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<\/a>There have been a few significant changes made within the ice dance world by the International Skating Union (ISU) that has brought about some new challenges and obstacles for ice dance teams to overcome. The rhythm dance (formerly the short dance) has particularly pushed the team to work harder at improving their technical abilities while working to maintain their performance quality. In this particular rhythm dance (Tango Romantica), teams are required to implement a full one minute pattern within a short two minute and 50 second timeframe.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes we get away from those skating roots and I think it\u2019s great that the ISU has put this huge challenge to the dance teams because I think that a lot of us will be excited to step up to the plate,\u201d Hubbell explained. \u201cOur focus of course is to go out and compete well for USA, which definitely you want to get a nice big score and to get key points. So we\u2019re learning right now how to protect those levels at the same time as adding on the artistry. But I think as the season goes on you\u2019ll see the teams are able to become more and more artistic throughout the dance and with more speed and more flow. But I think it will take a little bit more time to develop comparatively to the other dances in the other years.\u201d<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n Hubbell and Donohue have opted to start their season off by competing at two Grand Prix events back-to-back. They will be competing at Skate America and a week later at Skate Canada. It would seem that having two assignments so close together would be overwhelming, but it is just the way that they wanted to arrange it for this particular season.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cLuckily we were in a position where we actually had a pretty big say in it,\u201d Donohue said. \u201cWe were able to look and make a plan based around our options. For us, this was the best possible plan for preparing ourselves to be ready for the Grand Prixs and have enough time to really relook at things once they\u2019re over, evaluate and move forward going in to the Final, while taking a little bit of time to recover and get the momentum back again.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s competition, yes, we want to win, and certainly our goals going forward aren\u2019t going to be shooting for second. We\u2019re going to be shooting for the top of the world,\u201d Hubbell said. \u201cBut if we go out after a year of amazing training and do our absolute best performance and still get second, then we\u2019ll shake the hands of whoever beat us on that day and be grateful for what we accomplished.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Skate America is October 19-21 in Everett, Washington. Figure Skaters Online’s contributing writer, Michelle Kennedy will be in Everett providing live coverage! Make sure you follow Figure Skaters Online on Facebook<\/a> and Twitter<\/a> and check www.figureskatersonline.com for updates.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/a>When it comes to the free dance, Hubbell and Donohue have opted to try something new for them by skating to Romeo and Juliet. Most of their programs, in the past, have not been based on a story and have been somewhat untraditional so this will be a new style for them to explore. They are hoping that it brings them to a new level of growth within their skating skills and expands their artistic abilities.<\/p>\n<\/a>Gradually, Hubbell and Donohue have made their way from the bronze, to the silver and now occasionally they find themselves with gold. The team has not yet won their first Skate America gold, but they are hoping to do just that in Everett, Washington.<\/p>\n