Louis THAURON
Artistic ice-skater

Louis received a grant to participate in professional ice-skating competitions. 

What is your artistic background ?
I started with ice hockey at the age of five and then quickly switched to ice dancing after an accident that put me in hospital. Very quickly I was placed in the competition group of my first club in Fontenay sous-bois. After two French championship titles, in the minor categories, I decided to go and train in Lyon for two years. That's when I joined the French junior team. Then, at the request of my federation, I went to the United States for four years. I became French Junior Champion, ranked 7th at the Junior World Championships, 16th at the European Championships. Since April 2018, I have been dancing with a Frenchwoman of Russian origin, Adelina Galyavieva, in Moscow. We train in the sports centre of Anzhelika Krylova (who was silver medallist at the 1998 Olympics and World Champion in 1998 and 1999). We finished 12th at the European Championships and 3rd at the 2019 Universiades. We have one objective in mind: the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing. 

How do you see your profession today ?
Figure skating is appreciated by the French, but unfortunately it receives little media coverage compared to countries like Russia or Japan. Ice Dancing is a couples’ sport, which requires many qualities: speed, technique (precision), mastery of movements and elements associated with gestural and artistic expression. This sport fascinates me for its unlimited artistic side. I love this universe and I wish to continue to share my passion through my experiences. 

How do you see yourself in five years ? In 10 years ?
In five years, I hope to have been selected for the 2022 Olympic Games and to be among the 10 best in the world. In 10 years, my sporting career will be over.

This interview was conducted in 2020
Photo credit: Kamila K. Stanley