For the subsequent entry in our New Staff Collection, we meet Jane Calhoun & Mark Zheltyshev, junior ice dancers who symbolize america. The staff gained the 2026 U.S. Ice Dance Ultimate in Henderson, Nevada.
Inform us about your particular person skating journeys, together with any early particular reminiscences.
Jane: I began skating after I was 2.5 however began dance after I was 12. As for one in every of my favourite reminiscences, my first time on a dance session needs to be my favourite.
Mark: I began skating after I was 4 years outdated. A yr earlier than my mother and father despatched me to the skating rink, I requested my mom to take me to the ice day by day from the age of three) That is in all probability the brightest reminiscence from childhood!
What drew you to ice dance?
Jane: My mother all the time beloved ice dance so I used to be very glad when the chance to attempt dance got here up. I beloved it ever since.
Mark: My first coach invited me to ice dancing! She believed that I’ve a whole lot of potential!
Inform us how your partnership began. Describe the tryout.
Jane: The tryout was fairly quick. Our mothers knew one another and finally we determined to have a check out. It glided by very quick and we acquired alongside immediately!
Mark: Our check out was very fast. We skated collectively for actually 2 days and determined that we had been a superb match. We mentioned it with the coaches and determined to skate collectively! It was fairly troublesome for me, as a result of in Colorado Springs it’s excessive (right here is 2000 meters above sea stage).
What’s one thing that shocked you about your accomplice while you first began coaching collectively?
Jane: One thing that actually shocked me about Mark was that he was very simple to speak with. This actually helped us put together for competitors rapidly.
Mark: We now have comparable traces, comparable physique construction and even hair colour is considerably comparable. After we got here to work for Miss Randy on a brief one, she requested us this query: “are you guys brother and sister by any probability?”
What experiences do every of you carry to the partnership?
Jane: My coaches labored very lengthy and exhausting on my skating expertise and edges earlier than I began skating with Mark in order that helped a bunch.
Mark: Earlier than I paired up with Jane, I skated with 3 totally different ladies and it was very simple for me to know her.
Jane: Actually, the partnership got here very naturally for particularly since I’ve lived in Colorado my entire life.
Mark: It was troublesome for me on the primary day, as a result of it’s very excessive right here. I actually skated 1 lap and I used to be in need of breath. And the second, it’s in all probability a language.
What’s it that you simply already like most about dancing along with your new accomplice?
Jane: I like that Mark may be very simple to speak too and we resolve difficulties in a short time.
Mark: I believe we perceive one another very properly. When one in every of us is just not snug, we instantly discuss it and remedy all the issues collectively!
Inform us about your coaching web site.
Jane: We practice at The World Enviornment Ice Corridor. A few of our coaching mates are Leah Neset and Artem Markelov we love coaching with them they usually’re such nice inspirations
Mark: We’re skating in Colorado Springs on the World Enviornment. We’re skating along with Leah and Artem. We now have a really pleasant group; all of us talk very properly and are mates with one another!
Who’re your coaches? Did both or each need to relocate? If that’s the case, inform us concerning the transfer(s).
Jane: Our coaches are Elena Dostatni, Logan Giulietti-Schmitt, Tatiana Druchinina, Tatiana Nikitenko, Laureano Ibarra, Stephenie Kuban, and Leif Gislason. In addition to I’ve lived in Colorado my entire life.
Mark: We work on the ground with nice professionals! Tyrone offers us cardio and work out, Tatiana carried out in Cirque du Soleil and along with her we work on acrobatics, Tatiana Rudolfovna teaches us stretching, with Miss Stephanie we do spin, and with Mr. Larry we work on lifts!
Sure, I moved! The transfer was very simple and logical! I like the whole lot right here.
Who choreographed your packages. Is another person arranging your music? If that’s the case, please share these experiences.
Jane: We’re very lucky to have labored with Hugo Chouinard on our music! As for selecting the music, I had needed to skate to “Ice Ice Child” for a number of years earlier than hand and we each actually just like the starvation video games story (my favourite guide is “Catching Fireplace”)
Mark: Our packages had been set by our coach, Elena Dostatni! Randy Sturdy choreographed the rhythm dance for us, we went to work for her in Salt Lake Metropolis, it was very attention-grabbing to work with such knowledgeable! We’re engaged on choreography in free dance with Tatiana Druchinin and Elena Dostatni!
If you happen to might have a lesson with any ice dancer previous/current, who would it not be? Why?
Jane: I would like to work with Tessa Advantage! I like her traces and her fashion of motion. In addition to I want to learn to do lifts in addition to she does!
Mark: I want to examine with Benoît Richaud and Povilas Vanagas. I want to work on packages with Benoît, I believe he has a really attention-grabbing perspective on ice dancing. With Povilas, I want to work on skating expertise and partnering!
What have you ever loved probably the most this skating season? What have been your largest problem(s)?
Jane: For me probably the most pleasant and difficult a part of this season was the identical factor. After we first began skating collectively, we had a complete of seven weeks to arrange for our first competitors (this contains the tryout). Our coaches had been extraordinarily useful throughout this course of and didn’t make the time crunch really feel as nerve-racking because it realistically was. The method was very enjoyable and after we lastly competed it felt very gratifying!
Mark: I actually appreciated our first Junior Grand Prix! It was very attention-grabbing, thrilling, large-scale! There was an excellent viewers that applauded everybody! Probably the most troublesome factor was in all probability to place packages and carry out in 7 weeks of preparation! For ice dancing, 7 weeks may be very little, as a result of it’s essential to provide you with each packages from scratch, however we did it because of our coaches, for which I thank them very a lot!
Inform us about your competitions thus far this season.
Mark: The primary competitors was in Lake Placid. We ready for it in 7 weeks. After Lake Placid, we labored out the packages and ready for our first Junior Grand Prix in Baku!
Jane: After the JGP we cleaned or packages and added new issues earlier than flying to Henderson, Nevada to compete on the U.S. ice dance closing! Later we competed in Budapest on the Santa Claus Cup!
What’s one phrase that greatest describes your partnership?
Jane: Wild!
Mark: FUN!
Do you may have a Staff Instagram web page? If not, the place can followers observe you?
You’ll find us on Instagram @Jane_skates, @_zheltyshev.m_, and @calhoun_zheltyshev.staff.
