PraiseFest allows skaters to introduce original routines, reflect on season

Saturday, April 20

Lynchburg, VA

7:00 PM

Liberty University Club Sports

Praisefest

Members of Liberty's synchronized skating team perform a routine during PraiseFest on Saturday night at the LaHaye Ice Center. (Photo by Aziz Ibrahim)

PraiseFest allows skaters to introduce original routines, reflect on season

4/23/2024 5:54:00 PM | Figure Skating, Synchronized Skating

The 14th annual event, held every spring semester in the LaHaye Ice Center, featured dozens of solo, duet, quartet, and ensemble routines and drew a crowd of more than 450, the most in five years.

Gallery: (4-23-2024) PraiseFest 2024

A crowd of more than 450 people — the largest turnout since 2019 — witnessed PraiseFest, a 14th annual collaboration between the Liberty University figure skating and synchronized skating teams Saturday night at the LaHaye Ice Center.

"It was amazing to have the community, friends, and family all there to support this event in record numbers," Lady Flames figure skating Head Coach Courtney Kirschke said, noting that the skaters mainly sought to please an audience of One. "The focus behind the event is to make it a night the skaters can showcase the talents and strengths the Lord has given them."

The theme of this year's event was "Award Show" and featured songs that have won awards or were from award-winning movies. Senior synchronized skater Jackie Hagar and Division III men's hockey player Jordan Chamberlain co-hosted the event in awards show style as emcees standing on a red carpet set up on the ice.

"We had a wide variety of music which represented our skaters unique skating style and personalities which contributed to a full show experience," Gram said. "Most of the programs skaters performed were brand new and were not their competition programs from the past season but were fun programs made specifically for the show."

"We wanted it to be high energy and upbeat," Kirschke added. "Whether they skate to worship music or another genre, it is a night of no pressure, fun, skating that we give up to the Lord. The no-pressure environment brings so much joy and camaraderie that you don't get in a competition environment. It really brings out everyone's joy for skating and we hope that the audience can really see that too."

Kirschke noted that the skaters typically arranged their own choreography, other than for the opening, closing, and all-senior performances that had plenty of coaches' input.

Senior Emma Rietveld, who competes on both the figure skating and synchronized skating teams, skated to Casting Crowns' "Praise You In The Storm." Junior Isabelle Thompson, who also skates on both teams, performed to "How Does A Moment Last Forever?"

Rachel Duncan skated to for King & Country's "God Only Knows" before fellow freshman figure skater Taylor Nordquist performed to ABBA's "Dancing Queen."
Emma Richards and fellow junior figure skater Rachel Berger teamed up to skate a routine to a "Barbie" medley.

Rebekah McBrayer and Kamden Carrera performed a duet to the song "Any Way You Want It" before fellow senior figure skater Kristine Neumeyer performed to Frank Sinatra's classic, "My Way."
Neumeyer, Richards, McBrayer, and Carrera performed a senior quartet routine to "Unwritten."

Kirschke credited Gram for the high-level quality of the overall production.

"She thinks of every little detail and does such a great job with taking an initial idea and creating an amazing show not only for the audience, but for all the skaters too," she said. "It was incredible to see her hard work run so smoothly and professionally on the night of the event."

It was Gram's third year directing the show, after previously organizing the 2019 event and again last season's show with synchronized skating Head Coach Hannah Pulley contributing greatly to its success.

Kirschke said the show presents the perfect opportunity for the skaters to reflect back on the season and see what the Lord has done with the team from tryouts back in September to their last performance of the season.

By Ted Allen/Staff Writer