Ice Twizzle

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This week we speak to Kim from 'The Cutting Edge' Podcast, Nashville’s newest endeavour to bring ice dance and pairs news to the people as it happens.

Kim speaks about her passion for figure skating and her will to bring ice dance and pairs into the lime-light.

We chat about how figure skating is unrepresented in T.V coverage and problems that causes in inspiring the next generation and the future of the sport.

The effort that Kim is putting into 'The Cutting Edge' podcast is impressive, as is her knowledge of ice dance and pairs, the skaters, the competitions and the judging system.

Kim’s passion for ice dance and pairs is phenomenal. We discuss how it feels like a one woman crusade to bring ice dance and pairs back to the people, back to where it belongs, on the podium of the world’s attention.

If you don’t get chance to keep up with all that is happening in the world of ice dance and pairs, you can get the news all in one place at 'The Cutting Edge' podcast, combined with Kim’s opinions and wit.

Check out Kim and 'The Cutting Edge' podcast for all the news, reviews and goings on of world class pairs and ice dance, all compressed into bite-sized info straight into your ears. Check it out.

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This week we check out the ice skating scene in Turkey with Melis!

Melis talks to us from Ankara in Turkey, telling us what it is like to be an adult ice skater in Turkey.

With unique insight into what motivates people into beginning skating, through to just how addictive it is.

Melis, like so many people, has found more than a pass time in ice skating. Her honest account of how ice skating can support mental health as well as adding to the social part of our lives is heartfelt and encouraging.

In this episode we talk about how so often an encounter with an ice rink can inspire a full-time hobby, and how that hobby can become a really valued part of our life.

I think all ice skaters can relate to this interview with Melis and agree that no matter where you are in the world, ice skaters all have something in common, our struggles, our victories and our passion for the sport of ice skating.

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This week we speak to figure skating coach and National Showcase treasure Jennifer Jones.

Jennifer has held no fewer than 52 National showcase titles and who better to tell us about the world of U.S Figure Skating’s National Showcase.

If you have never heard of this diamond in U.S Figure Skating’s collection of competitions, then you have a missed a treat.

Jennifer gives us the grand tour of what is the artistic calendar date of the year, every year, that is the National Showcase.

As a time served skater, coach, makeup artist and arguably one of the longest attending competitors of the annual competition, Jennifer talks us through the categories in the competition, from the most serious, to the most humorous and out-there categories.

As a lifelong skater herself, Jennifer describes the importance and opportunities that the National Showcase represents. Making artistic competition available for all ages and abilities and plenty of fun to boot.

If you have never heard of National Showcase, or are thinking of going, there is no one better to show you around than Jennifer.

Take a listen, take the tour, and take some time to think if National Showcase may be for you.

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This debut podcast from Edea explains the phenomenon that has become Edea ice skates. From a humble family beginning, Edea has become a figure skating boot tour de force.

We speak to Ilaria Ciotti directly from the Edea factory near Venice in Italy. Ilaria takes us through the incredible handmade journey of Edea ice skates and reveals the research and development that it takes to create a masterpiece ice skate. 

This truly insightful conversation tells of how Edea looked at ice skates from scratch and identified the areas they could be improved in; they listened to ice skaters and the result is a range of figure skating boots that have taken the ice skating world by storm.

We learn what the secret of success is, how they are made, the options, different shapes and models and how to get the best fitting boot.

If you are thinking of purchasing ice skate boots, are thinking about Edea boots or own them already, this unique, frank and first of its kind interview with Edea will give you every reason to consider why Edea are the ice skating boot of choice from recreational to Olympic standard figure skaters.

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When you think of the land of the Great Barrier Reef, international surfing competitions and the home of the Aboriginal Australians you might not immediately think of figure skating, but you might be surprised. This week we talk to adult figure skater Iven Law about the ice-skating scene in Sydney and Australia as a whole.

From new boots to heading out into your first show, Iven takes us through the tips and pitfalls of getting your first skates to taking part in your first show. The skating scene in Australia like most countries is a tight knit community, but Iven gives us a unique insight into what it like to become an adult figure skater and the expenses, comradery and experiences that it brings.

Check out this view into the adult figure skating scene and the what’s happening on ice down under.

For everythign ice-skating check out icetwizzle.com

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Title of episode: (Series 2 Episode 2) Nordic Ice Theatre – Figure skating at melting point

Nordic Ice Theatre are back and as James Brown said so well ‘Papas got a brand new bag’ oh yeah. The Nordic theatrical figure skating company are back to test the artistic interpretation of story and music on ice once more.

The thing we have all come love about Nordic Ice Theatre is that you never know what you are going to get. Małgorzata Osypińska (Margret) the Artistic Director of Nordic Ice Theatre walks us through their newest creation ‘Melting Point’ and how creating Melting Point has been another journey of discovery changing them all as much as they have changed it.

Watching Nordic Ice theatre grow is like watching crystals of ice form, beautiful, unpredictable, yet somehow organised into something much more beautiful as a whole.

Margret speaks frankly about the phenomenon of melting and through the process of deconstruction and reconstruction that forms this uniquely ‘Nordice’ production.

In this first time taking the show on the road, Margret talks about how the phenomenon of melting, hauntingly echoing what is happening in our world as global warming takes hold, but also as a notion of construction and deconstruction through movement.

Movement is subjective of course; Margret speaks about how they harness this subjectivity to give each viewer a unique and very personal experience.

Margret also goes on to tell how this is their first production where music has been composed for the purpose of the production and how the process of musical, physical and artistic creation have been formed for the entire effect. Nordic Ice Theatre, famed for their use of live instruments on ice do not let us down with their latest creation, combining contemporary and classical music with instruments and the audience on ice, art does not get more personal and cutting edge than this.

If you do only one thing this week, then check out Nordic Ice Theatre at https://www.nordicicetheatre.com/ or just google them, view their videos on you tube,  prepare to be blown away, be part of the movement, this is artistic figure skating for the people, be brave, be unique, take a chance on risking something new, check them out.

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This week Beate-Helene Andersen, coach and founder of the Bergen Umbrellas talks to us about synchronised figure skating (synchro). 

The amazing story of the Bergen Umbrellas unfolds in this episode, as we find out how one persons idea to give passion to skaters, created a synchro skating team that has given back to her, as much as she gave to it.

Beate-Helene very bravely ventured into the world of synchro knowing very little about synchronised figure skating, though an accomplished skater and coach herself, her move to form a synchronised skating team was a bold one. The most heart-warming part of this process was the reason behind it, to encourage a passion in figure skating.

We hear what it is like to create and nurture a synchro team from scratch and struggles that involves. From starting the team, to now when they are competing, the journey is an interesting one. One that perhaps has given back to Beate-Helene, as she watches something quite lovely grow. 

The future for Team Bergen Umbrella is bright, you heard it here first. Listen to the story so far of Beate-Helene and the Bergen Umbrellas.

If you are interested in either joining the Bergen Umbrellas or are able to help Beate-Helene with your synchro experience as a coach or choreographer, please feel free to contact her on Instagram on:

@Team_Bergenumbrellas

Or we can pass your details on by contacting us at:

[email protected]

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This week we talk to the figure skater turned entrepreneur Marie-Pier Chouinard, the founder of Brilliance & Melrose.

Marie takes us through the journey from competitive figure skating to Disney on ice, show biz and travelling the world. The complex turn of events that led to the creation of the ever-popular Brilliance & Melrose brand.

Brilliance & Melrose is quickly becoming a well-known brand thanks to Marie’s background in fashion and skills in business, but who is the person behind the brand? And why is Marie so passionate about skating clothing and accessories? From jewellery to knits, Marie’s fascinating story of how this all came about makes for great listening and shows the figure skating passion that Marie has, which in-turn gives the brand such a genuine appeal.

To take a look at the Brilliance & Melrose range visit https://brilliance-melrose.com/

Follow Marie and her exciting creations on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/brilliance_melrose

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This week we speak to Małgorzata Osypińska (Margret) from Nordic Ice Theatre. Margret is the founder and artistic director of Nordic Ice Theatre, Norway’s new and first Ice theatre company.

With a unique blend of figure skating, artistic choreography and live musicians on the ice, Nordic Ice Theatre is going to blow your socks off.

The utterly beautiful figure skating performances with classical musicians on the ice, in the shockingly beautiful backdrop of Bergen, Norway, as seen on YouTube, prompted this one on one interview.

There is something beautifully different about Nordic Ice Theatre (or Nordice as it is known to some), the combination of figure skating, live musicians and beautiful choreography create an experience that is sublime.

In this interview we hear how Margret and the rest of the Nordic Ice Theatre company are creating a new future for figure skating in Norway, by being the first ice theatre company in Norway; and by  delivering their own unique take on incorporating live music intrinsically with the performance. 

Margret speaks about how her figure skating career, dance and choreography expertise combined with skills from what is now the Nordic Ice Theatre team to form something that we at Ice Twizzle, and shortly the rest of the world will realise is greater than the sum of its parts.

Though those parts are spectacular including:

Maciej Kuś
Figure skater, multiple Polish National Champion and Representative, currently coach at Bergen Kunstløpklubb
 
 Beate - Helene Andersen
Figure skater, coach at Loddefjord Idrettslag, coach of the synchro team Bergen Umbrellas
 
 Ingrid Louise Vestre
Figure skater, junior coach at Bergen Kunstløpklubb

Julia Malik
Soprano and cellist, Nordic Ice Theatre´s Musical Director, General Director of Sunrise Bridge Music Production
 
 Anders Hannevold
Composer and pianist, Nordic Ice Theatre´s in - house composer

Vladimira Scigulinska
Violinist; currently plays in the first violin section at Slovak State Philharmonic Kosice

Nordic Ice Theatre also work with guest artists in their upcoming show ‘Winter Tales’.

So get comfy, listen to the show and feel very special that few people have heard the voice of Margret or Nordic Ice theatre, so you will be able to say, I heard of them on a podcast before they were world famous and gave something to artistic figure skating that was both awe-inspiring and uniquely Nordic Ice Theatre.

To find out more about Nordic Ice Theatre, check them out at:

Their website-

https://www.nordicicetheatre.com/

On Instagram-

@_nordice

On You Tube-

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGPhdLGLIJc3A1HY_vz6brQ

On Facebook-

https://facebook.com/nordicicetheatre

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This week we talk adult figure skating with Chloe from the 'Figure it Out blog'. We all know as adult ice skaters, that skating is not always easy, but is ever challenging and plenty of fun. Sometimes knowing where to share your thoughts with like-minded individuals can be tough, especially with people on social media showing the best of their skating, it can be intimidating.

That is where Chloe (of @Chloeonice_ Instagram fame) comes in, with her fresh new look at adult skating and a new Facebook group (figure it out group) come in. Chloe has created a virtual 'safe space' for adult skaters to share their setbacks and successes. This group is non-judgmental and aims to be a warmer and less intimidating environment for adult ice skaters in comparison to the 'show reel' Instagram highlights that can be daunting for adult skaters wanting to share their experiences.

You can check out the group on face book - Figure it out group

Or check Chloe on Instagram - @Chloeonice_ 

Also the Figure it Out Blog website at https://figureitoutblog.com/