Innisfail Province
/ News / Local News /
Innisfail ice dancing couple qualifies for Canadian Figure Skating Championships
Monday, Oct 31, 2011 06:00 am | By Sylvia Cole
16-year old Tessie Winters and 17-year old Alec Solstice have qualified for the Canadian Figure Skating Championships to be held in Moncton, New Brunswick in January of 2012. Born and raised in Innisfail, the pair has been training together since 2002 under the guidance of Coach Julie Levent, world-renown skater and gold-medalist of the 1995 Ladies Canadian Figure Skating Championships.
“I’m so proud of them,” states Levent. “They’re brilliant skaters, and a wonderful team.”
Tessie Winters began skating when she was only 4 years old. “I knew the first time my skates touched the ice, that one day, I would be out there, performing as one of the best.”
“Tessie has always been very confident. It’s because she’s so optimistic, and knows that she’ll succeed,” says Olivia Winters, Tessie’s mother. “I remember seeing her at 5 years old, zooming around the rink at a break-neck pace, never worrying about tripping or getting hurt. She’s such a daredevil, my little Tessie.”
Alec Solstice started skating when he was 3, and met Tessie at the local ice skating rink when she was 7, and he was 8.
“As soon as I saw her [ice] dancing, I knew that was what I wanted to do,” he says with a smile. “Her huge grin made me believe that it was the most fun and carefree sport in the whole world, and to date, I must say that I haven’t changed my opinion.”
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Tessie Winters put down the newspaper article and sighed in contentment. At last, it was all coming together.
She stood up from the window seat where she’d been reading. It was a sunny October afternoon, one of the few warm days left before winter. Tessie knew that her other friends would be out enjoying the sunshine, but she couldn’t wait for winter to finally come. Being outside when it snowed reminded her of skating under the dappled spotlights that were reserved for showcase performances.
Her cell phone rang, wrenching her out of her reverie.
“Hello?”
“Tessie!” She immediately recognized Alec Solstice’s voice. “Where are you?”
“At home. Why?”
“It’s practice time! You promised you wouldn’t forget again!”
Tessie glanced at the wall clock. 4:00 p.m. Drat.
“I’m sorry! I’ll be right there!”
She hung up, then quickly threw on her coat and grabbed her skates, stepping haphazardly into her boots and running the ten minutes from her house to the rink. She arrived panting, her cheeks red with effort.
Alec was waiting with a cup of hot cocoa. He sighed, but said nothing.
“I’m so sorry,” Tessie apologized again. “I was just so engrossed with reading that article they published about us in the Innisfail Province. Isn’t it wonderful?”
Alec couldn’t help smiling at her enthusiasm. “Yeah,” he said. “But that’s all the more reason to train even harder.”
Tessie scoffed. “We’re already brilliant, and you know it. I bet we could waltz into the rink at Moncton right now and those judges would award us the Gold medal.”
Alec shook his head in amusement. “You amaze me with your certainty. Aren’t you even slightly nervous?”
“What for?” Tessie took a sip from her cup of cocoa. “We’ve already made it to Nationals. That makes us better than most skaters out there can ever hope to be. Shouldn’t I be happy?”
Their conversation was cut short by Coach Levent. “Tessie! Alec! You’ve got a routine to rehearse!”
Tessie rolled her eyes. “Besides, Coach is nervous enough for the both of us.”
She quickly laced up her skates while Alec tied her hair into a bun. They stretched, then stepped into the rink and circled around. Tessie smiled in anticipation. She loved the feeling of the cold breeze on her skin; the feeling of freedom, as if she were floating on the ice; the feeling that she could fly right off if she wanted to.
The pair got into position. Every muscle in Tessie’s body tensed. She loved that frozen moment right before the music came on, when the entire audience’s attention would be focused on her and on Alec. Closing her eyes, she could almost feel the bright lights shining on her.
The first notes of the Habanera from Bizet’s Carmen rang out in the empty rink. Tessie’s body came to life. She skated around Alec, taunting him much like the gypsy Carmen would have taunted the poor soldier Don José. Getting into her role, she winked at Alec. He blushed in his usual way – bright scarlet.
Tessie skated away, playing coy. Alec obediently trailed after her. As the chorus began, the two joined and glided across the smooth surface of the ice, the wind teasing the few strands of hair that had slipped free from Tessie’s bun into tickling her neck. As the pair got ready for a lift, Tessie’s breath caught. She loved that moment in the air – higher than all, with Alec’s strong arms supporting her from below.
As they continued dancing, a little bubble of joy that had begun to collect in Tessie’s chest grew until she felt like she would burst out laughing. At the end of the dance, as Carmen’s final glorious note ended accompanied by a triumphant chord from the orchestra, Tessie struck her final pose and did laugh. Alec grinned in return.
“That was an awesome spin you did at the end,” he said.
“I know,” replied Tessie with a smile. “Let’s take a break.”
Alec frowned slightly. “Already? But we’ve only gone through our routine once.”
Tessie shrugged. “So? We did it perfectly this time. We can do it again, guaranteed.” They had performed remarkably well, and Tessie was sure that they would do the same in three months’ time.
* * *
This was it.
Tessie had already changed into her beautiful red skating costume. Alec, in black, contrasted sharply with her. She knew they looked great, and that they would perform even better.
“Tessie…” Alec’s tentative voice broke into her thoughts.
“What?” she said, slightly irritated. She noticed that Alec was flushed his usual scarlet, which was making him look most unbecoming.
He seemed apologetic. “You should warm up properly. I know you stretched a bit, but…”
Tessie sighed in exasperation. “I’m ready. I’ve never been more ready. Really, Alec, don’t be such a nervous Nancy.”
Alec was about to protest, but at that moment, the announcer’s voice came on over the intercom.
“From Innisfail, Alberta… Tessie Winters and Alec Solstice!”
Amid loud cheers, the two stepped out onto the ice, circling the rink. Tessie waved at the crowd, enjoying her moment in the spotlight. As she and Alec drew into the center of the rink, she settled and took a deep breath.
As soon as the music started, Tessie knew something was wrong. Her body wasn’t behaving the way it usually did. Gone was the easy grace with which she twirled, spun and glided. Instead, her body felt stiff, robot-like in its movements. Tessie frowned. Was this because she hadn’t warmed up properly at the beginning? Throwing her doubts aside, Tessie tried to relax.
This is my moment. I’ve been waiting for this for so long now. Growing frustrated, she demanded her muscles to obey.
Unfortunately, they just wouldn’t listen. Right as she was executing her final double axel jump, her right calf muscle tightened and she fell on her landing.
She lay there, stunned. Alec, realizing that she wasn’t getting up without help, quickly skated over and managed to maneuver her into an acceptable finishing position just as the music ended.
Tentative applause greeted them. Alec bowed politely, but Tessie was still too shocked to do anything.
She had fallen. Fallen. She had never fallen in a competition before. And even during her training, it hadn’t ever been this bad – or hurt this much.
As Alec supported Tessie over to the sidelines, Coach Levent rushed forward. “Are you okay?” she asked, her face full of concern.
Tessie burst into tears. “No!” she shouted. “I am not okay!” She saw cameramen rushing in to film her breakdown, but she didn’t care. “It’s all over!”
Alec rubbed her shoulder. “It’s okay, Tessie. There’ll be other chances. Don’t cry.” He eyes were worried, yet his voice was as soothing as it always was when she was upset.
But Tessie would have none of his consolation. She rounded on Alec, her eyes blazing. “It’s all your fault! It’s your fault for not having help me set up my jump correctly!”
Alec stared at her. He looked confused. Then, his expression changed. His face turned that same shade of bright scarlet as it did when he blushed – except this time, it was in anger.
“I told you to warm up!” he stormed. Tessie had never seen him this mad before, but she was not backing down.
“I did! I stretched!”
Alec shook his head in disgust. “You were too busy admiring yourself in that stupid costume of yours to even think about warming up correctly.”
Tessie turned red as well. “That’s it! I’m never working with you ever again!”
Ignoring Alec’s stunned look, she turned her back on him and limped away.
* * *
Everything changed that day. Tessie couldn’t stop blaming Alec for their failure. Deep within her soul, however, she knew it wasn’t Alec’s fault, but rather her own hubris that had led to their… No, her disastrous performance. Nevertheless, any such qualms were squashed by the more dominant part of herself, the part that had never failed at anything before, the part that knew she was the best. She and Alec hadn’t won the ice dancing competition because it simply wasn’t meant to be.
And so, Tessie gave up ice dancing. She now hated the rink with as much passion as she had loved it before. That hate poisoned the rest of her as well, and she chose to drop out of school the following year.
She never spoke to Alec again.
* * *
Innisfail Province
/ News / Local News /
Innisfail’s own Alec Solstice, with Montréal’s Monique Lefroid, win Gold at the World Figure Skating Championships
Monday, March 31, 2014 06:00 am | By Simon Calder
20-year old Alec Solstice and 18-year old Monique Lefroid won Gold yesterday in the Ice Dancing competition at the World Figure Skating Championships.
Alec, originally from Innisfail, now resides in Toronto, Ontario, where he and his partner Monique have trained under world-renown Coach Jason Lee since 2011.
“This is the most wonderful moment of my life,” commented Alec after receiving his medal. “These past few years have been rough, but they clearly paid off.”
Since splitting up with his previous partner, Tessie Winters, in January 2011, Alec has continued to train and compete at various events around the world, including, in 2012, the Canadian Figure Skating Championships, where he won Gold with his partner Monique.
“I am so glad to have had the chance to work with someone as patient, caring and talented as Alec,” says Monique. “Without him, I would never have realized how wonderful of a sport ice dancing is.”
Monique, a native of Montréal, Québec, was originally a figure skater competing in the Ladies’ Singles event, but was introduced to ice dancing by Alec. The two will be performing in Calgary, Alberta on April 19th at the Olympic Oval.
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