Hawayek/ Baker Cheer Thread

Sylvia

Sylvia

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Article about Kaitlin's artistic & musical pursuits before and during quarantine:
usfigureskatingfanzone.com

Kaitlin Hawayek: An Artist On and Off the Ice - U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone

Kaitlin Hawayek hasn't spent longer than five consecutive days in her hometown since she was 13 years old. She left Buffalo, New York, to skate and train in Michigan.
usfigureskatingfanzone.com usfigureskatingfanzone.com

On Ice Perspectives' Jordan Cowan had a live chat back on June 1, 2020, with Hawayek & Baker "as we watch videos filmed of them training last November at the Ice Academy of Montreal":
www.youtube.com

Live Chat with Kaitlyn Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker (Episode 11)

Join us for a live chat with American ice dancers Kaitlyn Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker, as we watch videos filmed of them training last November at the Ice Aca...
www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
 
Sylvia

Sylvia

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Happy Birthday today (Oct. 7), Jean-Luc! :)

OIP's Jordan shared this clip of H/B's "Heart of Glass" FD that he filmed last week in Montreal: https://www.instagram.com/p/CGDAHVYjvRh/

They debuted their full FD in the ISP Points Challenge - all 2nd opportunity videos are linked from this GSD thread: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...e-sep-and-oct-2020.107555/page-9#post-5872452

ETA this 4-min. video posted by USFS earlier today: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CGDuS1sAzkp/
But, Do You Really?

How well do @kait_hawayek and @jeanlucbaker REALLY know each other... 😂
Click to expand...
 
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clairecloutier

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Well, I like this new free dance. :D

It's not as innovative or fun maybe as the baroque flamenco, but I think that free dance was a very challenging program to get just right. This new free dance is going to allow them to show off their flow and smoothness and expression to the music more easily. They look good skating to it. It uses their maturity to good advantage, compared to C/P and G/P.
 
missing

missing

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I really liked their freedance. It had a maturity to it that I don't always associate with ice dance.

They've become, possibly, my current favorite team. I like how they seem to like each other. And they feel like intelligent dancers, who also have a great fun side.
 
justtojoke

justtojoke

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Stunning FD. The mood they were able to create without an audience was palpable to me in my living room. It's not perfect YET but I really love how they've tried to push themselves and the sport with that FD. You can see the improvement in their skating and partnership. Standing O from me:encore::encore::respec:
 
Spun Silver

Spun Silver

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It seems they choreographed it themselves (?). If so, that is a stunning accomplishment, because that is one strong, polished, "mesmerizing" piece of work. Off the top of my head I can't think of any other skaters who have pulled that off while still competing. Karen Chen did a nice job one year but I don't remember being wowed by the program (her skating, yes).
 
Sylvia

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I recently posted the link to Bonnie D. Ford's lengthy article titled "How did pairs and ice dancers prepare for Skate America during a p*ndemic? It wasn't easy" in the U.S. Dance thread here: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...eason-news-updates.107355/page-4#post-5881063

Here's the section in which Kaitlin explains how she and Jean-Luc worked with Marie-France Dubreuil on their programs when they were separated:
While Chock and Bates elected to stay put in Canada, fellow ice dancers and Montreal academymates Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker moved in with her family in Buffalo. They began working on new programs almost immediately in Zoom sessions with Chouinard and their main coach, Marie-France Dubreuil.

Two-time U.S. bronze medalists Hawayek and Baker caught a break with ice time when a Buffalo rink was allowed to reopen early in order to convert one ice sheet into a daycare center for children of essential workers. The team was able to rent ice while staying sufficiently distanced from others in the building. Still, they faced the issue of being physically separated from their coach and choreographer and communicating exclusively via Zoom.

Working on their own and consulting frequently with their coaches, Hawayek and Baker gradually built confidence. It was the first time they'd ever had that much input in a competitive program, although they had choreographed their own exhibition numbers.

They had a useful tool provided by the federation -- an auto-follow camera system called Move N See, which can be used with smartphones or tablets that sync with a watch worn on the ice. The system tracks from multiple spots around the rink and enabled Dubreuil to give the skaters feedback in real time from the big screen in her living room.

"We would record ourselves doing the same movement three different ways, from different angles, and be inspired by the work we did in Zoom on the floor and try to make it ours on the ice," Hawayek said.

She and Baker moved back to Montreal in June and, after an obligatory 14-day quarantine, reunited with Dubreuil on the ice in early July -- properly distanced, of course. The result? A modified version of their previous season's disco-themed rhythm dance (2 minutes, 40 seconds) and an entirely new four-minute free dance program skated to the music of Philip Glass and Blondie.

"What you can see on video sometimes is deceiving, sometimes it's great and sometimes it's not," Hawayek said. "Marie-France was very happy seeing only a two-dimensional view with this camera, that it worked out well in a three-dimensional way when we got here.

"We got to bring our own flair and creativity to the work. We kind of took the reins a little bit in our career in a way."
Click to expand...
 
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S

sap5

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Really well skated FD! Love the connection they have to both the music and the choreography. Wish skating wasn't so open these days, but that's more the fault of the rules than the fault of the choreography.
 
love skating

love skating

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When I saw their FD on the ISP challenge I wasn't too excited by it but under the lights with full attack and everything wow - I'm sold now! I loved it! And their RD was already my favorite RD of last year and now with the lift change at the end and new Boogie Shoes song I think it's even better than last year. I'm no expert when it comes to ice dance, but it felt to me like they were skating with more speed and power this year and I know it's a domestic judging panel but their levels would indicate improvement for them. Good job!
 
Sylvia

Sylvia

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Kaitlin celebrated her 24th birthday yesterday, Nov. 4, alone as she is back in Montreal quarantining (via her Instagram stories she thanked everyone who sent her birthday wishes).

Kaitlin's post 3 days ago: https://www.instagram.com/p/CHGTnGKJ_0u/
I have a collection of SKATING Magazine’s stacked in my childhood bedroom with the earliest dating from 2000. I used to check the mail every day at the beginning of the month, excited to see when the newest issue would come and what athletes who I looked up to would be featured.
Fast-forward 20 years and we’re on the front of that magazine that used to provide a sense of inspiration and aspiration for a little Kait. I am very excited for you all to read about how Jean-Luc and I have cultivated such a strong partnership over the last (almost) 10 years, and where we’re looking moving forward. Make sure to check your mailbox for the November issue 🖤.
Click to expand...
Video of her and Jean-Luc talking about their partnership for their SKATING magazine cover feature: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CHLsAngA8n8/
.
 
N

nylynnr

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Sylvia said:
Kaitlin celebrated her 24th birthday yesterday, Nov. 4, alone as she is back in Montreal quarantining (via her Instagram stories she thanked everyone who sent her birthday wishes).

Kaitlin's post 3 days ago: https://www.instagram.com/p/CHGTnGKJ_0u/

Video of her and Jean-Luc talking about their partnership for their SKATING magazine cover feature: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CHLsAngA8n8/
.
Click to expand...
Just a reminder -- sorry if this is repetitive -- but SKATING magazine issues are posted on the U.S. Figure Skating website for all to read, several weeks or so after they are mailed to members.
 
Sylvia

Sylvia

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Local media/home state coverage for the 2021 U.S. Nationals bronze medalists (re-posting these links from the U.S. Dance news thread):

Video story on Jean-Luc:
www.khq.com

Washington figure skater Jean-Luc Baker’s road to the Olympics continues

Click here to view this video from khq.com.
www.khq.com www.khq.com
Article version:
www.khq.com

Washington figure skater Jean-Luc Baker’s road to the Olympics continues

SPOKANE, Wash- The Beijing Winter Olympics are fast approaching, athletes from across the country are preparing to make the case to their respective sports, that they deserve a spot on
www.khq.com www.khq.com

Kaitlin:
www.wivb.com

Dogged determination has Hawayek a step closer to Olympics

Buffalo native Kaitlin Hawayek figured she had seen it all in her career as a competitive ice dancer. But she’ll be the first to tell you that this year’s U.S. Figure Skating Championships went rig…
www.wivb.com www.wivb.com

ETA that Jean-Luc will be teaching dance classes online the next two Saturdays at 4 pm ET - Jan. 30 & Feb. 6: https://www.instagram.com/p/CKkPutTprie/
 
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Sylvia

Sylvia

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Fan Zone article (March 11) by @claireclouter:
usfigureskatingfanzone.com

Hawayek and Baker: “We Want to Pave Our Own Way to Success” - U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone

Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker train with some of the best coaches and ice dancers in the sport at the I.AM skating school in Montreal. But, although they take
usfigureskatingfanzone.com usfigureskatingfanzone.com
Excerpt:
Once the competition starts, Hawayek and Baker are seeking a breakthrough of sorts. "In previous years, we haven't underperformed--but we've sold ourselves short of what we can accomplish," Hawayek stated. "I think part of our success this season has been getting out of our own way, with the stories we're telling ourselves. And giving ourselves a clean slate for what we can achieve. We're going in with the goal of performing to our utmost potential and trusting the process and that we can be at the top."
Baker added: "We want to try and put a smile on the judges' faces and make them feel something. That's our goal: To have everyone go on a journey with us, feel different emotions, and take a step away from their lives."
Click to expand...
ETA a clip Kaitlin shared today from their FD run through: https://www.instagram.com/p/CMSxy8DJ4VF/
 
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