Australia’s Pike & Adderley navigate the senior scene
by Anne Calder | Photos by Robin Ritoss
Emily Pike & Patrick Adderley are Australia’s newest senior-level dance team. This season so far, they have competed at the Lake Placid Ice Dance International and the U.S. International Figure Skating Classic. The team trains in Ottawa, the nearest ice dance training facility to Pike’s hometown.
Pike began her skating at the Perth Skating Club in a small town southwest of Ottawa. Although she was interested in ice dance, there was no local dance program. Three years ago, when she paired with her pre-novice partner, she traveled a hundred miles round trip, three times per week, to train in Ottawa. Meanwhile, she continued to skate at the junior bronze level in solo dance.
Halfway around the world in Sydney, Adderley teamed up with Matilda Friend in 2009. They began at the pre-primary level and matriculated up through juniors together.
In late 2013, Adderley decided to quit skating. When he chose to return to the sport, he called his coaches for advice.
“They told me to go to Canada to train,” Adderley said. “So in 2014, I went to Montréal.”
Meanwhile, Pike had travelled to Montréal for a solo dance competition. The skaters paired up and moved to Ottawa to train with her ice dance coach, Jamie Britton.
Pike & Adderley first competed on the junior level and moved up to seniors this season. A couple of weeks ago, they competed at the U.S. International Figure Skating Classic in Salt Lake City.
The team was fairly happy with their skate, considering the extenuating circumstances involving both Adderley and Coach Britton.
“The lead-up to this competition was a bit shaky,” Adderley explained. “I threw out a disc in my spine, so this was our first complete run-through in three weeks, and we got through it.
“I don’t need surgery. Also, before we hopped on the ice yesterday, the doctor told me that I’m not going to paralyze myself by skating.”
“Our coach had to be rushed to the hospital,” Pike added. “He went into the change room with us yesterday before the competition, and when he came out, he couldn’t stand up.”
Once diagnosed and medicated, Coach Britton returned to the event.
Before moving to Canada, Adderley gained some unusual experience working as a circus performer in Australia.
“I used to do a lot of aerials on the trapeze,” he said. “I also did a bit of juggling with balls and rings.”
His hidden entrepreneurial side was exposed when he added, “Someday I’d like to get a bunch of skaters together with some circus people and do a small show…perhaps start in Australia, and if it works out, take it around the world.”
When asked how he had learned all the circus tricks, he answered without hesitation, “I taught myself!”
Performing seems to be in Adderley’s blood. His younger brother is a ballet dancer in Germany and recently earned a scholarship with the company where he trains and works full-time.
The Ottawa-based team next competes at the Skate Canada Autumn Classic in Barrie, Ontario. In December, they will travel to Penrith, New South Wales, for the 2015 Australian Figure Skating Championships.