Aldridge, Blackmer Announce End of Partnership
U.S. senior ice dancers, Alexandra Aldridge & Matthew Blackmer have announced the end of their one-year partnership. Aldridge will be continuing her skating career and is actively looking for a partner, while Blackmer is retiring.
The team was formed in May 2015. Blackmer was a former junior national and international medalist in pairs (with Britney Simpson), but had never ice danced competitively. He passed 16 dance tests in one week to skate with Aldridge who was a two-time World junior bronze medalist and twice a U.S. National junior champion with her previous partner, Daniel Eaton.
The team trained at the Detroit Skating Club in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan with Anjelika Krylova.
Aldridge & Blackmer made their debut in July 2015 at the Lake Placid Ice Dance Championships. In January 2016, they finished ninth at the US National Championships in St. Paul, MN.
“This past season with Matthew has been one I will remember forever and thank him for,” Aldridge said. “We tried to do the unthinkable and in my eyes it was a great success. I’m so proud of Matthew and what we accomplished together. I’m going to miss skating with him so much. I want to thank our coaches for believing in us and our families for all their support. Without it we couldn’t have done what we did last season. And I want to thank Matthew for changing my life for the better and making me realize why I love to skate. Thank you Matt for everything.”
“This past year was wonderfully remarkable,” Blackmer said. “Thanks to the incredible support of Alex and her family, I was able to evolve my skating into something few have done. With the backing of an exceptional coaching team, I had the opportunity to learn a new side of the sport and evolve my art into something I will look proudly upon. As I close this chapter of my life, I look forward to the challenges to come and know I’ll face them boldly because of this beautiful and incredible sport. A big thanks to all of the supporters, coaches, parents and athletes that have pushed me to be the young man I am today. I offer the biggest of thanks to my parents for the 6am drives to the rink, the countless dollars spent and the tears shed in the stands. I am one lucky guy. Thank you.”