(22 January 2015) The depth of U.S. ice dance talent was on display at the 2015 U.S. Figure Skating Championship today where Lorraine McNamara & Quinn Carpenter earned a solid lead over their long time rivals Rachel Parsons & Michael Parsons in the Junior Short Dance at the 2015 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Greensboro, NC. The fifteen and eighteen year old ice dancers achieved a personal best score of 64.16 for their spirited routine to "Heart of Africa" by Nature Lounge Club. The 2015 Eastern Sectional Champions have chosen to present an African themed samba rather than a more typical Brazilian/ballroom samba program, like those favored by most teams this season. For the first time, the Wheaton Ice Skating Academy students earned level 4 for both sequences of the Silver Samba. The teens, who are coached by Elena Novak, Alexei Kiliakov, and Dmitry Ilin, also received level 4 for their thrilling straight line lift during which McNamara is held upside down by Carpenter with one arm while he performs a cantilever spread eagle. Their weakest element was their twizzle sequence, which was awarded level 3.

McNamara & Carpenter had finished second to the Parsons siblings in the Short Dance at the 2015 Eastern Sectional Championships, and narrowly defeated their fellow Wheaton Academy students the at teams' most recent international competition, Mentor Nestle Nesquik Toruń Cup 2015. However, today, Parsons and Parsons trail their rinkmates by a full 3.55 points with a score of 60.61 for their powerfully skated routine to "Fruta Fresca (Club Mix)" by by Vives, choreographed by their coaches, E. Novak and A. Kiliakov. The main difference between the two couples at this event was that the Parsons missed the second key point in both of their Silver Samba sequences, and so only received level 3 for them. Even their level 4 twizzles and their speed and powerful, deep edges were unable to provide enough advantage for them to outscore McNamara & Carpenter. Unlike many sibling teams, the Parsons first started ice dancing with other partners, only teaming up in 2010.

Elliana Pogrebinsky, 16, & Alex Benoit, 19, are currently in third place with a score of 58.92 points. This brand new team has improved very quickly this season under the tutelage of their coaches Igor Shpilband, Greg Zuerlein, A. Lenda, and 2014 World bronze medalist, Fabian Bourzat . Pogrebinsky, a rhythmic gymnastics U.S. Pacific Region champion, & Benoit,a former hockey player, seem likely to have a fine future in ice dance. At their first event, the Junior Grand Prix of Croatia, the pair could only manage eighth place. In November 2014, the couple won the 2015 Midwestern Sectional Championship. Here, Pogrebinsky & Benoit achieved yet another personal best score dancing a more typical ballroom samba program, characterized by deep knee action, and strong edging. Dancing to "Straight to Memphis" by Club des Belugas; "Beijos" by DJ Vadim, "Banto" by Kaoma, the team checked off all three key points for a level 4 in the first Silver Samba sequence and performed really fine level 4 twizzles with good ice coverage and rotational speed. They also earned level 4 for their rotational lift, and level 3 for their midline step sequence.

Another new team, also coached by Shpilband, Zuerlein, Lenda, and Fabian Bourzat, lies in fourth place. Fourteen year old Christina Carreira & Anthony Ponomarenko, who just turned 14 this January,teamed up in April 2014. Carreira, a Canadian skater who studied under Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon in Quebec, and Ponomarenko, who was formerly coached by his mother, 1992 Olympic gold medalist, Marina Klimova, are both new to Junior level competition this season. Although the young couple does not yet display the power and speed of the top three teams, they were able to present a charming, meticulously crafted ballroom samba to "Chica Boom" and "Let's Get Loud," by Jennifer Lopez, choreographed by Igor Shpilband. The youngsters missed the third key point in first Silver Samba sequence, and also missed the first key point in the second Silver Samba sequence, earned level 3 for their midline step sequence, level 4 for their beautifully synchronized twizzles, and for their rotational lift.

Nineteen year old Holly Moore & Daniel Klaber, 20 are in fifth place with a score of 53.53. The 2014 U.S. Junior Ice Dance pewter medalists skated to a Shakira medley, including "Hips Don't Lie" and "Loca," and Batucada Brasileira by the Samba Brazilian Batucada Band; choreographed by their new coach, Igor Shpilband. Moore & Klaber are also coached by Greg Zuerlein, and Barbara Fusar-Poli. The bronze medalists at the 2014 Junior Grand Prix of Slovenia might have expected more of themselves, but even though they earned level 4 in the first Samba sequence, they missed all three key points in the second sequence. They earned level 4 for their twizzles and curved lift, but although their midline step sequence was done with great panache and samba expression, it only received a level 2. These errors did not detract from the audience appeal and samba character of their presentation.

Emily Day & Kevin Leahy, the silver medalists at the 2015 Pacific Sectional Championships, also danced to "Hips Don't Lie" by Shakira and "No Me Ames" by Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony. The couple skated first in the competition and had to restart because of a problem with their music, scoring 50.98 points, and earning sixth place. They had a significant problem with their twizzles, although they still received level 4 for them, earned level 4 for the second samba sequence, and straight line lift.

Gigi Becker & Luca Becker, the 2014 U.S. Novice Champions, and the youngest skaters in this event at twelve and fourteen years old, are currently in seventh place. The Wheaton Academy students danced to "Straight to Memphis" and "The Road is Lonesome" by Club des Belugas; choreographed by E. Novak, and A. Kiliakov. The pair earned level 4 for both samba sequences and their curved lift, level 3 for their step sequence, and twizzles

Chloe Rose Lewis & Logan Bye, the gold medalists at the 2015 Pacific Sectional Championships, skated to eighth place with a program to "Chiqui Chiqui Boom" by DJ El Gato, "Mambo Jambo," "Que Rico El Mambo," and "It's Mambo Time; " to choreography by Igor Shpilband with a score of 48.18. The team had problems with their second samba sequence, and only earned level 2 for their midline step sequence. Logan Bye fell during a transition between elements which caused a further one point deduction to be taken.

Karina Manta & Joseph Johnson are in ninth place scored 45.09 points for their short dance. The couple had a twizzle problem that resulted in -2 GOE and earned a level 3 and negative Grade of Execution on the second samba sequence.

The team in tenth place currently is Danielle Thomas & Alexander Martin, with a score of 44.77 points. The highlight of their routine was a good sequential twizzle sequence. However they only earned level 1 for their diagonal step sequence.

Julia Biechler & Damian Dodge, who scored 42.17 points, are in eleventh place. The bronze medalists at the 2015 Eastern Sectional Championships struggled today. They received only level 1 for their twizzles, level 2 for their lift, suffered a stumble in their second samba sequence, and level 1 for their circular step sequences.

Maeve Pascoe & Micah Jaffe, now in twelth place, scored 41.30 points, partially due to problems they had with both samba sequences.

The 2015 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Junior Ice Dance will conclude with the Free Dance competition, scheduled to begin Friday, January 23, 2015 at 12:35 pm EST