It doesn’t seem often that one high school will be sending two students to Europe to represent the United States in competitive figure skating, but you’ll find all sorts of unique things happening in Natick. This April, sophomore Victoria Laub, and senior Savannah Steinberg will be these two students, from Natick High School, travelling to France to perform with their Theatre On Ice (TOI) team, Act 1.
Already a big deal in Europe where it is known as Ballet on Ice, TOI is growing in popularity here in the U.S., and seeing the passion that these two skaters have for the discipline, one can see why. Victoria started skating when she was nine through the popular Learn to Skate program at William Chase arena and immediately fell in love. Before she turned 11, she began training competitively, heading to the rink for three or four hours a day, five afternoons a week. Savannah, who spent much of her childhood in Florida and San Francisco, was introduced to skating when she was two, by her father who was looking for an activity out of the heat. “The minute I placed my skate on the ice, milk crate out ahead of me to keep me on my feet, I fell in love. To this day, I remember that feeling,” she says.
While Victoria and Savannah began their trajectories separately, each were drawn to Theater On Ice and encouraged by an important skating mentor. For Savannah, it was the head coach of her synchronized skating team in San Francisco, along with her love of storytelling. “When people ask me what Theater On Ice is, I usually tell them it’s like ‘Broadway on ice,’” Savannah tells me. “It’s glamorous, engaging, and really showcases the best that each skater has to offer.” For Victoria, it was professional skater and choreographer, Adam Blake, who has become an important role model in her life. “He pushed me to try out and brought me under his wing, and he has supported me through everything,” she shares. “On the ice you can be as artistic and athletic as you want and there is such a great community that supports each other.”
Victoria and Savannah are members of a nineteen-person team, Act 1, which includes two alternates. They’ve earned their spot representing the United States at the highest-level competition in their discipline via their placements in national competitions over the past two years. Last year in Geneva, Illinois, Act 1 skated to “Hamilton” and took home a pewter medal. In France, they will send seventeen skaters between the ages of 15 and 23 on to the ice for each competition. “We all support and love each other so much. This team stands by each other through loss and laughs, and everything you could imagine,” Victoria tells me passionately. “There is an unbelievable team spirit. We are striving for individual accomplishment, but it is aimed toward the success of the team. The strength of each member makes the team stronger.”
Training as a competitive figure skater means more than 30 hours a week on the ice. Victoria faced a setback in 2016 when an injury left her skating with undiagnosed fractures, worsened by overuse. After a year off, during which she says she felt like no one could understand what she was going through, she came back to train harder, in large part because of her teammates’ support. Victoria shared that after recovering physically and emotionally, she did some research to find that isolation and depression after injury is an unaddressed concern. After she came back, she wanted to create a way to let other athletes coping with injury know that they are not alone. This desire to raise awareness led her to create the Fortitude Foundation, which is developing a board of medical advisors and advocates to support athletes.
Savannah’s life has also been impacted deeply by skating, which has become part of her. “My coaches have always taught me to perform ‘all-out,’ with lots of expression and a huge smile on my face,” she says. “Not only have these particular skills allowed me to become a better skater, but they also reflect to multiple aspects of my life. Figure skating has made me an expressive, outgoing, resilient, and confident person. If I had to choose one favorite thing about skating, it would be how much this sport has shaped who I am as not only as a performer, but also as an individual.” In addition to her training and part-time job, Savannah also teaches therapeutic skating to adults and children with special needs.
Victoria and Savannah will spend five days with their team outside of Paris, France, with time for practice, competition, free skate performance, and awards. Then it’s back to school of course, where both students balance rigorous academic schedules and extracurricular activities. Victoria tells me that her dream job is to be a choreographer just like her mentor, Adam Blake, but that she might consider a major in sports psychology with a minor in business. Savannah enjoys making short films and video edits in her free time, and hopes to become a film director one day.
Natick wishes you good luck, Victoria and Savannah!
Issue Date:
April, 2019
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