Ksenia SIPUNOVA / Miron KORJAGIN (EST) | Junior Ice Dance Free Dance | Riga 2025

Our first team represents Estonia, Xenia, Shipanova and Miron Korjagin, both by Lirad and Tavirad. Xenia and Miron, using a theme of their own choice, all of the dancers in this free dance will have free reign in their music choice, and that, for this team, will be the Bonnie and Clyde soundtrack. Xenia, Shipanova and Miron Korjagin, representing Estonia, a couple that will have been disappointed to find themselves bottom of the pile after the rhythm dance, but I think that a great vehicle for them and the Bonnie and Clyde soundtrack. Oh gosh, they look understandably exhausted, but I don't see any major mistakes. I hope they're okay. Maybe he's hurried, he's got his hand on his back, I'm not sure. You can see him just holding his back. Yeah, I hope they're okay. Because I thought it was, otherwise, a pretty good skate. Yeah, I thought it was a pretty clean skate for them. That's tricky. Here, the twizzles, which they had problems with, they had a fall in the rhythm dance on this element, opening the program with the synchronized twizzles, and level four for both, so safely through that element, which will have been a huge relief. Here, a straight line lift. Miron in a difficult spread eagle position, a change of pose for Xenia to secure. Again, level four. And here, when you look back at the step sequences, another of the required elements in the free dance, the technical panel just assessing how many of the difficult turns are performed cleanly, whilst also just checking in with the holds and the dance holds. This, different type of step sequence, choreographic character step sequence, where the couple are doing all they can to try to push not just a good grade of execution, but also the composition of the program. Interesting listening to the technical panel work right now. I mean, they're finished right now, and they're just reading out the elements, but there was a question on something. I can't remember exactly what it was, because I was listening to you at the same time, but the fact is they came back. Let's take another look at that. And as a group, they came to an easy conclusion. It was so well done. And this is, we hope in the future, when that will be, I don't know, that people will be able to listen to the technical panel. Perhaps just in the calling of the program first, because that's pretty basic, but it's very interesting. Absolutely. What a great job they're doing. And just following this performance, I'm worried to see Xenia and Miran looking sad, because I want the best for everybody, and this team has been together for a couple of seasons. And just now, it's taking that step forward, taking that movement up the rankings. And unfortunately, this experience hasn't given them anywhere where they thought they would be. I think stylistically, it's nice. Xenia has lovely extension through her feet. She's got beautifully pointed toes. The team just needs to inject more power and more speed. And there were a couple of occasions just where they missed hold. So it's just being really clear. Yeah, it was a little bit scrambling. And the thing is that the athletes' desire to improve usually is, in many cases, not in all cases, is their image is faster than the process. The process takes time. And it takes way more work than you think it will take. And you know what? This team needs to keep moving up the rankings and improving those component scores. Just endless repetition of basic drill skating. The Bonnie and Clyde Freedance is great. They've got a good vehicle, some good choreography. They just need to keep honing the depth of their edge and the speed. And they're still 16 and 19, and the top teams in the world are in their 30s. So, you know, you need to have a long time to learn all that you need to learn. But along the way, you lose your patience with it. It's a lot of work. 63.18, Xenia and Miro. That is obviously first day out, the first team out with a 96.61 total competition score.