There’s the thing: we love beautiful, meaningful photos as much as we love stories.
And we have plenty of them – stories and photos – from the World Championships in Montreal.
We start with ice dancers: you can find the results here, and the emotions below.
These are #photosthatyoufeel, remember?
We say this again and again: you have to see Natalie Taschlerova and Filip Taschler skating live to really understand the power they have, the speed they have, the bond they share. In short, they are impressive.
Every free dance by Loicia Demougeot and Theo le Mercier has on us the effect of a surprise – and, in this case, we love the calmness in the first part, and then the sparkles in the second one.
We’re intrigued, and in a good way, by this Black Swan free dance by Diana Davis and Gleb Smolkin. And it’s a free dance that is bold, that feels out of the box – and Diana and Gleb are really good at portraying drama.
Katerina Mrazkova and Daniel Mrazek’s Swan Lake free dance is completely different: it’s classic, it’s clean, it’s ballet in the purest sense. A powerful kind of ballet though (just look at Katerina) – and these photo really do justice to the performance, wouldn’t you say?
Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis is in the building, as impersonated by Tim Dieck. Who’s Olivia, you ask? The fever that surrounds Elvis, we say.
Oh wow, we’re so impressed with Hannah Lim and Ye Quan – this free dance works wonders for them, it’s simply captivating. And they’re on our Watch list for the future – we feel there’s something very special in this partnership.
Juulia Turkkila and Mathias Versluis’ free dance is a jewel. Literally. We’ve been so fond of it – we’re so sad to let it go. But such a joy to watch it fly into the world this season.
Allison Reed and Saulius Ambrulevicius’ free dance grew up into becoming one of our favorites this season. No doubt, it has the power of an addiction (just like we’re addicted to our phones).
This music from “Perfume: the Story of a Murderer”, this theme really forces you out of yor comfort zone – hats off to Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko for taking this risk ans rising up to the challenge. They have become such a versatile team under the influence of Ontario-based I.AM.
To tell the story of Rachmaninov is not an easy feat, but Evgeniia Lopareva and Geoffrey Brissaud took it and made it their season’s purpose. And they rose to the challenge, we say.
Marjorie Lagha and Zachary Lagha’s free dance? We’ll call it The Prince and his Rose – cause they’re straight from a fairy tale. It is a fairy tale to skate like that at home, after Marjorie’s concussion, after the battle to come back in time for Worlds, and also properly healed.
Laurence Fournier Beaudry, Nikolaj Soerensen and their free dance in Montreal
How great is to always have, genuinly have, the audience on your side, everywhere you go into the world and skate your Rocky free dance – and Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson have that in abundance, their programs are always having an ally in the audience.
We have been following Madison Chock and Evan Bates ever since they were skating to more classical themes, like Dr. Zhivago – and they are definitely living their best life now, creatively, competitively. The amount of energy and effort they put in every aspect of their performance is up in the sky. Just look at this opening pose.
Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri are using every nuance of music, every portion of the ice, every second of their program – they’re constantly on the move, they ice dance. Blink once and you’ll lose something precious, something really innovative, so don’t blink at all.
Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier’s Wuthering Heights? Now that’s theater on ice. All elements seamlessly woven together, as in a story, as in a circle – we’re completely under their spell. Was it the best rendition of this free dance? It was, it was. What. A. Moment for Piper and Paul.
Solene Mazingue and Marko Gaidajenko – her journey, their journey hasn’t been at all easy, and they’re still on the road of recovery, but listen: their commitment, their passion for skating are there for everyone to see. And this is a glimpse of their rhythm dance in Montreal.
Olivia Smart and Tim Dieck: truly a joy to watch them dance their way into the rankings as the new team they are. And we definitely want to give Olivia that call, she’s just sensational.
Misato Komatsubara and Tim Koleto, really impersonating their Ghostbusters characters – the theme of their rhythm dance this season.
Diana Davis and Gleb Smolkin skating to Michael Jackson at Worlds
Yuka Orihara and Juho Pirinen, during their sparkling rhythm dance in Montreal
Carolane Soucisse and Shane Firus: Fire and Desire, as one of the songs accompanying their rhythm dance says. And this season has been such a great journey for them: first Europeans, first Worlds, as Ireland’s representatives.
This young team right here, Katerina Mrazkova and Daniel Mrazek, is fire – they’re fire. And we can’t wait for their future, they’re bringing so much great qualities into the game.
Oh, the groove, the spark! Loicia Demougeot and Theo le Mercier are just something else – we love their presence in the ice dance world, and we’re always so impressed with their material.
The eye of a tigress. Watch out for Natalie Taschlerova and Filip Taschler, keep up with their speed and energy – if you can. Their edges are deep, their skating is powerful.
Listen, Hannah Lim and Ye Quan are such a big team already – and they’re really bringing their sass to the world stage.
Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko skating to music by Stevie Nicks has been such a highlight in the world of (rhythm) ice dancing this season: we love what they bring to the stage.
This must have been such an emotional moment for Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha – it is an emotional moment to us. Not knowing they’ll be there – but they are, and dancing like crazy. Expressiveness and nuances through the roof – they are giving it all in their Michael Jackson rhythm dance.
Evgeniia Lopareva and Geoffrey Brissaud? They have the “it” factor – and this very French rhythm dance highlights it like no other. We do hope they keep this quirkiness, freshness, out of the box approach to ice dance for the years to come.
Allison Reed and Saulius Ambrulevicius are living their best life, their best season, the best time of their career, as so evidently shown through this rhythm dance at Worlds.
Oh, Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier’s rhythm dance was such a crowd-pleaser – and it’s so them. Forever grateful these two haven’t lost their uniqueness along the way. On the contrary, they made it their trademark.
Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri really took this 80ties theme and made it theirs – and their sold it brilliantly, with conviction at Worlds. Their unison? Fantastic – they’re mirroring each other all throughout this rhythm dance.
This Queen rhythm dance works wonders for Madison Chock and Evan Bates – and they sold it like there was no tomorrow. Really captured by their enthusiasm, their giving it all when it most mattered.
Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson’s rhythm dance has been such a hit all season long – and they gifted us all with this last performance of it at 2024 Worlds.
[All photos by Alberto Ponti / Montreal]
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The men’s free skate at 2024 Worlds in Montreal? One for the ages