Welcome to IDC’s New Workforce Sequence! For this collection, we interview athletes who will enter the upcoming 2024-25 season in a brand new partnership, or debuted final season. In our sixth interview, we meet Sophia Bushell & Antonio Pena, senior ice dancers who symbolize Nice Britain and practice at SK Worldwide Ice Dance Faculty in Madrid, Spain.
Sophia Bushell (SB): I began skating at 4 years outdated. I started with solo determine skating, then a pair years in I started skating pairs with my brother. I realised I used to be too nervous to attempt throw jumps, so we switched to ice dance collectively. Alongside, I used to be nonetheless doing jumps. I skated with my brother for almost 10 years. It was pleasant, nevertheless, I wished to place extra focus in skating and wished to take it extra significantly.
One of the best recollections I had to this point was having the ability to take part in worldwide competitions at a younger age and expertise them with my brother. We additionally carried out in some exhibitions collectively, some being for television. At round 7 years outdated, I realised performing in ice dance in entrance of a crowd introduced my enjoyment and I knew I wished to do that in my life.
Antonio Pena (AP): I began skating fairly late. I used to be 11 years outdated. I initially was a soccer participant, however one summer time I made a decision to attempt ice skating throughout summer time holidays. That is after I realised I liked it. After that one week, I made a decision to hitch the varsity, and the coaches noticed my potential and I joined the skating membership. Early particular recollections was when my grandparents used to look at my trainings and it could make me so excited and pushed me to need to skate extra.
What drew you to ice dance?
SB: I attempted each self-discipline after I was youthful, attempting to determine which one I preferred the perfect. I began determine skating after I was 4, after which alongside that I did pairs with my brother from 6 years outdated. Then, I realised I didn’t need to do the “scary” throw jumps so we switched to ice dance. After a couple of years, I spotted determine skating wasn’t for me in any respect. I wasn’t a fan of the jumps, I a lot most popular the essential stroking and dancing of ice dance. I used to be additionally in a performing arts faculty in london, and I liked to all the time carry out and dance. With the ability to be a part of a college like this, in addition to do ice skating, made me positive I wished to ice dance, so I centered on simply ice dance and stopped the jumps. I realised this self-discipline was for me. I had extra enjoyment going onto the ice now that I can do extra dancing, and work on my fundamental stroking.
AP: I used to be a determine skater and in my membership they’d ice dance as properly, so I wished to enhance my skating abilities. As there aren’t so many boys in Spain, my coach advised me if I wished to attempt ice dance I used to be to do it with a accomplice. I used to be doing each disciplines, till one summer time I did an ice dance camp and after I noticed the opposite superb ice dancers I fell in love with ice dance. I made a decision to cease single skating and begin my ice dance journey.
Inform us how your partnership began. Describe the tryout.
AP: I bear in mind I used to be skating with my sister and one woman wrote to me asking a couple of partnership, however I advised her in fact I used to be with my sister so it was not potential on the time. When my sister stopped skating, and I used to be on the seek for a brand new accomplice, I bear in mind this woman (Sophia) who wrote to me a couple of years in the past after which determined to ask her for a tryout.
SB: After my partnership had ended final 12 months, I used to be on the search throughout this time too for a accomplice. As my search was ending, I obtained the message from Anto and determined to fly to Spain for a tryout.
AP: At the beginning of the tryout, I felt not so comfy as I used to be solely skating with fairly tall ladies, Nonetheless, the perspective and the way in which Sophia was attempting to make every thing work, attempting new issues and be exhausting working, was one thing I admired. I didn’t see a lazy woman. I noticed a woman who actually wished to work and that’s what I used to be trying to find.
SB: And for me, I felt comfy from the start of the week, however what made me like Anto was how I noticed he was exhausting working, and the way we had a enjoyable time throughout this week, which is how I knew I wished him as my accomplice, as we may take pleasure in this journey collectively.
What’s it that you just already like most about dancing together with your new accomplice?
SB: What I I like most about Anto is that we all the time have enjoyable on the ice. There are all the time jokes and we’re each desirous to work exhausting I actually like Anto’s motivation, and having a accomplice who needs to push the boundaries on a regular basis makes coaching pleasant. Coaching is pleasant while you make it enjoyable, as it’s exhausting work, however having a pal on the ice makes this entire expertise higher.. we’re on this collectively.
AP: How sturdy she is, and tremendous secure, however the factor I like essentially the most, is that she is all the time pushing me to work. I’m additionally typically unfavourable and he or she is tremendous constructive on a regular basis. I like the way it felt like a partnership from the very starting.
What experiences do every of you carry to the partnership?
SB: We each skilled with our sibling. My first accomplice was my brother, and Anto’s earlier accomplice was his sister. I really feel that is an expertise not many ice skaters have, so it’s good to have the ability to have shared this similar expertise. After having these experiences, it’s simpler between us to unravel issues, so we will make coaching simpler and extra productive.
What has been the largest adjustment for every of you to this point within the partnership?
AP: For me was the peak, which was essentially the most uncomfortable to get used to, as I solely skated with tall ladies. In addition to Sophia’s British accent, initially of the tryout I saved telling her to talk sluggish, as I perceive English, however initially I wasn’t used to it, so I couldn’t perceive her.
SB: The largest adjustment for me was shifting to Spain and having to regulate a few of the methods I’ve been used to, as Anto has been used to sure instructing strategies for a couple of years and a few of the issues are new to me. It was additionally exhausting to determine methods to put our strengths collectively to be extra productive. As we each are sturdy characters, and I discovered it exhausting to know his accent too at first. Communication between us was a bit troublesome, nevertheless, now we’ve got overcome this!
Inform us about your coaching website.
We practice in Madrid and we skate 4 hours on ice 5 days every week in addition to off ice 5 days every week. Two days every week is ballet, and two days is health club. We additionally embrace dance lessons corresponding to jazz. And typically off ice lessons for lifts particularly in off season. Now we have three different {couples} right here, which is kind of good, as it’s a small group, however it feels extra like mates than coaching mates. And we will assist one another and use one another for inspiration.
Who’re your coaches? Did both or each must relocate?
Our coaches are Ksenia Monko, Sara Hurtado and Kirill Khaliavin. Now we have essentially the most enjoyable with them, and so they encourage us on a regular basis to be the perfect skaters we might be.
SB: I needed to transfer to Spain to relocate to hitch the SK Academy. It was fairly a straightforward and comfy transfer, because the coaches and the opposite athletes right here made me really feel so welcome immediately. And everybody listed here are all so pleasant. I really like the way in which this academy works, because it feels inspiring to have the ability to practice alongside these different athletes, in addition to working with these superb coaches.
Who’s choreographing your packages.
Our coach Ksenia has choreographed our packages. Which we expect she has achieved an unimaginable job, and we’re very grateful for her.
In case you may have a lesson with any ice dancer previous/current, who would it not be? Why?
SB: I’ve all the time wished to have a lesson with each Tessa advantage and Scott Moir. Watching how Tessa is such a simple lovely skater is a giant inspiration. I’ve additionally been impressed by their partnership. Having what seems to be like a pure connection between the 2 is what I like.
AP: I’ve all the time wished to coach with Sara and Kirill, as there aren’t many ice dancers in Spain, they’re the inspiration for skaters right here. As they made a lot for Spanish ice dance, I used to be impressed, which is the explanation I joined their faculty. Additionally, I’m grateful for the way in which they consider in me and all of the work they’ve achieved for me.
What’s every of you wanting ahead to most this skating season? What will probably be your greatest problem(s)?
We’re wanting ahead to competing internationally, and gaining a enjoyable expertise collectively. Our greatest problem will probably be determining how competitions work collectively. As we haven’t competed with one another earlier than so it is going to be a brand new expertise. Nonetheless, we’ve got to attend until December to compete internationally.
What’s your debut competitors this season?
Now we have our first competitors in November for qualifiers in England.
Please share something you want to our readers to learn about you as a crew?
We want for the long run, individuals to come back to look at us, and turn into that spectacular crew, watching us do these cool methods and lifts, being a crew with good fundamental skating/energy, and attempt to stand out from the others. We need to present our personalities on the ice, how good we work collectively and the way exhausting we will push ourselves to see what the long run holds with this new journey collectively. We’re excited to indicate our programmes this season and make a reputation for ourselves.
