By Troy Schwindt
When listening to renowned choreographer Adam Blake talk about Theatre on Ice (TOI), one doesn’t have to wonder whether this U.S. Figure Skating program has emerged as one of his passions.
A former performer with Disney on Ice and now a longtime choreographer with Disney, Blake has helped to revolutionize the landscape of TOI in the past seven years as the artistic director of TOI of Boston.
At the 2023 National TOI, Blake and his 13 fellow Skating Club of Boston coaches led six teams to four medals within the competition’s eight divisions.
“My passion I feel comes from authenticity,” Blake said. “So from a place of real … the emotion that people place out on the ice is from a real place. The drama that they portray on the ice is from something that’s deep inside them. True art isn’t feigned.
“My favorite part of choreography is bringing something true to life. So that’s why I don’t like to take full and complete control over the things that I work on. I like the skaters to have a say; I like the teams to have a say. I listen for their reaction of when I do something, and if they are clicking with it, if they have an audible Whoa! or if they have an audible Cool! then I lean into it more. But if it’s not giving them anything and it’s not speaking to them, then I move on and find something else. It’s very much a collaborative experience.”
Two examples of this creator-skater collaboration could be witnessed at 2023 National TOI in the senior and junior divisions. Forte of Boston, silver medalists in the senior division at Nation’s Cup and National TOI, portray individuals who, using chains as props, each deliver their own interpretation of being confined by their own insecurities before breaking loose at the end and showing the world who they are with no inhibitions. Blake, in fact, performs an electrifying backflip to end the show.
Act 1 of Boston, meanwhile, won both the Nation’s Cup and 2023 TOI Nationals junior titles with a program that’s been in Blake’s mind since 2008. It was rolled out by coach Brad Vigorito at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and brought to life during the last two seasons. About halfway through the program, set to “Simcha” by Barrage, the skaters wear blindfolds and, with the help of their teammates, navigate a series of difficult moves and elements, showing that individuals are stronger as a team.
“It was everything I could have ever wanted,” Blake said of the junior performance. “Not just to have that validation [of winning], but for the kids to really believe it. More than 50 kids have done this program. … I always like to highlight the kids for their individualities. I want to show that through individuality, they are strong and these individuals coming together in this one moment, in this one piece, creates such incredible strength.”
Vigorito, the coach of Act 1 and a senior performer, is one of Blake’s biggest fans.
“Not only has he created sophisticated programs, he’s generated truly unique works of art,” Vigorito said. “With heavy support from The Skating Club of Boston, Adam set out to increase participation and awareness of the discipline by forming teams at every level, and ultimately calling upon former national competitors and show skaters like myself to form the senior team. I cherish the memories and moments I share on the ice with my Forte teammates, and I’m grateful to Adam for creating a supportive and inclusive home for my coaching career and myself.”
Katharine Steeger, program director at The Skating Club of Boston, said the TOI skaters’ appetite for Blake’s vision, artistry and creativity is insatiable.
“They strive to bring his vision to life on the ice in a partnership that allows what is in his mind to take shape and form,” Steeger said. “Adam’s excitement at seeing his vision performed fuels the skaters’ drive to reach deep and give their very best to their performances.
“Our outstanding coaching team, led by coaching director Becky Stump with Adam, has allowed our program to grow and thrive beyond any measure of what we had hoped for when we started the partnership seven years ago.”
Blake’s ability to elevate TOI Boston’s performance levels and vision for the TOI Boston program is also fueled by other programs across the country. After 2023 TOI Nationals, Blake was quick to recognize several of the other burgeoning TOI programs and their creative teams.
“My favorite part is just how incredibly rapid it’s [theatrical skating] growing,” Blake said. “There are some beautiful emerging artists coming out. Nicole (Zawojski) from Atlanta Ice Theatre, Kitty (McGorry) has built a beautiful program from Capital, San Francisco is legendary, Harmony is legendary. I can go on but there are so many teams that are out there doing incredible things.”
At the 2023 Nationals in late June, a total of 77 teams composed of 1,300 skaters took part in the three-day competition.
“It is so invigorating and inspiring to see all the teams around the country bring their very best each year to TOI Nationals,” Steeger said. “We can’t wait to see what the upcoming season will bring for all of us.”
