Above: Koko Hirano displays the Richard Dwyer Trophy for her overall Parade of Champions title.
By Troy Schwindt
In 2020, 15-year-old Koko Hirano had lost her joy for skating and was at a crossroads as to continue or not.
“I saw her practicing on her own and asked her if she’d be interested in joining just my team at the time [Culver Ice Productions] to help her make new friends and have a sense of community, coach Crystalrose Sanders said. “Then after a few months, I pitched her doing solos and she was reluctant at first, but I’m so glad she gave it try.”
That intervention changed the trajectory of Hirano’s skating career. The now 19-year-old earlier this month captured the overall National Showcase Parade of Champions title in San Jose, California. The overall Parade of Champions features the best of the best of every showcase level coming together to perform their winning pieces.
Representing the All Year FSC, Hirano delivered a heartfelt program to “Arrival of the Birds” by Cinematic Orchestra. Performing her choreographic artistry, she portrayed a crane that was deserted and trying to find her way. Hirano wore a dress she designed: white, with one arm having her wing to accentuate her bird-like arm gestures with wing clips in her hair.
“I loved just watching her let go and enjoy what I like to call ‘her moment,’” said Sanders, who coaches Hirano and many other students at The Skating Edge in Harbor City, California. “She let the music take over her movement and guide her.”
Hirano was the only skater in the event to earn more than nine points for all three program components — artistic appeal, performance and skating skills — winning by more than five points with a total score of 59.17. Hirano and Sanders joined forces to create the unique choreography.
“I was most pleased that the audience understood it,” Hirano said of her program.
The change to theatrical skating, Hirano said, has provided her joy and confidence.
“I have never felt so much joy competing in skating as I do now in theatrical skating,” Hirano said. “It’s really the community and environment that I’m surrounded by that makes everything so special.
“Being the overall parade of champions winner feels so surreal and exciting, It feels good to know that all my hard work paid off and the audience and officials enjoyed my performance.”
Hirano, who attends El Camino Community College where she studies design, credits Sanders as being pivotal in her skating journey.
“Since I’ve started showcase, my coach has brought out my performance and artistry aspect of my skating and not just the technical,” Hirano said. “She helped me realize how much fun it is to skate in a different perspective.”
When she’s not skating, Hirano likes being at home, hanging out with her two dogs, Sunny and Kuma, and drawing whatever comes to mind.
For her victory, Hirano’s name was etched into the Richard Dwyer Trophy.
Former Parade of Champions overall winners, Remington Bennett and defending champion Ashlyn Olson claimed silver and bronze, respectively.
In other Showcase news:
The event, held at Sharks Ice, featured 572 skaters, 143 teams and 1,499 starts.
Skating Club of Boston’s Mia Rocco, 16, secured Parade of Champions titles in the junior and theme event categories. She performed to “Sound of Silence” by Disturbed in the junior event and Olivia Rodrigo’s “Vampire” for her theme song. She’s competed at National Showcase since she was 9 and has met many friends from all over the country. Several friends from Idaho and Ohio watched her compete on the livestream. Rocco also had members of her Ocean State Ice Theatre team in attendance at the event, including her brother Cole, who also competed.
Ashlee Pantano of the Ice House Skating Academy in Michigan successfully defended her two titles, winning her fourth consecutive adult Parade of Champions and repeating as gold medalist alongside Ashlyn Olson in the duet-trio event. She skated to the “Sound of Silence” in the adult category and “The Time Warp” with Ashlyn Olson in the duet-trio division. “My coaches wanted to do something interesting with my costume for the “Sound of Silence” program, so I ended up skating with my face completely covered. It was a risk, because it limited my vision, but I enjoyed the dramatic effect it added to the program. Ashlyn and I used a fast-paced music choice, which is different than the usual lyrical style of music we tend to opt for. We had so much fun, and it was extra special because I got to compete against my daughter, Sienna and her best friend Mia, who qualified in the pre-juvenile.”
First-time National Showcase competitor Carson Kandas of Alaska Association of Figure Skaters emerged victorious in the second year of the Founders Parade of Champions. This event is composed of top skaters at the preliminary, pre-juvenile and juvenile levels. Kandas skated his emotional performance to the song “Two Men in Love” by the Irrepressibles; his theme was “Love Wins.” Kandas was the only competitor to earn more than six points in any of the three components.
From the local organizing committee: "This was truly a spectacular event with every program as unique as the skater. We saw incredible artistry, clever comedy and unsurpassed theatrical interpretation. We are wowed by how the appreciation of showcase skating is exploding,” Linda Price, president of the Peninsula SC.
