Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron are set to compete in their first international event together this weekend at the Grand Prix de France in Angers (October 17–19, 2025). After making their debut at the Masters de Villard-de-Lans in August and withdrawing from the Nebelhorn Trophy, the couple now enter the most important stretch of their season. “We want to have the chance to qualify for the Final in Japan,” they explained.
Their preparation has been marked by a major change to their rhythm dance. Their first program included a Depeche Mode single released in 1989, while the rules specify that all music must have been published between 1990 and 1999. “The content of the program was good, it was really just the music that was the issue, so we tried to keep everything that worked well and transpose it onto Vogue by Madonna,” said Guillaume.
The team initially believed they were within the rules: the song also appeared on an album released in 1990, and they used a remixed version from 2011. “Theoretically, it should have worked,” said Guillaume Cizeron. “But you quickly find yourself in a gray area. Rather than take the risk, we decided to change.” The potential penalty could have cost them two points in competition.
“We were even told we could create a piece of music using artificial intelligence in the spirit of the 1990s, which seemed absurd to us, when a song from 1989 is still very representative of that era,” he added.
Guillaume went on: “We’re used to creating things and then receiving more or less constructive feedback about our work. The role of a judge is to look for imperfections, not to give us points. It’s up to us to make sure there’s nothing to take away.”
The change, made just after the Masters in early September, required four to five weeks of work. “We didn’t want to redo an entire program,” Guillaume explained. “We kept the strongest parts, the transitions that worked, and adapted everything to the new music. It was a blessing in disguise. We actually feel stronger skating to this music. It allowed us to deepen the concept and really explore the heart of voguing and its culture. Voguing isn’t just an aesthetic or a set of pretty poses. It’s a dance style born out of a need for emancipation, for dreams and fantasy, within marginalized communities.”
The reworking of the rhythm dance was also made easier by their free dance, which was already solid. “Our free dance was in a good place, which allowed us to focus more on the rhythm dance,” Guillaume noted.
The duo will face strong competition, notably from Italy’s Charlène Guignard and Marco Fabbri and Great Britain’s Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson. “Figure skating has evolved in a way that leaves absolutely no room for error,” Guillaume admitted. “Some small mistakes, invisible to the audience, can cost a lot.”
At their training base in Montreal, the atmosphere remains a source of motivation. “The spirit and the environment are very healthy,” said Laurence. “We’ve received a lot of encouragement from the other teams.”
Laurence’s application for French citizenship, however, is still pending. “It’s out of my control, so I just focus on what I can do. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that everything works out,” she said.
With just days to go before the event, the pair feel fully ready. “We’re 100% ready,” said Guillaume. “As the season progresses, the flow and the connection will only get stronger, but we already feel completely ready.”
Solène Mathieu - Skate Info Glace
Écrire commentaire