Photo Credit: Cynthia Slawter Photography
By Marissa Pederson
The Lexettes have been a mainstay on the junior synchronized skating circuit since the team was founded in 2006. With 14 podium-finishes at the U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships and 10 World Junior Team appearances, the Boston-based squad is one of the most successful groups in the country.
After a strong showing in the 2022-23 season that culminated in a bronze medal finish at the U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships and sixth place at the ISU World Junior Synchronized Skating Championships 2023, the Lexettes came into the new year with a fire to continue building on their momentum.
“Starting off this season, we took the success from last season and started running with it,” said Vivian Wang, second-year Lexettes skater. “It’s an inspiration to be able to look back at last season and see that success. Now we know how good we can be and we are looking to be our best at each practice.”
As the old adage goes, practice makes perfect, and the Lexettes have made a point to bring intentionality into each ice session. Before they step onto the ice, the group spends time sharing their feelings from the day and setting collective goals for their practice. They then write down three intentions on a white board and bring it out onto the ice to re-center the team throughout the skate.
“We talk before each practice with each other and try to incorporate the feelings within the group into practice somehow,” said Alexa Kennedy, also a second-year Lexettes skater. “We are constantly communicating with each other and really get down to the specifics of what we want to focus on each day. It’s really helpful and allows us to stay unified throughout the week.”
Kicking off the international season with back-to-back events in Europe, the team’s focus was put to the test with a tight turn around between Budapest Cup and Trophy D’Ecosse. After competing on Sunday and Monday in Budapest, the Lexettes flew to Scotland for the Friday and Saturday competition.
“I think before the trip we were a little intimidated by having back-to-back internationals,” Wang said. “We know that those types of trips can be very tiring. I think the team is really proud and happy with how we dealt with that situation. After Budapest, we were able to regroup and stay unified. We set an intention to improve in Scotland.”
At the practices in between events, their three intentions were to stay focused, improve their lineup and focus on their expression. After finishing fifth overall in Budapest with a fall in the short program, the Lexettes bounced back for a silver medal outing at Trophy D’Ecosse, scoring over 20 total points more in their second outing.
“The first international always brings some nerves,” Kennedy added. “But after Budapest, we were really able to calm down in Scotland and focus on our own skating. The experience of skating in Budapest gave us another level of confidence knowing that we can do this. Once we got to Scotland, we really went back to the skating and we all feel very proud of our improvement.”
The Lexettes now have their sights set on the 2024 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships in Las Vegas, Nevada. In the interim, their focus will be on tapping into their skating foundations and honing the emotions and story of each program.
“We really want to focus on feeling every emotion in our program and being present while we skate,” Kennedy said. “I think in Scotland we really felt the energy of each program while we were competing. We will aim for that emotional connection with the program and with each other when we compete at the U.S. Championships.”
The Lexettes skate to the serene music from the movie On Golden Pond for their short program and a fierce, warrior-themed rendition of “Prologue” by Woodkid for their free skate. While prepping each program, the team took considerable time locking in the emotions and expressions for every second of the music, leaning on each other to tell the story in their own way.
“We have had a lot of conversations about expressions this season,” Wang said. “The short program is a very soft piece, but when you listen closer, it has parts that build and parts that are sadder with a feeling of longing. We have worked to really break down every moment. Our team approaches it by taking each element and thinking through the feeling for it. For example, in the transition after our moves element, we have decided that it is a very sad moment in the program and we envision that we are missing something or someone. Our team really focuses on having conversations around the story of our program, and when we are thinking about the same story, it allows us to be more unified.”
“We defined each element in our discussions as a team, both with our coach and independently with each other,” Kennedy said. “In the free program, we recently added in different chimes and wind noises to really highlight what we are trying to say with this program. As a team, we really listen to the music and search for tiny moments that we can highlight that are not super obvious. That really helps us connect with each piece of music and the expression comes naturally.”
While putting together the choreography for the season, head coach Lee Chandler put together a spreadsheet detailing each element and adding notes to define the story through his discussions with the squad. The skaters then have a resource to refer to throughout the season and an opportunity to add their own thoughts.
“Lee really sets us up well to have those conversations,” Wang said. “He will start us off by taking us through each element and discussing our feelings with him. Then later on, when we are on our own, we will keep having that conversation and really expand on that story. The communication between teammates and coaches is really fluid. If we have a problem with the program, we feel completely comfortable telling our coach and talking to each other. I think that makes our team really strong and improves our programs.”
With strong communication and intentionality built into every practice, the Lexettes head into Las Vegas with their eyes on the prize.
“The past few weeks we have been on a tight, focused schedule,” Kennedy said. “We want to maintain that focus in the next few weeks on the ice and off the ice. Whether it is our expression or lineup, we really want to stay connected with one another and really focus.“
Follow the Lexettes during the 2024 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships live by visiting the event page. To purchase tickets, visit ussynchrochampionships.com.
