About Us

KIDS' QUESTIONS

November 2009

I am a female ice dancer searching for a partner, and I was wondering what advice you have for single dancers, as male skaters are so hard to find?
Martine Madill, 15
Bellingham, Wash.

Madison: I have been fortunate to have my brother as a partner, and I only had to skate alone for a short period of time. When Keiffer was injured two years ago, I learned that keeping motivated while skating solo can be tough. Try to keep working on improving yourself because it will not only help you find a partner, but you will have better success once you do find your partner.
Keiffer: Keep working hard to try and set yourself apart. If it's what you want to do, then keep your head up and don't get discouraged.

How long do you guys practice each day?
Callie Newman, 10
Colorado Springs, Colo.

Madison: We practice about six hours a day, five days out of the week, and about five hours on Sundays.

Madison Hubbell and Keiffer Hubbell Photo by Tom Kimmel

What is it like being on the ice with your brother or sister?
Grace Knoop, 9
Cleveland, Ohio

Madison: Skating with my brother has been a great experience. We are supportive of each other, great friends, and no matter what happens we always know we are in it together.
Keiffer: I think our relationship is an asset for us because we are there to support one another every day. I really enjoy skating with Madison.

I just recently started ice dancing. My partner is 12 and I'm 15. I've passed the first three dances. I am hoping to maybe compete in two years. Any tips regarding competing and just ice dancing in general?
Laura Hyde, 15
Granada Hills, Calif.

Madison: For me, ice dancing is all about having fun. I think getting involved in music choices and costume choices is important. If you train well and enjoy yourself, then you won't have any regrets.
Keiffer: Appearing confident and polished is important, and the best way to achieve a good result is to practice like you compete every single day.

Which is your favorite ice dancing team? Also, what was your favorite free dance performed at the 2006 Olympics?
Kate Manzagol, 16
Clarkston, Mich.

Madison: My favorite ice dancing team is Isabelle Delobel and Olivier Schoenfelder. I love their stature, confidence and creativity. My favorite free dance from the 2006 Olympics was performed by Tatiana Navka and Roman Kostomarov.
Keiffer: My favorite ice dancers are Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir. They have impressive elements and a seamless quality to their skating. My favorite free dance from the 2006 Olympics was performed by Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto.

Are you guys close? Do you argue?
Cassandra Butler, 12
Chisholm, Minn.

Madison: Our whole family is close. My brothers are some of my best friends. That said, we are siblings and know exactly how to push each other's buttons if we want to. We wouldn't want to skate with anyone else, but after so much time together, buttons do get pushed.
Keiffer: Madison and I, like anybody working through stressful or challenging situations, disagree every once in a while. I don't think we truly argue very often, and we have always been able to maintain a productive relationship.

What is it like to skate under your coaches Yuri Chesnichenko and Yaroslava Nechaeva? What are they like?
Christine Patterson, 17
Albany, N.Y.

Madison: I have great respect for our coaches, and the training environment they have established for all of their dance teams. I really need someone to keep me on track, and Yaroslava and Yuri are able to do that.
Keiffer: Yaroslava and Yuri are extremely dedicated to their careers and driven to help their teams succeed in every way possible. The impact they have had on our life and our skating career is impossible to describe.

What do you see as your best asset as a team and the area that needs most improvement?
Cheryl Allbrandt, 16
San Francisco, Calif.

Madison: Our best asset as a team is our athleticism and the area that needs most improvement is finesse.
Keiffer: I think our best asset is our stature and strength, and we still need to work more on our theatrics.

What do you see yourself doing 10 years from now?
Betsy Johnson, 14
Casper, Wyo.

Madison: I see myself starting a career in either zoology or pathology. I love science and animals, and pathology has been an interest of mine for many years. I am not sure which career I will choose.
Keiffer: I see myself co-owning a MAC certified coral propagation facility with my brother. We spend most of our time working on this goal. Please check us out on the web, www.lucidcorals.com.

When you are not skating, what do you enjoy doing most?
Tiffany Chase, 17
Kansas City, Mo.

Madison: I love baking and often make treats for friends and family. I like experimenting with my own recipes. During the holidays, I am pretty busy making our family's traditional recipes like pecan pie.
Keiffer: I like admiring and working with my reef aquariums and experimenting with nature photography. Some of my weekends are spent at saltwater coral shows.