Veteran Dancers Join Forces

Mylene Girard and Liam Dougherty

Jan. 14, 2008
Article © J. Barry Mittan
Photo © David Carmichael

Mylene Girard and Liam Dougherty, both of whom have been on Canada's national teams with other partners, have joined forces for the 2007-08 season. "We hope to make the podium at Nationals and get on the world team," Girard said. "Everything else comes with that." The couple started out the season by finishing tenth at the Nebelhorn Trophy in Germany, only four months after they began skating together.

Dougherty, originally from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, started skating when he was eight, and began in dance at 13 because he wasn't a good jumper. He had a natural talent for it, enough to be invited to Canada's National Ballet School, which he attended for two summers. Dougherty won the Canadian junior dance title with Melissa Piperno in 2003, reaching seventh in senior with her in 2004. He then skated with Terra Findlay, also reaching seventh in seniors with her in 2007.

Girard, who is from Sorel, QuÈbec, started skating when she was four. Girard also won the Canadian junior dance title in 2002 with Brian Innes, and then reached fifth in senior dance at Canadians and at the Four Continents Championships in 2006 with Bradley Yaeger.

Girard and Yaeger split up in November 2006. "I took some time off to do schoolwork," Girard stated. "And I needed some time to think about skating and what I wanted to do if I wanted to keep skating. I skated by myself for a while, and then realized that I really didn't want to stop. So after Nationals, I started trying out with some guys."

"After Nationals, Terra went on to do other things," Dougherty said. "I did some tryouts but didn't find anyone. Mylene and I had known each other before so we decided to try out together." "On our first tryout, I was surprised that it felt really natural," Girard said. "The more we worked together, the harder it was to think that we weren't ten years together."

"The adjustments weren't hard," Dougherty added. "As we go along, there are details to work out but the differences have been small. But for the most part, the transition has been fairly easy." The couple began skating together in June of 2007.

The dancers train in Ste. Julie with Julie Marcotte, assisted by Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon. "We've drawn a lot of inspiration from Marie-France and Patrice," Dougherty said. "They're the best lifters in the world and we've taken direction from them in many ways." The dancers usually work between four and five hours a day on ice, five days a week.

"Julie choreographed most of our dances with input from Marie-France and Patrice and from us," Dougherty said. "Our original dance is a flamenco. We worked with a flamenco instructor a lot off the ice this summer to try to get the essence of the dance. We hope to bring some unknown music to the skating crowd." "We won't be using any props," Girard noted. "Just the long red dress is enough for me." They are using a piece by Jaleo Winsberg for the music.

They are using the soundtrack of Ennio Morricone's "The Mission" and music by the tango quartet Quartango for the free dance. "It's not the story of the movie," Dougherty said. "A lot of people have used the soundtrack and at first we shied away from it, but after some searching we came back to it because we liked it so much."

For a gala program, the dancers are using "Apologize" by One Republic. "It's contemporary pop with words," Dougherty said. "It has to do with love and relationships. It's a ballad but you can dance to it."

In addition to their competitive skating, both skaters are involved with Alexandre Hamel's alternative skating troupe, Le Patin Libre. "I joined up two years ago," Dougherty said. "It's a lot of fun to explore something different. He has an amazing vision and I want to go along for the ride. I try to do whatever small chores he needs me to do. And I try to come up with creative moves and help with whatever numbers he has." "I'm really interested in the things Alexandre does," Girard added. "I hope to eventually have more time to be involved but for now the competitive season has priority."

Girard is in the third year of a four and a half year program in business at HEC Montreal, part of the University of Montreal, where she is specializing in management. "I may do a master's degree in artistic and cultural business," she noted. "I want to do something that involves management and skating."

Dougherty is in his third year Concordia University, majoring in creative writing. "I have two or more years to go," he said. "I'm working through it slowly. I like to write and I've done a little bit of writing. I hope to write more and submit more pieces for publication. I don't want to be a journalist but I'd be interested in anything else in writing." Dougherty is also working 10-12 hours a week doing dance partnering to help fund his skating.

She enjoys hanging out with friends, dancing, music and the arts. Dougherty enjoys cooking, reading, and break dancing.