Photo Credit Cynthia Slawter Photography
By Robyn Clarke
When audience members watch the Skyliners junior synchronized skating team compete, they have a pretty good idea of what they will see: programs that exemplify elegance and grace.
Their performances bring the artistic, classy facet of the sport to the forefront and leave those watching in awe of the expressive spectacle they were just able to take in.
That style is exemplified by utopia, the theme of their free skate for the 2023-24 season. It is a performance that is eloquent and moving; it allows the Skyliners to fully draw on the roots of the team’s signature style.
This year, though, the squad is looking to revitalize their brand by giving viewers a glimpse into their energetic and fiery side. Their short program is set to Stravinsky’s dynamic orchestral number “Firebird” and allows skaters to show off a more nuanced aspect to their craft.
The team found the song one afternoon at the very beginning of the 2023-24 season. Head coach Josh Babb was playing different musical options for the skaters, trying to determine what sound best fit this particular team, when he turned on Stravinsky’s piece. Immediately, everyone knew it was one they had to choose.
“We all immediately loved it,” Skyliners team member Chelsea Peng said. “We thought it was something very different than what Skyliners junior normally performs. And we were all up for the challenge.”
Peng is no stranger to competing in a Skyliners uniform. She joined the organization in 2016 after skating against them in a competition. As she watched them perform, she could not help but notice their competitive nature and the effort they put into excelling on the ice. But more importantly, she could tell that the young women on the team gelled well and seemed to have fun together.
“There was always a huge group in the stands, doing our cheer,” she said. “And I thought it'd be so nice to have that kind of structure behind me as I train, so I didn't have to handle all that myself.”
The strength of the community within the Skyliners organization is evidenced by her friendship with fellow Skyliners skater, Madison Jarvis. Jarvis joined the team the same year as Peng. Together, they have ascended the organization’s ranks, going from novice to juvenile to junior by each other’s sides. Having that sense of camaraderie with one another has been invaluable, Jarvis said.
“Me and Chelsea have a little tradition where, after every skate, no matter how amazing or how unfortunate it was, we always go in for a hug right on the ice,” she explained. “And that's one of my favorite constants that we have, is that we're always there to comfort each other after a performance.”
Continuity within the organization has played a role in allowing them to further develop their craft, too. Being surrounded by largely the same group of young women has allowed the skaters to grow individually while simultaneously honing their group identity. And the development is not just something Peng and Jarvis have noticed, either. The Skyliners earned bronze at last year’s World Junior Championships, their fourth World Junior medal.
While the external recognition is an accomplishment that the members of the Skyliners are proud of, they are viewing this season, and the upcoming international competitions, as a fresh slate.
“This year, we don't have as many returning members as years past,” Peng noted. “There’s, like, seven of us. And we know how great it feels to win a World medal … But I at least have never considered it as a source of pressure. We just see it as, ‘We've done it once, we can do it again,’ even if we can take a different route to get there.
“So that's been something that even us as returning members who have been very successful every year [remind our teammates]: There's always something new, something bigger to work towards … And that’s something we are all going towards this season.”
Jarvis and Peng’s role with younger skaters goes beyond shaping their mindset toward the rest of the season. They have prioritized creating an open environment with their teammates, where age and differing experience level do not create any sort of conflict. For Jarvis, it is important to pour into those whose shoes she once filled.
“I know, as a former younger member, it's very intimidating at times,” she said. “Both [Chelsea and I] definitely understand the kind of difficulties that come with being a new member, especially with missing a lot of school [and] missing a lot of social events. Even now, that's still really difficult for me.
“Definitely as leaders, we don’t want to be overbearing in our position or anything like that. We're just here to support our teammates as they make their way in the sport.”
That support — as well as the confidence that comes with going beyond a comfort zone — will carry the Skyliners as they travel to the Netherlands for the first international competition of the season. They are leaning into the core of their identity while simultaneously shedding their skin, a juxtaposition that is sure to open the door to success.
To follow Skyliners junior this weekend at the Lumiere Cup, visit the Challenger Series competition central. You can also purchase tickets to watch them perform later this season at the 2024 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships at ussynchrochampionships.com.
