Fantasy on Ice Kobe: Program Interview Translation
They Understood Each Other Before Holding Hands: The Gold Medalist Ice Dance Couple’s Power of Empathy
(photo by doitlikeyang on twitter)
What was it like to win the gold medal in the team and individual events at the Pyeongchang Olympics?
Scott: We’ve stayed busy since the Olympics, so we haven’t really had the time to reflect or let it sink in; I guess you could say it feels like we’re still in the excitement of the Olympics. There’s no denying that, as an athlete, the Pyeongchang Olympics are something special. Being able to perform like that, in that condition, at Pyeongchang is something I’ll never forget. We received lots of letters from fans and phone calls from our friends sharing their impressions about the program or saying how good it was. Our objective is to transport people from reality to another world with our skating – for example, to a world of illusions or imagination – so we were very happy. I have no idea when we’ll be able to take the time to look back on it all, whether it’s this summer or ten years from now. Who knows?
How have you been spending your time since the Olympics?
Tessa: We’ve been doing ice shows and tours in Canada and Japan, so at the moment we’re not resting, but we plan to take a break in August. It’s been a busy time, but I feel like that itself is a part of the post-Olympic excitement and fun. We spent a long time focused on training, so now’s the time when we can enjoy trying new things and skating in different ways.
What are your thoughts on your future plans? Will you continue competing or go professional?
Scott: That’s a good question. Regarding the future, we don’t have any official announcement yet. If we look at the future having considered all our experiences up until now, even we ourselves don’t know what’s going to happen. We’ve been busy and have had no time to reflect or really comprehend what the Olympics were, so for that same reason we can’t really think clearly about the future. Just being able to wonder if it’s okay to end it here is an honor. Every Olympic athlete tries their hardest heading into the games, and it feels like good luck that we were able to earn three medals of our own. Looking at it that way, if it happens that we’re satisfied with our competitive career, maybe we’ll be able to start preparing to head down a new path. We can do things like we’ve never done before, skating for our fans, free from the rules of competitive skating. We’re thinking that’s something we could enjoy.
What kind of person is your partner?
Tessa: Scott is the sort of athlete who sets clear goals and pursues them. For that reason, it’s been fun to train beside him for over twenty years. He’s self-disciplined, is passionate, heads toward his goals, and tackles what needs to be done. He’s a very genuine, open-minded, and generous person.
Scott: Haha, that’s a tough act to follow. Tessa’s the funny one with a real sense of humor. I’ve never met anyone as wise, self-aware and goal-oriented as she is. I feel truly fortunate to have been able to take this journey together with her for twenty years. We practiced together every day, and even now we see each other at the rink every morning. It’s pretty amazing if you think about it.
Is it because you practiced together that you’re able to do such complicated and dynamic lifts?
Scott: I mean, we practiced millions of times until our bodies memorized it. The more we practice, the more natural it becomes, and then it’s a matter of muscle memory. As ice dance is something that two people do together, part of it is about understanding each other and seeing how we respond to each other’s reactions. And within the long time we’ve skated together, rather than memorizing the failures and accidents in our minds and bodies, we’ve learned how to take care of ourselves, and have been able to be healed in the process.
And since you’ve been together that long, when you first hold hands at practice, are you able to pick up on your partner’s mood and condition?
Tessa: Of course! Even before we hold hands, we know, but we can’t rely on that alone; actual spoken communication is also important. We understand each other to the degree that we’re able to quickly see where we’re both coming from.
Scott: I understand as well, of course. Moreover, we’re aiming for the same thing, so come what may, the fun is in bringing something to life together. How we can pull the other up is something we work hard at, and I think it’s safe to say that that’s a good point of our relationship.
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