Every coach needs a barrage of support to reach their intended goals for every one of their skaters to insure growth and success. To name a few, these include stroking coaches, spin coaches, costume designers, off-ice trainers, choreographers, and music editing professionals.
As a choreographer, I depend on great music edited to perfection to inspire my creative juices. This allows a cohesive and interesting program to emerge. For over ten years I have had the distinct pleasure of working with Hugo of www.Sk8Mix.pro, also known as www.StudioUnisons.com.
Behind the work of any successful organization is a VIP like Karl Hugo (the bottom photo) with his incredible musical talent. He is a rock star who can take any musical segue and expertly edit it so that you, the listener, cannot even tell it was not originally composed as such. The top photo is of Hugo Chouinard, the Designer of the company.
With a smile on my face, I remember the first time I asked Hugo if he could edit a particular piece from 2:37 to 2:41 in a different way. He responded in the kindest tone, “You realize you are asking me to change four seconds of this composition, right?”
I responded affirmatively. Nothing further was said but within a few hours, I had the newly edited long program with a completely different four seconds that was simply off the charts. The music was so inspiring and the new section was perfect, thanks to Hugo. It impresses me beyond belief how much he cares about the skater and the choreographer to take the time to make such requests come to life.
It is with great pleasure that I reveal the working mechanism of Sk8Mix to all of you. Paulette and Judith in the office are efficient, organized, and patient with a choreographer like me who many times is about to get on a plane within a week and needs a program cut and delivered very quickly. They get back to me to put my mind at ease and always address my questions. Both of these incredible ladies are a necessary cog in the wheel of the success of Sk8Mix.
I considered writing about some of the amazing programs Hugo has crafted for me over the years but the list of great programs is too vast and I was unable to pick out two or three. Hugo has had more programs at numerous World and Olympics and has beautifully edited music for the most renowned skaters for decades.
The session is over and the Zamboni is coming out.
Auf Wiedersehen