Our experts
Angela Kim
Figure Skating Coach, Pilates, Contortion & FRC Specialist
Angela comes from an eclectic background: she began skating at the age of 6, and competed until age 18. She’s been performing ever since. She has held principal positions for Holiday on Ice, Disney on Ice, Royal Caribbean, Art on Ice, and Cirque du Soleil. Her long-standing success stems from years of experience working with the body in many different disciplines.
She discovered circus arts in 2006, and has been studying traditional Mongolian contortion and aerial acrobatics for over a decade. During this time, she also opened and co-owned a successful pilates studio called Studio Blue in Portland, Oregon. (This is where she began to develop the Balanced Skaters program.) After several years of coaching and running her studio, she began mixing circus with figure skating, putting her on the map as one of the few pioneering skaters to mix disciplines.
In 2015, Angela had two reconstructive hip surgeries from a genetic abnormality. Her knowledgeable physical therapists, trainers, and using Functional Range Conditioning (FRC) allowed her to regain her contortion abilities. Angela received her certification as an FRC mobility specialist soon after, and started to skate again. She began coaching full-time on and off the ice in Oakland, CA, and opened her second pilates studio, Pilates Loft Oakland. After 2 years of being away from performing, she received an offer from Cirque du Soleil to perform as an inline skater and aerialist in their new creation, Volta. During her time in Cirque, she continued to coach as well. She was asked to teach for Acrobatic Arts and was thrilled to be a part of a program that helped young dancers build strong, capable, and healthy bodies.
Angela saw a disconnect in the skating world and wanted to make a larger impact in reaching broader skating communities. She teamed up with Acrobatic Arts to create Balanced Skaters.
Luke Kirchgessner
Jump Specialist
With over 21 years of experience in the sport, Luke has built a coaching career focused on helping skaters develop clear, consistent technique—especially in the areas of jump mechanics and axis control. His approach is rooted in problem-solving, shaped by years of working through his own technical challenges on the ice as his early years were spent trying jumps on his own. Luke works closely with athletes to simplify complex concepts, build strong foundations, and support long-term progress in a way that’s both thoughtful and effective.
Alongside his coaching work, Luke has performed professionally around the world, touring with major ice shows and productions. His performances are marked by a strong sense of musicality and storytelling, blending clean athleticism with expressive detail. His experience as a performer gives him a unique perspective on what it takes to deliver under pressure—something he brings into every coaching situation.
For Luke, skating is more than a sport—it’s a lifelong pursuit of growth, challenge, and connection. Whether he’s coaching on the boards or performing under the lights, he brings precision, purpose, and a true love for the craft to everything he does.
Liz Yoshiko Schmidt
Liz is a Japanese/German American skater who is recognized for her exquisite edges & artistic dynamic movement. A Figure Skating Double Gold medalist in Freestyle & Moves in the Field, Silver medalist in Ice Dancing, and featured coach with Balanced Skaters. Class will consist of progressively challenging exercises set to music, designed to help skaters refine their command of basic skating technique as well as move with flow & elegance across the ice.
Our experts
Yebin Mok
Figure Skating Coach, Pilates, Contortion & FRC Specialist
Following a successful competitive career (including two-time US Intermediate & Juvenile National champion, member of US international Team at Senior and Junior level, 2002 Golden Spin of Zagreb silver medalist, two bronze medals on the ISU Junior Grand Prix circuit, and placed fifth at the 2003 World Junior Championships), Yebin went on to perform as a Principle Skater in a number of major productions created by Holiday on Ice, Beitak productions, Wheeler productions, and BIFF LTD.
While working with a variety of world-renowned choreographers and directors, she established herself as a leading principal skater with trademark grace and flowing lines.
Widely regarded as one of the most beautiful skaters in the business, Yebin is deeply respected in the professional skating world and was a top-3 finalist of Young Artist Showcase and winner of the industry’s Virtual Skate Off competition. In addition to her choreographic successes, she was the co-creative choreographer for “The Creative Spirit of John Curry” production by BIFF LTD.
Yebin is now an international-level coach who now passes on her passionate love for beautiful skating to the next generation of elite skaters.
Matej Silckey
Matej Silecky was a Skating Professional on ITV's Dancing on Ice (2020 Netherlands, Semi-Finalist; 2018 UK Runner-Up). He is the 2012-13 USFS Collegiate Junior Men's Champion, USFS Nationals Competitor Championship Pairs and Ukrainian National Team member. He is a triple gold medalist, USFS and Skate Canada, in Freestyle, Pairs and Moves in the Field (Elements) and is currently completing partnered dance tests (Pre-Silver+2).
Matej is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, where he was Team Captain of the Cal Figure Skating team and developed and taught a college course on the interdisciplinary aspects of figure skating. Matej has also performed in numerous shows with Woodstock Ice Productions, Ice Dance International, Ghiaccio Spettacolo (Italy) & Ice Theatre of New York, among others. He regularly coaches and choreographs for skaters of all levels.
He is the USA Country Manager for Graf Figure Skates and is USFS Coach Compliant + PSA Basic Accredited.
Jeremy Cline
Professional Dancer, Acrobat, Skater, and Feldenkrais Practitioner
Jeremy Cline (he/him) is a US-based choreographer, artist, and teacher. His mission is to use movement arts as a means of self-realization, creativity, and collective good. He has worked as a professional dancer for a decade in the US (Los Angeles Opera, the Lincoln Center, Spectrum Dance Theater, Brian Sanders’ JUNK, Khambatta Dance Company, The 5th Ave Musical Theater, International Ballet Theater, Vancouver Street Dance Festival), and holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in choreography from the University of Iowa. His choreography has been shown at the Seattle International Dance Festival, Full Tilt Dance Festival, Men in Dance Festival, Queensboro Dance Festival, Miracle Makers International Film Festival (where he won awards for Best Choreography in 2021 and Best Music Video in 2023), Seattle Fringe Festival, Circadium School of Contemporary Circus, Middlebury College, Disney on Ice, and the University of Iowa. In 2021 he co-founded Skoptur, a company pushing the boundaries of networked performance and integrating movement and digital arts. Jeremy has toured over 70 cities in 8 countries with Disney on Ice as a skater, character performer, live host, and acrobat, performing in front of over 2 million people. Jeremy is currently finishing his training to become a certified Feldenkrais Practitioner. He is a long-time practitioner of Capoeira Angola, bboying, and contact improvisation.
Danil Berdnikov
Danil Berdnikov is from the city of Samara in Russia. Danil was a part of junior national team and competed within Russia until he completed high school. Danil then decided to move to Moscow to continue his education and to join Stage Entertainment Russia for an opportunity to begin performing as an ice skater.
Performing for an audience, Danil fell in love with skating in a new way, so he has continued to skate professionally for the past eight years. Over the course of his professional skating career Danil had a privilege of working for Willy Bietak Productions and Wheeler Productions in the US, Stageworks Worldwide Production in the UK, Holiday on Ice Productions and Dynamic Shows Entertainment in the EU, Stage Entertainment Russia.
Ice skating has brought Danil many different opportunities, including the chance to travel the world and do what he truly loves.
Max March-Steinman
Plyometric Specialist
After a decade of teaching science, Max March-Steinman (he/him) shifted careers to pursue circus arts and movement coaching. He earned certification from AFAA in Personal Training and Group Exercise Training, is a USA Track and Field Level 2 Jumps Coach, and carries seven years of experience in the field. As a coach, he has worked with athletes around the world, and dedicates himself to a rigorous, scientific approach to training. Whether instructing one-one-one or in group workshops, Max brings a cross disciplinary expertise to his work to make student athletes feel empowered in their progress.