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Mel's Editorial#23: February 21, 2006Canadians: Finally Last night, an Olympic dream was realized. A couple of ice dancers performed a spellbinding tango on Olympic ice, the last of three solid programs from them during the Games. As they finished, a myriad of emotions flashed across their faces – joy, wonder, pride, satisfaction. Watching them brought me back to their performance a month ago, at the Canadian National Championships. It was the last day of Nationals and a flock of butterflies had settled in my stomach. My heart jumped a little higher with each free dance and by the time that the final flight was set to take the ice for their warmup, it had taken up residence in my throat. I couldn't speak, could hardly stop shaking long enough to take a few pictures, hoping that these moments would be a handful that I wanted to remember for a long time. So many wonderful performances had already taken place on the ice throughout the week and it had been a wonderful Nationals, but there was one thing left. More than anything that week, I wanted to see Megan Wing and Aaron Lowe make the Olympic team. I was really nervous. There was a serious battle for silver, and Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir had taken second place in the original dance. It wasn't that I thought Tessa & Scott didn't deserve it, or that I dislike them. On the contrary, I think they are already a fantastic team and they have so much more time to grow. If there had been another spot, I would have loved to see them go to the Olympics. However, there were only two spots, one with Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon's name already stamped on it, leaving just one opening. Tessa and Scott gave a commanding performance set to "Malagueña," skating without fault and earning their standing ovation. The skating fan inside of me reminded myself that the best dance should win, regardless of preference, but the Wing & Lowe fan inside of me was completely clenched. It was a new program. My friends and I had only heard that they'd created a new free dance, a tango, a couple of days before Nationals began in Ottawa. We'd seen it in practice, and while it made us really optimistic, ice is awfully slippery. We knew that anything could happen. I think that Megan and Aaron are at their best when the stakes are highest. Thinking back on their past performances, many of my favourites have come from situations where the pressure was cranked up a notch. But Ottawa was in a league of its own. It was, hands down, the best performance I'd ever seen from them. With passion as well as control, they executed their lifts, footwork, and twizzles with precision. The heightened emotions of the situation only intensified things and the mood they set in the arena was so palpable that I felt like I could reach out and touch it. Perhaps I was caught up in the moment, my heart with them and their dream, but their program moved me to leap to my feet at its conclusion, bringing me to tears. Though I waited anxiously for official confirmation, I knew deep inside, the moment that they struck their ending pose, that they had done it. It's hard to put my finger on what it is that has endeared me so much to them. Maybe that's because there isn't just one thing, or even a small handful of characteristics that jump out at me more than the others. It's everything about who they are that makes me admire them so much. I'm not sure I've ever met anyone that embodies more the traits that define them. I can't think of anyone else who is so hardworking and dedicated, who approaches what they do with more persistence, who has always kept an outlook of optimism, who more steadfastly believes in their dreams, and who has remained more genuine through so many years of ups and downs. They have juggled skating, university, and involvement within the sport with finesse and fluency, and they have done so wearing sincere smiles. In a sport with more than its fair share of divas and drama, Megan and Aaron are regarded as class acts, respected by their peers and competitors, and adored by fans around the world for their friendliness. Ten years ago, an ISU rule change reduced Canada's dance entries at the world championships from three to two, leaving Megan and Aaron to wait for Canada to qualify three entries under the new rules. Though habitual bronze medalists at Nationals, they always progressed, attacking each season with new goals, improved technique, and more complex programs. Six years ago, they leapt through the open door provided by an injury to Shae-Lynn Bourne and attended their first world championships. Three years ago, they finally were named outright to a World team, and were nearly forced out of the competition when Megan injured her knee before the free dance. With heroic courage and after twelve injections to numb the pain, they proved to the world that they belonged on that stage when they pulled off their best free dance of the season, despite the circumstances. With their sights set on 2006, they forged ahead, pushing themselves a little more each season, always making strides toward their dream of wearing the Olympic rings. For about a month, I held Megan and Aaron's free dance at Nationals as one of my favourite moments in skating. Seeing them skate three beautiful programs on Olympic ice eclipsed that easily and I just wish I could have been in the arena to experience it with them. I'm not the first to say this, and I won't be the last, because it is the absolute truth, but no one deserved this more than they did. For Megan and Aaron are not simply a beautiful team and wonderful people to me. In the past two and half years since our paths first crossed, they have taught me how to believe. Archives -- Contact -- Features -- Guestbook -- Links -- Webmistress (c)2004-7 Melanie L. Hoyt All rights reserved. |