Lynn Kriengkrairut and Logan Giulietti-Schmitt: Pushing for A Coveted Spot on the U.S. World Team
ÂDecember 30, 2012
By Cate Meighan
Photos © 2012 Absolute Skating
by Tina Tyan
2012
has proven to be the biggest year yet for the American ice dance team of
Lynn Kriengkrairut and Logan Giulietti-Schmitt. They began the year by claiming
the pewter medal (4th place) at the National Championships, and are currently
burning their way through the new season with fabulous programs and a win
at The Ice Challenge in November. They are gaining momentum, respect, and
praise as they set their sights on the 2013 Nationals as well as a much-coveted
spot on the World Team. Lynn and Logan's training under Yasa Nechaeva and
Yuri Chesnichenko has progressed as their artistry continues to flourish.
The duo recently spoke exclusively with Absolute Skating about training,
their goals, and perhaps most importantly, their deep appreciation of the
fans who support them.
How has your training been for this season?
Logan: We're still in Ann Arbor, Michigan where we've been for six years now. We have a 45 minute warm up every day and then skate for about three hours a day total. Then there's another hour of either ballet or ballroom, and two days a week we work out for another hour. We also skate for about two hours on Sunday and we do off-ice training as well. I coach about 25 hours a week and I'm also the Director of the Learn To Skate program at the Ann Arbor Skating Club. Meanwhile Lynn goes to school in between our training so we're both really busy every day.
What are your goals for this new season?
Lynn: Our ultimate goal for both this and last season is to be on the podium, and to then make the world team. I think that's still our most prominent goal for this season. We're taking each competition as a way to warm-up for Nationals. We chose these pieces of music for our programs because we thought that they'd be really good crowd pleasers for the American audience. We've been working on the energy that's involved to really play it up and get the crowd involved. We're skating in three international competitions this year with the idea that all the while we're really building for Nationals.
Logan: We also started to take a different approach to our skating by trying to be more involved in some of the nuances of the programs and in our connection. We're not worrying as much about what the competitors are doing or what other people are saying about our skating. We're really trusting in our skating and in the path that we're trying to take with our character and expression. We really like where our style has gone and we're trying to play that up while keeping it fresh. We still have a lot of variance from one program to another this year, and we love our programs so much. The short dance is very fun and upbeat and then our free-dance is very passionate and romantic. It shows a great spectrum of our character and style.
Do you consider yourselves an equally balanced team or is one of you more artistic while the other is the technician?
Lynn: I think we skate off of each other very well, and I think that we pick up on things that the other person does and then kind of react to it.
Logan: I think that we're both well-balanced and then that makes us a well-balanced team. When it comes to certain things, they may come a little easier for one than the other and that's one of the reasons that we've worked so hard on enhancing that connection. It kind of helps to bridge and keep us together and balanced. I think it shows in our skating because it's easy to tell when one individual is much stronger than another, so it's good that we are so balanced. Our coaches have done a really great job of pulling things out of us that maybe aren't in the forefront, like our choreography.
Will
your fans have another opportunity to see you this year?
Logan: We have a show in Clinton, NY. on Dec. 8th. We'll be doing our exhibition program as well as some other things there. Our exhibition is to a Black Keys song called "Tighten Up." We had the chance to perform it at Skate America as well and it's a lot of fun.
Who are some of the skaters that have influenced the both of you
the most?
Lynn: When I was younger I really looked up to Michelle Kwan and Sasha Cohen. Michelle Kwan is just such an inspirational person in general with her work ethic. She's such a good role model. Sasha Cohen with her grace and flexibility - I always wanted to skate like her. Also Naomi Lang and Peter Tchernyshev for dance. They had the chemistry that I love. I look back on them now and really appreciate what they did.
Logan: When I was young, I looked up to Kurt Browning because he was such a solid skater and a real performer. His charisma on the ice was incredible. I also really liked Elvis Stojko. He was quite a bit different for his time. His style and masculinity was unique and nothing like any of the other skaters of the 90's and I appreciate that. Also, Lang and Tchernyshev were incredible skaters not only competitively, but their show skating was just incredible. They were truly the most balanced skaters around. Also I liked the Dushenays of the late 80's. I recently looked back on their performances and they were just so creative and different for their time.
When
you guys aren't on the ice or working in one way or another, what do you
like to do?
Lynn: Sleep and eat (laughing)! We both like to cook, bake pies. I like to play golf in the summer.
Logan: I'm not so much the baker! In the off-season I mountain bike a little bit and play a little volleyball. I've really gotten into that over the last few years and enjoy it very much. During the skating season it's really hard to find the time to do any of that though (laughing).
Tell me something that would surprise your fans.
Lynn: We're not dating! We wear the same colors on the same days, it's weird, but we're not a couple!
Logan: We sometimes do wear the same shirts (laughing)!
What would you like to say to the people that support you in your skating?
Lynn: Thank you for being supportive. I know that a lot of the committed fans will buy tickets ahead of time and know exactly who they want to see and where. They donate time and also some help to fund the skaters and it all means a lot to us. Skating is so much fun for us, but at the same time it's a big financial burden, unfortunately. Having that support there even when times get a little rough, it means everything. Not just in competitions but even the emails or little notes, they really matter to us and keep us motivated.
Logan:
Without our fans, we wouldn't be able to do what we love. Having people
to support and watch us means a lot and if we can give back to them through
our art and sport, then it makes it so much more meaningful. It really helps
us to carry on. Lynn and I really do try to make a personal connection with
the fans that take the time to reach out to us. It is special and it has
a great amount of meaning to us, so we don't want people to hesitate to
send us even a few lines.
Lynn: Each message is special to us and received by us.
Logan: We've received cards that I've made copies of for both Lynn and I so that we can carry them with us. The sentiment was so amazing, and it makes all the difference on a tough training day. We're so grateful for that kind of outpouring, and it keeps us going!
If you have the opportunity, catch Lynn and Logan performing in Skate Dance Dream, in Clinton, NY. on Dec. 8th!
For more photos of Lynn and Logan (and other ice dance couples) at US Nationals, check here.
