Isabelle Duchesnay

Isabelle Duchesnay (born December 18, 1963 in Aylmer, Quebec, Canada) is a retired ice dancer who represented France for most of her career. With her brother Paul Duchesnay, she is the 1991 World champion and the 1992 Olympic silver medalist.

Olympic medal record
Representing  France
Figure skating
1992 Albertville Ice Dance
Isabelle Duchesnay
The Duchesnays at an Exhibition in Berlin in 1989
Personal information
Country representedFrance
Former country(ies) representedCanada
Born (1963-12-18) December 18, 1963
Aylmer, Quebec, Canada
Height5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)[1]
Former partnerPaul Duchesnay
Retired1996

Career

The Duchesnays started skating at an early age in Canada in pairs. Their first major success came at the 1982 Canadian Nationals, where they placed second in the junior competition. After a serious accident where Isabelle hit her head, they switched to ice dancing. Over time, the Duchesnays’ skating became more innovative and revolutionary with help from 1984 Olympic champion Christopher Dean. After Skate Canada criticized their skating, they decided to leave the Canadian team. In 1985, they began skating for their mother’s homeland, France. They were coached by Martin Skotnicky, based in Obertsdorf, Germany.

The Duchesnays' 1988 Winter Olympics programs were considered unusual. Their free dance, a jungle-inspired dance set to drums, was not well received by judges and they finished eighth overall.[2] Despite the judges’ reactions, the Duchesnays continued skating in their unusual and innovative style. They placed third and second in the 1989 and 1990 World Championships, respectively. They won their only World title at the 1991 Worlds in Munich, Germany.

The Duchesnays were favoured to win gold at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France.[3][4] They won the silver medal behind Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko. The Duchesnays then retired from amateur competition and competed professionally until Paul suffered a serious rollerblading accident in 1996.

In 1996, the Duchesnays were nominated for a Gemini Award in Best Performance - Performing Arts Program or Series for their performance in "The Planets".[5][6] Isabelle Duchesnay wrote a book, Notre passion (Sports pour tous), in 1992.[7]

Personal life

Isabelle Duchesnay was born to a French mother and Canadian father.[3] She also had an elder brother, Gaston who died in 1991.[8] She married British ice dancer Christopher Dean in 1991;[3] they divorced in 1993.

Results

(ice dance with Paul Duchesnay)

International
Event 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92
Olympics8th2nd
Worlds12th9th6th3rd2nd1st
Europeans8th5th3rd3rd2nd
Skate America1st
Nebelhorn2nd
National
French1st1st1st1st
Canadian4th4th3rd

Amateur Career Programs
Season Original Set Pattern Dance Free Dance Exhibition
1991-1992
  • Polka - The Lonely Goatherd from The Sound of Music Soundtrack
    Choreographed by Christopher Dean
1990-1991
  • Missing II - Atahualpa and Cacharpaya by Inti Illmani
    Choreographed by Christopher Dean
  • Reflections - Ocean Waves by George Winston
    Choreographed by Christopher Dean
  • Tango
  • Blues
1989-1990
  • Missing I - Dolencias and Sikuriades by Inti Illimani
    Choreographed by Christopher Dean
  • Missing I - Dolencias and Sikuriades by Inti Illimani
    Choreographed by Christopher Dean
1988-1989
1987-1988
  • Argentine tango
    Choreographed by Christopher Dean
  • Savage Rites
    Choreographed by Christopher Dean
1986-1987
  • Paso Doble/Flamenco

References
  1. Sports Reference Archived 2015-01-09 at the Wayback Machine
  2. Swift, E.M. (7 March 1988). "So Much For Originality". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on June 28, 2011.
  3. Janofsky, Michael (14 February 1992). "ALBERTVILLE; Duchesnays Try to Make Just as Striking an Exit". The New York Times.
  4. Swift, E.M. (24 February 1992). "Theater Of The Absurd: After making the bizarre the norm, the Duchesnays went conservative and lost". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on June 28, 2011.
  5. "1995-1996 10th Gemini Awards". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 15 May 2006.
  6. "The Planets". Bullfrog Films, Inc.
  7. https://www.amazon.com/dp/2221074084/
  8. Hersh, Phil (October 13, 1991). "Bittersweet life for the Duchesnays". Chicago Tribune.
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