\u201cOur season was something that we will hold on to so dearly,\u201d Calalang said. \u201cEach competition, we slowly improved, whether it was in skating skills or the choreography or the elements. It was just a really special season in that, at each competition, we got better.\u201d<\/p>\n Last season was Calalang and Johnson\u2019s second year competing as a pair. The duo participated in two Grand Prix competitions (Skate America and Skate Canada), won an ISU Challenger Series event (Warsaw Cup), and then placed first in the free skate at 2020 U.S. Nationals, earning them the silver medal.<\/p>\n “It was a whirlwind,\u201d Calalang said of their experience at Nationals. \u201cWe had been skating very consistently in practice. So it wasn\u2019t a surprise<\/i> that we had that clean long program at Nationals. But it was like, \u2018Oh, my goodness, we just did it on the national stage!\u2019 We did it when it mattered the most.\u201d<\/p>\n Calalang and Johnson\u2019s sparkling free skate at Nationals was one of the highlights of the entire competition. Afterward, the duo were pleasantly surprised by the attention they received from fans.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was so cool,\u201d said Calalang. \u201cWe\u2019d been to a number of Nationals, and usually just a few people here and there would recognize us and want to talk to us. But this year, we had a line [of people]. We were like, \u2018Oh my gosh, they want to talk to us!\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Both Calalang and Johnson consider 2020 U.S. Nationals to be a career highlight.<\/p>\n \u201cSo far,\u201d Johnson said with a chuckle.<\/p>\n \u201cYes. So far. We hope to have more of those moments,\u201d Calalang agreed, looking to the future.<\/p>\n Calalang and Johnson followed up their U.S. Nationals experience with another strong performance at the 2020 ISU Four Continents championships in February, where they placed third in the free skate and a solid fourth overall.<\/p>\n Then came news that Calalang and Johnson were not expecting. After Four Continents, the 2020 U.S. National pairs champions, Alexa Knierim and Chris Knierim<\/a>, announced that Chris was retiring from competition and that they would not compete at the World Championships. Calalang and Johnson were named to the World team in their stead.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a little bittersweet,\u201d Calalang said of the unforeseen turn of events. \u201cOf course, we wanted to go to Worlds and continue this dream season that we had in our second year. But Alexa and Chris were our training mates. And we saw them every day. So we didn\u2019t want them to withdraw, obviously.\u201d<\/p>\n “We wanted to cheer them on and root for them and wish them the best,\u201d Johnson agreed. \u201cIt was a little hard to see them retire before the last [event] of the season.\u201d<\/p>\n “It was a mix of emotions,\u201d Calalang added.<\/p>\n Despite training with the Knierims, Calalang and Johnson were surprised by their decision.<\/p>\n “None of us had any idea,\u201d Johnson said.<\/p>\n Calalang and Johnson busied themselves with preparations for Worlds. However, the spread of the coronavirus in North America soon began to overshadow plans for the upcoming competition. Like many who were intending to go to Worlds, Calalang and Johnson kept scanning Twitter for news about the event.<\/p>\n “We were like, \u2018Is it canceled? Is it canceled?\u2019\u201d Calalang recalled.<\/p>\n They were on a training break at their rink on Wednesday, March 11, when the Quebec government and health ministry officially announced the cancellation of Worlds.<\/p>\n “Everyone was shocked,\u201d Calalang said of the reaction at their rink. \u201cBut understanding that it was for the best, due to the circumstances that were going on in the world, and are still going on.\u201d<\/p>\n Johnson said the cancellation of Worlds was the low point of their season. \u201cIt was like: \u2018This really sucks, but there\u2019s nothing we can do about it.\u2019 It had to be done,\u201d Johnson said regretfully.<\/p>\n “There was a small silver lining. \u201cAs soon as they announced that they were not going to have the event, Brian and I looked at each other. And we were like, \u2018All right, can we go get pizza now?\u2019\u201d Calalang laughed.<\/p>\n Since then, it\u2019s been an unusual off-season for Calalang and Johnson. Their training facility–Great Park Ice in Irvine, CA–closed in mid-March, a few days after the Worlds announcement. Most other local rinks closed as well, leaving the skaters with no ice on which to practice.<\/p>\n Calalang and Johnson were off the ice for about three months total.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t think I\u2019d had this long of a break in 10 years,\u201d Johnson commented.<\/p>\n “The break did come at a good time for us,\u201d Calalang said. \u201cBecause we had been going, going, going for so long. Competition after competition, and then we had [training] for Worlds. We were a little tired, leading up to Worlds.\u201d<\/p>\n “It was nice to let your body recover,\u201d Johnson agreed.<\/p>\n The team took a few weeks off entirely from training, keeping in touch as needed. \u201cBrian and I are very professional,\u201d Calalang said of their relationship. \u201cWe do what we need to do at the rink and at our workouts. And then we go on with our lives. And when we come back together, we have that common goal. That\u2019s what makes our partnership work.\u201d<\/p>\n Johnson agreed. \u201cWhen we have stuff to talk about, we talk about it. But otherwise, we\u2019re doing our own thing, off ice.\u201d<\/p>\n “It\u2019s similar to figure skating, but different,\u201d Calalang said. Although nervous to try it at first, she found that she enjoyed rollerblading. \u201cI really just push on one foot and glide on two feet until I\u2019m ready to push again. Nothing fancy over here.\u201d<\/p>\n Along with a friend who also coaches at their rink, Calalang explored different rollerblading venues around southern California.<\/p>\n “We would try different boardwalks, in different cities,\u201d Calalang said. \u201cWe\u2019d go eight or ten miles in one round. It kept me busy. It kept me tan,\u201d she said, with a laugh.<\/p>\n After a few weeks, Calalang and Johnson resumed off-ice workouts, both together and individually. It was not until mid-May that their training group finally returned to the ice at a small rink in the L.A. area. Then, in late June, Great Park Ice reopened.<\/p>\n “It was like I went back to Basic Skills,\u201d Johnson said of returning to the ice after a three-month break. \u201cIt was a little rough.\u201d<\/p>\n “Yes. As soon as I stepped on, I felt like my blades were mounted wrong, like my boot was the wrong size. Everything felt off,\u201d Calalang agreed. \u201cYou just had to get used to it again.\u201d<\/p>\n Their training group saw some changes during the off-season, with 2017 U.S. pairs champion Brandon Frazier joining the group as Alexa Knierim\u2019s new partner. New senior pairs team Katie MacBeath and Nate Bartholomay joined as well.<\/p>\n “It\u2019s wonderful,\u201d Calalang said of the new additions.<\/p>\n “We\u2019ve known them all for a really long time,\u201d Johnson noted. \u201cWe always enjoyed being at competitions with them and hanging out. So it feels like they just fit right in.\u201d<\/p>\n Chris Knierim, Alexa\u2019s husband, also continues to work with the group. \u201cHe coaches a lot of the younger teams, and also skates with some girls who are looking for partners,\u201d Calalang said. \u201cHe\u2019s very happy now.\u201d<\/p>\n “Yeah, he\u2019s living the high life,\u201d Johnson joked.<\/p>\n Although their training group is back at Great Park Ice, conditions are rather different now than before the pandemic, with new rules and restrictions to help keep everyone at the facility safe.<\/p>\n “They\u2019re really strict with everything. You\u2019ve got to wear face masks all the time,\u201d Johnson said.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can only enter [the building] fifteen minutes before your session, and you have to leave right after,\u201d Calalang noted. \u201cThe rink is doing a very good job with monitoring everything.\u201d<\/p>\n With the restrictions in place, Calalang and Johnson are focusing mostly on their own skating right now, rather than coaching.<\/p>\n “We have no idea when group lessons are even going to start back up. And the hours are still limited, so we can\u2019t really private-coach and train,\u201d Johnson said.<\/p>\n “I\u2019m coaching a little bit, but I can only coach for one hour after our training day, because that\u2019s when the ice stops,\u201d Calalang added. \u201cWhich is fine. During the season, we were at the rink until 7:30 p.m.\u201d<\/p>\n “Our day is a lot shorter now,\u201d Johnson said.<\/p>\n Even with limited training hours, Calalang and Johnson are working hard to prepare for next season. The team recently collaborated with choreographer Cindy Stuart to create a new long program. They will skate to a cover of Queen\u2019s \u201cWho Wants to Live Forever,\u201d performed by The Tenors, featuring violinist Lindsey Stirling. “Our choreographer Cindy brought it to us at the beginning,\u201d Calalang said of the music. She and Johnson liked the piece, but weren\u2019t sure at first if they wanted to use it for their long program.<\/p>\n “However, they kept returning to it after what Johnson described as \u201cmany, many hours of listening to other things.\u201d Now, they can\u2019t wait to share the program with audiences.<\/p>\n “It\u2019s really great music,\u201d Calalang said. \u201cIt sounds awesome in our arena rink that we have here at Great Park.\u201d<\/p>\n This is the team\u2019s second collaboration with Cindy Stuart; she also created last year\u2019s long program to \u201cYou Are the Reason.\u201d Stuart is based in Los Angeles, so it was easy for Calalang and Johnson to work with her in person on the program.<\/p>\n “Cindy is able to challenge us more this year,\u201d Calalang said. \u201cThe choreography is definitely more intricate.\u201d<\/p>\n Calalang and Johnson are keeping last year\u2019s \u201cLight of the Seven\u201d short program, choreographed by Benoit Richaud.\u00a0 They will modify the program to include this season\u2019s required lift and death spiral.<\/p>\n The team may also keep their costumes from last year, as Calalang is fond of the dusky violet dress that designer Lisa McKinnon created for the program. \u201cI love the look of it on the ice,\u201d said Calalang.<\/p>\n Aside from their new long program, Calalang and Johnson have also been focusing this spring on their overall skating quality and on lifts.<\/p>\n \u201cNow that this is our third season together, we want to really nit-pick,\u201d said Calalang. \u201cWe\u2019re trying to work on skating closer together, with more intricate handholds.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/figureskatersonline.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/SSA0406-217x300.jpg\")
<\/a>For Jessica Calalang and Brian Johnson, last season came to an abrupt end with the cancellation of the 2020 ISU World Figure Skating Championships due to the coronavirus pandemic. Calalang and Johnson had been preparing to compete at their first World Championships. Yet, despite missing out on that opportunity, Calalang and Johnson still treasure fond memories of the 2019-20 season, which Calalang termed a \u201cdream season\u201d for them.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/figureskatersonline.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/SSA5042-300x213.jpg\")
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<\/a>During the break, Johnson kept busy pursuing his interest in working on cars. Calalang, meanwhile, tried a new hobby: Rollerblading.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/figureskatersonline.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/SSA4583-254x300.jpg\")
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