With the recent changes in the world including everyday lives; nothing is more worse than not only losing your job, but not being able to even practice your passion. With the entertainment industry at a standstill and now rinks closed, Allison Kymmell and Jonoton Lopez weren’t going to let these circumstances freeze them too.
Jonoton (33) of Buenas Aries, Argentina and Allison (25) USA, have been putting a positive “spin” on these current difficulties. They both flew to Miami, FL to do an ice show. Unfortunately, due to the Corona Virus, the show was cancelled. Due to the fast actions of multiple governments from around the world for public safety, neither of them were able to fly back to France or even for Jonoton to enter his own country of Argentina. Allison is unable to go back home due to her mother’s health condition. “My mother has auto immune hepatitis. She has had this almost my entire life. It basically means her immune system is severely compromised and her liver is also rejected by her body. After my father consulted top doctors, it is best I do not come in any form of contact with my mom or my father because if my mother contracts the virus it is most likely she would die from it.” Allison explained.
Being stuck in Miami as professional show skaters; they decided to do what show skaters do best; get creative. Doing off-ice workouts, cross-fit based home circuits, yoga, and off-ice pair lifts kept them busy for the first week; but they longed for their skates.
“I instantly remembered I had Picskates and I knew Jonoton needed some immediately. Picskates are a fabulous, fun, product. Every skater should have a pair. Anything I can do on the ice, I can do in Picskates. My coach Nick Perna has gotten me into them in 2012 during our summer camp and I fell in love. Excellent cross training tool. The number one thing I noticed was that from doing all my jumps on the Picframe, my jumps on the ice became a lot easier and higher too. Also Sheila Thelin has been very encouraging to keep me Picskating through the years too. I’m eager to use her Champion Chords on the Picskates. Without any rinks open we can still practice our edges, turns, jumps, spins, and most importantly for us the pair lifts and choreography that sets show skaters a part from competitive skaters. We practice two times a day one of them being at night when it’s cool outside. I couldn’t be more happy. We just want to be positive and express our creativity still through skating. Hopefully our neighbors enjoy watching! Haha!- Allison
“I don’t have a country to go to and I don’t have skating. We both want to turn a bad circumstance into a positive outlook and art form. I’m thankful to be stuck with Allison during this time and she introduced me to Picskating. I have done roller skating for many many years then ice skating. I’m amazed with how fast I can go in them. It’s just like I’ve skating. We are really trying to send a positive message and encourage all skaters to get out and Picskate. Share the art form of skating and keep their skills up too. You can go crazy sitting all day without the rink, but Picskating brings the ice to your house without the expensive ice time.” Jonoton
Jonoton and Allison plan to share many online videos including: instructional videos for beginner skaters/picskaters and also several fun entertainment videos to keep the show spirit alive.
Visit: Picskate.com for more information on purchasing a pair of a Picskates. Follow on Instagram: @allison.kymmell_official and @jlopezfitness for some stellar Picskate videos!
Keep skating! Skating is for ALL ages and abilities.
