Harmony Theater Company’s senior team performed a dra- matic and powerful program to win the title.
HARMONIOUS VICTORY
RECORD NUMBERS COMPETE AT NATIONAL TOI COMPETITION by BRENDA GLIDEWELL
Harmony Teatre Company in Hartland,
Mich., turned in an exquisite and well-played story of love and revenge to capture the senior title at the sixth annual National Teatre on Ice (TOI) Competition June 20‒22 at Hobart Arena in Troy, Ohio. Harmony’s victory ended Los Angeles Ice
Teater’s run of five consecutive senior titles. A record 49 teams and 876 skaters competed in six divisions: senior, junior, novice, adult, prelimi- nary and open.
Competing for the Ice House Skating Acad-
emy, Harmony performed a captivating and cre- ative program packed with impressive skating, solid pairs lifts, precise ensemble work and dance steps. Intricate costumes, and hair and make- up that took six hours to do, helped the team demonstrate the emotions of love, joy, sadness, happiness and anger. Te cast included 1999 U.S. pairs champion Steve Hartsell (with partner Danielle Hartsell). “Before they began their free skate, I told the skaters to give it all they have, skate with no regrets and leave it all on the ice,” Michelle Hunt, co-coach with Baiba Lieckfield, said. “Tey did just that.” Hunt’s daughter, Piercyn Hunt, is the cho-
18 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2013
reographer for all the Harmony teams and com- petes on the senior team. Piercyn has won the last three National Showcase titles. Harmony also secured titles in the prelimi-
nary, adult and novice divisions. “Harmony’s TOI programs have developed
and grown significantly over the years and I’m so pleased with the success our skaters and teams have experienced thus far.” Michelle said. “Our goal is to be balanced as a program; we have a spot for everyone on our teams and feel fortunate to be involved in TOI. Tis program is truly a great outlet for kids and reminds them daily why they love to skate.” Michelle credited the U.S. Figure Skating
Basic Skills Program and bridge programs as launching pads for the development of her TOI program. Te Harmony preliminary team, for example, had skated together for only 10 weeks prior to the competition, with the majority of the skaters being at the Basic 6 through Free Skate 3 levels when they began participating in TOI.
SENIOR Te seven-team field presented dynam-
ic programs from such famous productions as Cirque Du Soliel, Cabaret and Wizard of Oz, as
well as from silent movies. Broadway Blades of the Colonial FSC emerged with the silver medal, rallying from fourth place after the choreographic exercise. Tey skated to “Masque of the Red Death.” Te skaters drew in the audience through their acting of Edgar Allan Poe’s short story. Teir ice cov- erage and skating skills earned the Boston-area team high marks. Los Angeles Ice Teater secured the bronze
medal.
Te team, performing its “Life” free skate, turned a metallic shop full of steel into flesh and bone as it transformed each skater from robot to human. Los Angeles Ice Teater earned the award for Best Visual Effects for their metal shop set and ability to bring the prop to life. Teams in all six divisions kicked off the event
with the choreographic exercise. Tis segment, in which everyone is dressed in black, includes a de- fined program encompassing a theme (cultural dance), a choreographic process (repetition) and a body movement (level change).
JUNIOR
San Francisco Ice Teatre, fourth after the choreographic exercise, turned it on in the free
PHOTOS BY KRPHOTOGS PHOTOGRAPHY LLC
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