internationally. 

What has been the most important adjustment for every of you up to now within the partnership?
AC: There are the conventional challenges of a brand new partnership, studying to skate collectively and attending to know the opposite individual. Sasha and I’ve nice communication, and we work so properly collectively. I’ve by no means had a partnership the place we may talk as overtly as we do. 

OK: There hasn’t been a giant adjustment. We’re at all times trustworthy with one another about what’s working and what’s not, and Adrienne may be very variety. 

Inform us about your coaching website. (Location, services, dance mates, courses, and so on.)
OK: We prepare on the Worldwide Skating Academy in Estero, FL. Coaching in Florida, the climate is heat and exquisite. We do numerous coaching outdoors within the contemporary air, and I am going to the seaside and soar within the water after a protracted day of skating. 

AC: I’m the oldest of 4 ladies, all of whom skate, they usually all prepare with Marina in Florida. Attending to see them day-after-day and share all these experiences with them is one thing I’m extraordinarily grateful for. My sister Helena and her accomplice Vova are the reigning US Junior Silver Medalists, and they’re an incredible group to look at. We additionally prepare with Pilipino group Isabella Gamez and Alexandr Korovin, and Ukrainian group Zoe Larson and Andrei Kapran. We’re so fortunate to coach with groups which can be additionally our good mates. 

Final season we skilled with Kana Muramoto and Daisuke Takahashi earlier than they introduced their retirement this 12 months. It was very unhappy for me, since Kana is one in all my closest mates and the rink is just not the identical with out them. We use Kana and Dais as our inspiration rather a lot. 

Who’re your coaches?  Did both or each should relocate? If that’s the case, inform us concerning the transfer(s).
AC: We’re coached by Marina Zoueva, Ilya Tkachenko, Nora Hoffmann, Johnny Johns, and Yelena Sokolova. We additionally work with ballroom dancers Randi Robust, Henry Byalikov, and Maksim Kozhevnikov. Sasha and I each skilled in different nations earlier than we got here again to Marina. 

OK: I relocated from Austria to Florida. Nonetheless, since I had already skilled right here earlier than, it already felt far more like house. 

Who’s choreographing your packages. Is another person arranging your music? If that’s the case, please share these experiences.
AC: Sasha and I have been very excited concerning the 80’s theme for the RD this 12 months. We started working with Henry, one in all our ballroom coaches, on choreography off the ice. Our coach Ilya Tkachenko then took that and helped us adapt all of the dancing for the ice. 

OK: Max Kozhevnikov helped us with the idea for our free dance. We cherished our Egyptian program from final season, so it took us some time to discover a piece of music that everybody favored for our FD. Nonetheless, as soon as Max began working with us this system actually got here collectively. Ilya is a good choreographer as properly; he has been so concerned in our inventive course of this season, and due to that our packages are coming alongside properly. 

In the event you may have a lesson with any ice dancer previous/current, who wouldn’t it be? Why?
AC: Mmm there are such a lot of superb groups…I must say Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier. I noticed their Evita FD at worlds final season and it introduced me to tears. They’re so dedicated to the story they’re telling – as quickly as they step on the ice they’re in character! They’re each so variety and I actually look as much as them as athletes and as folks. 

OK: I might say Meryl Davis and Charlie White, as a result of they have been so modern. They have been so fast on the ice and their lifts have been superb. I’ve at all times cherished and admired their skating. 

What’s every of you wanting ahead to most this skating season? What shall be your greatest problem(s)?
AC: Final season was my first competing on the worldwide circuit, and since we have been a brand new partnership we didn’t begin till the tip of October. I like to compete, so I’m wanting ahead to performing rather a lot this season. Final season our aim was to place out strong performances each time. This season, we need to skate fearlessly and with confidence. Now’s the time to place our heads down and work so we are able to enhance over the following few years. 

OK: I feel we’ve a lot potential as a group. We’re tall and have lengthy lovely strains with numerous velocity. After all we need to enhance our outcomes and world standing from final season, however greater than that we need to solidify our skating and look as a group. It is going to be our second season collectively, so we’re nonetheless studying how you can transfer collectively and how you can compete collectively. 

What’s your debut competitors this season?
AC: Our first competitors would be the Dallas Basic in July, after which we are going to head to Lake Placid as our first worldwide for the season. 

OK: We’ll do a couple of native competitions first earlier than we head to our internationals. 

Please share something you desire to our readers to find out about you as a group?
OK: Now we have labored laborious within the off season to enhance our approach and our velocity throughout the ice. I’m very enthusiastic about our packages for this season, and I hope the judges and skating viewers will get pleasure from them too!

AC: I owe a lot to my household, to my dad and mom for his or her fixed love and help, and in addition to my sisters who I get to share this journey with. Now we have a lot extra to show and to point out – that is just the start for us!