Victor Kraatz

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Victor Kraatz
Victor Kraatz with Shae-Lynn Bourne.
Born (1971-04-07) April 7, 1971 (age 53)
West Berlin, West Germany
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Figure skating career
CountryCanada
Retired2003
Medal record
Figure skating: Ice dancing
Representing  Canada
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2003 Washington, D.C. Ice dancing
Silver medal – second place 2002 Nagano Ice dancing
Bronze medal – third place 1999 Helsinki Ice dancing
Bronze medal – third place 1998 Minneapolis Ice dancing
Bronze medal – third place 1997 Lausanne Ice dancing
Bronze medal – third place 1996 Edmonton Ice dancing
Four Continents Championships
Gold medal – first place 2003 Beijing Ice dancing
Gold medal – first place 2001 Salt Lake City Ice dancing
Gold medal – first place 1999 Halifax Ice dancing
Grand Prix Final
Gold medal – first place 2001–2002 Kitchener Ice dancing
Silver medal – second place 1998–1999 St. Petersburg Ice dancing
Gold medal – first place 1997–1998 Colorado Springs Ice dancing

Victor Kraatz, MSC (born April 7, 1971) is a Canadian former ice dancer. In 2003, he and his partner, Shae-Lynn Bourne, became the first North American ice dancers to win a World Championship.

Personal life[edit]

Born on April 7, 1971, in West Berlin, Victor Kraatz grew up in Switzerland.[1] At age 15, he moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.[2]

Kraatz married Finnish ice dancer Maikki Uotila on June 19, 2004, in Helsinki, Finland. They have two sons – Oliver, born September 14, 2006, in North Vancouver, British Columbia; and Henry, born on July 10, 2010.[2][3]

Career[edit]

Kraatz began to skate in 1980.[1] In Switzerland, former pair skaters Mona and Peter Szabo taught him basic skills.[2] His first ice dancing partner was Analisa Beltrami of Switzerland.

After his move to Canada, Kraatz was coached by Joanne Sloman in Vancouver, British Columbia. In the early 1990s, he switched to Eric Gillies and Josee Picard in Montreal, Quebec.[2] He had a partnership with Taryn O'Neill.

Partnership with Bourne[edit]

On April 20, 1991, Kraatz began skating with Shae-Lynn Bourne, who had been a pair skater until that time. Bourne tried out with him in Boucherville, Quebec, on the suggestion of a coach, Paul Wirtz.[4]

During their career, Bourne/Kraatz were coached at various times by Tatiana Tarasova, Natalia Dubova, Uschi Keszler, Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko, and Nikolai Morozov.

They won their first medal at a World Championships in 1996. According to figure skating writer and historian Ellyn Kestnbaum, their performance emphasized the athleticism of ice dance instead of the traditional ballroom style approach.[5]

For the 1996—1997 season, "in response to suggestions that they increase the complexity and danciness of their free skate",[5] they used music from the 1956 movie High Society, in which they used a mostly athletic and non-narrative approach with mostly quickstep and swing rhythms that emphasized the soft knees they were known for. Kestnbaum also stated, "Only their costumes and the occasional reliance on traditional dance holds suggested any gendered identity for each partner".[5] Their choice of rhythms allowed them to continue to emphasize their technique and athleticism while following the sport's rules and guidelines, but without depending upon "the erotic narratives attached to other ballroom rhythms".[5] As a result, both partners were able to present themselves as athletes capable of executing positions and able to support each other's weight, while following the ice dance traditions of "male-female couplehood".[5] in this way, along with their choice of dance holds, rhythms, and costumes, they were able to establish their performance within the sport's ballroom dance traditions.[5]

For the 1997–98 season, their free dance was modeled after Riverdance, with footwork instruction provided by Riverdance lead dancer Colin Dunne. Bourne/Kraatz became known for their deep edges and soft knees. They were credited with perfecting and popularizing the hydroblading technique.[citation needed] The program included a great amount of up-and-down hops in place on their toes and side-by-side footwork.[6]

In 2000, Bourne and Kraatz choreographed their own free dance program; it was first season vocal music was allowed in ice dance, so their music was set to vocal selections by Harry Connick, Jr.[7] They missed the 2000 Four Continents and 2000 World Championships due to Bourne's knee surgery.[8] In spring 2000, they changed coaches, moving to Tatiana Tarasova and Nikolai Morozov in Newington, Connecticut.[9]

Bourne/Kraatz withdrew from their 2002 Grand Prix events due to Bourne's injury.[1] They won their tenth Canadian national title and their third Four Continents title. Bourne/Kraatz went on to become the first World champions in ice dancing from North America, winning gold at the 2003 World Championships in Washington, D.C. They retired from competition at the end of the season.

On October 21, 2003, they announced the end of their partnership; while Bourne enjoyed show skating, Kraatz said he wanted "to experiment with other things and follow up on other dreams that I have".[10] In January 2007, they were inducted into the Skate Canada Hall of Fame.[11]

Kraatz represented CPA Boucherville in Boucherville, Quebec.[1]

Later career[edit]

After retiring from skating, Kraatz studied marketing and began working at a marketing agency in Yaletown, British Columbia.[2]

In 2005, Kraatz joined the B.C. Centre of Excellence.[11] He went on to coach Allie Hann-McCurdy / Michael Coreno,[11] Carolina Hermann / Daniel Hermann,[12] and Danielle O'Brien / Gregory Merriman.[13] In the winter of 2012–13 season, he switched to coaching hockey players.[2]

Programs[edit]

(with Bourne)

Season Original dance Free dance
2002–2003
[1]
2001–2002
[9]
  • Billie Jean
  • In the Closet
  • Smile
  • Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
  • Don't Stop Til You Get Enough
    by Michael Jackson
2000–2001
[8]
  • Quickstep: Jumpin' Jack
    by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
  • Foxtrot: Hey Big Spender
    (from Sweet Charity)
    performed by Shirley Bassey
  • Quickstep: Jumpin' Jack
    by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
1999-2000

by Desmond Child & Draco Rosa; performed by Ricky Martin

1998-1999
  • Waltz: Seachrán Charn Tsiail

by Clannad

by Da Hool

1997-1998

(from Grease soundtrack)

1996-1997
  • Tango
1995-1996
1994-1995
1993-1994
    • Raposchol
    • Devotchka Nadya by traditional Kalinka

by Igor Tuhmanov

Results[edit]

(with Bourne)

GP: Part of Champions Series from 1995–96 season, renamed Grand Prix series in 1998–99

International[1][8][9]
Event 92–93 93–94 94–95 95–96 96–97 97–98 98–99 99–00 00–01 01–02 02–03
Olympics 10th 4th 4th
Worlds 14th 6th 4th 3rd 3rd 3rd 3rd 4th 2nd 1st
Four Continents 1st 1st 1st
GP Final 4th 1st 2nd 5th 1st
GP Cup of Russia 2nd
GP Lalique 2nd
GP Nations/Spark. 5th 2nd 2nd 1st 3rd
GP NHK Trophy 2nd 2nd
GP Skate America 3rd
GP Skate Canada 6th 3rd 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st
Nebelhorn Trophy 1st
National[1][8][9]
Canadian Champ. 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st
WD: Withdrew

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Shae-Lynn BOURNE / Victor KRAATZ: 2002/2003". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on July 15, 2003.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Smith, Beverley (June 19, 2015). "Kraatz honoured for his impact in Canadian Sport". Skate Canada.
  3. ^ Barden, Brett (July 14, 2010). "Victor and Maikki Kraatz welcome second son". Skate Today. Retrieved April 9, 2011.
  4. ^ Ouzounian, Richard (December 19, 2014). "Shae-Lynn Bourne stars in Blades on Stage". Toronto Star.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Kestnbaum, Ellyn (2003). Culture on Ice: Figure Skating and Cultural Meaning. Middleton, Connecticut: Wesleyan Publishing Press. p. 242. ISBN 0-8195-6641-1.
  6. ^ Kestnbaum, p. 244
  7. ^ Kestnbaum, pp. 247—248
  8. ^ a b c d "Shae-Lynn BOURNE / Victor KRAATZ: 2000/2001". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on April 18, 2001.
  9. ^ a b c d "Shae-Lynn BOURNE / Victor KRAATZ: 2001/2002". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on June 2, 2002.
  10. ^ "Kraatz ends skating partnership with Bourne". CBC Sports. October 21, 2003. Archived from the original on March 13, 2016.
  11. ^ a b c "Bourne, Kraatz back together - as promoters". CanWest News Service. canada.com. December 5, 2007. Archived from the original on March 13, 2016.
  12. ^ "Carolina & Daniel Hermann". ice-dance.com. 1 August 2008.
  13. ^ "Danielle OBRIEN / Gregory MERRIMAN: 2009/2010". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on May 29, 2010.

External links[edit]

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