ishing in the medals.” She and Gates had a great connection and energy on the ice, but tensions arose and they parted ways after a second trip to the World Championships. Over the next few years, several potential partners contacted her, but she wasn’t inclined to return to competition.
Chalom focused her energies on school,
graduating from the University of Michigan with a degree in English and philosophy, and dance. When she moved to New York, she wanted to explore the world of modern dance. Drawn to José Limón technique, she earned a professional studies certificate from the Limón school, and she worked with choreographer Carlos Orta until his untimely death in 2004. Soon after arriving in New York, Chalom
started performing with Ice Teatre of New York (ITNY). After a couple of years, she backed away from that to focus on modern dance, but when she began studying for her master’s degree in dance movement therapy, she wanted to per- form on the ice again. Modern dance choreog- raphers, including David Parsons and Heather Harrington, created pieces for ITNY, bringing all her interests together. Even though she now lives in Chicago, Cha- lom continues to be involved with ITNY, per- forming in the company’s last two tours. She also performed at Ice-Semblé’s recent benefit show, including a trio with managing director Ray Bel- monte and Larry Holliday, and choreographed five programs. “[Ice-Semblé] gives me a chance to choreo- graph for a group of people,” she said. “I helped
structure the show.” She also choreographs for young skaters, but
mostly show numbers as she’s not yet fully versed in the international judging system. In her coach- ing, Chalom uses all her skills to help ice dancers become stronger partners. “I work a lot with trying to help people find
natural movement on the ice — how gravity af- fects their bodies, how breathing can be part of a movement and how the use of focus with the eyes changes the way your body registers where you are in space,” she said. “Tose are some move- ment therapy principles that I’ve applied to skat- ing. Also, a lot to do with partnering and finding really comfortable ways to partner so that both people feel that they can skate to their fullest po- tential while moving together.”
After she completes the licensing exam, Chalom will begin working part-time as a dance movement therapist. Dance movement therapy is often used in connection with psychotherapy. It involves using dance and movement to help in- dividuals have psychological insight about them- selves in such a way that they can create shifts in their lives and transform. It helps people develop awareness of their bodies and is valuable in deal- ing with trauma. In the future, she hopes to get another cer- tification that allows her to do private practice. A long-term goal is to bring dance movement therapy to the ice, finding ways to help skaters through performance anxiety or other psycholog- ical issues.
Living in Chicago brings her closer to her niece and nephew, whom she sees often. Recently,
Chalom and Joel Dear perform “This Is Forever” with choreography by Jacqulyn Buglisi.
Top, Eve Chalom and Mathew Gates perform at the 1997 U.S. Figure Skating Championships at the Nashville Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. Bottom, Associate Artistic Director Eve Chalom and one of the Ice-Semblé performers at a recent show
her niece asked Chalom to read a book, El Deafo by Cece Bell, with her. It told the author’s story of suffering hearing loss at the age of 4 and her ex- periences in elementary school. Te story closely reflected Chalom’s, and it inspired her to be even more open about her own experiences. Tis in- cludes talking about how she connects to music. “You hear music many different ways,” she
said. “Your whole body hears music. I hear some of it through my ears, but the rest of me sort of resonates with music when I’m hearing it. Ten I feel the rhythm or the melody.” Down the road, Chalom may try adult com- petition either in solo dance or with a partner — she skates with ice dance pros in the area. “Ice dancing and also dancing on the ground … I feel connected to everything, joy,” she said. “Also, I like the grace of it and feeling comfort- able in my own body. Where there’s music, there’s a sense of having something to dive into, like a rhythm that feels really good.”
SKATING 9
DOUG PENSINGER/ALLSPORT
PHOTO BY DR. RICH ROSSMAN
DARIEL SNEED/COURTESY OF ITNY
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