New Staff Sequence: Kayleigh Maksymec & Félix Desmarais

Kayleigh Maksymec (19) and Félix Desmarais (21) are a brand new senior ice dance crew who will signify Switzerland this season. 

Tell us about your particular person skating journeys, together with any early particular reminiscences.
Kayleigh Maksymec (KM): I picked up skating as a enjoyable winter exercise after I was 5 years previous at an ice rink near my home. I insisted that I needed to skate extra so my mother put me in skating courses a couple of instances per week. I felt so free & I fell in love with the sensation of gliding, spinning and leaping. Considered one of many particular reminiscences, was after I was so excited as a result of I acquired my first skating costume which was mild blue with sparkles, which I wore it after I handed my first skating check.

Félix Desmarais (FD): My mother was a skater and it was vital for her that I realized to skate for enjoyable. By practising this sport, it gave me a terrific alternative to be taught gliding whereas retaining my steadiness. After I was younger, I didn’t have numerous alternatives to follow actually actually because it was far-off from residence. Nonetheless, it was a spot the place I used to be capable of see my buddies so, I continued to go. All through the years, I’ve began to develop extra curiosity in skating however it is just after I began ice dancing that I really appreciated skating.

What drew you to ice dance?
KM: I like the artistic choreography and efficiency a part of skating and I really feel like I can categorical myself and make folks really feel one thing by dance and motion. As a former single skater I used to get extraordinarily nervous in competitors. On the age of 15 I had an harm that put me out of the primary a part of the season. I had at all times needed to strive ice dance. Within the fall of 2019, I used to be requested if I needed to modify to pairs at a camp with Bruno Massot & Stéphane Lambiel in Switzerland. I discovered the twists & throughs terrifying and most well-liked the dance & extra efficiency a part of skating so ice dance was one of the best ways I may give attention to the efficiency I used to be giving and sharing with my companion moderately than worrying concerning the jumps and being alone on the ice. I felt ice dance was one of the best ways to proceed my skating profession.

FD: After I was ten years previous, my mother and my coach determined to match me with my coach’s daughter. At the start, it was simply one other exercise that I used to be appreciating and realized loads from it. Gymnastics was nonetheless my predominant sport at the moment. It was after I grew up that I realised all of the potential of ice dancing. It’s fascinating how precision and technical expertise are wanted in addition to good creative expertise in ice dance. On the age of 17, I made a decision to cease gymnastics in an effort to pursue my profession in ice dancing and attain my objectives.

Inform us how your partnership began (Accomplice Search, coaching mate, and so on.) Describe the tryout. 
KM: Felix got here to IAM initially for a tryout with one other lady, which didn’t work out. I (Kayleigh) had been coaching in Montreal for two months. We acquired in touch and had a tryout. We acquired in touch and had a tryout, and it went rather well. We actually clicked from the start as we’ve the same mindset, values and objectives. Our coaches had been additionally enthusiastic about our partnership and thought that we had been match. We’ve got been skating collectively for round three months now, and actually having fun with it.

What’s it that you simply already like most about dancing together with your new companion?
KM: We’ve got nice communication, which is crucial to a profitable partnership. We additionally snort loads collectively whereas we work on and off the ice which makes our journey actually enjoyable and pleasant.

FD: I like her perseverance and onerous work throughout follow time on & off the ice. Kayleigh is devoted to her sport and works onerous to achieve our objectives as a pair. She can be open minded and prepared to strive something resembling coming to Montreal.

What experiences do every of you carry to the partnership? 
KM: With my earlier companion I skilled in Lyon, France with Olivier Schoenfelder and Muriel Zazoui. I began there throughout pandemic instances, so my first aggressive ice dance season started in 2021/2022 and my first competitors ever in ice dance was the Junior Grand Prix in Courchevel that season. I additionally had a chance to compete in a couple of different worldwide competitions such because the Volvo Open Cup, the Egna Ice Dance Trophy & I went to Junior Worlds in Tallinn in 2022.

FD: As a retired nationwide gymnast, I’m used to rigorous work throughout follow time all 12 months lengthy in an effort to prepare for prime stage competitors. A lot of my expertise gained all through my gymnastic expertise are in actual fact very helpful in my skating profession for instance I’ve developed energy, flexibility in addition to the flexibility to analyse physique actions. As a devoted ice dance coach, I additionally know a number of the skating secrets and techniques.

What has been the largest adjustment for every of you thus far within the partnership?
KM: We’re each robust skaters on our personal, however our predominant problem proper now’s simply studying to skate collectively. Additionally, my earlier companion was very tall, and Felix and I’ve much less of a top distinction, in order that’s one thing new for me to get used to. However it’s going rather well and I’m actually joyful.

FD: There was no huge adjustment for the reason that starting of our partnership. Kayleigh is a really easy-going companion. She is at all times prepared to simply accept all options I give her. It’s enjoyable to coach along with her.

Inform us about your coaching web site. 
The Ice Academy of Montreal is place to coach. We really feel like we will obtain our objectives and develop as athletes & as folks too. The surroundings may be very constructive & there may be a number of respect between our teammates as everybody is targeted on doing their finest. It s so inspiring to be sharing the ice with World class skaters & Olympians that I used to observe on TV. We primarily practice on the Centre Gadbois in Montreal however within the off season we’re between totally different rinks.

Who’re your coaches? 
We work with all of the IAM coaches, which is a good pleasure, however our predominant coach is Romain Haguenauer.

KM:  I relocated to Montreal on the finish of January after being at residence in Geneva for a couple of months recovering from an harm. It was at all times considered one of my goals to coach at IAM and now right here I’m!

FD: Despite the fact that I reside on the south shore of Montreal, I nonetheless have to return nearer to my coaching web site and college.

Who’s choreographing your packages. Is another person arranging your music? In that case, please share these experiences.
Romain is choreographed our Rhythm Dance and our Free Dance as properly. We love his creativity and developing with cool strikes that improve our totally different expertise.

In the event you may have a lesson with any ice dancer previous/current, who wouldn’t it be? Why?
KM: I had a chance earlier this 12 months to have some classes with Madison Hubbell, and that was unbelievable. I’ve lengthy admired her skating and the way she and Zachary Donahue skated with a lot velocity and energy. I’ve additionally had a chance to coach with Zachary, so it’s been very attention-grabbing to see either side, and to be taught from them.

FD: I definitely recognize having classes with Guillaume Cizeron. I wish to be taught extra about his approach of shifting as he appears to drift on the ice in addition to softness in physique actions.

What’s every of you trying ahead to most this skating season? What can be your greatest problem(s)?
KM: I’m actually ahead trying ahead to be competing once more and to be representing Switzerland!

FD: It will likely be a tremendous journey to signify Switzerland and coaching in a excessive stage college resembling Ice Academy of Montreal! My greatest problem this 12 months can be to handle my schedule as a skater, as a scholar and as a coach. These three passions are actually vital to me. However I’m trying ahead to succeeding in these areas of my life.

Our greatest problem can be debuting as a brand new senior couple. This would be the first 12 months in seniors for each of us. We hope to make our mark by bringing contemporary, authentic programmes & by exhibiting components of our personalities by these packages.

What’s your debut competitors this season?
We’re within the strategy of determining our planning for the season however we goal to compete in a summer time competitors right here in Quebec.

Please share something you prefer to our readers to learn about you as a crew?
Outdoors of skating, we’re each college students. I’m finalizing my credit to pursue worldwide enterprise and Felix is learning medication. We additionally each have many outdoors pursuits alongside our skating, we each like to journey, and most of the outside sports activities which are extremely popular in Switzerland like mountaineering and snowboarding.