Step back in time with us to Canadian National 2025, where we had the pleasure of catching up with rising stars Auréa Cinçon-Debout and Earl Jesse Celestino. We talk about their junior season, teams they look up to, and their origins getting into skating. This talented junior ice dance team impressed with a 5th-place finish at Nationals and are part of Skate Canada's NextGen team of up and coming skaters to look out for.
Gabb: First of all, congrats on competing at Nationals! How do you guys feel?
Auréa: We're very grateful for the experience we had here. It's always fun to compete, like, close to home. Laval was a fun rink to compete in and we would like to thank Patinage Quebec and Skate Canada for organizing that event. I think we had a lot of fun in both programs.
Earl Jesse: We get to see a lot of the people that we know this time around unlike Calgary [Canadian Nationals 2024], where we didn't really know many people except for the skaters and the parents if they came.
Auréa: A lot of people really came to support everyone the whole time. It was really encouraging to see the crowd, and overall, just a really fun experience.
Let’s get to know you guys a little bit. How did you get into skating?
Auréa: I asked my parents to start skating but since they didn't really know how to skate, they didn't really know how to get started and get me into it. I started skating when we moved closer to the rink. I kept asking to skate so they told me to go and try it.
EJ: Mine's an interesting story. My parents brought me to the rink because my brother also did skating so the ice rink was basically my second home. I was always there because they couldn't let me stay home alone. I was kind of too young for that. But yeah, that's how I got into it. I got passionate because I wanted to be similar to my brother.
How did you guys partner up?
Auréa: His parents wanted him to do ice dance and my parents don't know much about skating. When they started talking about partnering up, my parents were like "Well, you can try it. We have no clue what you're getting into." And I was like I guess I can try it. So it's a lot because of EJ's parents.
You both have siblings who also skate [Auréa's younger brother Corentin, and EJ's older brother Edrian], so what is it like to have siblings who also do skating?
Auréa: I think it's great! I train with my brother, and I think it's very enjoyable because we have that common passion which is really interesting because he sees stuff one way and then I see it another. There's also the difference, like, I'm like the girl in the partnership or in the sport, and he's the guy. We can really see the differences in perspective which is interesting. We can always help the other towards each other's goals
EJ: My brother was not an ice dancer. I mean, he did do a little bit, but he wasn't too passionate like I am. Overall, it's just really encouraging because I always want to get to his level and compete internationally. I'm really excited to be able to be doing the same thing he did and take the same path he took in competing internationally.
Your brother Edrian is also competing at Nationals and is retiring after this competition. Any chance you would convince him to try ice dance?
EJ: I told him “Hey, you have better knees than I do. You could probably do dance!” but he doesn’t want to.
You are part of the NextGen team and are part of the development team for IAM. What is that like?
Auréa: I think it's a great team. We're really supported and it's a great team they created. It's really fun to have that access to I AM in the sense that we sometimes see them train and we can train alongside them. It's really great to be able to train with some of the best skaters in the world.
Are there any teams that you look up to?
EJ: Too many! I'm gonna say that one recently is Hannah [Lim] and Ye [Quan].
Auréa: I love the energy they bring on the ice in practice and in competition, and they have such a good work ethic. I look up to that a lot. We'd be able to find something to look up to for everyone.
EJ: We can say like Tessa [Virtue] and Scott [Moir], or Marjorie [Lajoie] and Zachary [Lagha].
Auréa: They bring so much speed when they skate, which is, like, very impressive.
In the 23/24 season, I noticed that you were at some of the events [such as Autumn Classic and Worlds] where you were part of the victory ceremony and delivering the medals. What was that experience like?
Auréa: We're supposed to keep somewhat of a straight face and I was not able to do that!
EJ: It was interesting to say the least because we were supposed to do it military style in a way. I felt like I was going to burst out and laugh for some of them. When we started walking, I'm like, don't laugh, don't laugh, don't laugh. I kept a straight face at least!
Especially being present at a big event like Montreal Worlds, were there any of the teams you liked watching?
EJ: We liked the Italian team who did the robots. Their gala number was really great, and I'm glad they did it for their free dance this year. It’s really impressive for their age!
Auréa: The last group had so much speed overall and everyone made everything looks so easy.
Let’s get into your season! In the 23/24 season, you had your JGP debut with your one assignment at JGP Armenian Cup. This season, you competed at both JGP Riga and Ljubljana! How was your experience this time around?
Auréa: Especially for Riga, we had the greatest team. The team spirit was really there. The group was awesome. Even with other teams from other countries like Team France, we all got together and that was a lot of fun.
You were able to go to that competition with a lot of your fellow Patinage Quebec skaters who you are good friends with such as Sandrine Gauthier, Quentin Thieren, and Anthony Paradis. Any fun stories from that competition?
Auréa: Anthony electrocuted himself and he was so calm about it that we didn't believe him. He was down in the hotel lobby and we had just came in like, oh, what are we doing for supper tonight but he was like I'm not coming to supper. So we asked him why not and he said I'm going to the hospital. We were like "You're kidding. Like actually, what are we doing for supper?" but he was really like I'm really not coming. We went back and forth for too much time because we did not believe it.
EJ: I received a text, and I'm like, this guy is joking with me. There's no way this is true... but then I went to the lobby, and he's like, "You know I electrocuted myself on an outlet." and I'm like huh!?
Auréa: It was his charging block!
EJ: Yeah, it was my charger. How was this my fault? Okay, okay, maybe it wasn't my fault. Maybe... I don't know! But yeah, that was crazy. There's also the seagull story. When we went out to eat, a seagull pooped on me. So that was great, and I wasn't feeling too well after that. I was super upset, but hey, it happens. People told me this is going to make me super lucky
Auréa: Everyone was telling him it was luck because we were doing the free dance afterwards.
EJ: But I was not having it [laughs]
Your rhythm dance is a Jackson 5 medley. How did you choose the music?
Auréa: Benjamin [Brisebois] came forward with a few options so we listened to them and chose this one because we think it's music that brings an energy that we could match. It's very different from programs we've done before and it's a style of music that we wanted to try because it is catchy.
You have a set of very colourful and fun costumes, how did you guys come up with it?
EJ: For me, it was an interesting story. What they wanted was something really colourful with a palette that did not make sense... but hey, it worked out! I really liked it. They made an amazing first drawing and I was like "Oh! I have to try that." Yeah, I like it. You guys really stand out
Do you guys have a sort of story when you skate to this?
Auréa: For the storyline, it is just kind of like a fun party kind of vibe. The storyline is really strong in the free dance and maybe a little less in the rhythm. Since it is the 70s and it's a really fun program, we mainly try to bring a fun energy on the ice. It's always about keeping it together. So like, there's always kind of a party together.
And what about for your free dance? How did that come to be?
Auréa: It's kind of the same as the rhythm. We wanted something we haven't done before.
EJ: Juniors is for trying things out, seeing what type of styles you like more, and just enjoying each of the styles before you actually get set on what you want to skate for seniors in the future.
Auréa: Last year's programs, we had more space to do it the way we wanted to interpret it. Ben said it'd be fun to try something where the story is really clear. Because it is from a movie we kind of knew what to do.Then it was like trying to figure out how we we would impersonate the characters
You mention trying out various styles. Is there a style you like so far?
EJ: We really liked contemporary, but there was another style we really liked but I forgot the name... We’d love to try more styles with some choreographers.
Auréa: I had a harder time knowing how to move during last year's free dance which was contemporary but I think I end up always loving what we try.
And for your free dance, you worked with Jean-Luc Baker for the choreography. What was that like?
EJ: He's a blast to work with. He's so fun and his style works well with us.
Auréa: They [Jean-Luc and Kaitlin Hawayek] have a similar partnership in the sense of height difference and everything just like we have. He is so good at seeing when something is off because when there's something new, it's always slightly weird and uncomfortable but he's good at seeing what's uncomfortable. He understands what is going to be good and what's going to be weird.
I know as skaters get older, they tend to take more control in the process but how involved are you in the choreography process?
Auréa: We're clearly not the couple that's the most involved in that but I think we are slowly getting more comfortable with saying what we like, what we don't like as much, and what we would like to change. It's a work in progress with new coaches and the new team around us to figure it out.
Do you have a favourite moment in any of your programs?
EJ: I'd say for me, for the rhythm dance, it would be the beginning up until our mid step. It is a really powerful and fun start. I love to do it and it's joyful. For the free dance, it is probably right after the choreo step. Just doing the choreo step is really fun. I'm in love with what Jean-Luc made since he choreographed it. It's just so intricate and fun. I love the style. It changes so we have three different styles in the choreo step. So we give a little jazz to something slow. So it's really interesting.
Auréa: I'd say probably the same moments but if I had to talk about other moments... I'd say for the free dance, it's a bit of every transition. So the one foot step, it's very fun and I think it fits the music very well, and kind of going with the changes of music, I think every transition was really well made to make it easy to see the changes of music. So really, every transition!
Finally, we’re ending this with a fun questions section. No big thematic, just a bunch of quick questions to get to know you better.
A song you like to listen to these days?
Auréa: My playlists are all over the place so I don't actually know the name of the songs
EJ: From the top of my head, probably AJR and Toby Fox.
Favourite ice dance program to watch?
EJ: I don't know if they've done it yet but I've been in love with Hannah and Ye's show program. We've seen them practice it and choreograph it themselves, and I'm just happy that I can see it myself in full but we'll see when it happens.
Auréa: I honestly can't choose one program, but I'd say that usually Hannah and Ye's programs are ones I really like. Their programs are always well performed and when we train with them on the same ice, I'm always tempted to stop and watch them. So any program they've done!
Any skaters you are most excited to see this week at Nationals?
EJ: I'd say Marjorie and Zachary because they are doing an old program which is really interesting... They were doing the same music in pre novice? And now, they're doing it in senior.
Auréa: I'm excited to see all of them. Probably even more, see the teams we don't usually see from Ontario and BC.
A plushie you like seeing thrown onto the ice after you finish skating?
Auréa: Since last year, I started bringing a baby chick to competitions. So I guess chicks?
EJ: I'm not sure, really. I mean, she gave me a squid, which is what I've been bringing out with me at competitions.
Auréa: I got him one of the octopus plushies that are reversible that shows a happy and sad face. We want it to be happy! But I feel like he'd be a penguin.
EJ: I did get a penguin! I got a penguin and a goat. The goat one was really cute. So animals. Just give me any animals. I love all animals.
One word to describe your season?
EJ: Improvement. We made massive progress compared from the beginning to now and we made so much progress compared to last year. Looking back, I just impressed from how far we've come.
Auréa: That's a key word. We try to always remind ourselves to bring that energy so for me it's probably fun. We try to have fun on the ice, off the ice, and just keep the sport fun because it takes a lot of time in our weeks, in our life.... but we always want to enjoy it.
One highlight this week?
Auréa: I think being with Sandrine, Quentin, our families, and friends... being with people we know.
EJ: That's definitely been a highlight just competing at home and knowing that it's easy for people to be able to watch us.
Auréa and EJ have started their 25/26 season at Skate Canada’s NextGen Competition. They revealed their rhythm dance to Macarena (Choreography By Romain Haguenauer), and their free dance to Beetlejuice (Choreography By Jean-Luc Baker). They will compete at the Lake Placid Ice Dance International in the junior ice dance category at the end of July.
