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AZUMI SAGARA AND SCOTT WILLIAMS


Left, Azumi Sagara Williams and her husband, Scott, are busy these days sharing the fun of skating through their ice rink business, Ice-America. Below, Azumi Sagara and her ice dance partner Jonathan Magalnick prepare to take the ice at the 1995 U.S. Olympic Festival in Denver.


weather. “It’s an aluminum pipe-based system that’s


very efficient,” he said. “We’ve had nothing but great experiences with it. One rink led to two led to four.” For some projects, they bring in everything


and then train locals on how to maintain and run it. On many projects, Ice-America staffs and operates the rink. Tey also sell the product to cities, parks and recreation departments, and pri- vate clients who want to keep it and use it again and again. Clients have included Disney on Ice, which purchased ice for rehearsals. “We have a big warehouse with all of our


equipment — skates, boards, elements and Bob- by the seal, our skating aid,” Sagara Williams said. Te couple and their daughter, Sky Rei, 3,


live in Hermosa Beach, California. Tey may have an aspiring skater on their hands, but they prefer she try a variety of things, particularly out- door activities near their home in Southern Cali- fornia, such as soccer and swimming. “We try not to encourage her to skate; we’re


a little nervous, although she loves it and she’s a bit of a natural at it,” Sagara Williams said. “We’re hoping her skating will be recreational. We can definitely see that she’s interested in performance. She loves to sing and dance; she’s athletic and has musicality.” Both Williams and Sagara Williams have


long coaching résumés, including Williams’ work with Michelle Kwan for the 2002–03 sea- son, but Ice-America now takes up most of their time. Tey still see many of their skating friends, whether it’s at the PSA Conference or in the rinks around Southern California, where they often find people to work as skate guards, managers and such. “Once I had Sky, I tried to teach but it


became so challenging with our schedules. Our company was needing more of my time,” said Sagara Williams, who had been involved in de- veloping ice dance teams, some of which went to the U.S. Championships. She was also quite involved in the solo dance movement. Williams’ professional career included com- petitions, shows and tours. When asked to recall


a favorite skating memory, he spoke about his golden turn at the 1982 World Junior Champi- onships, and one of his early professional experi- ences, the World Professional Championships in Jaca, Spain. “I really enjoyed my performance oppor-


tunities,” Williams said. “Tat was the highlight of my skating experiences. As a professional was where I felt I really got to enjoy so much. A lot of good stuff, including some of Brian Boitano’s shows.


“My experience in Jaca was an eye-opener


for me because it was the first time I changed my approach,” he added. Sagara Williams treasures the original dance


she performed with partner Jonathan Magalnick during the 1997–98 season. Te rhythm was jive, and while most teams went with a rock ‘n’ roll approach, they chose a big band style. “I loved that program,” Sagara Williams


said. “Jonathan and I enjoyed it to the fullest. It wasn’t about placement, but we moved up two places (at the 1998 U.S. Championships). We were so genuinely excited about how we skated.” After retiring from competition, she went


on to perform as an adagio skater with Holiday on Ice, and then aboard Royal Caribbean Inter- national cruise ships in shows produced by Willy Bietak Productions. She’ll occasionally go into a local rink and


skate around to keep her skills fresh. Sometimes, she has Sky with her on the ice. “Now she feels independent and can do


it,” she said. “She thinks she’s Cinderella on ice. We have so many rental skates that we put her in rental skates. “When we were at the LA Fair I had to go


in to oversee things with our management, and I took Sky with me. She said, ‘Mommy, I want to go skating.’ I said, ‘Mommy forgot her ice skates.’ She said, ‘Tat’s OK, they have the orange ones (the rentals). I wear them.’” Williams and Sagara Williams are both


dazzled by the current crop of competitors, and appreciate how the best skaters keep their origi- nality. Tey’re also inspired by the theater on ice groups. At an indoor facility that they manage,


Scott Williams performs at the 1987 U.S. Champi- onships in Tacoma, Washington. Williams won the bronze medal.


they’ve been talking to the skating school director about developing an ice theater group. “It’s a different type of skating,” Sagara Wil-


liams said. “For us to come from a background in shows, you can relate to this genre.” Tey see the temporary rinks they install as


a new way of bringing skaters into the rink. “Something that inspires us while we’re do-


ing our outdoor rinks is to have families come and interact and have a skating experience,” Saga- ra Williams said. “We’re trying to bring back the recreational aspect, the love and the fun of ice skating.”


When they return to locations they’ve been


in for several years, people will come up to them and say they became competitive skaters after starting on a seasonal rink. Some have even be- come skate guards or assistant managers at the rinks.


“To be doing a type of business where we’re


helping introduce skating to so many people is very fulfilling,” Williams said.


SKATING 9


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