Above: Photo by Cynthia Slawter Photography
More than 180 skaters across 312 events traveled to Santa Clarita, California, for the 2022 National Solo Dance Final. In its 12th year, the Solo Dance Series invites ice dancers of all levels to compete across pattern, free dance, combined and shadow events across the country, culminating in the national final.
Senior Combined Dance
Lucas Appel (Florida Everblades FSC) took the gold medal in senior combined dance with 197.21 total points. In his 115.99-point free dance, Appel performed a dramatic rendition of “Moonlight Sonata.” His program featured two Level 4 elements and earned all positive grades of execution.
Brooke Tufts (North Jersey FSC) earned the silver medal with 184.05 total points. The 2021 gold medalist performed a flamenco-inspired free dance, which featured two Level 4 elements en route to a segment score of 108.56.
Anna Lewis (Washington FSC) captured the bronze medal with 168.76 total points. Her free skate, which she performed to “Love You More” by Celine Dion, earned 96.86 points.
Hannah Kim (Glacier Falls FSC) took home the pewter medal with a combined score of 165.51.
International Solo Pattern Dance
For the international solo pattern dance event, skaters had to perform the Tango Romantica and a Cha Cha Congelado Variation Dance. Anna Lewis (Washington FSC) successfully defended her gold medal in the event with a combined score of 91.34, nearly 10 points higher than the second-place finisher. Lewis earned the highest components marks for both of her patterns.
After a third-place finish in the Tango Romantica, Drake Tong (Hickory Hill FSC) captured the silver medal with 81.52 total points. Shin-Lei Case (Dallas FSC) earned the bronze medal with 79.52 points, and Sophie Lewis (Washington FSC) took home the pewter with 77.74 total points.
Gold-International Shadow Dance
In shadow dance, two skaters perform the same pattern side-by-side. In this event – created as an opportunity to compete in ice dance with another skater – athletes work on building unison, distancing, ability to match lines and awareness.
In Santa Clarita, gold-international shadow dancers performed the silver samba pattern dance. Sibling duo Natalie and Chiara Tan (SC of New York) captured the gold medal with 41.05 points. The duo earned the highest components mark of the event (23.50).
Another sibling duo, Anna and Sophie Lewis (Washington FSC) earned the silver medal with 40.95 points. Despite an issue with their music as they took the ice, the sisters performed their way to earn the highest technical mark of the event (17.68).
Abby Mumby and Amanda Piel (Greater Kalamazoo Skating Association) earned 37.04 points en route to the bronze medal. Claire Katen and Elizabeth Lee (Broadmoor SC) took the pewter medal with 35.45 points.
Full results from the 2022 National Solo Dance Final are available here.
