By Kama Stigall
In the song “Exogenesis: Symphony Part III” by the English rock band Muse, the music continuously builds and eventually tells a powerful story of hope and redemption. It was a fitting choice for junior ice dancers Katarina Wolfkostin and Jeffrey Chen at the 2021 Toyota U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Las Vegas in January.
As they took to the ice for their free dance, they knew they had a job to do. After finishing second at the 2020 event, the dancers from Novi, Michigan, were even more eager to win. Wolfkostin and Chen gave a captivating, effortless performance and were crowned champions.
“Winning the junior dance title felt absolutely surreal,” Chen said. “This has been a goal for the past three years, and reaching the accomplishment definitely is rewarding, as it demonstrates that the effort we put in every single day has meant something.”
The path to victory wasn’t without challenges, including an injury to Chen just prior to arriving in Las Vegas. However, the team was able to turn these obstacles into opportunities.
“I’ve always lacked a bit of confidence in the things I do, and this particular competition has helped me gain a little bit of that,” Chen said.
The team, coached by Igor Shpilband, Pasquale Camerlengo, Adrienne Lenda and Natalia Deller, was also able to build upon the experience gained at the 2020 U.S. Championships.
“In 2020 our goal was just to get ourselves out there, and it was great to show our work,” Wolfkostin said. “Then 2021 was pretty chaotic, with the pandemic, injury and abrupt changes of plans. In the end, we just tried to focus on enjoying performing. It felt amazing.”
Wolfkostin and Chen began skating together in 2019. Despite this relatively short amount of time, they have already learned one of the biggest foundational elements of a successful partnership — communication.
“I think overall, one of the things that helps us stand out is our ability to communicate well with each other even during disagreements,” Chen said. “It always feels like we can come to an understanding quickly and can always keep working toward our goals.”
In addition, having a similar mindset and purpose is one of the team’s biggest attributes.
“Jeffrey is a really special and amazing person,” Wolfkostin said. “He’s also driven and determined like me, and we have the same goals. Our strengths play off each other. We can talk things through, and I trust him. I especially love the way we work together. We have a special understanding and we keep building on it.”
As for the next chapter of their story, Wolfkostin and Chen are already hard at work creating it. The team plans to move up to the senior level for the 2021–22 competitive season. They are aware of what they need to improve upon if they want to be among the top ice dance teams in the U.S. and worldwide.
“As a team we are definitely lacking a sense of maturity and presence that the top senior teams are able to exude on the ice,” Chen said. “We are also revisiting our basic skating and partnership skills to stabilize a platform that we can build off of.”
Having already created a solid foundation, the dancers are ready to take their skating to new heights.
“In dance, you build off of each other,” Wolfkostin said. “There’s often not a singular goal, and the story you weave together is just as important as your own technique and elements.”
Get to Know Katarina
Age: 16
Year in School: Incoming high school senior
Skating Club: Peninsula Skating Club
You enjoy crafting. What is your favorite type of craft project and why? I like to get a spontaneous idea and just build it. I used to like making costumes for other people, like fantasy masks out of papier-mâché. There was a monster costume with lights that turned out pretty cool, and a blackbird costume that looked kind of steampunk. I also like to paint and draw.
Of all of the cities and countries you have competed in, which was your favorite place and why? Courchevel, France, was my favorite, especially the cool morning air, the mountains, the people and the food. I love to walk outside on a crisp windy day, and the beauty of the Alps was breathtaking. I also tried escargot for the first time.
Tell us about your pets. I have two cockatiels — Chika, who is yellow with red cheeks, and Shirley, who is silver gray. They are both talkative when you first come home. I tried to train them. Chika does some tricks like rolling over, but Shirley just sits on your shoulder. Milky Way is my cute corn snake, super smooth and fun to hold. I have three cats — a white calico named Ginger, who follows me everywhere and sits on me when I am doing homework. There is a tabby named Jodie, who is independent. Then there is Peach, a big, beautiful fluff ball; she needs a little extra care.
What is one thing SKATING magazine readers would be surprised to learn about you? I’ve never been to a stadium concert! I was so ecstatic and ready to see BTS last summer, but it was canceled due to the pandemic. I still have my ticket.
Get to Know Jeffrey
Age: 18
Year in School: Incoming freshman at the University of Michigan
Skating Club: Peninsula Skating Club
What is your favorite way to relax on a day off? Playing and learning new songs on my acoustic guitar
What is your favorite TV show to binge-watch? One of my all-time favorites to revisit is Friends.
How long have you been hip-hop dancing? How did you start dancing? I’ve been hip-hop dancing for about four years now. I started dancing as a way to help broaden my horizons for skating, but it quickly became something I loved to do in my spare time.
Tell us more about your pet bird Mango. He is adorable and playful. He also loves sunflower seeds.
What is something SKATING magazine readers might be surprised to learn about you? I enjoy wildlife photography, sometimes hiking or waiting for hours on end to get a satisfying photo.
