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JUST ANNOUNCED! Legendary Choreographer Sarah Kawahara!

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to work with the legendary Sarah Kawahara, two-time Emmy Award-winning ice-choreographer who has reshaped figure skating history? Sarah choreographed Blades of Glory, I Tonya, and her many clients have included – Michelle Kwan, Scott Hamilton, Kristi Yamaguchi, Dorothy Hamill, and Peggy Fleming, to name a few!

As The Artistic Director and Choreographer of Willy Bietak Productions, Sarah oversees 17 Ice Shows on 15 Royal Caribbean International Cruise ships that employ over 300 professional skaters. She’s been Inducted into World, Skate Canada, U.S. and P.S.A Halls of Fame, and will reveal her secrets to you, in an EXCLUSIVE Worlds Boston Professional Workshop! Register today! Join us, it’s ABSOLUTELY FREE!

Did you know?

Jacqueline du Bief

The first skater from France to win a gold medal in the women’s event at the World Figure Skating Championships, and the 1952 Olympic bronze medalist.

Jacqueline du Bief who was born on December 1930 is a French retired figure skater who competed mainly in single skating. She is the 1952 Olympic bronze medalist, the 1952 World champion, a three-time European medalist, and a six-time French national champion (1947–1952).

Bief was born in Paris. As a pair skater, she competed with Tony Font, winning the 1950 & 1951 French national titles. After turning professional, she toured with several shows like Ice Capades, Hollywood Ice Revues, Scala Eisrevue from 1952 to 1964. In 1964 she returned to France where she went back to school.

She was called weak in figures, but innovative free skater. du Bief greatest figure skating moment came in 1952, shortly after she had won a bronze medal at the Oslo Olympics, when she won the World Championship in Paris. Although du Bief landed the first-ever double Lutz by a woman, it was a controversial victory as she fell twice during her free skate. She was given a 6.0 by one judge despite this, and even the French fans pelted the ice with various items to protest the decision. Du Bief later wrote in her book Thin Ice, that American Sonya Klopfer deserved the title.

Brockville & Area Sports Hall of Fame

Ice Capades lightning has struck twice at the Brockville (Ontario) and Area Sports Hall of Fame with 2 of our alumni being honored for their contribution in sports over the years. 

Gloria Lor Spoden was just inducted on June 13, 2024.  This is what the plaque read – Gloria Lor Spoden was born and raised in Brockville.  She started taking skating lessons with the Brockville Figure Skating Club.  At the age of 21, she applied for a position with the world famous Ice Capades.  In 1966 she earned a position with the group and went to Washington DC to be part of the ice show.  Two years later in 1968 she was the Line Captain for the Ice Capades which meant if any members of the line could not skate, she would replace them in a performance.  She was also responsible for teaching other skaters how to do their performances.  She left Ice Capades in 1971 and taught figure skating in California for a number of years.  She has organized two Ice Capades reunion in Las Vegas with 500 retired skaters attending.  She still skates and creates a monthly newsletter in Toronto for retired skaters. 

Susie Geneau (Sue Pyke) was inducted in the Brockville and Area Sports Hall of Fame on June 13, 2014. This is what the plaque read – Sue Pyke has enjoyed a love for figure skating since a very young age with the Brockville Figure Skating Club.  After a decorated amateur career, she began a two-year professional stint with the world famous Ice Capades in 1965 at the age of 18.  In the early 1970’s she began her coaching career at the Athens Figure Skating Club.  She went on to coach in Spencerville, Prescott and Brockville. With an energy and enthusiasm, teaching and working with young skaters in the community for 25 years.  Along with being a mother of three, she committed herself to helping hundreds of the area’s young skaters enjoy and improve in the sport she loved.