Congratulations to our graduates of the Fall 2025 semester of Master Choreography Techniques (MCT)! They include:
Georgia James, Riverside, California Sekar Prasetya, Sacramento, CA Jimmy Koszuta, Nashville, TN Cathryn McGowan, Livonia, Michigan Jamie Chandler Hawley, Breckenridge, CO Meredith McCormack, Eagle River, WI Lisa Bell, North Bend, Washington Rachel Rovinsky, Los Angeles, CA Allison Hughes, Salt Lake City, Utah Irman Pauline, Geneva, Switzerland Victoria Harmon, Cleveland, Ohio
Master Choreography Techniques (MCT) is an advanced online certification and training program for both seasoned skating coaches and those looking to specialize in a career as an ice choreographer. Created by AIT Founder Jodi Porter, the class is a mixture of choreographic creation, video lecture, reading and monthly discussion meetings. AIT Co-Executive Directors Garrett Kling & Kate McSwain lead the semester class.
At the end of the semester, each student creates a final capstone project incorporating the choreographic elements of time, space, energy and form.
View the graduates final video projects, get to know their background and hear their thoughts about the course:
Georgia is a 26-year-old figure skater, coach, and choreographer with 22 years of skating experience and 10 years of coaching experience. With a background in theater and physical therapy, her specialties include showcase skating and off-ice training. Off the ice, she is a full-time pediatric physical therapist and earned her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Loma Linda University.
“Skating does not have to occur in a vacuum. Skating itself can be isolating, but the creative process does not have to be. Find your village, find your sounding board, seek out feedback — you’ll be surprised how much you can grow.”
Sekar is a coach, choreographer, and artist raised in Fort Collins, Colorado, now based in Northern California. With nearly 20 years of skating experience, her background spans competitive skating and Showcase. Her current work centers on exploring her artistic voice and contemporary skating as a form of creative expression.
“My one takeaway from MCT is to believe in my voice and to have confidence in my artistic vision. MCT has given me the tools to define my creative process so I may better express to others what I envision.“
Jimmy is a competitive ice dancer and former U.S. and Norwegian National Team member. He now coaches in Nashville with CitySkate.
“The ability to break down and analyze a piece of choreography and branch it off in infinite directions to expand the creative process and create interesting pieces with intention.”
Cathryn grew up skating in Metro Detroit and has been in the sport for 17 years. Now based in the Chicago area, they continue to explore new ways to express themselves on the ice. Cathryn strives to be authentic in their movement and create new shapes with their body through choreography.
“MCT taught me that creativity is not always about forcing something completely new; rather, it is about refining, committing, and being intentional about the choreographic choices I make. Looking forward, I am excited to continue to grow as a choreographer by using the tools and personal lessons I learned throughout this course!”
Jamie is a figure skating coach focusing on freestyle and skating skills for all ages. She skated professionally with Holiday on Ice and Disney on Ice, touring throughout North America and internationally. She is passionate about inspiring a love for movement and artistry while supporting skaters through every triumph and challenge. Jamie aims to foster a positive, supportive environment where every skater can thrive.
“(MCT) gave me the tools and vocabulary to build meaningful and visually engaging choreographic pieces. I thoroughly enjoyed exploring new movements during the course”
Meredith began skating at age 10 and fell in love with the freedom of movement and glide on the ice. A three-time U.S. Figure Skating gold medalist, she continues her competitive career while sharing her passion as a coach and choreographer. Learning to express herself on the ice has taught her valuable lessons about individuality and confidence, which she hopes to continue sharing with the skating community.
“By creating a safe, non-judgmental space to share and learn about choreography, MCT has taught me to let go of perfection and appreciate the art of imperfection, bringing out the raw emotions of movement that I had once lost.”
Lisa is a U.S. National Medalist, four-time U.S. National Competitor, and choreographer/coach based in the Pacific Northwest.
“This course has given me excitement, curiosity, self-reflection, and many new tools to work with when approaching a choreographic piece, as well as a totally multidimensional perspective on how I view figure skating and choreographic works.”
Rachel began their skating journey 20 years ago alongside dance training throughout their life. A U.S. Figure Skating double gold medalist in Freestyle and Moves-in-the-Field, they competed in National Showcase, winning gold in the Mini Production event with Culver Ice Productions in 2017.
In college, Rachel competed at intercollegiate nationals with Cal Figure Skating and now continues skating while pursuing a PhD in microbiology at UW–Madison, where they are also part of the intercollegiate skating team. Rachel is excited to continue developing their choreographic voice and redefining their relationship with figure skating.
“MCT has taught me how to recognize intention in choreography and how to be intentional in my own choreography… Now, I can provide a reason behind each choreographic decision I make, and I know how to abstract a complex idea, emotion, or story into choreographic elements.”
Allison has been figure skating since 1990. A former competitive skater and ice theatre performer in Salt Lake City, she performed in the 2002 Winter Olympics Opening and Closing Ceremonies. She has trained with national and international coaches, choreographers, and Olympians, and cross-trained with Ballet West.
Allison studied dance and journalism at the University of Utah and is now a U.S. Figure Skating coach and choreographer in the Pacific Northwest.
“MCT has strengthened my ability to write choreography. I’m grateful for this essential skill to make art on ice.”
“(MCT) gave me the tools and vocabulary to build meaningful and visually engaging choreographic pieces. I thoroughly enjoyed exploring new movements during the course”
Pauline is a professional figure skater and the founder of Contempau.
“Enrolling in MCT deepened my understanding of figure skating’s evolution and helped me move beyond external inspiration, allowing me to create more authentic and impactful choreographies that turn reflection into meaningful movement. This course was a great complement to 6WOTS™, offering tools to weave our movement vocabulary into a cohesive narrative!”
Victoria “Vee” Harmon returned to figure skating after an 18-year retirement and found her way home through artistry. Her first interaction with American Ice Theatre was at ACSFest, just after her first competitive season back as an adult, and she is now a member of the AIT Cleveland Company. By day, Vee works a corporate 9–5 as a creative project manager; on the ice, she performs professionally and coaches for fun. She took Master Choreography Techniques for creative recovery— using process, play, and composition as movement therapy. Her biggest takeaway from MCT is that movement is connected to authenticity: instead of performing a feeling, she can let now let her movement be felt.
Congratulations to this extraordinary group of artists, coaches, and choreographers. We are so excited to see how their voices continue to shape the future of artistic and contemporary skating.
