This interview transcript has been edited and condensed for clarity by Gabb (@tegomass)
Clara (@daejangie): I'm here with Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha from Canada, our reigning Junior World Champions, who have just finished their Free Dance at Finlandia Trophy, where they came in fourth. You have come into your first Senior season as reigning Junior World Champions, I heard you say in the mixed zone just now that you got a bit nervous. What's it been like, have you felt a lot of pressure?
Marjorie: Yeah. For the first competition, I felt a lot of pressure because we were coming back from Junior World Champion and going into Senior we were like, "Okay. We gotta do a big step." For this one, we said "We need to calm down and just take it step by step. It's okay to not be as great as the first one. It's just normal. It's part of the journey to take it one step at a time."
Is that how you will approach the season, just taking it competition by competition? Or have you set any goals?
Zachary: We set goals but at one point we can do nothing about it. We just have to skate good. It kind of sucks that you have to do your best but you're not going to necessarily have the results you want. It's only destiny. (Translated from French:) You can tear your hair out and say “Damn, we would have love to be on the podium.” But the truth is, you can’t do better than this. This is your limit right now. All you can do is change things in practice, so in practice we’re going to try and push the boundaries and get some mileage in. We’ll see what happens at the other competitions.
What is it that you’ll be focusing on in practice then? Because it's at Skate Canada that we will see you next.
Marjorie: Yeah. In a week. [Clara: It's a short break] We don't have much time.
So in this short week, what will you be focusing on?
Zachary: We don't know yet. I guess the technical stuff. We have to look at our results, like the protocol sheets. We only have one week so it will be maintenance, and try to get some improvement in some little places and details because we cannot try too much in our programs.
Marjorie: If we try too much in a week we will just be more stressed.
Zachary: Exactly.
How do you feel about your performance today versus Lombardia [Trophy]?
Marjorie: As I said, Lombardia we felt so much pressure. Very stressed. I didn't feel very ready before this one. We didn't do lots of runs before going and stuff. So this one we made a plan and we did our runthrough every day. I felt more ready, so there was less stress. I could enjoy the competition more.
Can you tell me about your programs this season and how you chose them and what the process is like?
Marjorie: For the Short Dance, we had a lot of trouble choosing the music. We started with another music, we even cut the music, we started the choreography and thought "No, this is too Junior." So we changed completely and found this one ["West Side Story"]. We enjoy it, especially since Zachary looks like the guy from the movie. That's very cool.
Zachary: Our Free Dance is "Bohemian Rhapsody." Again, we tried a lot of different music and our coach said that "Bohemian Rhapsody is going to work for you guys." Some people might actually take it because it’s famous piece of music. They just said, "It is going to fit you well." So we took it. I think it was a good choice.
Marjorie and Zachary performing their Free Dance to “Bohemian Rhapsody” (Photo: Clara)
You've got really fancy costumes...
Zachary: Yes [laughs] I’m really happy about the costumes. Both of them.
How did you design them? Did you have any input?
Zachary: Well the Short Program, I really wanted my costume to look like Bernardo in the beginning of the movie. In my opinion, if you do "West Side Story," you got to have the same costume as the movie. So that’s what happened in the Short. In the Free, I looked at some pictures of Queen and I talked with the guy making the costumes. I said I wanted thunder, and some details so when people see me they see that I’m doing Queen.
I saw the lightning and thought it would be Flash Gordon!
Zachary: You know what - that’s because of the circle! If there was no circle and only the thunder it would be easier. I might take it off because of that reason, you’re not the only one who said that.
We'll see by Rostelecom [Cup] then if the circle is gone?
Zachary: Yes!
What was the first song you considered for the Rhythm Dance?
Zachary: "Hairspray." Which is still a good choice. I still want to skate to that music.
Marjorie: It’s fun music. I really liked it. At the beginning I was kind of sad we did not take it but-
Zachary: Actually, we didn’t take it because we didn’t find a Rhythm for the Finnstep. That’s the main reason. We didn’t want to mix up broadway shows because it would destroy the theme of our Rhythm Dance. That’s why we changed.
Are you broadway fans in general?
Marjorie: No. Not me. I never really liked musicals.
Zachary: She doesn’t like musicals.
Marjorie: But I watched "West Side Story."
Zachary: She thought it’s not realistic. Like how people dance and fight. [Laughs]
Marjorie: Yeah. When they start singing and when they want to stop the guy and do this. It’s not my type of movie but I enjoy skating to it.
Marjorie and Zachary performing their Rhythm Dance to “West Side Story” (Photo: Clara)
What is your genre of choice then, musically?
Marjorie: I like classical. Well not classical, but from the radio.
Like pop hits?
Marjorie: Exactly. But I like all kinds of music.
And for dancing? What kind of dance do you watch to get inspired for your skating?
Marjorie: I watch the teams that we train with. I watch especially them since you can watch them live because you are training with them so it is inspiring to see on the ice right now.
So you’ve been training at Gadbois… I don’t know if I’m still allowed to call it that. [Marjorie: I AM. The Ice Academy.] for five years?
Marjorie: Yeah!
Zachary: Five years. This is our fifth year.
What’s it been like? So many new teams have joined recently, is the atmosphere changing? What was it like to grow up there?
Zachary: A lot of teams came recently so the coaches are really busy but they do a really good job at balancing the coaching between all the couples because we are almost more than twenty. It’s a lot, but the thing with this school is that you’re kind of - it’s not like you’re on your own, but the coaches are here to help you on the ice. They do an amazing job. But at the same time, they let you handle your career. This is why it’s a good school at the Senior level. They don’t organize all your schedule, you got to take care of your schedule and you say it to them and then they do the on-ice part. People say there are a lot of teams there and it might not be a good idea but it is not true. By handling your career, you become more mature and then the coaches are there to help you on the ice. It works.
The results are coming out of the school, so clearly it is. You said you watch the other teams a lot, is there a particular team at Gadbois that you think “I like that they do and I want to do more of that”?
Zachary: Madison [Chock] and Evan [Bates], they have a lot of good qualities.
Marjorie: They are very good. I like watching all the couples, even the Juniors. It’s very inspiring to see how great they are becoming. But, of course, Gabriella [Papadakis] and Guillaume [Cizeron], the World Champions. It’s always very inspiring to watch them. Their Free Program, I’m just stopping, training, and watching. But all of them. I like watching all of them.
Marjorie and Zachary performing their Free Dance to “Bohemian Rhapsody” (Photo: Clara)
Zachary, you are an accomplished classical pianist. Are you still going keep that up alongside the skating? I saw you competed in a piano competition, are you still going to do that?
Zachary: Yes. That is the goal. Last year, I didn’t do so much because two years before I did one competition and it took a lot of energy. It’s really hard because you go skating, you come back home, and then you do four hours of piano, and then you go to sleep. Then you wake up, go to school, do skating, and then you play the piano… But it keeps the brain working and that’s a good thing. It helps with everything I do. This year I want to compete. I’m planning on doing some competitions. I just finished choosing the programs so we will see what will happen. Maybe university for piano? I don’t know. We’ll see what will happen.
Do you think it informs your skating, your relationship to the music?
Zachary: Yes. It helps understand some nuance and contrast in the music. Mainly, the body language and expression, it kind of helps. You feel it more, maybe not the facial expression but the body language it helps a lot.
I’m also wondering, so often when you see skaters quote which music they’re using they’ll just give you the piece. But especially in classical music [the piece] can change so much so much from musician to musician - what the piece sounds like, what it feels like. As a musician yourself, do you think enough attention is paid to that?
Zachary: Oh, you mean who is actually playing?
Yes - and whether that matters.
Zachary: That’s a good question! Yes. I think that people should give more importance to that. One hundred percent. For example, we take a piece from Rachmaninoff, but the guy who plays it, he plays it his own way. At the end of the day he is the one playing it. I think it’s a good idea when people say “I will skate to Rachmaninoff played by whoever it is” I think it is a good idea. We will do this.
Nice! Be the change you want to see in the world. Marjorie, you are a great travel fan.
Marjorie: Yes I love to travel.
Can you tell us where you want to go next?
Marjorie: Like on vacation? That I don’t know because we never really know in advance when we get a week off. But I enjoy doing competitions, so when I have time off I can look around and not stay in my hotel. My parents are often coming so I say "Let’s go visit because I want to know where I am, or the culture of the country where we are." I enjoy it.
So in Russia, is there anything in particular you want to visit while you're there?
Marjorie: Of course I want to visit places, but I don’t know what yet because I don’t know Russia at all. So I’ll ask people where I should go.
Is that the kind of traveler you are? You sort of arrive to the place and you try to experience it as it comes, or are you a meticulous planner?
Marjorie: It depends. If I know the place, I will plan. If I don’t, I don’t care what I’m looking at, I just want to know where I am. So it’s the first time I will go to Russia, so I will just visit around and feel like I am in Russia.
What’s a place that has left a strong impression on you so far?
Marjorie: I’ll say Croatia. It’s a pretty place. I stayed there longer after our Grand Prix. I could visit and it was beautiful. Especially because since we won our first Grand Prix there, and Junior Worlds. It’s just a special place.
So much sentimental value.
Marjorie: Exactly
Marjorie and Zachary in the Kiss and Cry after the Free Dance (Photo: Clara)
You organized a benefit called "Patinage Atypique”, or Atypical skating, which sounds like a wonderful cause. I was hoping you could tell us a bit more about it?
Marjorie: I did it for the first time last year. The 2nd of April is Autism day. It’s to raise money for Autism. Especially for families who don’t have enough money to take, it’s weird to say, a break but it’s really tiring to always have an autistic person in your family because you want to take care of them but they take a lot of place in your life. So taking a weekend off with the money raised is very beneficial for everyone around. I’m organizing this with a lot of skaters. Almost everyone I asked said yes. A lot from Gadbois so that was very nice.
So you will keep doing it every year?
Marjorie: Yeah. Next year the 2nd of April again. I will do it.
Canadian listeners, be on the lookout for tickets!
Marjorie: Yes, thank you!
One last question: Zachary has come to this interview with his little pot of Yerba Mate tea. I’ve heard you’ve been trying to convince every other skater to take it up as well. Have you had any success so far?
Zachary: Anthony Ponomarenko made the switch.
Ah! One down. How many left to go?
Zachary: The next target is Trentt Michaud in Pairs from Canada. He is just waiting for me to buy a kit for him. When I do it, he is going to make the switch too.
So you provide the kits? There’s a lot of incentive there.
Marjorie: He should be a dispenser.
Zachary: I provide it but they give me something back. I don’t know what it is but they will give me something back!
What about you Marjorie? Are you converted?
Marjorie: Oh no, I tried it and I didn’t like it at all.
Zachary: There are other flavors!
Marjorie. Maybe I’ll try other flavors, but I love coffee so much. It’s the same point, it's all caffeine.
Perfect. We look forward to seeing you at Skate Canada. Thank you for your time!
Zachary and Marjorie: Thank you very much.