Getting to Know Molly Cesanek & Yegor Yegorov
IDC is highlighting some of the new partnerships that are debuting in the 2018-19 competitive season. Next up is Molly Cesanek & Yegor Yegorov. Photos by Melanie Heaney.
IDC: Tell us about your individual skating journeys.
MC: I began skating when I was five years old, with my dad. I loved it immediately, and my parents put me in lessons. I was very shy, so at nine years old, I was in my first competition with a synchronized skating team, and later did some freestyle competitions. My absolute love was dance, however, as I had been in ballet since the age of three. At 11 years old, I began the solo dance series. I met another solo dance boy and him and I, as well as our families, became great friends. We then decided to give partner dancing a try. Unfortunately, we lived far apart. We both commuted just fine on the weekends until my family could no longer make the trip due to my dad’s work. I have been lucky enough to stay in ice dance, and I am so thankful as I love the artistic character and athleticism of the sport. I am very excited to be in my third ice dance season with the Wheaton Ice Skating Academy, skating with an amazing partner and under phenomenal coaches who inspire me to be better each and everyday.
YY: When I was in first grade, I saw an ice rink near my school, and I was interested and wanted to try. I started figure skating at six years old as a singles figure skater. At 14 years old, I finished my singles skating and I went to ice dance because I really liked the dancing choreography in my singles routines. My first time skating with a partner, I was shy, but then became used to it and I enjoyed it. I really fell in love with ice dance and I like it very much. Now, I skate at Wheaton Ice Skating Academy with a perfect coaching team. I found a nice partner and I’m very happy.
IDC: Tell us about how your partnership started.
MC: Through the skating community of friends, Yegor and I met and decided to give it a try. After one week, we felt like we had been skating together for years. It was so exciting for both of us!
YY: I was looking for a new partner, and skating friends said to come to Wheaton Ice Skating Academy. I came and found Molly and we started skating together.
IDC: What do you like most about skating with your partner?
MC: Yegor is a very hard worker and he will make sure we repeat whatever it is we’re working on until he thinks it’s perfect. He is very strong, athletic, and expressive, and I can always trust him. He inspires me to push myself and be better each practice, which I am so thankful for, as in just a couple short months, we’ve become great partners and friends.
YY: I like Molly because she is very nice and she likes to work hard. She’s very athletic and small which makes it fun and easy to do a lot of cool and interesting things such as lifts. She also likes to be creative in dance which makes it very fun! I like all these things in Molly as my partner.
IDC: If you could have a lesson from any ice dancer past/present, who would it be?
MC: I am very inspired by many ice dancers, but I particularly admire the senior teams at the Academy we train with. I would love to be able to have the skating skills and technique Rachel and Michael Parsons have, and also the exquisite lines and chemistry Lorraine McNamara and Quinn Carpenter have. I feel blessed to be able to watch these teams each day, as their passion for the sport is so inspiring to me.
YY: There are many ice dancers and coaches I admire. I have just come to Wheaton Ice Skating Academy and I have looked up to these coaches a very long time. I am very happy with my coaches here and am very excited to learn from them.
IDC: Can you give us some background on your programs this season?
Our Short dance is the Argentine Tango, and our Free dance is a modern Flamenco. We love our programs very much, as expression is key in both, so they are very fun to skate.
IDC: Is there anything you would like our readers to know about you as a team?
Molly lives in Virginia, but we train in Maryland, so many times, Molly will stay in Maryland with Yegor’s host family, the Somervilles. We are all like family as we are constantly laughing with one another. Whether we’re taking funny videos together, fishing in the creek by the house, or simply in the car to and from the rink, we are always having fun and have developed a great friendship in just two months.