Kelly Britten*
Nicknames: Kel, Capital K, Special K, kbritt, kelbrit, grandma
Hometown: Dundas, Ontario
Age: 25
Years Skating: 22
Years Skating Synchro: 13
Years on NEXXICE Senior: 6
Favourite Element: No Hold
Favourite ‘Anne’ Skill: Spiralling Edges
Favourite Competition: Nationals, Worlds
Favourite Skater: Kurt Browning
Ambitions: To always be involved in the sport
Favourite Program: Rhapsody in Blue (skated)
Favourite Quote: “When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it” — Henry Ford
Kiersten Tietz*
Nickname: Kier
Hometown: Erin, Ontario
Age: 21
Years Skating: 16
Years Skating Synchro: 8
Years on NEXXICE Senior: 6
Favourite ‘Anne’ Skill: Janet, Bongo, Body Leads
Favourite Competition: Canadians and Worlds
Favourite Skaters: Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir, Shae-Lynne Bourne
Ambitions: Finish my B.Sc. in Human Kinetics at Guelph University while continuing to skate and travel the world
Favourite Program: Micmacs, Tom Waits, Die Fledermaus & Rhapsody in Blue (skated)
Interesting Fact: I have my Grade 8 piano and Grade 2 Royal Conservatory music theory
Favourite Quote: “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen in eternal” ~ 2 Corinthians 4:18
Taylor Walker
Nickname: Tay
Hometown: Orange, California, USA
Age: 25
Years Skating: 20
Years Skating Synchro: 19
Years on NEXXICE Senior: 2
Favourite Element: Pivot Block
Favourite ‘Anne’ Skill: Mama’s Little Babies
Favourite Competition: Worlds
Favourite Skaters: Scott Hamilton
Ambitions: Participate in synchronized skating at the Olympics as either an athlete or a coach
Favourite Program: Tom Waits (watched), Miami Free Program 2012-13 (skated)
Favourite Quote: “It is in every one of us to be a catalyst in our own time”
Sarah Burns
Nickname: Burnsy
Hometown: London, Ontario
Age: 19
Years Skating: 16
Years Skating Synchro: 13
Years on NEXXICE Senior: 2
Favourite Element: Creative
Favourite ‘Anne’ Skill: Bunny Hops
Favourite Competition: Worlds
Favourite Skaters: Tess Virtue, Scott Moir & Gracie Gold
Ambitions: To continue to travel the world, win a world medal and graduate from university
Favourite Program: Bohemian Rhapsody (skated), Carmen (watched)
Interesting Fact: I also show quarter horses in my spare time!
Favourite Quote: “Every morning you have two choices; continue to sleep with your dreams, or wake up and chase them”
Courtney McNaughton
Nicknames: court, shorty
Hometown: Ilderton, Ontario
Age: 18
Years Skating: 15
Years Skating Synchro: 13
Years on NEXXICE Senior: 2
Favourite Element: Ho Hold, Creative
Favourite ‘Anne’ Skill: Speed Skater, Janet
Favourite Competition: Worlds
Favourite Skaters: Scott Moir, Tessa Virtue, Sheri Moir
Ambitions: Medal at worlds
Favourite Program: Bohemian Rhapsody, Mud
Interesting Fact: Studying at Brock University
Favourite Quote: “Sometimes life is about risking everything for a dream no one can see but you”
Jamie Kosonic
Nicknames: Jam, J
Hometown: Waterdown, Ontario
Age: 23
Years Skating: 20
Years Skating Synchro: 12
Years on NEXXICE Senior: 2
Favourite Element: No Hold Block
Favourite ‘Anne’ Skill: Janet
Favourite Competition: Winterfest
Ambitions: Be on a panel for an ISU event
Favourite Program: Edward Scissor Hands (watched)
Interesting Fact: I was on the 2010 team and have been a technical specialist during my break.
Favourite Quote: “Do it with passion or not at all”
Cassandra Ablack
Nicknames: Cass, Cassie
Hometown: North York, Toronto, Ontario
Age: 18
Years Skating: 8
Years Skating Synchro: 4
Years on NEXXICE Senior: 2
Favourite Element: Whip Intersection
Favourite ‘Anne’ Skill: Speed Skater
Favourite Skater(s): Javier Fernandez
Ambitions: Travel the world, be in Disney on Ice
Favourite Synchro Program: African Heartbeat
Favourite Quote: “You get back what you put in”
Celina Hevesi
Nicknames: Bean, Cee
Hometown: Scotland, Ontario
Age: 19
Years Skating: 16
Years Skating Synchro: 3
Years on NEXXICE Senior: 2
Favourite Element: Spirals
Favourite ‘Anne’ Skill: Spiralling Edges
Favourite Competition: Senior Worlds
Favourite Skaters: Gracie Gold, Joannie Rochette, Carolina Kostner
Ambitions: Win a medal at worlds, perform on a cruise ship and graduate with a double degree in biology and environmental studies.
Favourite Program: Bohemian Rhapsody (skated), Mud (watched)
Interesting Fact: I can drive a tractor
Favourite Quote: “All your dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” ~ Walt Disney
Jenna MacKenzie
Nicknames: Jen, Jenga
Hometown: Edmonton, Alberta
Age: 23
Years Skating: 16
Years Skating Synchro: 15
Years on NEXXICE Senior: 1
Favourite Element: Move Element
Favourite ‘Anne’ Skill: Spiralling Edges
Favourite Competition: Nationals
Favourite Skaters: Patrick Chan, Tessa & Scott
Ambitions: Medal at worlds and travel the world.
Favourite Program: Carmen (watched), Mud (watched)
Interesting Fact: I am a pediatric nurse
Favourite Quote: “No matter how scary the road ahead may seem, never be afraid to chase your dreams.” ~ Melaina Rayne
Nadine Banholzer
Hometown: Bern, Switzerland
Age: 21
Years Skating: 17
Years Skating Synchro: 13
Years on NEXXICE Senior: 1
Favourite Element: Field Moves
Favourite ‘Anne’ Skill: Samba
Favourite Competition: Worlds
Ambitions: To become the best skater I can be / Medal at Worlds
Favourite Quote: “If you can stop thinking about it, it’s probably worth going after. In the end, we only regret the chances we didn’t take”
Aurora Ylppö
Nickname: Roro
Hometown: Helsinki, Finland
Age: 19
Years Skating: 15
Years Skating Synchro: 12
Years on NEXXICE Senior: 1st year
Favourite Element: No Hold Block
Favourite ‘Anne’ Skill: Janet
Favourite Competition: French Cup, Worlds
Favourite Skaters: TKiira Korpi, Javier Fernandez
Ambitions: Earn a medal in senior worlds and to become a doctor
Favourite Program: 13/14 Team Fintastic Ghost Town (skated)
Interesting Fact: I’ve been sailing every summer since I was a few months old
Favourite Quote: “Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations”
Ariana Gould-Tasoojy
Nickname: Ari
Hometown: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
Age: 17
Years Skating: 14
Years Skating Synchro: 11
Years on NEXXICE Senior: 1
Favourite Element: Field Moves, Pairs
Favourite ‘Anne’ Skill: Theatre
Favourite Competition: Winterfest
Favourite Skaters: Carla Coveart, Samantha Defino, Kristen Loritz
Ambitions: Contribute to the growth and development of synchronized skating, complete my university degree, and pursue a career that I am passionate about.
Favourite Program: Fix You & Mud (watched), Sleeping Beauty (skated)
Favourite Quote: “You have to trust in something… Your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. Because believing that the dots will connect down the road, will give you the confidence to follow your heart. Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.”
Megan MacLellan
Nicknames: Megs, sneakz
Hometown: Riverview, New Brunswick
Age: 21
Years Skating: 18
Years Skating Synchro: 10
Years on NEXXICE Senior: 1
Favourite Element: Field moves, traveling circle
Favourite ‘Anne’ Skill: Samba, Circle cycle
Favourite Competition: Winterfest
Favourite Skaters: Julia Mills, Steph Rasanen, Elizabeth Landers
Ambitions: Go to grad school for social work, skate at worlds
Favourite Program: Mud (watched), Once (skated), Miss Saigon (skated)
Interesting Fact: My first year competing in synchro, we were a little team of 12 (the only one in the region), and we skated to High School Musical 2
Favourite Quote: “The secret of change is to focus your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” ~ Dan Millman
Laura Emery
Nickname: Lawra
Hometown: London, Ontario
Age: 18
Years Skating: 15
Years Skating Synchro: 10
Years on NEXXICE Senior: 1
Favourite Element: Creative
Favourite ‘Anne’ Skill: Spiralling Edges
Favourite Competition: Nationals
Favourite Skaters: Tess & Scott
Ambitions: Graduate from university with a career I’m excited about; travel as much as I can
Favourite Program: Mud (watched), Carmen (watched)
Favourite Quote: “Before Alice got to Wonderland, she had to fall”
Caroline Marr
Nicknames: Marr, Lil Marr
Hometown: Burlington, Ontario
Age: 19
Years Skating: 14
Years Skating Synchro: 10
Years on NEXXICE Senior: 1
Favourite ‘Anne’ Skill: Circle Cycle
Favourite Competition: Bill Philips
Favourite Skaters: Javier Fernández, Jeffrey Buttle, Jenn Beauchamp
Ambitions: To travel, be happy and have as many dogs as possible.
Favourite Program: Wicked, Be the Change, African Heart
Interesting Fact: I adopted one of my dogs after she followed me home from school
Favourite Quote: “MDHM” ~ Marcus Strohman
Alessandra Toso
Nicknames: Alé, Ally
Hometown: Markham, Ontario
Age: 19
Years Skating: 15
Years Skating Synchro: 11
Years on NEXXICE Senior: 1
Favourite Element: Field Moves
Favourite ‘Anne’ Skill: Janet
Favourite Competition: Worlds
Favourite Skaters: Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir
Ambitions: Win worlds, go to the Olympics, graduate from university
Favourite Program: Be the change
Interesting Fact: Used to do gymnastics
Favourite Quote: “Your dreams don’t work unless you do”
Brooklyn Williamson
Nicknames: Brooke, B-willy, B
Hometown: Oakville, Ontario
Age: 18
Years Skating: 12
Years Skating Synchro: 9
Years on NEXXICE Senior: This is my first!
Favourite Element: Around the world spirals
Favourite ‘Anne’ Skill: Samba
Favourite Competition: Worlds
Favourite Skater: Caroline Marr
Ambitions: Graduate with my B.Sc.N in less than five years
Favourite Program: Candyman – NEXXICE Junior
Interesting Fact: This is my fifth year competing internationally
Favourite Quote: “I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying” ~ Michael Jordan
Madina Asrorova
Nickname: Matilda
Hometown: Kazan, Russia
Age: 19
Years Skating: 13
Years Skating Synchro: 8
Years on NEXXICE Senior: 1
Favourite Element: Field Moves
Favourite ‘Anne’ Skill: Samba
Favourite Competition: Worlds
Favourite Skater(s): Tatiana & Maxim Trankovy, Tess Virtue & Scott Moir
Ambitions: Medal at Worlds 2017
Favourite Synchro Program: Sherlock Holmes (free program), IDEL 2014-2015
Interesting Fact: can do splits anywhere
Favourite Quote: “There are no ups without downs”
Emma Kim
Nicknames: EmmaKim, Speedy
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario
Age: 17
Years Skating: 7
Years Skating Synchro: 6
Years on NEXXICE Senior: 1
Favourite Element: Creative, Field Moves, Whip Intersection
Favourite ‘Anne’ Skill: Speed Skater, Bongo
Favourite Competition: Canadians, Internationals
Favourite Skaters: Joannie Rochette, Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir
Ambitions: To continue to grow and develop as a skater, and become a world medalist.
Favourite Program: Mud, West Side Story
Favourite Quote: “The greatest glory in living lies not in never failing, but in rising every time we fall” ~ Nelson Mandela
Morgan Stang
Nicknames: Morgs, Mustang
Hometown: Edmonton, Alberta
Age: 17
Years Skating: 14
Years Skating Synchro: 3
Years on NEXXICE Senior: 1
Favourite Element: Field Moves
Favourite ‘Anne’ Skill: Ally’s, Spiralling Edges
Favourite Competition: Nationals
Favourite Skaters: Patrick Chan, Joannie Rochette
Ambitions: Win a medal at worlds, travel to every continent
Favourite Program: Mud and West Side Story (watched)
Interesting Fact: Worked as a Page at the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
Favourite Quote: “Good things come to those who work hard and never give up.”