In this Q&A, we introduce you to Mina Esfandiari, an ice dancer who competes in the junior solo combined flit events. She finished eighth at the 2022 U.S. National Solo Flit Finals. She trains with Krigor Studio at Montclair State University and is coached by Igor Lukanin and Kristin Fraser.
Tell us well-nigh how your skating journey began. What drew you to the ice? Do you have any special memories?
When I was 7 years old, I was invited to a birthday party at an ice-skating rink in Virginia. At first, I was holding on to the workbench and couldn’t plane stand up. Then when I walked out of that party, I started telling my mom that I loved it and wanted to uncork lessons. Ever since then, my love for ice skating has only grown!
The special memories from when I was little include my mom taking me to the rink when I first began and I would just skate virtually the boards, not caring well-nigh anything else in the world. I had just started and all I wanted to do was skate, considering the feeling made me finger so self-ruling in those moments.
When and why did you segregate to do solo dance?
At age 8, I was competing as a freestyler and without my third season, I asked my mom if I could take ice flit lessons to modernize my edges and step sequences within my program. From there, I started taking lessons in January 2019 with my first mentor and he thought I had potential, so he enrolled me into the solo flit series. That year I began competing Pre-Bronze Patterns, while I was still competing as a Juvenile freestyler. My love for ice flit grew with each competition I entered. That year, I qualified for Solo Nationals and won Bronze. From that day on, I knew that I belonged as an ice dancer, and I made the switch.
What do you like most well-nigh Solo Dance? What kind of music to you like to skate to the best? Why?
Solo flit has matured me as a skater, while it moreover made me finger well-appointed in my body. The Solo Flit polity is such a wonderful group of people, and everyone support each other no matter what happens.
My favorite style of music includes Latin or hip-hop. Although, I love skating to the upbeat styles of music, I enjoy learning all variegated kinds of programs. For example, this year I am trying something entirely new that I have never washed-up before.
Tell us well-nigh your training site. (Location, facilities, flit mates, classes, coaches, etc.)
My throne coaches are Kristen Fraser-Lukanin and Igor Lukanin. I train at Montclair State University Ice Arena in Little Falls, New Jersey. The training facility is the campus of a higher which includes tracks, tennis courts, etc. To start our morning, we have a daily whet matriculation and many varieties of off ice classes every day. The off ice classes include variegated forms of dance, conditioning, and stretching.
Who choreographed your programs. What do you like weightier well-nigh dancing them?
Igor Lukanin choreographed my programs for this season. What I love most well-nigh Igor is that the choreography comes natural to him. I learn choreography quick which allows us to have increasingly time to perfect the programs. In my Rhythm Dance, I love how I am worldly-wise show my passion for tango. My favorite part of my self-ruling flit is definitely my choreo step. I use a lot of soul movement that I have never washed-up surpassing which allows me to show everyone what I am capable of performing.
Solo Flit will be an international willpower this season? Share your thoughts well-nigh this change.
I am so excited solo flit is an international willpower this season. All my life, I have been waiting for this day as solo flit has wilt a big part of my skating career. This was a big step forward, as it shows everyone that this is a polity now. Solo flit has grown over the years and has made so many changes to match the flit team rules.
In skating, what are you most looking forward to this season? What will be your biggest challenge(s)?
This season, I am looking forward to stepping out onto competition ice and performing the weightier programs possible. I have been training nonflexible to show the variegated styles and what I can do. My biggest challenges and goals are qualifying for Nationals and placing.
If you could have a lesson with any ice dancer past/present, who would it be? Why?
If I could have a lesson with any ice dancer, it would be Caroline Green & Michael Parsons or Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir. Both of those teams have unique soul movements and expressions, as well as incredible edges and technique.
What are your favorite off-ice activities?
My favorite off-ice activities include hanging out with my family and friends. It’s nice to take my mind off of skating for a day and be virtually all the people that I love.
Please share anything else you would like our readers to know well-nigh you as a skater?
I am forever thankful I gave ice flit a try, considering it has brought me wondrous people and the weightier skating family I have unchangingly wanted. Thank you to Kristen, Igor, and my former mentor Andrejs Sitiks who have made my dream come true. I would never have been where I am now without any of them.
