Naomi Lang
Encyclopedia
Naomi Lang is an American ice dancer
. With partner Peter Tchernyshev
, she is the 1999-2003 U.S. national champion
.
female athlete to participate in the Olympic Winter Games. She is a member of the Karuk
tribe by her father Jason Lang's heritage. Her mother is Leslie Dixon.
Lang was a ballet dancer in Eureka and trained at the Dancer's Studio. She started to dance at the age of 3 and continued with ballet dancing to the age of 15. She performed with the Grand Rapids (Michigan) Ballet Co. and studied ballet at the prestigious Interlochen Arts Academy where at the age of 12 she received an award for 'Outstanding Achievement in Ballet'.
Lang started skating when she was eight, after seeing the Ice Capades
. She began competitive ice dance with John Lee, winning the 1995 U.S. Novice title and the 1996 U.S. Junior silver medal.
Having noticed her at U.S. Nationals, Peter Tchernyshev
wrote her a letter in mid-1996 asking for a tryout. They had a successful tryout in Lake Placid, New York
and trained there for nine months with Natalia Dubova; then, due to Lang's homesickness, they moved to Detroit and began training with Igor Shpilband
and Elizabeth Coates
.
They first won the U.S. Championships
in 1999, and won the title the next four years in a row. They also won two Four Continents Championships
(2000, 2002) and placed as high as 8th at the World Championships
(2000, 2003). They placed 11th at the 2002 Olympics
. In addition to being the five-time US National ice dance champions they also were five-time members of the US World Figure Skating Team and performed with Champions on Ice
.
In 2000, they moved to New Jersey
to train with Alexander Zhulin
. After the 2002 World Championships, they switched coaches from Alexander Zhulin
to Nikolai Morozov
.
The team continued to compete in the 2003 season, but was forced to withdraw at the U.S. Championships due to the re-injury of Lang's Achilles tendon. Soon afterwards they retired from competition. Lang had a daughter, Lillia Ashlee, with Ukrainian ice acrobat Vladimir Besedin in 2004. The couple split soon after the birth, but it is reported they still remain close friends.
Lang and Tchernyshev have continued to skate together professionally and have appeared in several US ice shows since 2005 as well as many of the Disson skating shows televised on NBC and the Hallmark Channel. They have also toured extensively in Europe and Russia and performed in shows as Art on Ice, Kings on Ice with Evgeny Plushenko and renowned composer and violinist Edvin Marton
, and the Katarina Witt
Farewell Tour. One of the highlights of their skating career was performing at Jim Carrey
's private Christmas party in Hollywood where they met and entertained celebrities like Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise, Brooke Shields
, Morgan Freeman
, Jim Carrey
and Jenny McCarthy
to name a few. Lang's story is told in a chapter of the book 'Native Athletes in Action' by Vincent Schilling.
Lang became engaged to coaching partner Mark Fitzgerald at "Fashion on Ice"( in Trenton NJ) on December 1, 2007. Lang and Fitzgerald were married in August 2008 at the Castle on the Hudson in Tarrytown, New York
. Their wedding was attended by many people from the skating world including Shae Lynn Bourne, Timothy Goebel
, and Charles Butler (figure skater)
, with Angela Nikodinov
as maid of honor and Peter Tchernyshev
as the 'man of honor'. They currently live in Arizona with Naomi's six year old daughter Lillia Ashlee. Naomi gave birth to her second child November 14, 2009, a boy named Mason Daniel.
(ice dance with Peter Tchernyshev
)
Ice dancing
Ice dancing is a form of figure skating which draws from the world of ballroom dancing. It was first competed at the World Figure Skating Championships in 1952, but did not become a Winter Olympic Games medal sport until 1976....
. With partner Peter Tchernyshev
Peter Tchernyshev
- External links :* *- Navigation :...
, she is the 1999-2003 U.S. national champion
United States Figure Skating Championships
The United States Figure Skating Championships is figure skating competition held annually to crown the national champions of the United States. The competition is sanctioned by U.S. Figure Skating. In the U.S. skating community, the event is often referred to informally as "Nationals".Skaters...
.
Biography
Lang is the first Native AmericanNative Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
female athlete to participate in the Olympic Winter Games. She is a member of the Karuk
Karuk
Karuk is an indigenous people of California in the United States.The tribal headquarters, located off State Route 96, is in the town of Happy Camp, California. Currently the tribe has three tribal board meeting places, in Yreka, Happy Camp, and Orleans...
tribe by her father Jason Lang's heritage. Her mother is Leslie Dixon.
Lang was a ballet dancer in Eureka and trained at the Dancer's Studio. She started to dance at the age of 3 and continued with ballet dancing to the age of 15. She performed with the Grand Rapids (Michigan) Ballet Co. and studied ballet at the prestigious Interlochen Arts Academy where at the age of 12 she received an award for 'Outstanding Achievement in Ballet'.
Lang started skating when she was eight, after seeing the Ice Capades
Ice Capades
The Ice Capades was a traveling entertainment show featuring theatrical performances involving ice skating. Shows often featured former Olympicand National Champion figure skaters who had retired from amateur competition....
. She began competitive ice dance with John Lee, winning the 1995 U.S. Novice title and the 1996 U.S. Junior silver medal.
Having noticed her at U.S. Nationals, Peter Tchernyshev
Peter Tchernyshev
- External links :* *- Navigation :...
wrote her a letter in mid-1996 asking for a tryout. They had a successful tryout in Lake Placid, New York
Lake Placid, New York
Lake Placid is a village in the Adirondack Mountains in Essex County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 2,638....
and trained there for nine months with Natalia Dubova; then, due to Lang's homesickness, they moved to Detroit and began training with Igor Shpilband
Igor Shpilband
-Personal life:Shpilband was born in Moscow. In January 1990, he and other skaters were part of a U.S. tour headlined by Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean when one of them, Gorsha Sur, decided to defect and Shpilband, Veronika Pershina and Elena Krikanova decided to join him. He got a coaching...
and Elizabeth Coates
Elizabeth Coates
Elizabeth Coates is a British ice dancer and coach. She grew up in south London, with her brother Gary, and trained at the ice rink in Streatham. As a competitive skater, she competed with Alan Abretti and was the 1985 & 1986 British silver medalist...
.
They first won the U.S. Championships
United States Figure Skating Championships
The United States Figure Skating Championships is figure skating competition held annually to crown the national champions of the United States. The competition is sanctioned by U.S. Figure Skating. In the U.S. skating community, the event is often referred to informally as "Nationals".Skaters...
in 1999, and won the title the next four years in a row. They also won two Four Continents Championships
Four Continents Figure Skating Championships
The Four Continents Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition. The International Skating Union established it in 1999 to provide skaters representing non-European countries with a similar competition to the much older European Figure Skating Championships and a chance...
(2000, 2002) and placed as high as 8th at the World Championships
World Figure Skating Championships
The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion...
(2000, 2003). They placed 11th at the 2002 Olympics
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
. In addition to being the five-time US National ice dance champions they also were five-time members of the US World Figure Skating Team and performed with Champions on Ice
Champions on Ice
Champions on Ice was a touring ice show in the United States. The show featured a large cast of both professional and Olympic-eligible figure skaters along with novelty acts such as skating acrobats. The shows were focused primarily on solo performances by the skaters rather than ensemble work or...
.
In 2000, they moved to New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
to train with Alexander Zhulin
Alexander Zhulin
Alexander Viacheslavovich Zhulin is a retired Russian ice dancer who represented the Soviet Union, the Unified Team, and Russia. With Maya Usova, he is the 1993 World champion, 1994 Olympic silver medalist, and 1992 Olympic bronze medalist....
. After the 2002 World Championships, they switched coaches from Alexander Zhulin
Alexander Zhulin
Alexander Viacheslavovich Zhulin is a retired Russian ice dancer who represented the Soviet Union, the Unified Team, and Russia. With Maya Usova, he is the 1993 World champion, 1994 Olympic silver medalist, and 1992 Olympic bronze medalist....
to Nikolai Morozov
Nikolai Morozov (figure skater)
Nikolai Alexandrovich Morozov is a Russian former competitive ice dancer, who works as a coach and a choreographer.- Personal life :Morozov was briefly married to his ice dancing partner Tatiana Navka. He later married French ice dancer Caroline Douarin with whom he has a daughter, Annabelle...
.
The team continued to compete in the 2003 season, but was forced to withdraw at the U.S. Championships due to the re-injury of Lang's Achilles tendon. Soon afterwards they retired from competition. Lang had a daughter, Lillia Ashlee, with Ukrainian ice acrobat Vladimir Besedin in 2004. The couple split soon after the birth, but it is reported they still remain close friends.
Lang and Tchernyshev have continued to skate together professionally and have appeared in several US ice shows since 2005 as well as many of the Disson skating shows televised on NBC and the Hallmark Channel. They have also toured extensively in Europe and Russia and performed in shows as Art on Ice, Kings on Ice with Evgeny Plushenko and renowned composer and violinist Edvin Marton
Edvin Marton
Edvin Marton is a Ukrainian composer and violinist of Hungarian ethnicity. He became known as the violinist of the skaters, mainly because Evgeni Plushenko, Stéphane Lambiel, and other famous skaters often skated to his music.- Biography :He was born in an area of Ukraine largely inhabited by...
, and the Katarina Witt
Katarina Witt
Katarina Witt is a German figure skater and model. In Germany she was commonly called "Kati" in the past, but today her full name is used more often....
Farewell Tour. One of the highlights of their skating career was performing at Jim Carrey
Jim Carrey
James Eugene "Jim" Carrey is a Canadian-American actor and comedian. He has received two Golden Globe Awards and has also been nominated on four occasions. Carrey began comedy in 1979, performing at Yuk Yuk's in Toronto, Ontario...
's private Christmas party in Hollywood where they met and entertained celebrities like Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise, Brooke Shields
Brooke Shields
Brooke Christa Shields is an American actress and model. Some of her better-known movies include Pretty Baby and The Blue Lagoon, as well as TV shows such as Suddenly Susan, That '70s Show and Lipstick Jungle....
, Morgan Freeman
Morgan Freeman
Morgan Freeman is an American actor, film director, aviator and narrator. He is noted for his reserved demeanor and authoritative speaking voice. Freeman has received Academy Award nominations for his performances in Street Smart, Driving Miss Daisy, The Shawshank Redemption and Invictus and won...
, Jim Carrey
Jim Carrey
James Eugene "Jim" Carrey is a Canadian-American actor and comedian. He has received two Golden Globe Awards and has also been nominated on four occasions. Carrey began comedy in 1979, performing at Yuk Yuk's in Toronto, Ontario...
and Jenny McCarthy
Jenny McCarthy
Jennifer Ann "Jenny" McCarthy is an American model, comedian, actress, author, activist, and game show host. She began her career in 1993 as a nude model for Playboy magazine and was later named their Playmate of the Year. McCarthy then parlayed her Playboy fame into a successful television and...
to name a few. Lang's story is told in a chapter of the book 'Native Athletes in Action' by Vincent Schilling.
Lang became engaged to coaching partner Mark Fitzgerald at "Fashion on Ice"( in Trenton NJ) on December 1, 2007. Lang and Fitzgerald were married in August 2008 at the Castle on the Hudson in Tarrytown, New York
Tarrytown, New York
Tarrytown is a village in the town of Greenburgh in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located on the eastern bank of the Hudson River, about north of midtown Manhattan in New York City, and is served by a stop on the Metro-North Hudson Line...
. Their wedding was attended by many people from the skating world including Shae Lynn Bourne, Timothy Goebel
Timothy Goebel
Timothy Richard Goebel is an American retired figure skater. He is the 2002 Olympic bronze medalist. He was the first person to land a quadruple salchow in competition and the first person to land three quadruple jumps in one program...
, and Charles Butler (figure skater)
Charles Butler (figure skater)
Charles Butler is a retired American competitive ice dancer. He won the silver medal in ice dance at the 1998 U.S. Figure Skating Championships with Jessica Joseph and competed in that year's Winter Olympics. He attended New York University Medical School. He graduated in 2010 and is now currently...
, with Angela Nikodinov
Angela Nikodinov
Angela Nikodinov , is an American figure skater. She is the 2000 Four Continents Champion.-Biography:Nikodinov is the daughter of Bulgarian immigrants and speaks Bulgarian fluently...
as maid of honor and Peter Tchernyshev
Peter Tchernyshev
- External links :* *- Navigation :...
as the 'man of honor'. They currently live in Arizona with Naomi's six year old daughter Lillia Ashlee. Naomi gave birth to her second child November 14, 2009, a boy named Mason Daniel.
Results
(ice dance with Jon Lee)| Event | 1996 |
|---|---|
| U.S. Championships United States Figure Skating Championships The United States Figure Skating Championships is figure skating competition held annually to crown the national champions of the United States. The competition is sanctioned by U.S. Figure Skating. In the U.S. skating community, the event is often referred to informally as "Nationals".Skaters... |
2nd J. |
(ice dance with Peter Tchernyshev
Peter Tchernyshev
- External links :* *- Navigation :...
)
| Event | 1996-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-99 | 1999-00 | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Olympic Games Winter Olympic Games The Winter Olympic Games is a sporting event, which occurs every four years. The first celebration of the Winter Olympics was held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. The original sports were alpine and cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping and speed skating... |
11th | |||||||
| World Championships World Figure Skating Championships The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion... |
10th | 8th | 9th | 9th | 8th | |||
| Four Continents Championships Four Continents Figure Skating Championships The Four Continents Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition. The International Skating Union established it in 1999 to provide skaters representing non-European countries with a similar competition to the much older European Figure Skating Championships and a chance... |
3rd | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 3rd | |||
| U.S. Championships United States Figure Skating Championships The United States Figure Skating Championships is figure skating competition held annually to crown the national champions of the United States. The competition is sanctioned by U.S. Figure Skating. In the U.S. skating community, the event is often referred to informally as "Nationals".Skaters... |
5th | 3rd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | WD |
| Skate America Skate America Skate America is an international, senior-level figure skating competition held as part of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series. It is organized by the United States Figure Skating Association. The location changes yearly... |
6th | 5th | 3rd | 5th | ||||
| Skate Canada International Skate Canada International The Skate Canada International is an international, senior-level invitation-only figure skating competition organized by Skate Canada. It is the second competition of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating. The location changes yearly. Medals are awarded in four disciplines: Ladies' singles, Men's... |
9th | |||||||
| Trophée Eric Bompard Trophée Eric Bompard The Trophée Eric Bompard is an international, senior-level figure skating competition held as part of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series. The Trophée Eric Bompard was formerly known as the Trophée Lalique... |
5th | |||||||
| Cup of Russia Cup of Russia The Cup of Russia is an international, senior-level figure skating competition held as part of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series. Figure skaters compete in the disciplines of ladies' singles, men's singles, pair skating, and ice dancing. It was held as the Rostelecom Cup in 2009 after... |
5th |