•Synchronized Skating    •Dance Skating      •Sailing

In 1996, after having her skating technique enhanced by the Tropical Spice on Ice (TSI) coach, Erika Amundsen,  Bev was invited to skate with the team.  It consisted of a core group of adult ladies with various backgrounds, ages, and skating abilities - all with a love of skating in Erika's very creative numbers.  The team specialized in synchronized dance programs and performed nationwide in ISI sanctioned shows and competitions.  The team also did a few production numbers that involved Jack and other friends supplying the props as well as limited skating with the team.  Later the team also presented synchronized compulsories  programs under assistant coach Kelly Paige.   In May 2004, Erika formally stepped down from coaching and passed "the baton" to Kelly.  She stayed closely involved with the teams choreography and public affairs until her passing shortly after returning from the 2005 ISI Adult Championships in Las Vegas.  The team continues to grow in numbers and skating accomplishments under Kelly's ambitious tutelage.  Click here for the team web site and here for the web site and here for the Facebook page.

1997

Bev first competed with the team in 1997 at the Venice Ice Pavilion, Venice, FL. in TSI's James Bond synchronized dance (left) and the synchronized compulsory, Hooked on Swing (right).  These were  performed in Venice and Orlando.

1998

In 1998, still at the Venice Ice Pavilion, the team brought back the Spanish Song synchronized dance number.  We performed this at Venice and Oldsmar.  That is Bev's smile in the center.

1999

In 1999, when the Venice Ice Pavilion closed, the team moved to the Ice Sports Forum, Brandon, FL and competed in Coral Springs, Knoxville, Las Vegas, and Brandon.  This  was the year the team went to the first annual ISI Adult National Championships, which were in Las Vegas.  They did International Dances synchronized dance (left), That's Entertainment (which involved the team and "friends") production (right), and the Kaleidoskate to Love is in the Air (below).     

Jack accepting the medal from Robert Unger for the team production presentation, That's Entertainment, at the Ice Château in Knoxville, TN.  Yes, that is Elizabeth Herrmann, Yo Yo, the Clown,  on Jack's right!

Elizabeth Herrmann and Jack Rienks accepting medals from Robert Unger.

2000

In 2000 the team performed a production number to Carmina Burana  at the Ice Sports Forum in Brandon, FL as well as a Synchronized Formation March and moved to the J.P. Igloo, Ellenton, FL.  They presented these at Ellenton, Orlando, Las Vegas, and Brandon competitions. 

2001

In 2001 the team developed their production number - A Tribute to Gene Kelly that includes An American in Paris and Singing in the Rain at the J.P. Igloo rink. This also involved Jack in providing props and background skating. 

We also resurrected the Spanish costumes and created the Spanish Compulsory.    Below is the Spanish number during a practice session at J.P. Igloo rink.  Assistant Coach Kelly Paige is on the left.  Bev is at the center.  These were skated at the Good Life Games in Oldsmar and in Ellenton. 

2002

The team continued with the Spanish Compulsory in 2002 at the Good Life games at Tampa Bay Skating Academy/Oldsmar, the Team Championships at Igloo, and at the ISI Adult Championships at Yerba Buena in San Francisco.  We also introduced ABBA's Voulez-vous Kaleidoskate for the first time in competition at the Igloo competition in Ellenton with 12 skaters and revised it for 16 skaters for the adult championships in San Francisco.

2003

The 14 member team began a brand new challenging Synchronized Skate number to Star Trek.  They also continued practicing the Kaleidoskate.  The first performance was at RDV Sportplex in Maitland in March.  The Kaleidoskate was also competed.  As a result we were asked by Joseph Druar at RDV to perform at both their Christmas show and their summer show.  Gold was won with all three numbers at the ISI Adult Nationals at Cape Cod, Mass. in September.  We competed at the JPIgloo Competition in November and put a number together for the Christmas show in December.

2004

In '04 the team entered the ISI Winter Classic in Nashville, hosted the Ice Extravaganza for Breast Cancer Awareness at JP Igloo for the benefit of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, and then nine members made the trip to the 9600 ft. high rink in Breckenridge, Colo. for the ISI Adult Championships at this highest rink in the country.  This was our first time to skate American Dances in competition and we won first place.  Tampa Bay took second.

2005

The ISI Winter Classics in Dallas in February were wonderful, and humbling.  We won first with our American Dances and 3rd with our Synchronized Skate.  The two other teams were just above 21yrs.old, large teams, and very high ability.  We did a great job and enjoyed performing.  Synchronized skating is becoming very popular and attracting many high level skaters. We  also entered the Adult ISI Nationals in Las Vegas, September 18-20.  Shortly after our return home, our beloved coach, Erika Amundsen, passed away leaving a huge hole in our hearts.  The rink was finally bought and the new owner brought in new management.  Although we lost some ice time we are now back to good availability of good ice.  The rink name has changed to Ellenton Ice and Sports Complex with web site at: http://www.ellentonice.com/ .

2006

April 8th we held a Dress Rehearsal Fund Raiser for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life for the public with no admission charge but contributions.  It was a fast moving one hour show that featured our three cancer survivors skating to "I Will Survive".  The team did four numbers including the Coming to America Kaleidoskate with Kelly's younger students and Candi Walker.   We introduced a new pattern skating routine to the Olympic Fanfare using flags of several nations as props.  It was also very well received at ISI World Team Championships in Marlborough and Adult Nationals in Nashville.  We also did Kaleidoskate in Marlborough, and American Dances and Rainforest at both Championships.  At World's we placed 10th in team points and won a new percentage trophy given to the team with the best average score per competitor.  This was with 122 rinks competing.  In Nashville we placed 3rd in team points.  So, it has been a very successful year for our team.  We are all rooting for one team member who has had a reoccurrence of her breast cancer and hope with treatment that she will conquer it.

2007

This year looked gloomy at the beginning because of new rules at the rink that made it no longer possible to play our music and practice our routines during public sessions, except inside the cones in the center of the rink.  Then Bev and Kelly had long talks with the rink manager which resulted in a "private" ice time for us one afternoon a week at a reasonable cost for all that want to participate.  Then, after many complaints from several skaters, the new rules for public skating were relaxed a bit and we now have more freedom on the rink when it is not crowded.  We started this year with the ISI Spring Classic Team Competition in Orlando, the Florida District Championships at the Ft. Myers Skatium.World's in chicago in July and Adult Nationals in Las Vegas.  The team was greatly saddened by the death from breast cancer of Susan Evans while we were in Chicago.    Her husband, Bob, promised her that he would continue to skate and did join us again in Las Vegas.

2008

With some arm twisting by TSI Coach, Kelly Page, Jack began skating the Olympic pattern skate program with the team and this quickly expanded to include the South Pacific production number.  His first competition in these was at the '08 Winter Classic in Tampa.  This year Bev and Jack went to World's in Denver in July alone, as many of the team could not attend.  Shortly after the Adult Nationals in San Francisco in October, the team held a Showcase and Fundraiser to benefit Breast Cancer Awareness.  We had our two survivors skate with pink ribbons and did our finale with all the adults skaters dressed in black with pink gloves and scarfs during which we formed the pick ribbon logo on ice.  At the end of year the team was shocked to hear that the breast cancer had returned to one of our two survivors.  We go forward with hope.

This table summarizes the events that the team has skated since Bev joined TSI in 1997.

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