Laura BALCERSKA / David DIADCHENKO (POL) | Junior Ice Dance Free Dance | Riga 2025

From Poland, Laura Wilczewska and David Diachenko, 16 and 18 years of age, Poland junior silver medalist. Laura was previously advanced novice ice dance champion with a previous partner. This team teamed up just last year. Well we referenced the differences between the single skaters and the ice dancers and certainly just the way in which David Diachenko there held his partner, the engagement of his hand. The dancers are generally so committed to the extension of their beings and their bodies. That was a pretty big emphasis on generally. They were, yeah, scared for the single skaters. You know, I don't know them at all, but they seem to be a really good match. Energetically? Energetic and I would say the same skating skills. And they seem to have a sort of a care, like a connection, we'll put it that way. And I think it's important to note that, you know, David was born in Kharkiv, he's had to relocate due to the war. And Laura and he have teamed up under the guidance of Silvia and Maxim. And how wonderful that then we've got David there, supported what we sense and we see, is that a good partnership and a good support network for each athlete. And we know from Silvia that's definitely evident in what they offer. A little hop into the twizzle, a little out of synchronization on that first set. And in the free dance, the skaters can have between two and four steps between the first and second twizzle, which is different to the rhythm dance. And here, changing rotation is a feature within the dance spin. And we see now, I think the first team to have done a combination lift. You can either do two short lifts or a combination whereby the partner isn't placed down in between, as evidenced here. So that will come in as a straight line with a rotational lift feature there when David rotated on one foot. Level four involved. And now, just looking at the step sequence here, what do the panel think of the difficult turns? We'll look through, there's the twizzle from David. This, one of their choreographic elements, two choreographic elements for junior ice dance teams. And they chose to do choreographic spinning movement to finish the free dance. We still continue to hear the discussion. Oh, really? I'm going to turn it back up then. It's great. They do an amazing job. But I have to turn them off because I can't multitask. But it is so interesting to hear the analysis. Because it's important to note that all of these teams are likely going for the same levels as the seniors you'll see competing for Olympic gold. You know, the teams here will be going for level four. And they'll construct, you know, the one foot turns as an element. You have to do four different difficult turns. They will be doing the same kind of content as Chock and Bates, the world champions. It's just the clarity and the definition which will dictate the level. And we can expect to see, obviously, a higher level for your world champions. But it's interesting there to just get a snippet of an insight into what expectations there are for the tech panels and the level assignment for those elements. But you're obviously far better at multitasking than I am. Or you just can, maybe you just drown me out. Maybe that's what it is. When you're talking I can turn you down and I can listen to the technical panel. It's a lot easier, right? But it's so interesting and, you know, we're learning a lot and bringing some of that information to you. And hopefully in the future you'll be able to hear some of that. 68.44 for the Freedance for Laura and David. That is second in the Freedance with a total competition score of 109.34. And that will put them currently for the moment into second place. And Sylvia, she's been a tech spec this course. So some of the coaches watching, they know what's happening.