WOW. It's the only word I can use to describe what I see on the ice. Alone in the stands watching 2006 Olympic silver pair medallists Dan Zhang and Hao Zhang working with legendary choreographer Lori Nichol, I am totally engaged. Running through their short program to last year's music, Transylvanian Lullaby, Lori yells up to ask  if I can tell what the program is about. Without hesitation I say: "He is devouring her." I yell down "Feichang bang!" (Very good!!), one of the few Mandarin phrases I can get without screwing up the pronounciation too badly...however it still evokes giggles from the three on the ice who understand it.  Dan Zhang tells me later that their season goal is to arrive at their first Grand Prix competition "and show everybody our 'new face'." What I saw in the short program has an edgy and confident adult heat that was unexpected and, for me, a welcome change from so many pairs' gooey romanticism. I am a fan. I was told that the free program is equally dynamic. How long til GP Season ? <g>

It has been a rough 10 months for the pair who were basically sidelined due to injury last fall. Through Mr Huang, Hao tells me that during the course of a lift they fell and he basically smashed everything contained in his right hand's middle finger. Within 15 minutes Hao was at the doctor and very quickly into surgery.  Although they tried to get back into shape more quickly, the doctors advised Hao that it would be 18 months for the injury to heal. To start with, Hao was on the ice for only brief periods post surgery just to keep his feet under him while partner Dan persisted with working on the singles elements from their program. Realizing that they really wouldn't make it into top form, by the middle of the season they decided to sit out the rest. "We decided to give up. We watched the other skaters and the competitions. We had confidence that we would get better. We have calmed down because we rested the whole season. We just love figure skating and are confident that we will win good results. We want to create new results."

Back on the ice in earnest since mid-March it was another month before they attempted any lifts. Hao says his finger is still only at about 70% but continues to improve and he is optimistic that it will eventually be back to 100%. He showed me the effort that it takes to completely close his right hand into a fist. I wonder how he is managing especially with the lits: "I find the lasso lift very difficult. When I am on the ice it doesn't matter what I am doing, I have to pay attention and take care that I protect my finger." For the moment he is experiencing a minor injury to his right shoulder and neck likely due to compensating for his injured finger. He says it's nothing to worry about and is "very small". For her part, Dan is the picture of health.

In Beijing they are sometimes on the ice alone and at other times are on the ice with a couple of other teams. You can hear the importance they place on being role models for younger skaters.

On the phone, Lori had already told me what the skaters were doing was "pretty special" and that these two were capable of a huge range of expression. Dan says enthusiastically; "We are excited for our new style. It is for us, the fans and the judges and could not have happened without Lori's great choreography."

If this is how they look with, in their words, "a long time with no practice" , I am excited to think about what the pairs competition will look like in the coming season. With new faces like Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov and "new faces" like Zhang and Zhang - it's going to be a great season!

I am lucky to be able to see lots of skating. I am equally lucky to be able to see lots of skaters on the rise before they hit the general radar and such is the case with China's Dan Zhang and Hao Zhang. 

Sitting in the lobby of a Toronto area arena I told them that I had seen them live for the first time in Beijing at a 4Cs and did my own sassy little arm roll depicting their Latin music. For fun, Hao did the same move from long ago for Lori Nichol on the floor and they both giggled. Let's just say their artistry has evolved since then :)

Fast forward to the Olympic arena in Torino in 2006 where in the opening moments of their free program, Dan fell out of a quad sal throw attempt, landing on her knees and crashing into the boards: (http://tinyurl.com/3jy64gw). It was a shock to see it and the ensuing flurry of activity rinkside erupted almost immediately. At one point, Hao guided Dan away from the boards and gently had his hands on her hips, bent towards her and was talking to her with intensity. At the time, from my vantage point, it appeared as if he he was giving her the choice to continue. The tenderness and intensity of the moment is still in my head. I asked him what he said: "Are you ok? Are we continuing? My thinking inside was very complex. I wanted very much to continue but I knew that this was a serious injury even without being a doctor. I didn't want her to be more hurt."  Remarkably, they finished the competition and earned the Olympic Silver medal for their efforts. Where are those medals? Dan says that hers is at home while Hao says that his is in a bank safety deposit box: "it is the most precious thing in my life to me. Skating is my life."

The two have been skating together for about 12 years. Both were singles skaters although Hao admits to having another partner for about a month or 2 just for fun prior to being partnered with Dan.  Being from Harbin fueled Hao's passion for the sport: "I love everything about figure skating. I was born for figure skating. Why? Because I am from Harbin - The Ice City. I am very proud of that." For Dan, skating is "not only a sport. It has technical part in competition but this is art. It is dancing with music and is very enjoyable."

Partners and friends on the ice, Dan and Hao maintain their separate identities off the ice where she spends her time with her friends, including a non-skating best friend doing the regular round of young women's activities like shopping and outings. For Hao, interpreter and international judge Feng Huang explained that Hao has a lot of friends and is really quite famous in China.  Not only does he act as a mentor and older brother figure to the younger skaters in China's program, he also likes to travel and spend time with non-skating  friends. With Hao's easy smile and friendliness, he never looks far for company.

Theirs is a partnership that has evolved in the shadow of 2 other great Chinese teams, namely 2010 Olympic Champions Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao and 2010 Olympic Silver medallists Qing Pang and Jian Tong. Something tells me that they are on the threshold of greatness of their own. Choreographer Lori Nichol has this to say about their time together: "They are very giving skaters who are capable of so much. They can do "character", "classical" and everything in between. They have been a pleasure to work with and are always smiling and working. There were even times where translation wasn't needed we understood each other so well."

The beauty of this team has been in their dediciation and pursuit of a common goal - the surprise of this team is how much of their sport they have taken to heart. 

Part 2 of my interview - with updates about Hao's injury to follow...

The dynamic Canadian Dance Champions Vanessa Crone and Paul Poirier have ended their partnership. Paul spoke to me:  "I am doing ok.It was definitely a hard decision for both Vanessa and I. As you know we have both been a huge part of each other's lives for a very long time." His tone is thoughtful and his responses are considered and articulate. "We had a difficult Worlds and I know some people are going to think that this is about that. I can honestly say that isn't true. We are not quitters and we have never looked at a defeat as the end of the road.I can tell you it wasn't any one specific thing, but we just weren't moving in the same direction anymore." He acknowledges that he started thinking about this once Worlds were over and they each had some time off. "This was not a decision that was months and months in the making. I embraced last seaon wholeheartedly but when I had a good think, I knew the decision was right."

Is there any one thing the partnership has taught him? "It's hard to choose just one thing, there are so many but I think the value of taking in other people's perspectives. I am a stubborn person  and like to have my way and over the years to learn to work as team to get where you want to go has been so important.The value of hard work and how to work with other people.Also she's taught me things to improve myself as an artist, as a skater and a dancer. It's been more than half of my life." He continues by talking about what he will miss about Vanessa: "She has been a staple in almost every day of my life. It's going to be a bit different. I will miss a lot of the conversations we had and our ability to work and still fit fit in conversations about our life."

Paul admits to being uncertain about what the future holds and is sure that Vanessa is in the same spot. With that uncertainty though, there is a feeling of apprehension (in a good way) - excited for what the future holds while still being a little intimidated. Not one to back away from a challenge, he is back on the ice. Two weeks ago he skated for the first time without Vanessa and is still getting used to it. He is finding it difficult to fill his time without programs to focus on but has found satisfaction in helping some of the younger teams at the rink. He also says that he feels kind of lonely and that being on the ice kind of empty. Paul is quick to point out though that he still wants to skate. In the not too distant future the hunt for a new partner begins which could extend across Canada and  beyond: "I could be looking outside of Canadian borders. International partners are a lot more common than they used to be. I will be doing many tryouts to find out what will be best for me as a skater and as a person too -- not just a cold hearted athlete. Success is never at the cost of our happiness.I have to look around. I haven't even given it much thought...yet" He says that if he needs to sit out a year to create an international partnership, he accepts it as the price to pay.

"I think I would like to talk about how grateful I have been for the last 10 years. It has brought me through the years that have made me the adult I am today. I am grateful for all of the support that I have received and I am so grateful for the gift I have been given to express myself through and to be able to live my passion for skating."

The real gift as far as I can tell has been to us, the audience.

Thank you Vanessa and Paul for 10 great years and a great ride!

When asked to finish the statement: "I am.." Olympic, World (and DWTS!) Champion Kristi Yamaguchi says: "I am a proud mother and feel so lucky to have lived the life I have." It is her experience as a mother that is the inspiration for her recent  runaway bestselling children's book: Dream Big Little Pig!  Kristi say that she had always had an idea for a children's book in the back of her mind. "It was nice to create a fictional character that was fun. My own kids inspired me to adctually do it! They are the perfect age for picture books." Reading is one of the conrnerstones of her own children's bedtime rituals.

Author, mother. philanthropist, Kristi's life has been filled with changes: from wife to mother, amateur to pro skater, reader to writer which she has handled with characteristic grace: "I think being open to those changes and to be open to the challenges that the next phase of life holds is important. You cant always expect things to go smoothly and you can't be afraid to make those change. I believe in 'no regrets'. It is better to have tried and failed than not at all." She says with a chuckle: "It's funny but my coach Christy Ness taught me there is no real secret to success except hard work. I certainly agree with that. Putting in the time makes the difference." Offering this advice to today's young skaters: "I would stay try to keep your focus.I think obviously they  (skaters) have a dream in skating.It's not always going to be easy but by being focused, it will help keep you going through those tough times."

Kristi's was at the top of the Olympic podium in 1992 and having lived it, what is it like to watch it? "I mean it is inspiring to watch the skaters and I definitely get nervous for them. Anyone who has been there gets nervous for the skaters but I get inspired all over again. I mean that I think there will always be that connection for me with the Olympics. On reflection your get older, I realize how lucky, how fortunate I was and  that the stars lined up. It feels very nostalgic for me."Kristi admits to feeling that "her" Olympics was a very long time ago. There is no doubt that she has achieved a lot personally and professionally since then. Is she surprised? "In some respects I am and in others - not; it's hard to say when you are almost 40. I think I always imagined I would be settled down and have a family but I don't think I thought career-wise I would be going as strong as I am now."

Her Always Dream Foundation benefits disadvantaged children " I like feeling a connection to the community.Knowing that I have been in such a self-centred sport where it was about myself and my training and my olympics and knowing I received so much support, to be able to give some of that back and to positively affect some who dont have that is a gift. You feel like you have a certain kind of power and you have to use it to help."

Skating offered its own gift:"I think before I started skating I was so shy and timid and through skating I found the love for something that gave me confidence."

For more information, visit: www.kristiyamaguchi.com