This interview transcript has been edited and condensed for clarity by Lynn (@lynnneposts), Evie (@doubleflutz) and Clara (@daejangie)
Clara (@daejangie): Hi everyone, Clara here. While at Finlandia Trophy, I was lucky enough to sit down with 2018 Olympic Team Gold Medalist and 2017 World Bronze Medalist, Gabby Daleman. She had just come off the ice after her Free Skate, which was pretty damn impressive given that she told us that she'd only been back on the ice for 11 days. We had a short chat about her programs for this season, working with Lori Nichol, and she waited very patiently (while trading Toronto sports chat that went completely over my head with Skate Canada's Mike Lipchuk) as my microphone died and I had to finish recording the interview on my phone - so I do apologize if the audio gets a bit ropy!
First I wanted to ask, of your two programs - you've got the Céline Dion, which is highly Canadian, I commend you. Was that chosen with Worlds in mind?
Gabrielle: It was chosen a bit with Worlds in mind - we were kind of going back and forth between different Céline Dion songs but unfortunately in May my dad's mom, who has always been competitions since I started skating, passed away suddenly. And so this was one of the songs I knew how to play on the piano and I can sing, and it was her favorite. So I messaged Lori [Nichol] and I was like, "This is the song we're going with, we're gonna do it." It was very emotional to create the program, but it's by far my favorite long I've ever done. I said to my team leader this morning, "It's 10:30, I've done my long and I'm already crying. This is going to be great!"
That's such a lovely way to pay tribute to her. Was the choreography informed by that as well?
A lot of it was informed by it. That's why we had some stuff where I purposefully will reach to the ceiling, and during the footwork, it says "When you hold me like this," I wrap [my arms around myself] because a lot of the stuff was a tribute to her.
So you choreographed this with Lori again and, correct me if I'm wrong, you've been working with Lori basically exclusively since you came into Seniors. Is that right?
She actually did my Junior program in 2013, so I've worked with her since I was fourteen just turning fifteen.
So you must know each other so well. What's it like creating choreography with someone who knows you inside out?
It's absolutely amazing. We have a blast always choreographing - especially for the Short. Kaitlyn Weaver actually helped us and we were planning on just setting the short and listening to the music and getting into it. And then we ended up texting Lee, "So we got a minute and a half done of the Short," and Lee [Barkell] was like "That was fast!" [Laughs]. It's a work in progress, but normally for the first day we play around with the music and just skate on the ice and then we'll pick out where this will go and where that will go. Sometimes we start at the beginning, sometimes at the end, sometimes at the middle - it's just however we feel.
Gabby performing her Short Program to “Mr Jazzman” (Photo: Clara)
What did you do with Kaitlyn for the Short? What bits did she add?
She started working under Lori, so there's a lot of dance movements and [in] the footwork, people can tell. It was kind of cool to see what she can do. Dancers don't really have toe picks, so the toe steps she tried doing in it were kind of interesting. So there's a lot of movements there that she did and a lot of intricacies, and then she also helped me really get into both programs and get into the feeling. She's been one of my idols ever since I started skating so to have her help choreograph this, especially in the year of Worlds in my home country, is more than I could ask for. She's a great person.
How did it feel to have a new perspective on your choreography, since you've been working with Lori for so long? Is that something you would do again, working with Lori and another person?
I would definitely do it again if it was Kaitlyn again. It was a lot of fun. She's a very close friend of mine and has always been there. She treats me like I'm her little sister and it's so great having someone who - I've been to two Olympics, five or six Worlds, I don't know how many, and it's just great having someone who has seen me grow up like Lori and then Kaitlyn from an outside perspective.
You've moved to the Granite Club with Lee in the off-season. Has that felt like a big adjustment? Do you feel like you're at home there now already or has the change in location made a bigger impact than you thought?
Well it's not that far, it's like 5-10 minutes. It's actually a little closer to our home. When I got there they were very welcoming, very supportive, and it was really great being in an environment where so many people recognize me but also where there are other athletes from different sports. I've been saying that both Lee and Mike Lipchuk are my ride or die, I would not be anywhere without either of them. No matter where they go I go and since I've moved it's just felt like home. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter where I train, as long as I have my support system, Lee, I'd go anywhere.
I'd like to know a bit more about your costumes for the season!
Actually these aren't my costumes for this season. The one I wore today [in the Free] was from my Whitney Houston program I did at Stars On Ice the year of the Olympics. I actually got a lot of compliments in the Short, saying that everyone loves how I'm back with the catsuit because I did it in 2013, the year I did Junior Worlds before the Olympics. I was actually laughing with Lee and saying like "Yeah, that was just a practice bodysuit we had custom made a few years ago." And I was like "Okay, sweet." My costumes are actually hot pink and deep purple for the long.
Gabby performing her Free Skate to “It’s All Coming Back To Me Now” (Photo: Clara)
So we'll be seeing that next week?
In two weeks in Kelowna, yes. The Short's actually a two-piece that Kaitlyn and I kind of put our thoughts into together. For the long, it's not exactly like "Carmen," it's the shape that it was today, but it goes ombré from deep to light purple.
Love a good ombré. I'm looking forward to the pairing with the eyeshadow. [Gabby laughs]
I was on Facetime with my brother and he was like "Why are you doing makeup so early?" and I'm like "The more I do now, when I finish practice I'm just gonna have to touch up a bit." And when I was done with practice, I just did my hair. I was like "This is gonna take a while!”
These are the things we have to consider. And your choice of music for the Short?
The choice for the Short actually, that was Lori. We were actually thinking of Chicago "Cell Block Tango." She has a playlist of songs that she always listens to throughout the years and it was actually funny, the year we did the "Hérodiade" program in 2017, when Worlds was in Finland, and the year we did "Carmen," my Short "Mr. Jazzman" was literally right in between those two songs. So we were like, "Of course it's been here the entire time." It's a lot of fun to do that program. When I created them I told my team leader that I stepped outside the box a little and he's like "This is stepping outside the box, but you've taken it to the next level." And each year, one thing I'm very proud of is that I'm always getting told that I'm taking it to the next level. The technical wasn't my main focus this week, it was to get through the programs. And the way the components turned out, we're very happy with to start the season like that. It can only go up.
Over the next few weeks, then, are you going to be focusing on getting back in the swing of being on the ice?
Oh, we're going to be doing a lot of run-throughs! We've made through our first one, so we've got more to go. Our main focus is just to get out there and then from January to March...
Gabby with coach Lee Barkell in the Kiss and Cry after the Free Skate (Photo: Clara)
So that's focusing on Four Continents and Worlds, mainly?
Nationals, Four Continents and Worlds. Nationals is big for me this year because I'm from Toronto and like ten minutes outside is Mississauga and that's actually where I came second at my first Senior Nationals. So it's a home crowd. It's not just a home crowd, it's a home home crowd. I've got about 68 friends and family coming to the event. [Clara: Wow!] My mom kind of told me the number of tickets. I was like "How many? I know that many people?"
You can have your own cheering section! Well, we look forward to seeing you there then and, everyone, keep your eyes peeled for Gabby's new costumes, to be revealed imminently. Thank you so much.
Thank you for having me!