Ice Teatre of New York celebrates BY LYNN RUTHERFORD
Emmanuel Savary was lucky. Unlike many African-Americans, he didn’t have to look too far for a figure skating role model while growing up. His older brother Joel took lessons and passed his love of the sport on to him. “He’s the reason I started skating. I owe all of this to him,” Savary, who placed 12th at the 2017 U.S. Figure Skating Champion- ships, said. “I was there with him when he went to the rink. I was always really excited to watch him on the ice.” Derrick Delmore, the 1998 World Ju- nior champion who’s now a noted coach and choreographer, was also lucky. He took to the ice during the heyday of two-time U.S. champion Debi Tomas, the 1986 World champion. She went on to become the first African-American to win a winter Olympic medal, a bronze, at the 1988 Games. “Tat was particularly exciting for me; it
gave me someone to look up to, someone to try to emulate in my skating career, and my education as well,” Delmore said. “I was in- spired by the fact she pursued her education at Stanford University while training, and
56 APRIL 2017
Black History Month
ITNY cast members and guests performed a tribute to Black History Month in famed Rockefeller Center. Below, Emmanuel Savary is interviewed after his performance.
I’m lucky enough to call Stanford my alma mater as well.” Savary and Delmore lent their talents to
Ice Teatre of New York’s show at Rockefel- ler Center in February, when they — along with 2017 U.S. junior silver medalist Starr Andrews and professional skating champion Rohene Ward — joined the company in a tribute to Black History Month. “I’m really excited to skate in this beau-
tiful rink, and it’s my first time in New York as well,” Andrews, who trains under Delmore in Southern California, said. “Derrick is the one who inspires me. He is a big part of my success. He has helped me through the diffi- cult times and helped me grow as a skater.” Te free lunchtime performance was
part of ITNY’s outreach to New Yorkers, which also includes free clinics and training programs. To Ward, who choreographs for U.S. stars including Madison Chock and Evan Bates, Jason Brown and Mariah Bell, that kind of outreach is essential to interest more African-Americans in the sport. “It’s really important, first of all, for African-Americans to understand it’s a pos-
sibility for them to be involved,” Ward said. “It’s all about inviting the African-American community into the world of figure skating. Even a performance like this takes it one step closer to where we want to be.” Savary, who followed his brother onto the ice at age 3, agreed. “It’s important that kids know we can skate also, especially African-Americans who more go to sports like football and basket- ball,” he said. “Figure skating is an amazing sport. It’s very challenging physically and emotionally; it’s one of the best sports out there.”
PHOTOS BY ROBYN ROTH-MOISE
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