Magazine
"You can’t flip a switch on competition day" – Alana Christie Bianchi and the Rise of the Northernettes
Magazine
"You can’t flip a switch on competition day" – Alana Christie Bianchi and the Rise of the Northernettes
From Aspire to Junior and Collegiate, the Northernettes' pathway helps skaters grow, compete, and excel on the national and international stage. (Credits: Skate Synchro Photo - 2025)
As the U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships kick off this Wednesday in Colorado Springs, the Northernettes, led by head coach Alana Christie, are one of the rising teams on the national and international stage. Fresh off a gold medal at the Hevelius Cup and a strong fifth-place finish at the Mozart Cup, the Minneapolis-based team embodies ambition, resilience, and a bold vision for the future of synchro in the United States.
Let's start with a simple question: what do the Northernettes look like today?
Alana Christie Bianchi, head coach: "For our 2024-2025 season, the Northernettes organization has seven teams, ranging from developmental Aspire and Preliminary levels to our qualifying Juvenile, Novice, Junior and Collegiate teams. Each team is supported by a dedicated coaching staff, and specialized choreographers, skating skills coaches, off-ice trainers, and mental training sessions with our sports psychologist. Our evolving structure allows skaters to start young, fall in love with our amazing sport, and progress through the levels with opportunities for both national and international competition."
Over the past few seasons, how has the Northernettes’ organization evolved in terms of technical difficulty and artistic innovation?
"As our organization has grown, we continually push the boundaries of what we believe our skaters can achieve, both technically and artistically. Through ongoing skills training, our speed, power and technique have improved. As a result, we are able to choreograph higher technical element levels and more interesting features for each of our qualifying teams, ensuring technical growth. On the artistic side, we collaborate with our guest choreographers to develop programs that are both memorable and impactful. We have focused extra hard on improving emotion on the ice as well as improving overall cleanliness and clarity within our elements."
Alana Christie Bianchi, head coach: "For our 2024-2025 season, the Northernettes organization has seven teams, ranging from developmental Aspire and Preliminary levels to our qualifying Juvenile, Novice, Junior and Collegiate teams. Each team is supported by a dedicated coaching staff, and specialized choreographers, skating skills coaches, off-ice trainers, and mental training sessions with our sports psychologist. Our evolving structure allows skaters to start young, fall in love with our amazing sport, and progress through the levels with opportunities for both national and international competition."
Over the past few seasons, how has the Northernettes’ organization evolved in terms of technical difficulty and artistic innovation?
"As our organization has grown, we continually push the boundaries of what we believe our skaters can achieve, both technically and artistically. Through ongoing skills training, our speed, power and technique have improved. As a result, we are able to choreograph higher technical element levels and more interesting features for each of our qualifying teams, ensuring technical growth. On the artistic side, we collaborate with our guest choreographers to develop programs that are both memorable and impactful. We have focused extra hard on improving emotion on the ice as well as improving overall cleanliness and clarity within our elements."
In a recent interview, you mentioned that synchronized skating organizations often start with very young skaters, so it takes several years before a junior or senior team can be formed. You've taken the opposite approach with the Northernettes - can you explain?
"In 2017, I formed the Northernettes by convincing enough established skaters to help me launch a first year Junior level synchro team. This approach allowed us to quickly gain a little bit of early credibility with a higher level presence. By attracting a more experienced skater and building a competitive versus recreational foundation, we created a model where younger skaters became motivated to work harder to gain the skills necessary to skate on higher level teams. This “top-down” approach was central to our early marketing efforts and to our fostering ambition and excitement within the organization."
What advice would you give small organizations wishing to grow?
"Although we’ve been able to make it work with our “top-down” approach, it is really a hard way to get started. The reality is that building an organization is a numbers game. My advice is to develop a robust “learn to skate program” and market the sport of synchronized skating to your skating community. Do everything possible to get a lot of young skaters into your organization. Additionally, I strongly emphasize staying focused on your big picture goals, and always be willing to self-reflect and make staffing and logistical changes to ensure growth. And, never underestimate the power of ongoing great communication with your skaters and parents - it’s the foundation for a sustainable and thriving organization."
"In 2017, I formed the Northernettes by convincing enough established skaters to help me launch a first year Junior level synchro team. This approach allowed us to quickly gain a little bit of early credibility with a higher level presence. By attracting a more experienced skater and building a competitive versus recreational foundation, we created a model where younger skaters became motivated to work harder to gain the skills necessary to skate on higher level teams. This “top-down” approach was central to our early marketing efforts and to our fostering ambition and excitement within the organization."
What advice would you give small organizations wishing to grow?
"Although we’ve been able to make it work with our “top-down” approach, it is really a hard way to get started. The reality is that building an organization is a numbers game. My advice is to develop a robust “learn to skate program” and market the sport of synchronized skating to your skating community. Do everything possible to get a lot of young skaters into your organization. Additionally, I strongly emphasize staying focused on your big picture goals, and always be willing to self-reflect and make staffing and logistical changes to ensure growth. And, never underestimate the power of ongoing great communication with your skaters and parents - it’s the foundation for a sustainable and thriving organization."
"All I wanted, as I started the Northernettes, was to be able to help create these same experiences for a new generation of younger skaters." (Credits: Sklate Synchro Photo - 2025)
Resilience, leadership, and women in sports: Alana Christie's vision
How did your personal journey as a skater shape your vision and philosophy as a coach for the Northernettes?
"I was fortunate enough to spend six seasons on Team USA, competing at five World Championships and truly experiencing the highest levels of our sport. This is something that helped fully shape me as a person and a competitor. All I wanted, as I started the Northernettes, was to be able to help create these same experiences for a new generation of younger skaters. My skating journey taught me so much about resilience, discipline, and the importance of teamwork and those values are all at the heart of the Northernettes. I wanted to create a space where skaters could not only excel on the ice, but also learn life lessons that extend beyond the ice. Having an opportunity to help skaters develop a highly competitive skating experience, while in a positive, healthy and encouraging team environment is core to what we are all about."
"I was fortunate enough to spend six seasons on Team USA, competing at five World Championships and truly experiencing the highest levels of our sport. This is something that helped fully shape me as a person and a competitor. All I wanted, as I started the Northernettes, was to be able to help create these same experiences for a new generation of younger skaters. My skating journey taught me so much about resilience, discipline, and the importance of teamwork and those values are all at the heart of the Northernettes. I wanted to create a space where skaters could not only excel on the ice, but also learn life lessons that extend beyond the ice. Having an opportunity to help skaters develop a highly competitive skating experience, while in a positive, healthy and encouraging team environment is core to what we are all about."
You also mentioned the importance of supporting women in sports. How have you translated this within the Northernettes program?
"Supporting women in sports starts with empowerment. Within the Northernettes, we prioritize respect for each other and our sport as well as great work ethic. Providing leadership opportunities, mentorship of younger skaters, and fostering an environment where girls and young women feel valued and confident. We celebrate their achievements both on and off the ice, encouraging them to pursue excellence in all aspects of their life. "
What steps do you take to ensure your athletes develop resilience and confidence, especially during high-stakes competitions?
"First and foremost, we practice like we compete. You can’t flip a switch mentally or physically on competition day. It’s all about our practice preparation, including numerous full program run throughs and competition simulations. We talk a lot with our skaters about focusing on the process of getting better every day and not about the results. Proper practice preparation leads to confidence and a positive mindset. By also fostering a supportive team environment, setting clear expectations, and emphasizing personal growth and mental focus over perfection, we help our athletes build the resilience needed to handle competition pressure."
"Foreign skaters bring fresh perspectives to the teams""Supporting women in sports starts with empowerment. Within the Northernettes, we prioritize respect for each other and our sport as well as great work ethic. Providing leadership opportunities, mentorship of younger skaters, and fostering an environment where girls and young women feel valued and confident. We celebrate their achievements both on and off the ice, encouraging them to pursue excellence in all aspects of their life. "
What steps do you take to ensure your athletes develop resilience and confidence, especially during high-stakes competitions?
"First and foremost, we practice like we compete. You can’t flip a switch mentally or physically on competition day. It’s all about our practice preparation, including numerous full program run throughs and competition simulations. We talk a lot with our skaters about focusing on the process of getting better every day and not about the results. Proper practice preparation leads to confidence and a positive mindset. By also fostering a supportive team environment, setting clear expectations, and emphasizing personal growth and mental focus over perfection, we help our athletes build the resilience needed to handle competition pressure."
In competitive synchronized skating, athletes often juggle intense training with academics or careers. How does the Northernettes program support this balance?
"From a practice schedule standpoint, we make accommodations for school priorities and super important family commitments, but otherwise we fully expect that if our skaters expect team success on the ice, they have to be fully devoted to our practice commitments. As accomplished figure skaters, our skaters are already heavily focused on their time management process, which carries over to their academic and extracurricular successes. We encourage our skaters to work closely with their schools and teachers to make their athletic and academic pursuits successful together. Lots of early communication ahead of time is paramount, to include sharing details with their teachers on the Northernettes and the national and international competition opportunities they have earned."
"From a practice schedule standpoint, we make accommodations for school priorities and super important family commitments, but otherwise we fully expect that if our skaters expect team success on the ice, they have to be fully devoted to our practice commitments. As accomplished figure skaters, our skaters are already heavily focused on their time management process, which carries over to their academic and extracurricular successes. We encourage our skaters to work closely with their schools and teachers to make their athletic and academic pursuits successful together. Lots of early communication ahead of time is paramount, to include sharing details with their teachers on the Northernettes and the national and international competition opportunities they have earned."
The Northernettes Junior competed in Austria in January. (Credits: Ville Vairinen - 2025)
You now have foreign skaters joining you. Can you tell us more about this?
"It’s been incredible to welcome skaters from different countries into our program - this year we had skaters from Italy, Finland and Sweden. These skaters have great synchronized skating experience from competing throughout Europe and they are thrilled to continue their synchro journey while studying abroad and being part of our culture for a year. They bring fresh perspectives to the teams, and it's so fun to learn about their cultures and skating backgrounds. It also highlights the universal appeal of synchronized skating and the global connections the sport fosters!"
Where do you envision the Northernettes in five years, both as a team and as a program contributing to the growth of synchronized skating in the USA?
"For me, part of what drives me everyday is simply the love of skating and my desire to help grow figure skating through synchronized skating. Synchro, in the USA is often thought about last by the masses, after the individual, pairs and dance disciplines. We want to be a big part of the local movement changing that perspective, growing synchro here while all of us strive to have synchronized skating included in the 2034 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City!
For the Northernettes, in five years I see us solidifying our reputation as a highly competitive synchronized skating organization both in the U.S. and internationally. We aim to expand our reach, with more teams and more skaters from our community creating their own inspirational Northernettes journey. We are all so passionate about synchronized skating and we want to spread this amazing competitive sport opportunity through great work ethic, great sportsmanship and great community engagement!"
"It’s been incredible to welcome skaters from different countries into our program - this year we had skaters from Italy, Finland and Sweden. These skaters have great synchronized skating experience from competing throughout Europe and they are thrilled to continue their synchro journey while studying abroad and being part of our culture for a year. They bring fresh perspectives to the teams, and it's so fun to learn about their cultures and skating backgrounds. It also highlights the universal appeal of synchronized skating and the global connections the sport fosters!"
Where do you envision the Northernettes in five years, both as a team and as a program contributing to the growth of synchronized skating in the USA?
"For me, part of what drives me everyday is simply the love of skating and my desire to help grow figure skating through synchronized skating. Synchro, in the USA is often thought about last by the masses, after the individual, pairs and dance disciplines. We want to be a big part of the local movement changing that perspective, growing synchro here while all of us strive to have synchronized skating included in the 2034 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City!
For the Northernettes, in five years I see us solidifying our reputation as a highly competitive synchronized skating organization both in the U.S. and internationally. We aim to expand our reach, with more teams and more skaters from our community creating their own inspirational Northernettes journey. We are all so passionate about synchronized skating and we want to spread this amazing competitive sport opportunity through great work ethic, great sportsmanship and great community engagement!"
