Yoriko Suzuki photo
Welcome to IDC’s new queue series! For this series, we interviewed athletes participating in the 2024-25 season or debut last season. In this interview, we encountered Daniela Ivanitskiy & Matthew Sperry, a senior ice dancer representing Finland.
Tell us your personal skating journey, including any early special memories.
Daniela Ivanitskiy (DI): If I remember correctly, I started skating at the age of 5. My first discipline was slippery. I danced about 10 years old about 10 years old. My parents suggested that I dance to the ballroom. I decided to dance in the ballroom, but on the ice, this is how I dance on ice. I have been trained in Herbinky’s hometown and competes with previous partners. After COVID in the spring of 2021, I came to Novi for a trial training and finally stayed here. I think my parents will not expect trial training to cause me to move around the world, but I am glad to solve everything.
Some of my young skaters’ favorite memories are participating in training seminars such as OberStdorf. Traveling to these camps, I have the opportunity to meet new friends and make friends who are still very close to this day.
Matthew Sperry (MS): My skating journey started when I was five years old, and participated in a friend’s skating birthday party. On the first day, I discovered the miracle of moving on the ice, and resolutely refused to leave the ice rink until my parents signed me to class. I continued to play hockey for eight years. At the end, I still picked up the free swimming and theater on the ice. The theater really attracted me after skating after the hockey. I like to perform and is also a member of the team. I performed in Virginia Ice Theater for eight years, helping my team to win three national medals, 1 national championship, and participated in the World Championships. I started ice dance when I was 12 years old. I have trained in Maryland and Virginia for many years, and then moved to Norwi, Michigan after graduating from high school. Since then, I have been training in Michigan and liked it!
What attracted you to participate in ice dance?
DI: I really like how to explore all different styles of dancing and performances. This is why I originally attracted me to dance in the banquet hall, but I don’t want to be limited to Latin or standard style. With ice dance, I can explore anything from ballet, hip -hop and Latin to musicals and Disco dance. My favorite second thing is to work and interact with my partner. I think it has more possibility of interaction and storytelling compared to skating. (Also, I am yapper
MS: I was attracted to Bing Dance by free swimming because of the technical details of the pace and turning. I like to figure out the best technology for each round or flexion. I also really like the dramatic part of Ice Dance, so that I can use the skills learned from the Ice Theater. Ice dance is also a movement of cooperation and requires teamwork. This attracted me because I found that skating is not so interesting.
Tell us how your partnership starts. Description test.
DI: Very interesting, Matthew is the one I first came to NOVI and three years ago. I quit skating when I first COVID LOCKDOWN in Finland, so I was looking for a new partner around PARTNERSEARCH, and I finally contacted Matthew. After the first trial, we did not skate together and found different partners. However, both of our partners finally decided to stop skating for education, and Igor suggested that we conduct a trial training. I think Novi Truction is unique, because Igor makes ice skibers improvise each other. What is surprising is that this is really good. The things that started from there quickly moved, from trial training to new teams in a week. There is an interesting way to exercise, and I think we are really out.
MS: In fact, we tried it with our coach Igor three years ago in Michigan. A few years later, we finally skiped with different partners, but when our partners stopped skating, we tried it again, and then clicked immediately. Before we cooperated, I was guided by Igor for two years for two years, which means that our technology is very similar and we match well. When skating with a suitable new partner, I really like some simple flow.
DI: Matthew is really dedicated to performing any style or role he wants to play. I think the willingness to open and express is the most prominent. Seeing this makes me very excited about all the programs and styles we might skate in the future. He is also a more flat and calm person of the two of us, so I think he really balances my more temperament. Finally (I think this may come from his engineer) Matthew is a diligent person, always a plan or gradual process. I think his work and thinking are a good way to continue learning and progress. The training method he calculated helps us prepare for competition.
MS: My favorite dancing with Daniela is her energy on ice. This is a kind of happiness infectious performance, which helps the most difficult practice of practice. I also thank her very much. She has a lot of initiative and brings goals for her work. When we continue to dance, I look forward to the continuous development of our connection.
What experience does each of you bring your partnership?
DI: Since Finland does not have many teams, I have participated in a long period of time in international, including participating in four JGP events. I think I have learned about team cooperation and communication from the past partnerships. I hope I can use these experiences to continue to make us a stronger and more efficient team.
MS: I competed for two years at the JGP tour, which gave me some international competition experience. My theater experience increased our dance. Dani has more international exposure in training and competition, because she knows what it will happen, I am very grateful. She also speaks a few languages. When we go to a new place, they can usually help translate.
So far, what is the biggest adjustment in the partnership?
DI: I think the biggest adjustment when setting up a new team is to learn a new person. See how the other party train them how to respond to what kind of coach method, what kind of communication effect is the best, how much physical contact can be accepted. This is a learning process that takes time. Fortunately, both of us have been at the same training location for some time, so at least the technology and style are not much different.
MS: What I want to say is that for me, the biggest adjustment is to turn the country from the United States into Finland. This means that there are a lot of travel where I have never thought about it, it is amazing!
Tell us your training website.
DI: We trained in Michigan, Michigan in Novi Ice Arena. In addition to the curriculum on the ice, we also provide lifts, ballet, dance, Pilate and exercise. Occasionally we also have performance/expression courses.
There are many teams here, but I think the atmosphere is really good. In the off -season, we all get along well (especially during the doubles period). We have a lot of ice skatingrs to visit training and choreography. This is very suitable for power and we can see how other teams train.
MS: We have a large number of amazing training partners here. I am often inspired by our more experienced team, and I have been continuously improved by my peers. We are all closely connected communities of Novi, supporting each other on ice and ice.
Who is your coach? Do they have to relocate both? If so, please tell us about the information about this.
Author: Our main coach team includes Igor Shpilband, Pasquale CamerLengo, Adrienne Lenda, Natalia Delle and Renee Petkovski.
About three and a half years ago, I moved from Helsinki to Novi. As I mentioned earlier, I came to Novi for the first trial. Due to travel restrictions, it took some time to set our trial volume. During this period, Matthew moved to Novi. I received an email from Natalia Deller (shouting to Natalia!) And asked if I was still interested in trying, but in the new training facilities. I didn’t know the sender and forwarded the news to Maurizio Margaglio for suggestions. His answer is: Are you crazy? You know which coach team must go. This is how I finally came here.
MS: When I moved from Virginia to Michigan three years ago, I chose to move to schools and skating in Michigan. When I was looking for college, I applied for the University of Michigan because it was near a top ice dance coach group and had a very powerful mechanical engineering department. When I was accepted, I chose to move to Michigan because it has the best combination of skating opportunities and scholars.
Who is chord your program. Is anyone arranging your music? If so, please share these experiences.
DI: Our rhythm dance is arranged by Igor Shpilband, and our free dance is arranged by Pasquale CamerLengo. RD Igor cuts music, but we send it out to finalize it. As for FD Pasquale, a few years ago, the music created by Maxim Rodriguez for his team has been tailored in advance.
MS: Our choreographers are Igor Shpilband and Pasquale Camelengo. Our rhythm music is cut by Igor and is completed by Hugo. Our free dance is Pasquale’s work many years ago.
If you can take class with any ice dancer in the past/present, who will it be? Why?
DI: There are too many choices, but I think this is a lesson of Guillaume Cizeron. He has such a beautiful way to move and flow on the ice. This kind of unparalleled thing is indeed what I want to integrate into my own ice skating.
MS: I want to take a class with Jean-Luc Baker. He has the ability to create such a strong influence on ice, and develop unique characters and style on skating. I really admire the elegance and strength of his skating.
Each of you expect the most expectations of this skating season? What is your biggest challenge?
DI: I look forward to re -participating in the game because I did not participate in the game last season. This is also our first senior year, so I was excited for this. Our goal is to leave a deep impression. I think our biggest challenge is to make ourselves unforgettable and build ourselves.
MS: I am most looking forward to showing our identity on the international stage as a senior skateboarder. In addition, I am really looking forward to continuing to further gel as a new team and improve our connection on ice. I think the biggest challenge will be the struggle facing most new teams, such as integrating ice skating styles and establishing consistent.
What is your first appearance this season?
DI: Our first game this season was Dennis Ten Memorial in Astana, Kazakhstan.
MS: Our next game will be the EGNA ice dance trophy in February.
Please share what you want our readers to know anything about you?
DI: We are glad to go out and start named ourselves. We also like to perform, hoping to enter the international stage will provide us with more opportunities to participate.
MS: We are really looking forward to growing up as a team and sharing our love for skating with the audience through the performance that makes them also want to dance!
