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Vail Ice Spectacular features all of the 2024 national champions and more

Amber Glenn is the current American national champion and is the first U.S. woman to win the Grand Prix Final event in 14 years.
Courtesy photo

Vail Ice Spectacular is more than aptly named: Nowhere else can you witness all of this year’s national champions and a host of junior champions with every seat providing an up-close and personal experience. And director Shipstad Entertainment just keeps upping the ante.

Last year, quad-king Nathan Chen was one of the headliners. This year, “quad god” Ilia Malinin, a world champion who won his second consecutive national title scoring big points landing his quad axel (that’s four-and-a-half revolutions), stars with all of the other 2024 national champions: Amber Glenn, pair skaters Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea and ice dancers Madison Chock and Evan Bates. Additionally, former U.S. champion and Olympic team medalist Jason Brown returns to Vail.

As if that’s not enough, a host of other stellar skaters join the lineup, including two-time world team member Camden Pulikinen; World and National Junior Dance champions Leah Neset and Artem Markelov; Junior National Champion Clare Seo; National Junior Pair champions Olivia Flores and Luke Wang; World and National medalists Naomi Williams and Lachlan Lewer; National medalist Joseph Klein; and international medalist Sonja Hilmer.



Each star performs two solo programs, with the second half featuring soundtracks from hit movies. You’ll see the cast pull off some fancy footwork to “Footloose,” watch Hilmer, who was part of the stunt team for “Argylle” perform to that soundtrack, witness Brown interpret “Tarzan” and much, much more.

Glenn showcases her versatility when it comes to everything from fun and upbeat to emotional and contemporary in her two programs, one of which includes “What Was I Made For?”

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The international gold medalist and World Team member just won the Grand Prix Final, triumphing over the current three-time World champion, Kaori Sakamoto; Glenn is the first U.S. woman in 14 years to win the Grand Prix Final — the road to which included garnering gold at Grand Prix de France and Cup of China.

While her skill and artistry can’t be denied, she attributes a significant part of her current success to neurotherapy and meditation, which she said have helped her avoid the fight-or-flight state she previously experienced before taking the ice.

She has spent the past 2 ½ years at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs intending to defend her national title in 2025 and make the Olympic team.

Her skating career began as a bit of a fluke — or at least a way to escape Texas heat in the summertime. Around age 5, she started spending time at a mall rink with her sister and cousins.

“My parents never knew it was going to take off, but it did pretty quickly. People saw the natural pull I had. I loved flying around on the ice and doing the cool tricks I saw,” she said.

Within about three years, she made the Junior National Team, which is quite a feat in so little time.

“It got pretty intense pretty quick,” she said.

At the time, the gravity of her future as a skater — and the accomplishment of competing on the Junior National Team — didn’t quite hit her.

“I was homeschooled, and I figured it was just like preparing for a big talent show,” she said.

But as the stakes grew higher, the mental challenge grew, right along with the physical. She credits Neurotherapy of Colorado Springs, as well as coaches and support systems, with helping her build confidence, and now, on Instagram, she lists “mental health advocate” under Team USA and 2024 U.S. National Champion.

Through it all, she has maintained her passion for skating.

“I love the day-to-day training environment and the people and accomplishing new skills or improving skills,” she said. “Skating is so natural for me. It’s better than walking or running; it’s my preferred mode of transportation.”

While she has performed at the outdoor shows in Vail in previous years, this will be her first time taking advantage of quality indoor ice to fully demonstrate her talent.

She said audiences can expect “a lot of passionate skating with fun tricks I’ve acquired in my repertoire and dynamic performances from all of the national champions.”

If you go…

What: Vail Ice Spectacular

When: 6:30 p.m. Dec. 22-23

Where: Dobson Ice Arena

Tickets: $69.50-$99.50

More info: VailSkateFest.com

 


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