Skaters
Dance
Gabrielle Friedenberg
Born:
February 28, 1992
Height:
4' 9"
Level:
Junior
Hometown:
Columbia, Md.
College:
Howard Community College
Club:
Washington FSC
Benjamin Nykiel
Born:
September 12, 1990
Height:
5' 6"
Level:
Junior
Hometown:
Glen Burnie, Md.
Club:
Bowie FSC
Coach:
Robbie Kaine, Genrikh Sretenski
Choreographer:
Genrikh Sretenski, Julia Sretenski
Friedenberg started skating when she was 5 after seeing "Disney on ice" and wanting to be just like Dorothy ... Participated in the Basic Skills Program for three years ... Has a younger sister, Emily, who was a nationally ranked martial artist ... Father is a bar and restaurant owner ... Previously skated with Brett Dunie-Neustadt for six seasons and was coached by Denis Petrov for four seasons ... Studying journalism at Howard Community College in Columbia, Md. ... Teaches skating part time ... Family supports the Ronald McDonald House with yearly donations after having stayed there when Gabrielle's brother was in and out of the hospital ... Hobbies include dancing, playing the drums, writing and painting ... Has a passion for music and dancing ... Collects hotel room keys ... Biggest life-defining moment was when her brother passed away when she was 11 ... If she could go on any reality show, it would be "So You Think You Can Dance" ... Wants to write for a music or tattoo magazine after she's done skating ... Suffered a serious back injury that ended her pairs career and kept her off the ice for a year and a half ... Had given up the sport when Nykiel asked her if she wanted to try ice dancing, and nine months later the team was competing at the U.S. Championships ... Would want to meet Marilyn Manson because he is both an entertainer and a respected philosopher ... Listens to all kinds of rock music, but '90s rock is her favorite ... Would be a musician if she couldn't be a figure skater.
GABRIELLE'S FAVORITES
Favorite sports figure: Urijah Faber
Favorite sports teams: Washington Capitals, Detroit Red Wings
Favorite city: Ottawa
Favorite seasons: Spring, fall
Favorite author: Kury Vonnegut
Favorite magazine: Inked
Favorite gadget: Cell phone
Favorite vacation I've taken: Ottawa in 2007
Favorite performer: Marilyn Manson
Favorite reality shows: Daisy of Love, Celebrity Rehab
Favorite drink: Coffee
Favorite quote: "Cuts and bruises are the price you pay for having skin." - 51 peg
GABRIELLE'S 'THREE THINGS'
Three things people would be surprised to find out about me: I have three tattoos, I will be a sophomore in college in the fall, and I play the drums.
Three people I'd like to have dinner with: Dave Grohl, Marilyn Manson and Chris Garver (Miami Ink)
Three things I love doing: Dancing/choreographing, going to concerts and designing tattoos
Three television characters I'd hang out with if they were real: Kelso (That 70s Show), Dr. House and the Fresh Prince of Bel Air
Three celebrity crushes: Michael Weatherly (NCIS), Jason Statham and Ryan Gosling
Three favorite movies: Miracle, Almost Famous and Fight Club
Three things I must have when I leave the house: Cell phone, camera and lip balm
Three favorite bands: Nirvana, Tool and the White Stripes
Three people I'd most want to meet: Anthony Kiedis, Janice Dickinson and Bam Margera
Three best concerts I've been to: Foo Fighters, Mindless Self Indulgence and Man Man
Three favorite TV shows: Law & Order SVU, NCIS and House
Three favorite books: Scar Tissue, Come as You Are and The Da Vinci Code
Three favorite web sites: Metrolyrics.com, Facebook.com aand MySpace.com
Three favorite foods: Sushi, chocolate and mangoes
Three favorite drinks: Coffee, Nantucket Nectars orange mango juice and Shirley Temple
Nykiel started skating at age 7 ... Older sister, Anna, also skates ... Previously skated with Alexandra Veremeychik, Kassandra Hazard and Liza Branella and coached by Robin Neumann, Alexei Kiliakov, Elena Novak and Christine Bender ... Hobbies include painting and writing ... Has a passion for art ... The one living celebrity he'd like to meet is Bill Gates ... Listens to an eclectic mix of music, including Billy Joel, Depeche Mode, AC/DC, Chopin, Michael Jackson and Rammstein.
BENJAMIN'S 'THREE THINGS'
Three things I hate doing: Waking up, going to bed and boring things
Three things I love doing: Sleeping, driving and spending time with friends
Three favorite movies: The Matrix, The Lord of the Rings and 8 Mile
Three things I must have when I leave the house: Coffee, cell phone and iPod
Three people I'd most like to meet: Martin Gore, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs
Three favorite web sites: Facebook.com, Meebo.com and Google.com
Three favorite foods: Chinese, Italian and McDonald's
Three favorite drinks: Coffee, Coke and orange juice
GABRIELLE'S FAVORITES
Favorite sports figure: Urijah Faber
Favorite sports teams: Washington Capitals, Detroit Red Wings
Favorite city: Ottawa
Favorite seasons: Spring, fall
Favorite author: Kury Vonnegut
Favorite magazine: Inked
Favorite gadget: Cell phone
Favorite vacation I've taken: Ottawa in 2007
Favorite performer: Marilyn Manson
Favorite reality shows: Daisy of Love, Celebrity Rehab
Favorite drink: Coffee
Favorite quote: "Cuts and bruises are the price you pay for having skin." - 51 peg
GABRIELLE'S 'THREE THINGS'
Three things people would be surprised to find out about me: I have three tattoos, I will be a sophomore in college in the fall, and I play the drums.
Three people I'd like to have dinner with: Dave Grohl, Marilyn Manson and Chris Garver (Miami Ink)
Three things I love doing: Dancing/choreographing, going to concerts and designing tattoos
Three television characters I'd hang out with if they were real: Kelso (That 70s Show), Dr. House and the Fresh Prince of Bel Air
Three celebrity crushes: Michael Weatherly (NCIS), Jason Statham and Ryan Gosling
Three favorite movies: Miracle, Almost Famous and Fight Club
Three things I must have when I leave the house: Cell phone, camera and lip balm
Three favorite bands: Nirvana, Tool and the White Stripes
Three people I'd most want to meet: Anthony Kiedis, Janice Dickinson and Bam Margera
Three best concerts I've been to: Foo Fighters, Mindless Self Indulgence and Man Man
Three favorite TV shows: Law & Order SVU, NCIS and House
Three favorite books: Scar Tissue, Come as You Are and The Da Vinci Code
Three favorite web sites: Metrolyrics.com, Facebook.com aand MySpace.com
Three favorite foods: Sushi, chocolate and mangoes
Three favorite drinks: Coffee, Nantucket Nectars orange mango juice and Shirley Temple
Nykiel started skating at age 7 ... Older sister, Anna, also skates ... Previously skated with Alexandra Veremeychik, Kassandra Hazard and Liza Branella and coached by Robin Neumann, Alexei Kiliakov, Elena Novak and Christine Bender ... Hobbies include painting and writing ... Has a passion for art ... The one living celebrity he'd like to meet is Bill Gates ... Listens to an eclectic mix of music, including Billy Joel, Depeche Mode, AC/DC, Chopin, Michael Jackson and Rammstein.
BENJAMIN'S 'THREE THINGS'
Three things I hate doing: Waking up, going to bed and boring things
Three things I love doing: Sleeping, driving and spending time with friends
Three favorite movies: The Matrix, The Lord of the Rings and 8 Mile
Three things I must have when I leave the house: Coffee, cell phone and iPod
Three people I'd most like to meet: Martin Gore, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs
Three favorite web sites: Facebook.com, Meebo.com and Google.com
Three favorite foods: Chinese, Italian and McDonald's
Three favorite drinks: Coffee, Coke and orange juice
-
2010 Season NotesOD Music: "The Lonely Goatherd" from The Sound of Music by Rodgers and Hammerstein
FD Music: Music from Schindler's List by John Williams
Costumes designed by Julia Sretenski -
2009 Season NotesFD Music: "Lucia di Lammermoor" by Vitas
- 2010 - AT&T U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Junior - 9th
2010 - Eastern Sectional, Junior - 3rd
2009 - AT&T U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Novice - 4th
2009 - Eastern Sectional, Novice - 2nd