It's been a rollercoaster season so far for Camden Pulkinen. The 21-year-old skater placed eighth at Cranberry Cup in August and improved to fourth at the U.S. International Figure Skating Classic in September. However, his results at Finlandia Trophy and NHK Trophy were not what he wanted. Nonetheless, Pulkinen remains undaunted.
"I want to give my all this season," he said. "It's about personal growth for me."
He hopes to show improved performances this week at Rostelecom Cup, his second Grand Prix event. This fall, Pulkinen has been working to improve the finer details of his skating. He increased his cardiovascular workouts for more stamina and reworked the entrance patterns into his jumps.
"In the first few events, I had issues with some patterns and finding my breathing moments," he explained. "Some of them were a little awkward. Now I've identified those problems, and we've made some tweaks to build speed and confidence."
Pulkinen has also worked on jump consistency. "I boil it all down to section work. You can do anything outside of the program. When you put [elements] in the context of the program and the choreography, that's when it plays a little differently," Pulkinen said. "When I'm warming up, I do things on program patterns and with choreography, because that's going to make me consistent when it matters. After a program, I'll do a second half of a long [program], so I know that when I'm really tired, I can do it."
Pulkinen has also endeavored to fully bring out the character of his new programs this season. His short program is set to "Come What May," a powerful ballad from
Moulin Rouge!. Pulkinen chose the music himself.
"I was going between different pieces from
Moulin Rouge!," the skater explained. "I watched the movie over and over. And this was the song that I felt the most connection to. I played around on the ice with it, and it flowed well. So I decided to skate to it."
Pasquale Camerlengo--noted coach, choreographer, and former ice dancer--choreographed the short program. Pulkinen found it inspiring to watch Camerlengo in action.
"This was my first time working with him," said Pulkinen. "And it was really cool, because he just moves so well on the ice. Sometimes we would be in a lesson, and I would just be mesmerized. It was a unique experience, working with someone who is, honestly, a master of movement."
Pulkinen's long program is set to the Latin song "Besame Mucho," choreographed by Tom Dickson. It's a new genre of music for him.
"It's really different from anything I've ever done before," Pulkinen said. "I think of myself as more of a lyrical, contemporary [music] kind of skater."
At first, the program didn't feel quite comfortable. However, Pulkinen worked with one of his coaches, Drew Meekins, to develop and refine the style of movement in the routine. "Working off-ice in the ballet room definitely helped a lot," noted Pulkinen.
The program was conceived as a passionate, "Latin lover"-type piece. However, as Pulkinen trained and performed the routine, he felt a different, darker character emerge, based on the music.
"I feel like the program is very angsty," Pulkinen noted. "When I do the program, I find myself kind of boiling inside, and being a little angry. That anger can translate into rushing technique . So I have to suppress those emotions and bring myself down to get the elements done. In between, I can let it fly and let the emotions flair."
Dealing with emotions and nerves in competition is a continuous challenge, Pulkinen acknowledges--for him and for all skaters.
"Everyone can do everything in practice. Or if you had 30 tries to do something," Pulkinen mused. "But you get one shot. And it's in competition, under bright lights. So you've got to be prepared."
An important aspect of Pulkinen's preparation is working with a sports psychologist on the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee staff. "He's been really helpful in just being mindful, and aware of the thoughts that I have," said Pulkinen, noting U.S. Figure Skating encourages athletes to get mental health coaching support.
Even with preparation, the pressures of elite-level figure skating are hard to manage. "It's obviously really difficult," Pulkinen admitted. "But I've been working a lot on this. I think that the mind is like a muscle. The more you train your mind to deal with all these distractions that you will feel at a competition, the better you'll be able to deal with it when it matters."
Pulkinen looks forward to competing at Rostelecom Cup in Sochi, Russia, site of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games.
"I've made really good progressions in practice," said Pulkinen. "I know that, as long as I can keep my head on straight and just focus, that I can display that in competition. Easier said than done, but I believe in myself."
Fans can watch Team USA this week at Rostelecom Cup live and on-demand on
Peacock Premium. Check out the
Grand Prix Series Competition Central page to follow Team USA throughout the season.
