Durham Synchro Club Water Show 2010 a Hit!
First Show
From energetic classical rifts to the deep boom of dance music the 2010 Durham Synchro Club Water Show was an exciting blend of talent, visuals and tempos. Colourful costumes and elaborate choreography revealed a lyrical display of athletic performances. The bleachers at the Oshawa Civic Auditorium’s Centennial Pool were filled with the friends, family members and supporters of swimmers from the Recreational and Competitive programs. Two memorable shows were held on Mother’s Day, May 9, 2010 at 1:30PM and 3:00PM. Performances ranged from a solo by the club’s youngest competitive swimmer, Alicia Lopers, to a Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” tribute by the Tier 7 competitive team. Both shows received an official start from Durham Synchro parent and Oshawa City Councillor, John Henry. Club President, Denise Nickerson, presided over both shows while Coach Jenilee Keslering demonstrated her musical versatility as DJ shuffling CDs and MP3s for the various routines throughout each show. The Water Show committee and volunteers lead by Sara Koke, Fundraising Coordinator, delivered a unique, well organized production that flowed as smoothly as the water in the aquatic centre.
The first show was headlined by a big band tribute from the Tier 6 duet team of Rachel Nickerson and Alycia Halyk. Dressed in glamorous purple and black suits, this duet displayed sharp precision with each carefully choreographed move. Matching every fast beat, this team effortlessly drew on years of experience to deliver a dramatic performance. This duo evoked memories of a by gone era through a theatrical pattern of synchro sequences and powerful figures. Competing for a spot on the Canadian National team, there was no doubt that these young athletes would be Canada’s future Olympic hopefuls.
Following this duet was the Tweens and Teens Recreational program team coached by Alex Odypo. As a funky pop/rock song pumped through the speakers, this team brought to light that they were capable of keeping up with their competitive counterparts. By incorporating a complicated lift into their routine they showed a good sense of synchronicity and spatial awareness. DSC looks forward to seeing these athletes on the competitive side of the club next season.
A mesmerizing and uniquely sensitive musical interpretation described the routine of Tier 7 soloist Carrie Mouck. In shimmering, ethereal turquoise, Carrie flawlessly graced the pool as the audience silently held its collective breath. A simple dragonfly adorned the back of her suit and appeared to dance as the light glinted off the fabric as she held her torso above water. Sadly, this will be Carrie’s last season with the club as she will be pursuing post secondary challenges in the fall. She will be missed but her influence will be felt within the next generation of synchronized swimmers who witnessed her spell binding performance. Best wishes Carrie!
African drum beats replaced new age nuances as the 13-15 Year Old provincial team, coached by newlywed Sarah Rowe, hit the water. Attired in gold with a leopard print sash and African inspired decals around the neckline, this team energetically commanded the pool. In a dramatic exhibition of fierce determination, Caitlin Schropp wouldn’t allow a simple broken arm to discourage her participation. Wrapped in a garbage bag, she carefully bound the cast with club colour matching pink duct tape. Carried stunned the crowd with her perseverance. Spectators clapped along with the powerful beats as this team sliced through choreography reminiscent of African tribal dances.
Coach Jenilee Keslering beamed from the sidelines as her protégés, Tier 6 swimmers Julie Erht and Ellen Hamilton, performed a lively duet to Caribbean style rhythms. Wearing gleaming green suits with red accents this medal winning duet dazzled the audience with award winning smiles, sharply pointed toes and beautiful leg extensions. Noted for their strong performances in individual figure meets, these two young athletes performed together in a demonstration of endearing elegance, precision and skill. Swimmers new to synchronized swimming will learn much from the experiences of these athletes.
Following the Erht/Hamilton duet, another duo from the Advanced Recreational program coached by Cathy Veldoen-Smith sizzled with a Spanish inspired bolero routine. Dressed in red, black and white routine suits, these swimmers presented strong egg beaters, talent and a flare for entertainment. They successfully achieved a look of ease throughout the many dramatically choreographed moments of their short routine.
Little ones are always a crowd pleaser and the 10 & Under Year Old provincial team, coached by Michele Lopers was no exception. Performing beyond their years, this team comprised of girls ranging from seven to ten years, illustrated sweetness and synchronicity. Lady bugs decorated costumes of glimmering greens and golds. “Small and mighty’ was an accurate description of the power and technique behind these young swimmers. These girls adapted to choreography that included at least three tempo changes (folk, waltz and country violin) without any sign of fatigue or weariness. They ended their routine with Alicia Lopers blowing a kiss to the audience who would have welcomed the opportunity to see more from these top medal winning swimmers.
“Drama queens” would be a compliment to the Tier 7 duet of Jessica Henry and Stephanie Geller as they took to the pool in a theatrical and infectious routine. Coached by Holley Lundmark, this duo performed a fantastic visual display evoking images of a violin concerto of the human form. Their brilliant purple and metallic swirl suits emphasized the beautiful structures figures choreographed down to the second of their chosen music. The delighted audience witnessed a visual orchestration of figure sequences further highlighting the calibre of talented athletes comprising Durham Synchro.
Despite the absence of Head Coach Holley Lundmark, her teams performed as if they were in the greatest competition of all time. The Tier 6 duet team of Kionna Whyte and Sarah Masters proudly flaunted their achievements under Coach Lundmark’s influence. As music from the Gypsy Kings invigorated the crowd, the Whyte/Masters duet performed an eclectic array of fast paced sequences. In pink suits with black, gold and silver accents these athletes charged from pool end to end with confident smiles. Every move captivated the spectators and reinforced a successful match of powerful athletes that created an even stronger team of competitors.
“I wanna fight your brother!” – A simple, yet dramatic line from the musical anthology of the 11-12 Year Old provincial team, coached by Kirsten Femson. As Coach Femson encouraged her team from the deck, her team performed a watery “kata” of martial arts influenced moves. Dressed in black “gi” style routine suits, a glittering gold dragon accented with reds reflected the fierce determination and pride of these young swimmers. Crashing symbols and thunderous drumbeats resonated throughout the amphitheatre as this award winning team effortlessly hoisted team mate Andrea Beekman into the air to challenge the audience. With serious intentions, this group performed a distinctive routine with strong leg work above and below the water line. Once again the close bond between team mates was present even during a challenge of hand to hand combat!
Coach Katie Gagnon’s trio from the Recreational program Learn to Synchro exemplified how Durham Synchro encouraged sportsmanship and challenged its members in every program. The trio, who consisted of Victoria Gray, Amelia Massie and Bailey Ashton, performed to the music of a current R&B hit and displayed good sculling and chest height above water as well as great deck work. Despite this trio’s recent introduction to synchronized swimming, Coach Gagnon’s influence was evident as these girls displayed a positive understanding of the intricate balance between movements and musicality that underscored synchronized swimming.
The spirit of the fictional literary character, James Bond, was summoned during the routine by the Tier 6 Open team, coached by Taya Amundson. They staged a uniquely stylized “Dragnet” routine sequence of sharp, precise laser edged movements. Their dark blue geometric patterned routine suits with hints of gold blocks enhanced the intrigue as they camouflaged the swimmers beneath the water. Dramatic dual sequence flips captivated the audience and revealed a daring side to this group. These athletes were “bullet proof” in their application of technique. They ended the routine with a quirky personalized gesture unique to this team. The group gathered to humorously “crawl” out of the pool – an expression that communicated their ease with one another and their chosen sport.
After a suspenseful routine of intrigue, a lone swimmer, Alicia Lopers, from the 10 & under provincial team, prepared for her pool entrance. Coached by Carrie Mouck, Alicia performed to “ABC” – an early hit by Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5. Alicia enchanted the audience with her dazzling, innocent smile and astounded with her well developed technique. Dressed in an iridescent dark blue suit with golden designs, this seven year old medal winning swimmer’s skill resembled that of an athlete twice her age. Her charm and grace captivated the audience with every movement. Durham Synchro looks forward to seeing more from this young athlete.
Coach and Tier 7 Senior Technical soloist, Julia Maclean, has garnered the recognition and support amongst her peers within and outside of DSC. In a beautiful demonstration that suggested a sincere comprehension and confidence in her body’s responses to the watery environment surrounding her, Julia mesmerized the audience. Her suit of brightly coloured metallics enhanced her athletic prowess and she seemed to whisper whenever she re-emerged from below the water. Despite a rigorous schedule of university classes, coaching and training, this athlete represented the challenges many Canadian athletes face as they dedicate themselves to the sport they love. This swimmer has not only challenged those she has coached but also herself as clearly evident with every brilliant movement in her routine.
Cruella De Ville inspired the routine from the Swim Fun Recreational program’s team coached by Hannah Koke. In richly contrastingly coloured red, white and black stripe routine suits these didn’t resemble the garish character portrayed by their theme music. In a performance that was both entertaining and strong, this group of recreational swimmers displayed a quality skill set that reflected a great coaching regimen. More importantly this group looked like they were thoroughly having fun while working hard in the pool!
The audience was struck by a moment of national pride as the music for the Tier 6 team, coached by Jenilee Keslering, commenced. Gathered poolside in black routine suits adorned with glittering maple leaves in black, red and white the athletes appeared statuesque. In a superb orchestration of choreography to a variety of international music blends from Mediterranean to tribal mixes this team amazed. A tightly coordinated triple lift resulted in an eruption of applause from the audience. A robust skill set and strong work ethic amongst this team clearly symbolized the very standards of patriotism that Canadians hold near and dear to their hearts.
In keeping with the international flavour of the water show, the Tier 6 team, coached by Holley Lundmark and Julia Maclean, invited the audience to accompany them on an exotic journey of the sights and sounds of “Bollywood” style tempos. Outfitted in shimmering teal routine suits accented by magenta scroll work designs on the front this team performed an aquatic belly dance under a backdrop of luscious accordion melodies and spicy castanets. The sharpness of each figure was enhanced by their sensitivity to the choreography and musical undercurrents. Beginning with a dramatic lift and ending with a flash these OWG finalists truly understood how to hold the attention of an audience.
“No mere mortal can resist….the Thriller!” was the final line cackled by Vincent Price in Michael’s Jackson’s hit “Thriller”. This single quote summarized the electrifying symposium of visual displays staged by the Tier 7 national team, coached by Holley Lundmark. Stacked in a tangled heap of bodies poolside the team silently waited for their music to begin. Then, as the crowd waited in suspense, they untangled to reveal darkly painted zombie death masks that reinforced the theme of their routine. Death never looked so good as these richly adorned athletes sported shiny metallic routine suits with glittering, irregularly striped designs that featured an “eye” shape on the back. Snarling expressions, fast paced music changes and dramatic lifts illustrated their deep appreciation for musicality and the complexities of how their skills and personalities blend to create a high quality performance. Despite the sad undertone that this would to be the last year for this team to perform/compete together (due to the departure of several members to post secondary pursuits) the atmosphere amongst these young women was one of positive encouragement and support. The routine ended with a fantastic lift that launched one swimmer through the legs of another while hoisted on the shoulders of her team below the water. Unable to contain their excitement the audience roared with applause. They knew they had just witnessed champions in every sense of the word and a routine that would be permanently etched into the history of Durham Synchro!
Second Show
Encore! Encore! The second showing of the DSC’s annual water show continued like a well oiled machine despite the ongoing renovations happening at the Oshawa Civic Auditorium. Again, the auditorium was packed with the family members and supporters of the recreational and competitive athletes and coaches. While there were some differences in the programs, there were no disappointed expressions on the faces of the onlookers. The excitement continued to build throughout this show ending once again with the dramatic tribute routine by the Tier 7 competitive team.
First in the pool were the 13-15 Year Old Provincial Trials team. Going to Brantford to compete in the 2010 Provincial Trials, these swimmers performed a routine to a pulsing disco beat. The club’s signature pink caps and grey spacing suits differentiated this team from the rest and showed the audience the different types of suits synchro athletes were expected to wear for various competitions. The team moved with aerobic like precision. Each sequence of moves illustrated the long hours of training these athletes have committed to bring them to the level of excellence they have achieved. This was a fantastic addition to the schedule of events.
The Masters team, under the guidance of Head Coach Holley Lundmark, silently struck Vogue like poses as they waited poolside for the introductory notes of their music. Profoundly familiar to the rigors of performance and competition the team members held themselves with a tranquil grace. They appeared stunningly regal in their glimmering suits of black with red, gold and green linear designs that reflected the theme of their choreography. In a brilliant display of personality and team work the routine began as members hoisted one of their own above water to humorously “sprint” across the water’s surface. Mysterious heartbeats drummed through the speakers were drowned out by applause after a succession of synchronized team lifts displayed strength and dexterity. As this team prepares to venture to Sweden on July 28 to compete in the XIII FINA World Masters Championships the hearts and minds of the members of Durham Synchro Club will journey along with them supporting them all the way!
The Tier 6 Open Duet team coached by Taya Amudson performed to a hypnotic arrangement of Danny Elfman style music. Brooke Stevens and Venessa Trajanos demonstrated that they are the “arachnid’ queens of the pool in a dazzling web of splashes and choreography. A sparkling spider within its web embellished their sleek metallic coloured suits. They appeared to be mimicking the movements of a spider with their quick and calculated movements. Sharp leg work and a mastery over the changing musical beats characterized their routine.
Following the action packed routine performed by the 13-15 Year Old provincial team, the Tier 6 Duet team of Wenjing Deng and Emma Campbell strutted confidently onto the pool deck. Asian influenced music flowed throughout the auditorium as this duet illustrated great synchronicity and musicality in an elegant feat of choreography. As in the simplicity of their music, this duet wore simple black suits with bright pink sashes complimented by small, silver headpieces. Wenjing and Emma covered the pool in graceful harmony with serene expressions. This is one duet to watch in the future.
Following the Deng/Campbell Duet, a lovely trio from the Swim Fun Recreational program, coached by Hannah Koke anxiously dove into the pool on queue with the start of their music. These ladies were no divas as they created a watery interpreted of the lyrics to a current pop diva’s hit. They incorporated tightly knit formations into an energetic routine that was a real crowd pleaser. Dressed in bright, multi-coloured floral patterned suits with halter necklines, the trio of Lexie Brown, Erin Clark and Natalie Hewson showed impressive skills that were a credit to coach Koke’s instruction over the season.
The medal winning Tier 6 Duet team of Heather Clarke and Katherine Gagnon put on an insightful lyrical interpretation of orchestral manoeuvres within a watery setting. Coach Jenilee Keslering assisted in drawing out the essence of the music through the talents of these two athletes. Wearing one shoulder black routine suits ornamented with glittering multi-coloured swirl appliqués with small headpieces that complimented the ensemble, Heather and Katherine’s graceful legs resembled the delicate strokes on a violin while their sharp movements were reminiscent of a maestro directing an orchestra. With sincere expressions these swimmers demonstrated their affinity to the music and one another.
Repeating their charming performance during the second show, the 10 & Under Year Old provincial team handed over the spotlight to the Tier 7 Senior Free Duet team of Julia Maclean and Carrie Mouck. In eastern Asian flavoured routine suits of turquoise with glinting magenta and gold accents, this duo performed a routine to a spicy soundtrack. Mimicking the movements of belly dancers, they created a story with every hand, face, leg and body gesture during this routine. Their choreography included a jaw dropping flip that caused a collective gasp within the audience. Competing within a new category, these athletes swam as though they were a single unit. In a clear demonstration of this fact, this duo won gold and the title of National Duet Champions this season and are hopefuls for the Canadian Olympic team in the future.
Performing as a soloist during the second show, Jessica Henry, Tier 7 soloist coached by Leslie Wickens, expressed a personal and majestic synchro interpretation to a sometimes agonizing ballad of struggle and survival. The auditorium was still while Jessica silently moved throughout the pool, every lyric etched upon her face. This humanistic display of choreography went beyond figures and sequences but married emotion and musicality. Unfortunately, as Jessica leaves DSC to explore post secondary pursuits her presence will be sadly missed but as with other great performer athletes within the club, her influence will be felt through the younger generation of swimmers who were fortunate to be a spectator during her performances.
After a Jessica Henry’s profound tribute, the atmosphere within the auditorium changed gears as the Recreational program’s Learn to Synchro team, coached by Venessa Trajanos, fluttered to lively Caribbean beats. The excitement of their routine was reflected by their hypnotic pink floral routine suits with flattering halter necklines. Similar to other recreational program teams, the strength of team work and sportsmanship was clearly evident as well as the emergence of strong skill sets. This routine was both entertaining and charming. Perhaps more competitive endeavours are in the future for these swimmers?
In another repeat performance, the 11-12 Year Old provincial team wowed the audience with their unique martial arts style routine. Following this team was a trio (Bryar Hogg, Abby Howsberger and Victoria Komel) from the Swim Fun Recreational program coached by Katherine Gagnon. They chose an upbeat country/pop ballad as the theme for their routine which kept the routine light and charming. They demonstrated strong synchro fundamentals during this routine. Wearing black with red and white diagonal striped routine suits, these swimmers incorporated strong, stylized figures and solid team cooperation throughout their routine.
The Tier 6 Open team didn’t fail to impress again with their suspenseful spy drama in the watery depths. On the heels of this performance, a quartet from the Advanced Recreational program, coached by Michele Lopers and Assistant Coach Julia Thorton, performed an enthusiastic routine to a familiar retro favourite. Bedecked in neon green routine suits accented with sparkling magenta hearts, this quartet began with strong deck work and closed with a dramatic finish. With high aspirations it had become evident that these swimmers met the challenges of genuinely producing some seriously finessed moves.
Both Tier 6 teams amazed the audience with their powerful group routines. Younger swimmers were definitely inspired by watching their peers perform in such a relaxed environment. Finally, in a grand finale performance the Tier 7 national team reprised their zombie performance to a thunderous applause from the audience. This grand finale closed both programs and marked a marvellous send off to those athletes who will not be returning to the club in the fall for various reasons.
The 2009-2010 Water Show exemplified the sportsmanship within the Durham Synchro Club. The audience never became restless or listless during the two Water Shows. Enlivened by energetic music and excellently choreographed routines, it was apparent from the start of the Water Show that Durham Synchro has produced high calibre synchronized swimmers. The dedication of the athletes in both the Recreational and Competitive programs was evident in the quality of the performances especially when considered that many Rec. program swimmers had never tried synchronized swimming prior to joining DSC. Some members celebrated their first season of coaching. The commitment from the parents/guardians of the swimmers was equally important to recognize. The Water Show was also a representation of the positive influence synchronized swimming has on young girls and women. Not only are the physical benefits apparent but the social and emotional benefits as well. Equally, the bond between team mates and coaches was visible. As the coaches proudly watched their prodigies perform in the pool, Sara Koke, the Water Show Committee and volunteers were busy behind the scenes to ensure that the event proceeded without any glitches. In conclusion the organizers, the DSC executive members, coaches and athletes and families should be commended for their contributions in making this season’s Durham Synchro Water Show a tremendous success once again!
