We have seen the future of ice dancing, and their names are Silverstein and Pekarek.
Jamie Silverstein and Justin Pekarek arrived in Salt Lake City poised to take the Junior Ice Dance title at the State Farm U.S. Championships. They won the World Junior Championships earlier this year, and were second at last year's nationals, behind Jessica Joseph and Charles Butler, who are no longer competing.What they didn't count on was the marks they received for their Original Dance Friday morning at the Delta Center. Their technical marks peaked at 5.8, and their marks for expression/timing soared to an unheard-of 5.9. Of all the competitions this week, only Michelle Kwan in the Senior Ladies has scored higher marks.
"I was surprised," Silverstein said, with Pekarek nodding his agreement.
"This gives us the confidence toward skating better and moving up," Pekarek said.
Silverstein smiled. "We still have that one-tenth to go."
The duo skated their Waltz -- the required Original Dance this year -- to music from a Russian film, which their coach Igor Shpilband translated for them. The program was filled with quick turns (which the team performed both separately and together with equal ease), deep edges, and constantly changing dance positions and lifts.
Pekarek was the perfect compliment to the dramatic expressiveness that is Silverstein's forte. He presented her as his delicate star, and the program was luminous.
For Saturday's Free Dance, the pair plans to perform a different style of dance, set to the music of "Secret Garden" and "Rondo Veniciano."
"It's a new style for us, but it has gotten good reviews, I guess," Silverstein said, shrugging her shoulders. Shpilband choreographed their Free Dance, as he has their other programs.
Silverstein and Pekarek plan to advance to the Senior level next year, where they will likely face this year's dance champions Naomi Lang and Peter Tchernyshev. They say they are used to it, though -- both teams train at the same facility in Detroit, under the same coach. Still, they know they will have their work cut out for them.
"There's always more to do, and there's always someone ahead of you . . . . For next season, we're going to try to develop a stronger relationship when we're skating. When you have that, then I think the audience knows, and it's just another plus."
Emilie Nussear and Brandon Forsyth maintained their second-place position after the Compulsory Dance, followed by Alison Newman and Michel Klus. The Free Dance competition will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. at the Delta Center.
The Junior Ladies competition was a tight race from the beginning, and the long program only underscored the strength of the top four finishers.
Sara Wheat, 14, balanced jumps with artistry to win the Free Skate, and the competition. Though she did not perform the most difficult jumps, she had the most interesting jump combination, the triple toe loop-double toe-double loop.
Diminutive Sasha Cohen, who was in first place heading into the Free Skate, slipped to second place after a couple of messy landings and a fall on a triple Salchow.
"I started out kind of shakey," Cohen said. "I was nervous about the first jump . . . But I think it's really great that I medalled."
Cohen's first marks bore the burden of the missed elements. But the 4-foot-8 former gymnast demonstrated balletic skills beyond her years -- and certainly beyond her stature -- and was rewarded with higher presentation marks.
Jumping Jennifer Kirk was obviously disappointed with the scores on her long program. One of few clean performances, Kirk landed seven triple jumps, including an interesting double Axel into a triple Salchow. The judges rewarded her on the technical mark, but her second mark reflected the relative dearth of between-jump choreography.
"I thought I skated well, but you really can't control what the judges do."
All three skaters said they planned to move up to the Senior Ladies division next year.
"I'm moving up," Cohen said immediately. Her coach, John Nicks, quickly leaned in and whispered in her ear. She listened, then reiterated, "But I'm moving up."
More whispering. Then, with pure innocence, Cohen faced the microphones.
"After conferring with my coach, we will make the decision whether to move up."
Senior Ladies, beware.