About Us

KIDS' QUESTIONS

March 2007

Kids' Questions with Kim Navarro and Brent Bommentre

Kim Navarro and Brent Bommentre are steadily making their way up the U.S. ice dancing ladder. They finished fourth at the 2007 State Farm U.S. Championships in Spokane, Wash., and made a strong showing at the Four Continents Championships in Colorado Springs, Colo.

When you first started ice dancing did you ever picture yourself so famous? Do you enjoy being in the public eye?
Francesca Tait, 14 Colorado Springs, Colo.

Kim: We don't consider ourselves famous, but I am flattered that you do. I will say it is pretty cool to be in the public eye. One thing that makes it really cool is the idea that we could be role models to younger skaters. I was so lucky to grow up with a ton of really great role models and I hope that Brent and I can take this opportunity to do the same for other skaters.
Brent: I don't think I ever pictured myself as being famous. When I was growing up I just focused on working hard. I'm honored that I have come to a point in my career where people can look up to me and see something they admire.

Kim Navarro and Brent Bommentre

What is it like to compete at the U.S. Championships?
Emily Stevenson, 11 Southborough

Kim: I think the U.S. Championships is one of the most exciting competitions of the season. All the skaters have worked so hard leading up to the moment and all the fans seem so eager to watch the skating. There is so much energy buzzing around all week. One of my favorite parts is the 20-minute warm-up the day of the free dance. A lot of fans come out and cheer on everyone. It is a great honor to be a part of it.
Brent: For those of you who have never experienced the U.S. Championships, even as fans, I recommend it highly. I think that at our championships the level of skating is higher than in any other country in the world. For Kim and I, it's the highlight event of our season. We try and give our best performances to our best fans.

You are a great dance team to watch because you skate with so much energy and style. How many hours per week do you spend on off-ice training to get your presentation to its highest level?
Georgina Oliveira, 14 Ludlow, Mass.

Kim: Most of our off-ice training focuses on strength and conditioning, though it would probably be helpful to find off-ice exercises to work on our presentation too (thanks for the good idea!) Right now, to improve our presentation, we like to set specific intentions with each program run-through we do. For instance, one day we may want to focus on the music, while another day we may work on our connection with each other.
Brent: This is a complicated question to answer. I think that we back our skating with great life experiences. We've had the opportunity to experience emotions outside of skating that allow us to convey real emotions on the ice. One of our focuses for this year is to include more depth in our presentation by challenging ourselves with new dance classes and styles.

What is your favorite program to compete: the compulsory dance, the original dance or the free dance?
Gabrielle Norton-Moore, 17 Pittsburgh, Pa.

Kim: At competition, I like to think that my absolute favorite program to perform is the one I am performing at that moment. There are as many challenging things as there are fun things about each event, but I like to just focus on the fun things when I am about to compete.
Brent: Free dance, hands down. I get more excited for each event and the free dance is the biggest out there. It has the most reward and the most risk; and I love the pressure that places on me to perform.

When you get on the ice to start your program what do you think before the music starts? Are you excited or nervous?
Taylor Galonski, 12 Columbus

Kim: I get both excited and nervous. Brent and I usually talk to each other right before we take our beginning place. We like to get connected and set a few goals together. I try to keep all these thoughts running as the music begins.
Brent: Excited. We train very hard, even when we are at competitions, so that we can trust ourselves when the time comes to compete. Right before the music starts I think about how fun the program is going to be.

What was it like for each of you the first time you skated with each other?
Kendall Maida, 18 Jacksonville

Kim: I thought it was pretty exciting. Before we got on the ice for the first time, we had already had several phone conversations. Our personalities and our ideas about skating already seemed to work well together. I had a really good feeling about it. If the skating didn't work together, I knew I was going to be disappointed, so I was a little anxious about this. But once we did get on the ice, it was very exciting. The skating felt good. I was so thrilled because the environment and the situation already felt so healthy and right.
Brent: I think we knew that we were the right partners for each other. Kim and I had competed against each other about six years ago, and since then I have been a fan of her skating. So, when the opportunity arose to tryout with her I was really excited. That first day on the ice I think that we both knew we had found something special.

What is your proudest accomplishment in figure skating?
Jana Raisner, 16 Philadelphia

Kim: I am most proud of my relationship with skating which has developed over the years. Outside of ice dance I have also competed in freestyle, pairs and synchro. I got my gold medal in freestyle and even competed in senior ladies at regionals. When I was younger I did a lot of showcase competitions and professional ice shows at Snoopy's Home Ice in my hometown. When I was older I did many artistic skating performances with the Ice Theatre of New York. I have gotten a taste of all different types of skating, both competitive and non-competitive, and throughout it all I learned to really appreciate skating and all its possibilities. It is a cool thing that we get to do. It can take a lot of different shapes and forms, and you can learn a lot about yourself through it. Sometimes it can be hard to remember this in the midst of everything, but I am proud that I try my best to keep this understanding of skating.
Brent: That I am still skating. If skating was poker, I've been dealt good hands and bad hands, but I've never left the table. There have been plenty of opportunities for me so say that I've had enough or that I should stop skating and go to school. So, I am most proud of my perseverance in the sport.

What do you think you need to work on to be a top contending team?
Heidi Kwak, 13 Northbrook, Ill.

Kim: Everything. There are a lot of small and specific things that we want to improve right now, but we also want to just keep improving our “bigger picture.” I think we just need to keep challenging ourselves and pushing ourselves. We know there will never be a day where we will say, “There, we did it. We are perfect.” We will always have something to strive for. I think if we keep in tune with new inspirations and constant commitment, never forgetting our love for what we do, we can keep reaching for that above and beyond place, and who knows…maybe we will get close.
Brent: Ice dancing is more like a marathon than a sprint. I think that Kim and I are on a great path and we will keep pushing ourselves. We have a lot of respect for the teams above and below us, but our focus will keep shifting back to ourselves. This year we are looking forward to developing our speed and line. As far as our expression, we are going to keep trying to convey to the audience that you are part of something special.

How much say do you have in your training regime? Does your coach plan everything out for you or do you come up with your own plan?
Tara Lippy, 16 Milwaukee

Kim: Our coaches definitely know how to best prepare us for all our different events throughout the season. They certainly oversee what our training regime consists of but I would say that overall everything is a big team effort between all of us. Brent and I have a say in everything that is personal to us, from the music and costumes to the vision we have of ourselves as a team. I really value this because I know there is nothing insincere about what we do as a together.
Brent: Kim and I have been competing in this sport for a long time. We have a pretty good idea of what works for us personally and as a team. Of course Robbie (Kaine), Cheryl (Demkowski Synder), and Natalia (Linichuk) are really important because they have a lot more experience than we do. So, I would have to say that it is a team effort; we all have a hand in how our training is directed.

What quality do you value the most in your partner?
Brittany Pence, 18 Middlesex, N.C.

Kim: Well, don't tell Brent, but I really feel lucky to have him as a partner. Of course he is a great skater, but what I value most is the thought he puts into our partnership. This means so much to me, especially during our performances. He always makes sure that we get connected and feel really good about ourselves. He creates some really special moments and makes me feel proud about the things we do.
Brent: Well, there are a lot, so I will give you two. Kim is really mature and that helps us get through the tough times of our training. Her life experiences and perspective help to keep things in focus when we are feeling nervous or pressured. Secondly, her sense of humor keeps things fun.

What was your favorite original dance rhythm?
Kaitlin Greer, 17 Corvallis, Ore.

Kim: I am a fan of the tango rhythm. I really enjoyed it this season and remember enjoying it a lot before. I like the different choices of interpretation, from a very authentic tango to a more playful tango. I also like that I can be a little more serious in a tango than I would normally be in other skating programs. It helps too that my favorite compulsory dance is the Tango Romantica.
Brent: I would have to say that the Latin rhythms are my favorite. There is a lot of diversity within that group and the music is a lot of fun to skate to.