U.S. ice dancers Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker talk about the growing pains they went through in the 2015-16 season and their breakout performance at last year’s NHK Trophy. Nick McCarvel and Jackie Wong talk to athletes, coaches, choreographers and other skating personalities about their experiences in the sport. Nick and Jackie are also joined […]
As he aims to fulfill his dream, ice dancer Jean-Luc Baker continues to work toward earning a spot on the U.S. Olympic team ahead of the 2018 Olympic Winter Games. Should he be successful in his attempt to reach PyeongChang with partner Kaitlin Hawayek, the 23-year-old will make personal history, but not family history. His […]
I am infinitely charmed by these two simply due to their equal ability to lift each other off the ice, but I am even more impressed with Hawayek’s fabulously sexy dress for the pair’s short dance. Yes, she carried the entire stylistic weight of the team on her back, and with a dress that good, […]
In the months after the 2016 U.S. Figure Skating Championships were productive for Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker, but they weren’t very exciting. “Lots of long days, long hours, not doing anything but drills. It got a bit monotonous,” Hawayek said. “We’d ask our coaches, ‘Can’t we work on new programs? New elements?’ They said, ‘No, […]
There are days when some things don’t work quite right for Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker. Twizzles aren’t in perfect unison. A lift doesn’t go up quick enough. Their coaches at the Detroit Skating Club (DSC) are grumpy. Frustration flares. “Why can’t we get this? What’s the matter with us today?” Then they think about the […]
