U.S. ice dancers
Molly Cesanek and Yehor Yehorov will compete this week at their second consecutive Skate America®. However, this season's event is their first ISU Grand Prix with a full international field. (Last year was hosted as a domestic competition due to the pandemic.) Cesanek and Yehorov are feeling a whole new level of excitement for 2021 Guaranteed Rate Skate America.
"It hadn't really sunk in until a few days ago," Cesanek said. "I just looked at Yehor and was like: 'We're going to a Grand Prix, and this is just so exciting!'"
Cesanek and Yehorov's partnership began three years ago. In 2018, Yehorov moved from Ukraine to the United States to skate with Cesanek. After a couple years as juniors, the duo moved to seniors last year. The pandemic limited their competition opportunities last season, but they placed 5th at both 2020 Guaranteed Rate Skate America and the 2021 Toyota U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
Cesanek and Yehorov opened this season with a bronze medal at Lake Placid Ice Dance International (held in Norwood, Massachusetts). They next competed at Lombardia Trophy, in Bergamo, Italy, where they placed 13th. It was their first-ever Challenger Series competition and senior event in Europe.
"We went there very grateful for the opportunity," Cesanek said. "We believe we skated two of our best routines, and we were very happy with what we performed. We really enjoyed being in that environment, that atmosphere, and to watch teams from around the world."
Enjoyment is a watchword for Cesanek, 20, and Yehorov, 22. The duo want to get the most of every minute--and to convey that feeling to audiences. "We skate from a place of bringing our enjoyment outward, and trying to share something that we are very passionate about," said Cesanek.
After Lombardia, Cesanek and Yehorov revamped their rhythm dance. The dance--which starts and ends with music from Bruno Mars--originally included a remix of Alicia Keys's classic "Fallin'" for the Midnight Blues portion. After receiving feedback at Champs Camp and Lombardia, Cesanek and Yehorov decided to replace "Fallin'" with Beyonce's "Partition."
"We loved 'Fallin'. But we had to use a remix version to be the correct tempo for the Midnight Blues," Cesanek explained. "We tried to bring out the mood and character as much as we could. Even remixed, we still loved it. But we did receive some feedback about [it]. The Beyonce song was actually Yehor's find, and I absolutely loved it. We have transformed the whole blues piece. It brings out a spicy character."
Cesanek and Yehorov worked with coaches Elena Novak and Aleksei Kiliakov on the new blues section. Another important contributor was Jimmie Manners, a new addition to their coaching team this year at Ion International Training Center in Leesburg, Virginia. Manners is a professional ballet and hip-hop dancer.
"Jimmie helped us with our new music, and even [made] our older pieces better--upgraded them," Yehorov said.
"He helps bring out the fierce side of us," Cesanek added. "With our free dance, we have this soft side. But Yehor and I also have a very bold side. Jimmie helps us tap into that. He gives us the understanding of that hip-hop vibe, which is a completely different way of moving. It's sharper and [requires] a lot of control and confidence."
The team will debut their revised rhythm dance at Skate America®.
Cesanek and Yehorov's free dance--set to five different tracks of music--is the product of a creative process that began almost a year ago.
"It has such a big meaning. It's special to us," Yehorov said. "It's something that we love and are proud of. We started looking for music a couple months before nationals [2021 Toyota U.S. Figure Skating Championships]. We found all of these [pieces of] music together; we put them together on our own. With words and rests, and Molly's breath on a voice recording. We did a rough draft of the music."
Well-known music editor Hugo Chouinard then took over, with colleague Karl Hugo. "We're on like version 20-something of this music," Cesanek laughed. "It's been crazy, but beautiful. We couldn't find a piece for the finale [of the dance]. We never found a piece that said, 'This is it.' Then Hugo said, 'Let's try and compose something.' And it really does finish this music."
Cesanek and Yehorov reached out to another prominent talent in the skating world for help with choreography.
"Kaitlyn Weaver is the choreographer for this free dance," Cesanek revealed. "We're so thankful that she did this for us."
Yehorov added, "We reached out [to Weaver]--we didn't expect she would respond--we just reached out. And she did respond!"
Cesanek said that the theme of their free dance "is not transparent, in a way that shows exactly what it means. It's something that we want people to connect and resonate with in their own personal way."
The program includes several notable lifts, including a stationary lift with swooping entrance ("One of our personal favorite moments," said Cesanek); a lift where Cesanek sits on Yehorov's shoulders and they hold hands; and a low hydroblading curve lift. "We wanted something extremely minimal, but very intimate," Cesanek said of the hydroblading lift.
Cesanek and Yehorov are looking forward to performing their programs in Las Vegas.
"We're so honored to be selected [for the competition]," Yehorov said. "We're just excited to show ourselves and skate. We just want to enjoy every minute of it."
"When you're given the opportunity to be with these elite performers, it's pretty exciting," Cesanek added. "We cannot wait to be on the same ice as them, and feel their energy, and learn from them."
Off the ice, Cesanek and Yehorov have something to celebrate too.
"I have great news; I received my green card in July," Yehorov shared. "It's an honor for me to represent the United States. Without the [help of] U.S. Figure Skating, our coaches, Molly, and Molly's parents, it wouldn't be possible. I'm very grateful to have this green card and be able to stay in the U.S. We're looking forward to applying for U.S. citizenship."
This past spring, Yehorov also completed his studies for a coaching degree from the National University of Ukraine, Physical Education and Sport. (He has just one final exam left.) Cesanek is attending American University part-time, majoring in health promotion.
"Molly and I want to have our own academy and coach teams [someday]," Yehorov revealed. "But that's somewhere really, really far in the future."
Right now, Cesanek and Yehorov hope for a long competitive career--with Skate America® as their next stop.
Fans can tune into the action at 2021 Guaranteed Rate Skate America on NBCSN, NBC and Peacock Premium.
Check out the Virtual Fan Experience for more details.
