One might think that as Olympic champions it would be difficult for Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir to get training for the coming season. Tessa admits to feeling a little surprise at how easily they got back into training and how much they enjoy it.It’s a good thing too as their day at the rink can often go for 8 or 9 hours where they continue to train with Marina Zueva and Igor Shpillband. Tessa says:

“Scott and I talked about it and we want to be having fun training as well as competing.”

She goes on to say:

“Getting back to skating after a crazy season we know that the challenges will be to come up with innovation and stay within the rules.”

Tessa is the first to admit that with the introduction of the Short Dance, there are expectations of what that is supposed to be.For their short dance, Tessa and Scott have chosen to use tango rhythms on either side of the waltz music that they are using for the Golden Waltz portion of the program. Tessa says:

“The program has a kind of Great Gatsby era feel.”

In describing the Free Dance, she says that they are using Samba/Rhumba/Samba rhythms and the two have been having a lot of fun working with ballroom dancers to perfect the expression.Tessa explains:

“The music is pretty modern and not really old school. It’s very fast and starts off with a bang.”

Is there was a “goose” lift in this year’s program, Tessa said: “We are using all new lifts” she added with a laugh “we will have to wait and see what names come up.”
Their goal for the season is simple.Tessa says “I mean I don’t think it’s a secret. We want to win everything” and they are working towards that end. Will it be a walk in the park? Tessa is pragmatic in her thinking that each season brings with it new challenges and this season will be no different. They will start their season with Grand Prix events in Canada and in Paris and will go on from there. She says: “We can have fun and compete. So nothing has really changed.”
Have there been any special things that they have gotten to do since becoming Olympic champions? Tessa says candidly: “It is so cool for us because doing what we love to do and that is skate, has given us all kinds of interesting opportunities.” Take having dinner with HRH Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip recently in Toronto. Intrigued, I asked Tessa if she was nervous. She said that both she and Scott were really nervous. “We got invited along with (fellow Olympian) Jenn Heil and we wanted to make sure that we said and did the right thing. It was wild.” She said “they (the Royal Couple) were very nice and kind and made us feel very comfortable.” It was a lot to take in and she and Scott kept looking at each other in amazement. Tessa said they knew what to do and expect from an email that was sent to them outlining the protocol. She did have one moment of panic finding out last minute that she wouldn’t be able to wear the perfect knee length dress that she had selected. The hunt was on and she was able to find a lovely citrus green dress in the correct floor length.
For Tessa, her favourite moment from the Olympics was singing the National anthem on the podium. For me, my favourite moment of them as Olympians is finding out that, with help, they walked away from the Royal dinner with place cards whose names started with HRH.
Just part of the fun they agree has to be part of their skating and their lives.

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