Ye-lim Kim’s performance to “A Thousand Years” at An Evening with Champions (2023) was a breathtaking blend of elegance and emotion, captivating the audience from the very first note. Dressed in a stunning, flowing lavender dress adorned with delicate silver sequins that shimmered under the soft arena lights, she glided across the ice with effortless grace, her every movement perfectly synchronized with Christina Perri’s haunting melody.
Her opening combination—a soaring double Axel followed by a seamless Ina Bauer—set the tone for a program filled with intricate footwork, ethereal spirals, and a mesmerizing step sequence that highlighted her impeccable edge control. The crowd erupted as she landed a flawless triple Lutz-double toe loop combination, her arms extending gracefully as if reaching for an unseen presence.
The choreography, rich in lyrical storytelling, mirrored the song’s themes of longing and devotion, with Kim’s expressive gestures—a tender hand over her heart, a wistful gaze into the distance—adding layers of depth. As the music swelled toward its climax, she spun into a dazzling camel spin that accelerated into a blur before finishing with a breathtaking Biellmann, her back arched perfectly as she grasped her blade.
The final pose, arms outstretched and head tilted gently upward, left the audience in awed silence before they burst into thunderous applause, moved by the sheer beauty and emotional resonance of her performance. Every detail—from the delicate sparkle of her hairpiece to the way her dress fluttered with each twizzle—contributed to a moment of pure magic on the ice.
Caitlyn Kukulowicz delivered a captivating performance of “Forever Young” at the 51st annual An Evening with Champions, held on September 8–9, 2023, at Harvard University’s Bright-Landry Hockey Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts. This annual figure skating exhibition benefits The Jimmy Fund, supporting cancer research and care at Boston’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Kukulowicz, a first-year student at Harvard University majoring in neuroscience on the pre-med track, is also an accomplished figure skater. She is the 2022 Junior Ontario Champion, a two-time Canadian national competitor, and the 2023 Skate Milwaukee Silver Medalist.
Her performance to Lily Kershaw’s rendition of “Forever Young” was noted for its grace and emotional depth, resonating with audiences and contributing to the event’s mission of combining athletic artistry with charitable fundraising