INSYNCH
The Skyliners joined their coach and award recipient Josh Babb at the ITNY Gala and Performance. ‘Very humbled’
ICE THEATRE OF NEW YORK HONORS SKYLINERS COACH JOSH BABB by LESLIE GRAHAM
Josh Babb, the architect and coach of the
Skyliners synchronized skating program and a former performer with Ice Teatre of New York (ITNY), received the ITNY’s first-ever Alumni Award at its annual Benefit Gala and Perfor- mance on Oct. 28 in New York City. Babb joined Olympic champion Evan Ly-
sacek and Olympic silver medalist Sasha Cohen in being honored by the ITNY. Te evening be- gan with on-ice performances by the ITNY com- pany. Special pieces were performed by Lysacek, four-time U.S. champion Jeremy Abbott and five-time Finnish champion Kiira Korpi. Te Skyliners junior team, which won silver in 2016, completed the show skating its gangster hip-hop short program. A native of and former competitive ice
dancer from Canada, Babb has built the New York-based Skyliners into one of the country’s top programs. A total of 12 teams and 220 skat- ers from the tristate area of New York, Connecti- cut and New Jersey represent the Skyliners at domestic and international competitions. “It was very special, and I’m very humbled
by it,” Babb said. “Like I said in my speech, there are many more viable candidates for this award. It was extremely nice to be recognized. I did ac- cept it on behalf of all the alumni. Tere are so
52 DECEMBER 2016
Josh Babb, second from right, was supported at the event by the Snow family (l-r): David, Ashley, Lynette and Lauren. Ashley and Lauren skated for the Skyliners. David and Lynette were event chairs.
many special people in the alumni group, and it was truly an award for everyone.” Te Skyliners perform in a variety of ITNY
shows in New York City, many of which hap- pen around the holidays. Most notably, the team joined the ITNY to perform in a fashion show for Moncler a few years back, which featured
more than 150 skaters on the ice performing at Central Park. Babb grew up in Harbour Grace, New-
foundland, Canada, and started skating at age 4. He began ice dancing with his older sister and dance partner, Rebecca, and relocated to Ontario after realizing there were many more opportuni- ties to train with the top coaches and choreogra- phers there. Te Babbs were four-time national Canadian
team members, and in 1998, they won the junior national dance title. In 1999, they relocated to Lake Placid, New York, and then Stamford, Con- necticut, and New York City. Babb retired from competitive skating in 2000, and in 2001 started performing with the Ice Teatre of New York. He
PHOTO BY PHILIP TSAI PHOTO BY PHILIP TSAI
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