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by Anne Calder | Photographs by Melanie Heaney
“Despite the fact that I’m not technically born in Montreal (born in Lévis, Québec), I take into account myself a ‘born and raised-in-Montreal woman’.”
Bronsard started skating on the Gadbois Heart when she was two and a half years outdated. She skated with the Membership’s coaches – then, when she grew to become extra severe, she skilled for a number of years with larger degree freestyle coaches.
“I began in freestyle at my house skating membership: CPA Gadbois. On the time, Aissa [Bouaraguia] (pictured, proper) was additionally skating in CPA Gadbois. A few of the coaches observed that we had been each left-handed skaters. We did a tryout collectively once I was about 9 or ten. That’s once we each began ice dance. That’s the place the entire aggressive journey began as nicely!”
“I started doing dance checks once I was very younger, however I had by no means actually thought-about ice dance till I attempted out with Aissa. I admired Tessa & Scott and the fantastic thing about Ice Dance, however I needed to leap and land triple axels.”
“Nevertheless, when the tryout ended up being profitable, Marie-France [Dubreuil], Patrice [Lauzon] and Pascal [Denis] took over for the Membership coaches.
“We competed the subsequent two years. After our first Skate Canada Problem [as pre-Novice in December 2016] we cut up to focus on freestyle. That was a vital second for me as two paths had been attainable: pursuing a freestyle profession or skating with a accomplice.”
Ice Dance or Freestyle?
Bronsard voiced the positives and negatives of each disciplines.
“If I’m trustworthy, I at all times have been a freestyle woman within the sense that I actually take pleasure in skating alone, so skating with a accomplice was and nonetheless is an enormous adjustment for me. I can say that I’m a somewhat “unbiased woman”, so I’ve at all times had a tough time following a accomplice’s lead, for instance, accepting assist to rise up after a fall. Though, trying again, I feel I improved from my first partnership. At the least I hope I did!
“A distinction [in couple dance] is you’re not in your individual “skating bubble”. You will need to create a “third occasion” of some kind to permit you and your accomplice to skate as a complete… That is perhaps very unclear, however ice dancers would possibly know what I’m speaking about.
“There are additionally quite a few totally different parts and required skating qualities in each disciplines. For instance, in freestyle, twizzles are simply one other step to get a degree in a footwork, however in dance, there’s a entire set of them that have to be positioned strategically in a program to create a “wow impact”. The “wow results” in freestyle are largely the jumps and possibly the artistic parts like spirals.
“I’d say that each have their challenges, however the principle distinction is that in a single you’re performing as a workforce in entrance of the judges (dance) and within the different, it’s solely you (freestyle). Imagine me, after dancing with a accomplice for greater than 5 years, you’re feeling very a lot alone – it’s a really distinctive feeling!
“Clearly, with my being in a Prime-of-the-class ice dance faculty, I used to be influenced by my atmosphere – I needed to be a part of them, and I needed to be a champion.”
Second Time Round
Bronsard & Bouaraguia partnered again up as Juniors for the 2018-2019 season.
“When Aissa got here again, I received the prospect to succeed in excessive heights and get a little bit style of what it was prefer to be a part of the sport. (no less than in Junior) It was a fantastic alternative, and I’m so grateful for it.”
One of many perks was competing overseas within the Junior Grand Prix Sequence.
“Skating internationally is touring the world together with your ardour alongside you. Not solely you get to journey and have enjoyable, however you additionally meet so many nice folks alongside the way in which, from each yours and different international locations. I really can’t specific how superb a chance it’s.
“When it comes to competitors, I’d say Ostrava, Czech Republic – my very first JGP – was my favourite location. The venue was superb, I met great folks. Some I nonetheless chat with occasionally. Additionally, I carried out in my yellow gown. (All-time favourite). It was a contest the place neither me nor my accomplice anticipated something, and it ended up being considered one of our greatest performances ever. [The team finished fourth.]
“I actually have a humorous anecdote about this competitors: after the brief, I needed to take a doping check. Thoughts you, I used to be solely 13, and it was my first time doing it – however all the things went nicely as I used to be accompanied by one of the best individual (Manon Perron). Fortunately sufficient, I wanted to pee! Haha. All jokes apart, Ostrava, CZE was really the best worldwide competitors expertise for me.”
The second season again collectively, the workforce received the 2020 Canadian Nationals Junior Ice Dance gold medal.
“It was very particular as a result of we had simply been by a tough patch,” Bronsard famous. “We barely missed Youth Olympics, and so this win was significant. There was additionally a joke for me concerning this podium. In St. John’s, on the nationals the 12 months earlier than, I had informed considered one of my fellow rivals on the time that I might be on the rostrum the subsequent 12 months, and it really occurred! Smartest thing: she was on the rostrum with me too. It was a really particular second. It actually made me consider that whenever you put your thoughts to one thing, something can occur.”
The workforce positioned ninth on the World Junior Championships in Tallinn, Estonia. Covid raised havoc with the 2020-2021 skating schedules, cancelling the JGPs and the Canadian Championships. After attending a nationwide workforce camp early within the month, the duo introduced the top of their partnership on July 30, 2021.
Bronsard teamed up with Jacob Richmond in 2022 and competed at two worldwide occasions and the 2023 and 2024 Canadian Championships on the senior degree. The partnership ended after their second Nationals.
Solo Dance Worldwide
The silver medalist shared the genesis of her preparation.
After Jacob and I cut up, I knew I didn’t wish to cease skating, and that I didn’t wish to wait round for a accomplice with out having a objective or a “short-term aim”.
“Certainly one of my teammates, in addition to my coaches, spoke about a global solo ice dance competitors, acknowledged by ISU, happening within the Washington DC space in mid April. After a few days, I believed why not and determined to browse for music to see if I might doubtlessly prefer to carry out *alone* in a contest once more.”
“I despatched official emails to my federation, Patinage Quebec and Patinage Canada, saying I used to be nonetheless on the lookout for a accomplice, however that within the meantime I might check out solo ice dancing. I received good suggestions, so I registered and began coaching extra intensively and started engaged on my solo ice dance applications on March 20.”
“It was a mash-up of many applications I had. I stored my outdated freestyle music (Mozart) as a sort of message to myself: all the things, in time. Hugo Chouinard from Studio Unison did that blend some time in the past.”
“For the Rhythm Dance, skating on Cindy Lauper was a method of reminding myself to have enjoyable. It was a journey to recollect why I began all of this: for the beautiful feeling of gliding on the ice, for the satisfaction of feeling a wind brushing my face and letting music command my actions. AND, most of all, to have enjoyable.”
“Romain LeGac, considered one of my I.AM teammates, kindly organized the music for me.”
“Two weeks in, it began to be fairly enjoyable. Once I noticed the submit on the Washington Determine Skating Membership’s account, all of it grew to become official.”
“The entire workforce helped me put together for this competitors: from Romain Haguenauer serving to me learn the foundations, Sam Chouinard – Kaitlin Hawayek – Ginette Cournoyer – Marie-France Dubreuil serving to me get extra comfy shifting alone on the ice (and off ice) and to Josée Piché accompanying me to the competitors. I.AM was with me all alongside the way in which.”
Bronsard shared her ideas about competing on the history-making occasion.
“It was eye-opening for me. I went to this competitors not understanding what to anticipate. I used to be actually shocked by how nicely it was organized and the way a lot potential it actually had. I noticed a excessive degree of sportsmanship; it was such a wholesome atmosphere of rivals.
“One factor united all of us: our ardour for the game. And that was very particular!”
“On Rhythm Dance Day, I can confidently say that I used to be very nervous. This was like leaping in a pool of unknown: I used to be alone once more, in a brand new self-discipline and with two one-month-old applications. Nevertheless, I got here again the subsequent day extra motivated than ever, and I used to be happy with my Free Dance!
Bronsard was fourth after the Rhythm Dance. The subsequent day, she vaulted into second place along with her Mozart Free Dance – .66 factors behind the gold medalist, Lucas Appel.
Bronsard commented on Solo Dance usually.
“Many gifted skaters can not discover their ardour and have entry to worldwide degree competitions as a result of they don’t have a accomplice. Solo ice dance is a option to break the codes and discover their artistry.”
“It’s additionally the right alternative to push the boundaries of what skaters can do with their our bodies and a chunk of music they take pleasure in. It doesn’t require jumps, so one can focus on the standard of the skating by creating an inventive second with out worrying about leaping.”
“Solo Ice Dance is a platform to show the artwork of skating expertise, dancing and efficiency. Additionally it is very wholesome for the game world to have a self-discipline that makes ladies and men compete towards one another. It’s the true that means of a contest: “Might one of the best skater win”.
Objectives and Recollections
Bronsard shared a few of her skating objectives.
“Whereas I’m nonetheless on the lookout for a accomplice, I do suppose that considered one of my short-term objectives is to carry a solo ice dancing competitors to Canada. One other is I wish to end my CEGEP in school.”
“Long run for ice dancing, if I nonetheless haven’t discovered a accomplice, can be to take solo ice dance to a different degree – to make it extra worldwide.”
“Now, after all I might like to go to the Olympics as it’s a goal I’ve grown with my eyes on for so far as I can go in my reminiscence.”
Bronsard mirrored on a few of her skating reminiscences.
“Once I was ten years outdated I requested my mom for a really particular Christmas current: to have choreography with Marie-France Dubreuil. I’d say that’s considered one of my earliest and really clear reminiscences.”
“When Marie-France and Adrian Diaz choreographed a Micmac program for me once I was in freestyle.”
“Once I met Tessa and Scott for the primary time on the rink (similar factor for Gabriella and Guillaume).”
“My first medals… To be trustworthy although, I don’t must go very far for my finest skating reminiscence as a result of the sensation of gliding on the ice is sufficient for me, and that was simply this morning.”
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