Papadakis/Cizeron and Montreal-based ice dancers to take part in live-streamed showcase
Ice dancers representing nine countries who train at the Ice Academy of Montreal will preview their new season programs in an online broadcast.
Figure Skating
Are you excited to see Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron's new programs for the 2020/21 season?
How about Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue?
You won't have to wait long – the two 2019 Worlds medallist ice dance teams, along with 17 others who train at the Ice Academy of Montreal under Marie-France Dubreuil, will showcase part or all of their new short and free dance routines this Friday (11 September) on a special live broadcast.
Called I.AM LIVE, the show will begin at 1 pm local time (5 pm UTC, 7 pm in Paris) and be live streamed on the centre's website.
Top skaters
Alongside current world champions Papadakis/Cizeron and world bronze medallists Hubbell/Donohue, star pairings (subject to change) such as Kaitlin Hawayek/Jean-Luc Baker, Laurence Fournier Beaudry/Nikolaj Sørensen, Lilah Fear/Lewis Gibson, and Wang Shiyue/Liu Xinyu – all top-15 finishers in Saitama last March – will take to the ice during the event, which will not feature judging.
All of them train in Montreal, which has quickly become the top training centre for ice dance teams since it opened in 2014.
"We want to give back to the sport and to our amazing fans by showcasing some of the most innovative choreography and performance ever, with no judging," Dubreuil said of the event.
"Despite the extraordinary start to the season ahead, the I.AM skaters are skating with the same dedication and passion as ever, proof (of) the endurance of this beautiful sport."
The training session will last for just over an hour and a half.
Heartfelt programs
Speaking to the Olympic Channel recently, Cizeron and Papadakis said they were relying on their hearts to guide them this season.
"We're not interested in doing things that were done before because there's so many programs that have been done perfectly and there's no point really in doing them again. That’s really what motivates us," Cizeron said.
Last year, a Fame-inspired rhythm dance won the duo the Most Entertaining Program award at the ISU's inaugural Figure Skating Awards. However, there's no guarantee it will return this season.
"We always love doing new stuff every summer. We didn't feel like we would be really motivated to come back to the ice and do the same thing (from last season) again," Papadakis explained.