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NEWS & NOTESDavis Takes a Chance and Earns 10
“If you never try, you’ll never know.”
Just ask ISI’s latest Dance 10 Skater Christopher Martin Davis.
A 21-year-old college sophomore, Davis has been ice dancing for six years. His interest in this style of skating, however, was not immediate. In fact, he was resistant to it, preferring to focus on freestyle skating. Amazing what a difference an instructor can make! With a whole lot of coaxing from his coach, Christopher Hyland, who believed that ice dancing would improve his posture and basic skills, Davis reluctantly decided to give it a shot.
ISI Dance 10 skater Christopher Davis with ice
dancing partner and coach Eve Chalom (left)
and ISI judge Janice Forbes
Over time, as he progressed to higher levels of dance and free dance, he realized to his astonishment that he enjoyed dancing immensely. He had discovered a whole new sense of freedom on the ice.
“Dancers interpret many different styles of music and create lifts and choreography that no one has ever done before,” Davis shares excitedly. “This is in stark contrast to freestyle where many, but not all, programs look almost identical.”
The most challenging aspect of ice dancing is the amount of time skaters need to spend on the most minute details, he explains. “It is common to spend hours on one section of a dance to make sure both partners are doing the right steps, with correct timing and proper frame, all while interpreting the music.”
A skating instructor and former ISI Worlds champion at both the Beta and Freestyle 5 levels, Davis currently skates with Bulgarian representative Mina Zravkova, and they recently won the Bulgarian Junior Ice Dance title. His home rinks in Illinois include the Robert Crown Ice Center in Evanston (where he coaches), the Centennial Ice Arena in Wilmette and Fox Valley Ice Arena in Geneva.
At one point, Davis was in high demand as a dance partner as the number of female ice dancers far outweighs male participants. “I wish more boys would try ice dance,” he says, “because I see girls who don’t pursue it because they are unable to get a partner immediately.”
Christopher Hyland has been coaching Davis for 10 years.
“Chris is a very dedicated and hard-working dance student,” he says. “His attention to detail and strong work ethic are his greatest strengths. He’s always up for a new challenge.
“He is a very diverse young man and all-around good person,” Hyland adds. “Chris excels at most anything he does, whether it’s singing internationally with the Chicago Children’s Choir, carrying a perfect GPA in school or training to compete nationally in ice dance.”
Speaking to the ISI Dance 10 test, Davis notes that he took it on a whim. “I used it to give myself more experience performing under pressure,” he says. “It is meaningful to me because it demonstrates how far I’ve come since I started skating at the Pre-Alpha level.” The most challenging aspect of the test is doing all three dances back to back, he adds. “It required a complete reset so I could focus on the next dance’s unique technical aspects as well as the character of the dance.”
Davis completed the test at the 2014 Conference Champs at the Edge Ice Arena in Bensenville, Ill. Based on his personal experience, he believes that every skater should attempt dance as they may find it surprisingly rewarding. It’s also a terrific supplement for free skaters who want to improve their musicality, speed, basic skating skills and performance quality, he explains.
A huge fan of ISI, Davis feels that ISI testing and competitions are successful at encouraging more people to participate in the sport. With its unique programs, the organization offers something for everyone, he adds. “With programs such as interpretive events and adult competitions, ISI has done a wonderful job as an ambassador of figure skating.”
Davis’ advice for fellow skaters? “Go for it! Talk to other skaters at the rink to see if there is a local coach who specializes in dance, “ he suggests. “You should also check with your rink to see if it offers group classes. Try to see if some of your friends will take it with you. It will be much more productive if you have peers to compare yourself with.”
A true creative, Davis enjoys writing as well as skating and singing, and hopes to pursue a career in journalism. He’s also interested in political issues regarding human rights and animal welfare, and credits his family for being supportive of all his endeavors.
