Welcome to IDC’s new Team Series! In this series, we interview athletes who are entering the upcoming 2024-25 season or making their debut last season with a new partnership. In our third interview, we meet Noemi Tali and Noah Lafornara, representing Italy. They won the Italian Junior Championship on their debut last season and finished seventh at the 2024 World Junior Championship. Photo by Harumi Akabane.
Tell us about your personal skating journey, including any special early memories.
Noemi Tali (NT): I started skating when I was about five or six years old. Initially, it was just for fun – I went to the rink twice a week with my family, and none of us had skated before, so it was all new to us. In addition to skating, I also practice classical dance and skiing. But it didn’t take long for me to realize that my true passion was
ice.
When I was a solo skater, I really enjoyed learning new steps and dance sequences. Then, at age 10, my choreographer suggested I try ice dancing with a partner. I remember the first time I stepped on the ice with him, I was so moved that I cried! I’m still not entirely sure why I reacted the way I did, but even though I was in tears at first, I enjoyed skating with him.
I continued practicing singles and ice dancing until I was 12 years old. To be honest, I’ve never been good at jumping, but ice dancing feels like a perfect fit for me.
Noah Lafornara (Netherlands): I started skating when I was four years old, thanks to my mom, who was a skating teacher. Since we couldn’t find a nanny, she took me to the ice rink every day and I quickly developed a deep love for the ice. I remember being so passionate about skating that I almost cried when I left the rink. I started out as a solo skater and I was always eager to skate as fast as possible and focus on jumping.
What drew you to ice dancing?
NT: There’s something magical about dancing on ice with a partner. I love the feeling of gliding on the ice, it makes me feel like a princess skating with her prince. I have to admit, one of the best parts about ice dancing is no more jumping!
NL: Over time, my mom (who is also my coach) wanted me to develop a more comprehensive skating technique. She introduced me to a dance teacher at our rink for some pattern dance classes.
After passing a few tests, I was asked if I wanted to try partnering with a girl at my rink. I ended up falling in love with dance – it was a different kind of enjoyment. I could still skate fast without worrying about jumping or falling, although to this day I still enjoy jumping. Now, I am fully committed to ice dancing, but I still make time to do it whenever possible, as this aspect of skating will always be a part of me. As I grew older, I began to truly appreciate freedom of movement and expression
Dance Offers. When I was younger, I was more focused on being on the ice, but now, I’m committed to pushing myself to improve and really connect with the music through my movements.
Tell us how your partnership began.
NT: After the Junior Worlds, my ex-partner and I parted ways. A few days later, my coach informed me that they wanted me to try it out with an American skater. I’m so excited!
So, two weeks after Worlds, I flew to New York for tryouts. I really enjoyed skating with him and the tryouts went really well. We decided to work together, which is great news!
Initially, I had mixed feelings. It’s surprising to find a new partner so quickly after being with your ex for eight years, especially since it usually takes months to find the right partner. However, the main feeling is one of happiness and relief. I am so happy to have found someone with whom I can continue to pursue and develop my passion for ice dance.
NL: I think it was right after the Junior Worlds, so it would have been early March. My coach called me and said, “Valter Rizzo reached out—he has an Italian skater, Noemi, who wants to come to tryouts.” About a week later, Noemi arrived, We had a trial session and it went really well. I had been looking for a partner for about eight months at that point, so I was eager to make a decision. After the second day of tryouts, we all agreed, “I think I want to skate with you,” and that’s how it all started.
My dad went with me to tryouts in Connecticut, and at some point the next day—I don’t remember if I hit the toe pick or lost the edge—Noemi snowed on me. Later, my dad told me, “When she snowed on you, I was betrayed.” That moment was really important to me and confirmed that we were able to have a great relationship as partners.
What do you enjoy most about dancing with a new partner?
NT: Noah’s charisma, passion for skating, patience and endless sense of humor are just a few of the many qualities I admire in him. Within just a few weeks of being new partners, we quickly developed a strong friendship and got along really well. I love that with him I can be my most authentic self without being judged for the (stupid) things I might say or do.
NL: What I appreciate most about dancing with my new partner is how quickly we are able to connect. She is a very compassionate and emotional person which makes
We can easily go from strangers to true companions. Even now, our relationship is getting closer every day, deepening our mutual understanding and trust.
What experience did each of you bring to this collaboration?
NL: In terms of playing experience, I believe we are all at a similar level. I have raced for Team USA my entire career and have been through American circuits countless times. However, Noemi has had more international exposure, which is common in Europe where, in addition to the national team, teams often start out as senior novices in international competitions. The difference between us is that our training styles are very different. Figuring out how to blend these two approaches into a more effective technology has been an interesting journey. However, I believe this challenge actually accelerated our progress. We’ve all learned different ways to skate and move our bodies on the ice, and now that we combine those methods, it opens up new possibilities for us that we might not have discovered otherwise.
What has been the biggest adjustment for you so far in working together?
NT: The biggest adjustment so far has probably been moving to the United States during the offseason, which meant being away from my friends and family for a few months. However, I loved skating in Connecticut with our coaches Melissa and Dennis, so it was worth it.
NL: The biggest change for me was moving to another country. We spend the offseason training in Connecticut and the season in Milan, which is a challenge for both of us. For me personally, adjusting to a new language, making new friends, and being away from family and friends in the United States were the hardest parts. It’s never easy to be away from loved ones and I must say, I probably miss my dog the most, although don’t tell my parents!
Tell us about your training website.
We train at Newington Stadium in Connecticut, USA, and IceLab in Milan, Italy, both of which provide incredible support to make our training as smooth as possible. At both locations, we have been incredibly supported by our training partners.
Who is your coach? Will one or both parties have to relocate? If so, please tell us about this move.
We worked with Melissa Gregory and Denis Petukhov in the United States during the off-season, and then during the season we trained in Milan with Valter Rizzo and Brunilde Bianchi. It was a bit of a rollercoaster at first, trying to coordinate schedules and keep everyone (coaches, skaters, and parents) on the same page, but we have now found a system that works for everyone. Initially, neither of us really planned on moving, but we both agreed we wanted to skate together and we knew it would require some sacrifices. Noemi recently completed her last year of in-person studies, so we spent most of the year in Italy. Next season, however, our time will be more evenly split between the offseason in the United States and the competition season in Italy. When we were in the US, Walter or Bruni would come visit us, check in on our progress, and work with us for a few weeks. Likewise, Denis or Melissa will come to Italy during the season. There is also constant communication and video calls between everyone to ensure that all of our coaches are involved and that we are on the same page no matter where we are.
Who is programming your show. Did anyone else help you arrange the music? If so, please share these experiences.
Massimo Scali was our choreographer last season and this season and we absolutely loved working with him. His ideas are unbelievable. While we were in Italy, we also worked with a ballroom dancer named Stefano Atti, who brought a unique perspective to our training. Additionally, Dennis helped us refine all elements and make necessary adjustments. When it comes to choosing music, it’s a collaborative process. We all listen to a variety of tracks and make our suggestions. After about a month of gathering ideas, we sat down to try out our top picks on the ice and decide which piece would best suit our style and skating.
If you could take a class with an ice dancer from the past/present, who would you choose? Why?
NT: Andrei Minenkov and Irina Moisheva. They are a revolutionary ice dance team known for their complex and fast-paced footwork and seamless transitions between elements. I would love to learn from them how to skate with such fluidity and grace.
NL: If I had the choice, I would love to take a class with Guillaume Cizeron. It’s truly incredible how fluidly he can move and dance while maintaining an easy glide on the ice. This is something I greatly admire and am willing to learn.
What are you most looking forward to this skating season? What is your biggest challenge?
NL: I’m really looking forward to competing again this season. Last year, we started working together very late, which left us plenty of time to develop and start training on our projects. We also face the challenges of illness, injury and travel, which make consistent training difficult. Everything is more stable and certain now and I’m excited to show off our improvements. This year, we had more time to create a show with more nuance and emotional depth. Last season our focus was mainly on perfecting the elements and making sure they were clean, but this year we wanted to emphasize how we express ourselves and make sure everything runs smoothly. I think our biggest challenge will be integrating these elements seamlessly and bringing a deeper emotional connection to our show.
Please share anything you’d like our readers to know about your team?
We are very excited to be showcasing our show this season and hope viewers will watch and connect to the show. Dance is about expression and movement, so we hope our efforts reflect that and encourage people to express and dance with us.
