by Anne Calder | Photographs by Daphne Backman
IDC spoke with Karen Li, James Zhu and their dad and mom on the Lake Placid Championships in late July 2025.
The Novice ice dance siblings practice on the Ice Works in Ashton, PA with three-time British Olympians, Penny Coomes and Nick Buckland.
“We additionally practice on the College of Delaware in Newark, DE. We have now coaches there too,” Zhu defined.
Anastasia Cannuscio & Colin McManus, the crew’s Delaware coaches accompanied them to Lake Placid. Coomes lately had a second little one and Buckland had three senior groups to organize for different competitions.
Li started skating synchro and freestyle 4 years in the past. This season she certified for the Nationwide Excel Closing in Colorado Springs, however opted out on account of an ice dance coaching battle.
Zhu additionally skated freestyle previous to companion dance. Along with skating, he’s additionally a tennis athlete. Whereas he has sacrificed his tennis coaching for dance, he’ll play on his highschool crew within the fall.
The siblings attend completely different faculties within the Philadelphia space. This semester, Li will start sixth grade on the all-girls Baldwin Faculty whereas Zhu strikes as much as ninth grade on the Pals’ Central Faculty.
“Moreover teachers, we needed them concerned in every kind of various issues,” shared the dancers’ mom. “Each of them play the piano. James additionally performs the cello. Karen loves drawing, too”
The crew spoke about their music. “Yesterday we skated to “Piano Man” by Billy Joel for our Starlight Waltz sample and “Batman” for the Quickstep” mentioned Zhu.
“Later immediately, our Free Dance is to Physician Who,” Li added. “James is the Physician, and I’m the Alien. Coach Nick Buckland choreographed this system. Penny helped.”
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Some in Lake Placid that Tuesday, had misplaced shut buddies, coaches, college students, teammates, household. It was nonetheless too uncooked to completely grasp its actuality. Some shared their ideas; others couldn’t.
Li and Zhu’s Delaware coaching mates and greatest buddies, Angela Yang and Sean Kay have been on the aircraft with their moms.
“Sean was at all times so optimistic, and he made me snort” Zhu remembered. “I at all times had enjoyable with him. On the camp, the perfect time we had was watching all the great groups skate.”
“My buddy Angela was at all times so supportive. She would at all times discover a option to have enjoyable,” Li added. “I’ve an image she made for me. I framed it.”
Noticeable on the Olympic Enviornment that anniversary day in Lake Placid have been the various athletes sporting the purple crew jackets that recognized them as 2025 camp attendees.
Throughout the Championships again in January, the “campers” had watched a number of the occasions of their purple jackets from assigned seats straight in entrance of the media. The laughter and pleasure of the younger followers was contagious and ignited the cheering crowd. The jackets have been a reminder of happier days.
“Karen and James needed to do one thing to honor their teammates,” famous their mom. “I instructed we add phrases to the purple jackets – ”Carry the Dream Ahead”.
“This is essential. Angela and Sean labored so exhausting. They have been very devoted to ice dance. They spent hours on the ice as a result of they’d a giant objective. They needed to attain a really excessive stage.”
Angela and Sean are the 2024 Lake Placid Championship Juvenile Mixed gold medalists. On the 2025 occasion, Sean’s youthful brother, Skyler and companion Sophia Zhou representing the College of Delaware received the identical high prize.
“Angela’s mom and I have been additionally very, very shut. All of us skilled collectively. We have been collectively the entire time on the camp. At this time we compete for them. We supply their dream.”
Two hours later Karen Li and James Zhu stood atop the Novice podium and obtained their gold medals.
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- At Li and Zhu’s Ice Dance Closing debut in 2024 in Bloomington, MN, the crew was fourth in Juvenile.
- Final 12 months in Plano, TX, the siblings received gold within the 2025 Closing Intermediate stage competitors.
- To this point Within the 2025-2026 season Li & Zhu have received gold at three NQS occasions: Lake Placid Ice Dance Championships, Skate Detroit and Problem Cup, the ultimate NQS occasion of the season.
- LI & Zhu competed on the inaugural 2025 Bolero Cup in Sheffield, GBR September 5-6. The crew received the Superior Novice gold medal.
- The 2026 Ice Dance Closing will probably be held in Henderson, NV November 3-9. The highest 5 Novice groups will probably be invited to compete on the 2026 U.S. Nationwide Championships.
