Dick Button Artistic Skating Festival
Philadelphia, PA | October 4-5, 2025
AIT was honored to perform at the Philadelphia Skating Club & Humane Society Annual Gala & Exhibition in conjunction with the Dick Button Artistic Skating Festival on October 4-5. AIT shared the ice with some incredible companies – Ice Theatre of New York, Ice Dance International, Diversity Ice, and the Next Ice Age – in celebration of artistic skating’s creativity and variety. Thank you to the Philadelphia Skating Club and the Dick Button Artistic Skating Festival for platforming artistry on ice!
AIT also premiered its newest work, un:learning, choreographed in the two days leading up to the performance by Garrett Kling & Kate McSwain. The Dick Button event served as our creative “laboratory” as we begin building the full-length version of un:learning, which will premiere in Cleveland this March!
AIT performed four works: Nocturne, Dancin’ People, Solo from re:member, and un:learning – featuring performances by Garrett Kling, Nora Klein, Gillian Robidas, Cameron Claire, Jeremy Abbott, Vlad Tchernov, Alexa DerBoghosian, Toby Evett, Natalie Schoonover, Zoey Janusz, Sadie Lee, Cheri Donnelly, Dawn Dupere, Lauren Gizinski, and Natalie Robb. In-person workshops were led by Kate McSwain and Jimmy Morgan, and choreography presented by Jimmy Morgan, Elise Little, Kate McSwain and Garrett Kling.
Contemporary Skating Alliance (CSA): 2025 Performing Arts Project
Moneteau, France | November 6-9, 2025
AIT participated in the 2025 CSA Performing Arts Project in Monéteau, France, where Co-Executive Director Kate McSwain led a workshop and also performed a solo on behalf of AIT in the full-length collaborative production Trace(s). The show brought together artists from across the Contemporary Skating Alliance including Moin 5, IceLab Leipzig, Bolero Ice, Studio Maja, Nordic Ice Theatre, Ice Theatre of Stockholm, and eiskunst-werkstatt PLUS two separate ensembles (one choreographed by Kate McSwain and one by Isabelle Ragnarsson) rehearsed over the two days leading into the show. AIT Cleveland Company Member, Victoria (Vee) Harmon, also participated and performed on behalf of American Ice Theatre over the course of the weekend!
Adult skaters of every level — from professional to brand-new — traveled from across the globe to learn, perform, and experience a range of contemporary skating methods and philosophies. Countries represented included Sweden, England, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, France, Germany, Norway, and the United States.
Adult Weekend Skateaway
Rockville, MD | September 19-21, 2025
Adult skaters from across the country joined AIT in Rockville, MD for a retreat-style weekend skating getaway for adult skaters to connect, create, and collaborate.
Day 1 presenters: 6 Ways of the Spine™ introduction (off-ice) led by AIT Co-VP Jacqueline Benson and contemporary skating explorations and introduction to choreography combo and cool movement tricks with AIT Co-directors Kate McSwain and Garrett Kilng.
Day 2 presenters: Skater’s body care warmup led by Co-VP Jimmy Morgan, authentic movement & style with on-ice exploration with Cameron Claire, 6 Ways of the Spine™ and skating skills edge class with Jacqueline Benson, and more choreography combo and cool movement tricks with Kate McSwain and Garrett Kilng.
Day 3 presenters: Skater’s body care warmup on-ice edition led by Jimmy Morgan, the art of building a movement phrase with Kate McSwain, a final choreographic collaboration led by Kate McSwain and Garrett Kling, an open Skate Jam with everyone, and off-ice mindful art meditation and restorative yoga with Alyssa Jones and Garrett Kling.
Photos by Tom Sittner
Global Seminars
Spokane, WA FSC Seminar
On August 9-10, Sean Marshinski, Kate McSwain, and Garrett Kling hosted an AIT seminar with the Spokane Figure Skating Club and Lake City FSC. Working on contemporary skating, improv, edge work, and choreography was so much fun! Special thanks to Moe Brooks Herr and Kendall LeClaire for all their help in making the seminar a big success.
Columbia, MD Seminar
Faculty Kate McSwain, Nora Klein and Jaqueline Benson hosted a seminar on Sunday August 31. This AIT seminar features 6 Ways of the Spine™ , skating skills, performance and expression techniques, storytelling and improvisation. We got comfy being uncomfy, moved big, laughed hard, and had an amazing time both on and off the ice. Thank you to the Columbia Figure Skating Club for having AIT!
St. Louis, MO Seminar
AIT traveled to St. Louis on Saturday, September 13 with AIT Co-Executive director Kate McSwain hosting a seminar at Brentwood Ice Arena. With 6 Ways of The Spine™ core body movement, tools of expression, artistic performance exercises, and choreography skills as the focus, the seminar ended with a fun contemporary skating combo. Special thanks to Rebecca Cacioppo for making the seminar possible!
Southern Minnesota FSC Seminar
On Thursday, October 16, AIT faculty Garrett Kling and Cameron Claire led a seminar at Southern Minnesota Figure Skating Club. The session featured creative off-ice movement, on-ice exploration, and improvisation exercises, and the skaters were wonderfully open, curious, and fun to work with.
Thank you to Southern Minnesota FSC for hosting us!
AIT Satellite Updates
AIT Boston
AIT Boston hosted their annual 6 Ways of the Spine™ Celebration on Saturday, September 6 at the McVann O’Keefe Skating Rink. This special two-hour seminar focused exclusively on exploring full-body movement through AIT’s 6 Ways of the Spine™ movement philosophy. This celebration was led by AIT Boston director Kate McSwain and AIT Boston Assistant Director Gillian Robidas. Skaters engaged in a variety of edge exercises and movement explorations designed to deepen their understanding of how the body moves.
On Saturday, October 18 at Steriti Ice Rink Boston hosted their Fall seminar. It was led by Elin Schran who led skaters through an Ice Flow, and Alexa DerBoghosian who led us through a golden hour choreography combo.
AIT Boston held its Summer Seminar on Saturday, August 23, led by Co-Executive Director Kate McSwain and newly named AIT Boston Assistant Director Gillian Robidas. AIT New Hampshire has now closed, but has merged with the AIT Boston community! The summer seminar day featured a beautiful contemporary skating combo, creative movement exploration, and fun improv exercises.
We were also joined by several AIT Boston Professional Company and Junior Company skaters who came to participate and to share a warm farewell to our dear Kristina Ruiz, who has performed with the AIT Boston Professional Company for the past three years since 2023.
AIT Cleveland
*COMING UP* AIT Cleveland will host a creative and fun fall seminar on Sunday, November 16, with AIT Cleveland director Elizabeth Misson and special guest skater Corey Carbone, a Cleveland professional company member. Held at the Winterhurst Ice Arena, skaters will explore ways to improve their flow and balance with edge exercises and a fun choreographic combo.
*AIT Cleveland will also be performing in December at the Scott CARES Show in Cleveland, OH. Make sure to keep an eye out for their performance!
AIT Cleveland held its Summer Seminar on Sunday, August 24, featuring director Elizabeth Misson and guest artist Amber Kruse. The day offered a dynamic blend of Pilates and contemporary figure skating focused on body alignment, movement, and creative exploration. Skaters ages 8 to adult — Freeskate 1 and up — discovered new ways to stretch, move, express, and connect both on and off the ice.
AIT Minneapolis-St. Paul
*COMING UP* Join AIT MSP Sunday, November 30 from 3-5p for a Community Pop Up & Skate Jam at the St. Louis Park Outdoor Rec Center in St. Louis Park.
Kick off the holiday season with a free, family-friendly afternoon on the ice! Enjoy a community contemporary skating class followed by an open skate jam—a chance to glide, move, and connect in the holiday spirit. All levels and ages welcome!
AIT MSP held their summer seminar on Monday, August 18 featuring Co-VP Jimmy Morgan leading a choreographic combo with the skaters, alongside AIT MSP Leadership team Cameron Claire and Garrett Kling leading 6 Ways of the Spine™ and improv.
Photo by Jennifer White
Skaters joined AIT MSP director Garrett Kling on Sunday October 26 at the TRIA Rink for an off-ice + on-ice choreo lab designed to work exclusively on one choreography combo the entire seminar.