Nikolaj Sørensen
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Nikolaj Sørensen (born February 18, 1989) is a Danish-Canadian
ice dancer Ice dance (sometimes referred to as ice dancing) is a discipline of figure skating that historically draws from ballroom dancing. It joined the World Figure Skating Championships in 1952, and became a Winter Olympic Games medal sport in 1976. A ...
. Competing for Canada with his skating partner,
Laurence Fournier Beaudry Laurence Fournier Beaudry (born July 18, 1992) is a Canadian ice dancer who currently represents France with partner Guillaume Cizeron. Formerly competing for Canada and earlier for Denmark with her former skating partner Nikolaj Sørensen, s ...
, he is a two-time
Four Continents Europeans in the 16th century divided the world into four continents: Africa, America, Asia, and Europe. Each of the four continents was seen to represent its quadrant of the world—Africa in the south, America in the west, Asia in the east, a ...
silver medalist, an eight-time
Grand Prix ( , meaning ''Grand Prize''; plural ''Grands Prix'') most commonly refers to: * Grand Prix motor racing, a form of motorsport competition ** List of Formula One Grands Prix, an auto-racing championship *** Monaco Grand Prix, the most prestigious ...
medallist (including gold at the
2022 NHK Trophy The 2022 NHK Trophy was the fifth event of the 2022-23 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating: a senior-level international invitational competition series. It was held at the Makomanai Ice Arena in Sapporo, Japan, from November 18-20. Medals were awa ...
), a five-time Challenger medallist (including gold at the
2019 CS Nebelhorn Trophy The 2019 CS Nebelhorn Trophy was held in September 2019 in Oberstdorf, Germany. It was part of the 2019–20 ISU Challenger Series. Medals were awarded in the disciplines of men's singles, ladies' singles, pair skating, and ice dance. Entries ...
and
2022 CS Finlandia Trophy The 2022 CS Finlandia Trophy was held on October 4–9, 2022, in Espoo, Finland. It was the fifth event of the 2022–23 ISU Challenger Series. Medals were awarded in men's singles, women's singles, pair skating, and ice dance. Entries The In ...
), and the 2023 Canadian national champion. Fournier Beaudry and Sørensen represented Canada at the
2022 Winter Olympics The 2022 Winter Olympics, officially called the XXIV Olympic Winter Games () and commonly known as Beijing 2022 (2022), were an international winter multi-sport event held from 4 to 20 February 2022 in Beijing, China, and surrounding areas wit ...
. Fournier Beaudry and Sørensen previously competed for Denmark, winning six
ISU Challenger Series The ISU Challenger Series is a series of international figure skating competitions. Established by the International Skating Union in the 2014–15 figure skating season, 2014–15 season, it is a group of senior-level events ranked below the ISU ...
medals and representing Denmark at the
World The world is the totality of entities, the whole of reality, or everything that Existence, exists. The nature of the world has been conceptualized differently in different fields. Some conceptions see the world as unique, while others talk ...
and
European championships A European Championship is the top level international sports competition between European athletes or sports teams representing their respective countries or professional sports clubs. In the plural, the European Championships also refers t ...
. In March 2018, Denmark released them to compete for Canada after Laurence was unable to obtain Danish citizenship to compete at the
2018 Winter Olympics The 2018 Winter Olympics (), officially the XXIII Olympic Winter Games (; ) and also known as PyeongChang 2018 (), were an international winter multi-sport event held between 9 and 25 February 2018 in Pyeongchang County, South Ko ...
. In the autumn of 2023, Sørensen was investigated for the alleged sexual assault of an American figure skating coach and former skater in 2012. In October 2024, he was given an indefinite ban of at least six years for "sexual maltreatment" as a result of the findings of the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner.


Personal life

Sørensen was born on February 18, 1989, in
Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...
,
Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...
. He became a
Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...
citizen in September 2021. Sørensen is fluent in Danish,
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...
, and
French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...
. He is in a relationship with his ice dance partner,
Laurence Fournier Beaudry Laurence Fournier Beaudry (born July 18, 1992) is a Canadian ice dancer who currently represents France with partner Guillaume Cizeron. Formerly competing for Canada and earlier for Denmark with her former skating partner Nikolaj Sørensen, s ...
.


Early career

Sørensen began learning to skate in 1996 at his father's instigation. He competed internationally with Anne Thomsen beginning in 2003. They placed twenty-fourth at the 2006 World Junior Championships. In 2007, Sørensen teamed up with Czech skater Barbora Heroldová to compete for Denmark. They competed one season together, placing twenty-first at the 2008 World Junior Championships. In 2009, Sørensen began competing with Canadian skater Katelyn Good for Denmark. In their first season together, they won the Danish senior national title, placed seventeenth at 2010 World Junior Championships, twenty-first at the 2010 European Championships, and twenty-fourth at the 2010 World Championships. The following season, they decided to move from training in the United States under Mathew Gates to Montreal to be near Good's mother. On Gates' recommendation, they began training under
Marie-France Dubreuil Marie-France Dubreuil (born August 11, 1974) is a Canadian ice dancing coach and former competitor. With her husband Patrice Lauzon, she is a two-time (2006–2007) World silver medallist. Personal life Marie-France Dubreuil was born on Augu ...
and
Patrice Lauzon Patrice Lauzon (born November 26, 1975) is a Canadian ice dancing coach and former competitor. With his wife Marie-France Dubreuil, he is a two-time (2006–2007) World silver medalist. Personal life Patrice Lauzon was born in Montreal, Quebe ...
, whose just-opened ice dance academy had only four teams at the time. Shortly after the move, Good's mother died. Sørensen and Good placed twenty-ninth at the 2011 World Championships in their final performance together, as Good chose to retire due to injury. In 2012, Sørensen began skating with Canadian skater
Vanessa Crone Vanessa Crone (born October 29, 1990) is a Canadian former competitive ice dancer. She skated with Paul Poirier from 2001 to 2011, becoming the 2010 Grand Prix Final bronze medallist, 2011 Four Continents bronze medallist, 2008 World Junior si ...
, but she decided not to compete with him.


Partnership with Fournier Beaudry

Sørensen had a tryout with another Canadian,
Laurence Fournier Beaudry Laurence Fournier Beaudry (born July 18, 1992) is a Canadian ice dancer who currently represents France with partner Guillaume Cizeron. Formerly competing for Canada and earlier for Denmark with her former skating partner Nikolaj Sørensen, s ...
of
Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...
, in February 2012. He decided to team up with Crone but called Fournier Beaudry five months later, shortly after Crone's decision not to compete with him. Fournier Beaudry and Sørensen decided to represent Denmark while continuing to train in Canada under Dubreuil and Lauzon.


2013–2014 season

Making their international competition debut in the fall of 2013, they won gold at the 2013
Pavel Roman Memorial The Pavel Roman Memorial () is an international ice dance competition held in Olomouc, Czech Republic and organized by the Czech Skating Association. The competition is named in honor of Pavel Roman, a former figure skater and ice dancer who compe ...
, silver at the 2013
Ice Challenge The IceChallenge (2021 held as Cup of Austria; originally called the Leo-Scheu-Gedächtnislaufen) is an annual international figure skating competition, organized by the Grazer Eislaufverein and generally held every autumn in Graz, Austria. In som ...
, and bronze at the
Toruń Cup Toruń is a city on the Vistula River in north-central Poland and a World Heritage Sites of Poland, UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its population was 196,935 as of December 2021. Previously, it was the capital of the Toruń Voivodeship (1975–199 ...
. At the 2014 Danish Championships, they were the only competitors in ice dance. In their ISU Championship debut, they placed thirteenth at the 2014 European Championships and concluded the season placing twenty-ninth at the 2014 World Championships in Saitama.


2014–2015 season

The duo competed in three
ISU Challenger Series The ISU Challenger Series is a series of international figure skating competitions. Established by the International Skating Union in the 2014–15 figure skating season, 2014–15 season, it is a group of senior-level events ranked below the ISU ...
events at the beginning of the season, placing fourth at the
Volvo Open Cup The Volvo Open Cup is an annual international figure skating competition held in Riga, Latvia. In some years, the event is part of the ISU Challenger Series. Medals may be awarded in men's singles, women's singles, pair skating, and ice dance ...
, repeating as silver medallists at the
Ice Challenge The IceChallenge (2021 held as Cup of Austria; originally called the Leo-Scheu-Gedächtnislaufen) is an annual international figure skating competition, organized by the Grazer Eislaufverein and generally held every autumn in Graz, Austria. In som ...
, and earning a bronze medal at the 2014 Autumn Classic. They were again the only competitors at the Danish Championships' ice dance event. They placed ninth at their second
European Championships A European Championship is the top level international sports competition between European athletes or sports teams representing their respective countries or professional sports clubs. In the plural, the European Championships also refers t ...
. At the 2015 World Championships in
Shanghai Shanghai, Shanghainese: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: is a direct-administered municipality and the most populous urban area in China. The city is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the ...
, they placed eleventh.


2015–2016 season

Beginning the season again on the Challenger Series, Fournier Beaudry and Sørensen won the silver medal at the 2015 U.S. International Classic and the bronze medal at the
Finlandia Trophy The Finlandia Trophy an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union (ISU), organized and hosted by Skating Finland (). The competition debuted in 1995 in Helsinki, and when the ISU launched the ISU Challenger ...
. Making their
Grand Prix ( , meaning ''Grand Prize''; plural ''Grands Prix'') most commonly refers to: * Grand Prix motor racing, a form of motorsport competition ** List of Formula One Grands Prix, an auto-racing championship *** Monaco Grand Prix, the most prestigious ...
debut, they placed seventh at the
2015 Skate Canada International The 2015 Skate Canada International was the second event of six in the 2015–16 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, a senior-level international invitational competition series. It was held at the ENMAX Centre in Lethbridge, Alberta on October 30 ...
. Fournier Beaudry and Sørensen placed ninth at
Europeans Europeans are the focus of European ethnology, the field of anthropology related to the various ethnic groups that reside in the states of Europe. Groups may be defined by common ancestry, language, faith, historical continuity, etc. There are ...
for the second consecutive year and finished with a thirteenth-place finish at the 2016 World Championships in
Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
.


2016–2017 season

On the Challenger Series, Fournier Beaudry and Sørensen won their second bronze medal at the
Autumn Classic International The Autumn Classic International is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union (ISU), organized and hosted by Skate Canada. The competition debuted in 2014 in Barrie, Ontario, as one of the inaugural comp ...
, and placed fourth at the
Finlandia Trophy The Finlandia Trophy an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union (ISU), organized and hosted by Skating Finland (). The competition debuted in 1995 in Helsinki, and when the ISU launched the ISU Challenger ...
. Given two Grand Prix assignments, they placed seventh at both
Skate Canada International Skate Canada International is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union (ISU), organised and hosted by Skate Canada. The first Skate Canada competition was held in 1973 in Calgary, Alberta. When ...
and the
Rostelecom Cup The Rostelecom Cup () – originally known as the Cup of Russia () – was an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union (ISU), organized and hosted by the Figure Skating Federation of Russia. The first i ...
. The duo placed seventh at
Europeans Europeans are the focus of European ethnology, the field of anthropology related to the various ethnic groups that reside in the states of Europe. Groups may be defined by common ancestry, language, faith, historical continuity, etc. There are ...
. They went on to place thirteenth at the 2017 World Championships in
Helsinki Helsinki () is the Capital city, capital and most populous List of cities and towns in Finland, city in Finland. It is on the shore of the Gulf of Finland and is the seat of southern Finland's Uusimaa region. About people live in the municipali ...
, Finland. Due to their result, Denmark
qualified Qualification may refer to: Processes * Qualifications-Based Selection (QBS), a competitive contract procurement process established by the United States Congress * Process qualification, ensures that manufacturing and production processes can ...
a spot in the ice dancing event at the
2018 Winter Olympics The 2018 Winter Olympics (), officially the XXIII Olympic Winter Games (; ) and also known as PyeongChang 2018 (), were an international winter multi-sport event held between 9 and 25 February 2018 in Pyeongchang County, South Ko ...
in
Pyeongchang Pyeongchang ( , ; in full, ''Pyeongchang-gun'' ) is a county in the province of Gangwon-do, South Korea, located in the Taebaek Mountains region. It is home to several Buddhist temples, including Woljeongsa. It is about east southeast of Seo ...
, South Korea.


2017–2018 season

They took part in three Challenger Series events, placing fourth at the 2015 U.S. International Classic, seventh at the
Autumn Classic International The Autumn Classic International is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union (ISU), organized and hosted by Skate Canada. The competition debuted in 2014 in Barrie, Ontario, as one of the inaugural comp ...
, and winning a second bronze medal at the
Finlandia Trophy The Finlandia Trophy an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union (ISU), organized and hosted by Skating Finland (). The competition debuted in 1995 in Helsinki, and when the ISU launched the ISU Challenger ...
. At their sole Grand Prix event for the season, the
2017 NHK Trophy The 2017 NHK Trophy was the 4th event of six in the 2017–18 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, a senior-level international invitational competition series. It was held in Osaka on November 10–12. Medals were awarded in the disciplines of men ...
, Fournier Beaudry and Sørensen placed fifth. Appearing at their third and final Danish Championships, they were again the only competitors in senior ice dance. Fournier Beaudry's citizenship status had dogged the team for much of the preceding years, as Danish law required seven years' residency for
naturalization Naturalization (or naturalisation) is the legal act or process by which a non-national of a country acquires the nationality of that country after birth. The definition of naturalization by the International Organization for Migration of the ...
, and ultimately no allowance could be made. As a result, they could not participate in the Olympics despite having qualified for a spot there. Following the
2018 European Championships The 2018 European Championships were the first edition of the European Championships (multi-sport event), European Championships. It was a multi-sport event which took place in Berlin, Germany, and Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom (with Edinburg ...
, where they placed ninth, the two reassessed their options and decided to switch countries and compete for Canada. In March 2018, Denmark released them for that purpose. Speaking of the challenges later, Sørensen remarked that they had been welcomed by the Canadian federation and that the Danish federation had always been supportive of his years of training in Canada had already made him as much Canadian as Danish and stated that he hoped to acquire Canadian citizenship by 2020.


2018–2019 season

Fournier Beaudry chose
Adiós Nonino ''Adiós Nonino'' (''Farewell, Granddaddy'' in Rioplatense Spanish) is a composition by tango Argentine composer Ástor Piazzolla, written in October 1959 while in New York, in memory of his father, Vicente "Nonino" Piazzolla, a few days after hi ...
for the rhythm dance, creating a cut of different instrumental and lyrical versions. She and Sørensen opted to retain their free program from the previous season, revised for the ISU's new rules. Sørensen remarked that it "is a transitional year with a lot of new feelings and a lot of new challenges, so it was natural to keep something familiar around." ISU rules required that a team switching countries sit out international competition for a year from their last international appearance, meaning they were ineligible for the Challenger and Grand Prix series. In their first competition of the season, the 2019 Skate Canada Challenge, the duo placed first in both programs, qualifying for the 2019 Canadian Championships. At the Canadian Championships, they placed third and were named to the team for the 2019 Four Continents Championships and 2019 World Championships. They placed sixth at Four Continents, and tenth at the World Championships.


2019–2020 season

Fournier Beaudry/Sørensen won the silver medal for their first event of the season at the
Lombardia Trophy The Lombardia Trophy is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union (ISU), organized and hosted by the Italian Ice Sports Federation (). The competition debuted in 2013 in Sesto San Giovanni, and when the I ...
. They followed this with a gold medal at the
Nebelhorn Trophy The Nebelhorn Trophy is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union (ISU), organized and hosted by the German Ice Skating Union () and held in Oberstdorf, Germany. The competition debuted in 1969 and is na ...
, their first Challenger title, increasing their personal best score by over ten points. Returning to the
Grand Prix ( , meaning ''Grand Prize''; plural ''Grands Prix'') most commonly refers to: * Grand Prix motor racing, a form of motorsport competition ** List of Formula One Grands Prix, an auto-racing championship *** Monaco Grand Prix, the most prestigious ...
after a season away, they placed third in the rhythm dance at the
2019 Skate America The 2019 Skate America presented by American Cruise Lines was the first event in the 2019–20 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, a senior-level international invitational competition series. It was held at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Oc ...
, becoming one of the first teams to earn a perfect Level 4 on the Finnstep
pattern dance A pattern is a regularity in the world, in human-made design, or in abstraction, abstract ideas. As such, the elements of a pattern repeat in a predictable manner. A geometric pattern is a kind of pattern formed of geometry, geometric shapes and ...
. They also placed third in the free dance, winning the bronze medal. Sørensen called their first Grand Prix medal "something that we've dreamed about since we started skating together." At their second event, the
2019 Cup of China The 2019 SHISEIDO Cup of China was the fourth event of the 2019–20 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, a senior-level international invitational competition series. It was held at Chongqing Huaxi Culture and Sports Center in Chongqing, China fro ...
, they were again third in the rhythm dance and the only team at the event to earn a Level 4 on the Finnstep. Third as well in the free dance, despite some minor issues resulting in a lower score than at previous events, they won their second Grand Prix bronze. Sørensen explained afterwards that a knee injury had caused him to miss a week of training in between events. Fournier Beaudry/Sørensen did not compete at the 2020 Canadian Championships due to the latter undergoing a cartilage graft and a meniscectomy to repair his knee. On February 13, 2020, Skate Canada announced that they had been assigned to compete at the 2020 World Championships. On March 6, 2020, they withdrew from the World Championships due to Sørensen's incomplete recovery; the championships themselves were cancelled five days later.


2020–2021 season

Fournier Beaudry/Sørensen were assigned to the
2020 Skate Canada International Skate Canada International is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union (ISU), organised and hosted by Skate Canada. The first Skate Canada competition was held in 1973 in Calgary, Alberta. When the ...
, but the event was cancelled as a result of the
coronavirus pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
. With the pandemic continuing to make in-person competitions difficult, Fournier Beaudry/Sørensen competed at virtual domestic competitions, winning the Quebec Sectionals and then taking the silver medal at the 2021 Skate Canada Challenge. The 2021 Canadian Championships were subsequently cancelled. On February 25, Fournier Beaudry and Sørensen were announced as part of the Canadian team to the 2021 World Championships in
Stockholm Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...
. They placed seventh in the rhythm dance despite getting only one of the four key points on the Finnstep pattern. In the free dance, they dropped to eighth place behind the British team
Fear Fear is an unpleasant emotion that arises in response to perception, perceived dangers or threats. Fear causes physiological and psychological changes. It may produce behavioral reactions such as mounting an aggressive response or fleeing the ...
/ Gibson by 0.04 points. Sørensen acknowledged afterwards having "left a couple of points on the table." Their placement combined with
Gilles The Gilles are the oldest and principal participants in the Carnival of Binche in Belgium. They go out on Shrove Tuesday from 4 a.m. until late hours and dance to traditional songs. Other cities, such as Ressaix, Leval, Buvrinnes, Épinois ...
/ Poirier's bronze medal win qualified three berths for Canadian dance teams at the
2022 Winter Olympics The 2022 Winter Olympics, officially called the XXIV Olympic Winter Games () and commonly known as Beijing 2022 (2022), were an international winter multi-sport event held from 4 to 20 February 2022 in Beijing, China, and surrounding areas wit ...
.


2021–2022 season

The team began the season at the
2021 CS Lombardia Trophy The 2021 CS Lombardia Trophy Memorial Anna Grandolfi was held on September 10–12, 2021 in Bergamo, Italy. It was part of the 2021–22 ISU Challenger Series. Medals were awarded in the disciplines of men's singles, women's singles, and ice danc ...
, winning the silver medal for the second time. Sørensen commented afterwards that it was "not the best free dance today" following twizzle errors from both, but that "we are just going to build from here." Going onto their first
Grand Prix ( , meaning ''Grand Prize''; plural ''Grands Prix'') most commonly refers to: * Grand Prix motor racing, a form of motorsport competition ** List of Formula One Grands Prix, an auto-racing championship *** Monaco Grand Prix, the most prestigious ...
assignment of the year,
2021 Skate America The 2021 Skate America was the first event of the 2021–22 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating: a senior-level international invitational competition series. It was held at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, from October 22–24. Medals were a ...
, they placed third in the rhythm dance. Fourth in the free dance, dropping behind Spaniards
Smart ''SMart'' was a British CBBC television programme based on art, which began in 1994 and ended in 2009. The programme was recorded at BBC Television Centre in London. Previously it had been recorded in Studio A at Pebble Mill Studios in Birmingha ...
/ Díaz in that segment, they remained in the bronze medal position overall by 0.44 points. Reflecting on "our third grand prix for Canada with a bronze medal", Fournier Beaudry called it "so nice to be back after two years of struggle and feeling like the machine is rolling and the bodies are rolling again." After winning another Challenger silver at the
2021 CS Cup of Austria The 2021 CS Cup of Austria by Icechallenge was held on November 11–14, 2021 in Graz, Austria. It was part of the 2021–22 ISU Challenger Series. Medals were awarded in the disciplines of men's singles, women's singles, and ice dance. Entri ...
, the following week, they won another bronze medal at their second Grand Prix assignment, the
2021 Rostelecom Cup The 2021 Rostelecom Cup was the sixth event in the 2021–22 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, a senior-level international invitational competition series. It was held at the Iceberg Skating Palace in Sochi on 26–28 November. Medals were awa ...
. At the 2022 Canadian Championships, held without an audience in
Ottawa Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...
due to the pandemic, Fournier Beaudry/Sørensen placed second in both segments of the competition to take the silver medal. They debuted a new free dance rechoreographed to
Hans Zimmer Hans Florian Zimmer (; born 12 September 1957) is a German film score composer and music producer. He has won two Academy Awards, a BAFTA Award, five Grammy Awards, and has been nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards, Emmy Awards and a Tony ...
and
Lisa Gerrard Lisa Germaine Gerrard ( ; born 12 April 1961) is an Australian musician, singer and composer and member of the group Dead Can Dance with music partner Brendan Perry. She is known for her unique singing style technique (glossolalia). She has a ...
's score to ''
Gladiator A gladiator ( , ) was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. Some gladiators were volunteers who risked their ...
'', a decision made three weeks prior. Sørensen said the original program "was an idea we came up with when we were off the ice, and we were trying to navigate the beginning of this pandemic. So you know, feelings change, and what we thought we needed changed during this season." The following day, they were named to the Canadian Olympic team. Speaking on the occasion to Danish TV 2, Sørensen reflected "it's a shame that we could not compete for Denmark, because we have never been to the Olympics in ice dancing. I often think the small countries are underrepresented in a sport like ice dancing." Competing at the dance event at the
2022 Winter Olympics The 2022 Winter Olympics, officially called the XXIV Olympic Winter Games () and commonly known as Beijing 2022 (2022), were an international winter multi-sport event held from 4 to 20 February 2022 in Beijing, China, and surrounding areas wit ...
, Fournier Beaudry/Sørensen placed eighth in the rhythm dance. A twizzle error by Sørensen caused them to place eleventh in the free dance, dropping them to ninth overall. They went on to finish the season at the 2022 World Championships in
Montpellier Montpellier (; ) is a city in southern France near the Mediterranean Sea. One of the largest urban centres in the region of Occitania (administrative region), Occitania, Montpellier is the prefecture of the Departments of France, department of ...
, held with the Russian dance teams absent due to the
International Skating Union The International Skating Union (ISU) is the international sport governing body, governing body for competitive ice skating disciplines, including figure skating, synchronized skating, speed skating, and short track speed skating. It was founded ...
banning all Russian athletes due to their country's invasion of Ukraine. Sørensen struggled with a back injury during the competition, which caused problems in the free dance when their closing lift was aborted, dropping them from eighth to ninth place. He said, "it's unfortunate, but it happens."


2022–2023 season

For their free dance in the new season, Fournier Beaudry and Sørensen conceived of a program utilizing two styles of
flamenco Flamenco () is an art form based on the various folkloric music traditions of southern Spain, developed within the Gitanos, gitano subculture of the region of Andalusia, and also having historical presence in Extremadura and Region of Murcia, ...
, inspired by pieces of
Ennio Morricone Ennio Morricone ( , ; 10 November 19286 July 2020) was an Italian composer, Orchestration, orchestrator, conductor, trumpeter, and pianist who wrote music in a wide range of styles. With more than 400 film score, scores for cinema and televisi ...
's music used in the soundtrack for ''
Kill Bill ''Kill Bill: Volume 1'' is a 2003 American martial arts action film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. It stars Uma Thurman as the Bride, who swears revenge on a group of assassins ( Lucy Liu, Daryl Hannah, Vivica A. Fox and Michael ...
''. The idea was said to have come to their coach,
Marie-France Dubreuil Marie-France Dubreuil (born August 11, 1974) is a Canadian ice dancing coach and former competitor. With her husband Patrice Lauzon, she is a two-time (2006–2007) World silver medallist. Personal life Marie-France Dubreuil was born on Augu ...
, in the process of doing her laundry. They opened the season with a win at the
2022 CS Finlandia Trophy The 2022 CS Finlandia Trophy was held on October 4–9, 2022, in Espoo, Finland. It was the fifth event of the 2022–23 ISU Challenger Series. Medals were awarded in men's singles, women's singles, pair skating, and ice dance. Entries The In ...
, their second ever Challenger gold medal. Sørensen said that their focus in training had been on "redeeming ourselves after how we finished last season," calling this a positive step in that direction. They set new personal bests at the event, breaking the 120-point mark in the free dance for the first time. On the
Grand Prix ( , meaning ''Grand Prize''; plural ''Grands Prix'') most commonly refers to: * Grand Prix motor racing, a form of motorsport competition ** List of Formula One Grands Prix, an auto-racing championship *** Monaco Grand Prix, the most prestigious ...
, the team was first assigned to the
2022 Grand Prix de France The 2022 Grand Prix de France was the third event of the 2022–23 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating: a senior-level international invitational competition series. It was held at the Angers IceParc in Angers from November 4–6. Medals were award ...
, where they won the silver medal, their first of that colour on the circuit. They set a new personal best in the rhythm dance for the second consecutive event. Fournier Beaudry said that "we have high aspirations, and we want to go to the
Grand Prix Final The Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final – originally known as the Champions Series Final – is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union (ISU). It is the culminating event of the Grand Prix Series. Meda ...
, so we are one step closer to our goal for this season." The team's second event was the
2022 NHK Trophy The 2022 NHK Trophy was the fifth event of the 2022-23 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating: a senior-level international invitational competition series. It was held at the Makomanai Ice Arena in Sapporo, Japan, from November 18-20. Medals were awa ...
in
Sapporo is a Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, designated city in Hokkaido, Japan. Located in the southwest of Hokkaido, it lies within the alluvial fan of the Toyohira River, a tributary of the Ishikari River. Sapporo is the capital ...
, where they went in considered likely to repeat their silver medal result. However, they finished first in the rhythm dance with a new personal best score of 85.66, 0.66 points ahead of pre-event favourites and training partners
Chock Chock or Chocks may refer to: Devices for preventing movement * Wheel chock, tool to prevent accidental movement * Chock (climbing), anchor * Chock, component of a sailing block Other uses * Chock (surname) * ''Chock'' (TV series), a Sw ...
/
Bates Bates may refer to: Places * Bates, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Bates, Illinois. an unincorporated community in Sangamon County * Bates, Michigan, a community in Grand Traverse County * Bates, New York, a hamlet in the town of Elli ...
of the United States. They won the free dance as well, setting another set of personal bests, to take the gold medal over Chock/Bates and qualify for the Grand Prix Final. Fournier Beaudry called it "a dream come true and something we have worked for for a very long time," while Sørensen added, "thinking back and getting to where we are right now is just amazing." Fournier Beaudry/Sørensen finished fourth in the rhythm dance at the Grand Prix Final in
Turin Turin ( , ; ; , then ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. The city is main ...
, 1.39 points back of third-place Guignard/
Fabbri Fabbri may refer to: * Fabbri (surname), an Italian surname * Fabbri Group, an Italian amusement rides manufacturer, based in Bergantino * Fratelli Fabbri Editori, an Italian publishing house now part of Rcs MediaGroup * Fabbri and Partners Ltd ...
of Italy. However, they made a major error in the free dance, falling out of their curve in the process of altering the position, resulting in the element being graded at only base level and two points lost in fall deductions. They finished sixth of six teams in that segment and dropped narrowly to sixth overall. Sørensen attributed the mistake to "lack of concentration." With reigning Canadian national (and Grand Prix Final) champions
Gilles The Gilles are the oldest and principal participants in the Carnival of Binche in Belgium. They go out on Shrove Tuesday from 4 a.m. until late hours and dance to traditional songs. Other cities, such as Ressaix, Leval, Buvrinnes, Épinois ...
/ Poirier absent from the 2023 Canadian Championships due to Gilles requiring an
appendectomy An appendectomy (American English) or appendicectomy (British English) is a Surgery, surgical operation in which the vermiform appendix (a portion of the intestine) is removed. Appendectomy is normally performed as an urgent or emergency procedur ...
, Fournier Beaudry/Sørensen entered the event as the title favourites. They finished first in the rhythm dance despite a twizzle error from Sørensen, 2.15 points ahead of training partners Lajoie/ Lagha. In the free dance, Fournier Beaudry tripped on her skirt in the midst of their choreographic slide move at the end of the program, costing them that element. They finished second in the free dance, but remained first overall by 0.60 points and won the gold medal. He called the championships "a really good time," despite the error. Fournier Beaudry/Sørensen were the top Canadian dance team assigned to the 2023 Four Continents Championships, with Gilles/Poirier still absent. Fournier Beaudry sustained an MCL tear the week before the event, but with careful management they were able to attend the event. They placed second in the rhythm dance with a personal best 86.28, unexpectedly close to Chock/Bates in first with 87.67. In the free dance they set another new personal best of 127.80, finishing second in that segment as well and winning the silver medal. Sørensen said they were "so pleased winning our first championship medal of our entire career. It is our eleventh year skating together." At the 2023 World Championships in Saitama, Fournier Beaudry/Sørensen were fifth in the rhythm dance. They placed fourth in the free dance, but remained in fifth place overall, 0.69 points behind Britons
Fear Fear is an unpleasant emotion that arises in response to perception, perceived dangers or threats. Fear causes physiological and psychological changes. It may produce behavioral reactions such as mounting an aggressive response or fleeing the ...
/ Gibson. Sørensen remarked that "we couldn't have asked for anything more."


2023–2024 season

With the World Championships being held in Montreal, in replacement for the cancelled 2020 edition, Fournier Beaudry and Sørensen opted for a free dance to the Franco-Canadian musical ''
Notre-Dame de Paris Notre-Dame de Paris ( ; meaning "Cathedral of Our Lady of Paris"), often referred to simply as Notre-Dame, is a Medieval architecture, medieval Catholic cathedral on the Île de la Cité (an island in the River Seine), in the 4th arrondissemen ...
'', citing the involvement of prominent Quebecois
Luc Plamondon Luc Plamondon (born March 2, 1942) is a French Canadians, French-Canadian lyricist and music executive. His work includes the musicals Starmania (musical), ''Starmania'' and Notre-Dame de Paris (musical), ''Notre-Dame de Paris''. He is the brot ...
and Gilles Maheu. For the 1980s-themed rhythm dance, they took the opportunity to do a ''
Top Gun ''Top Gun'' is a 1986 American action drama film directed by Tony Scott and produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer, with distribution by Paramount Pictures. The screenplay was written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr., and was inspired ...
'' program, a concept they had been contemplating for some time. Fournier Beaudry/Sørensen began the season at the 2023 CS Finlandia Trophy, seeking to defend their gold medal from the prior season. Seventh in the rhythm dance after Fournier Beaudry fell, they won the free dance and rose to the bronze medal position. Returning to the
Grand Prix de France The French Grand Prix (), formerly known as the Grand Prix de l'ACF (Automobile Club de France), is an Auto racing, auto race held as part of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile's annual Formula One, Formula One World Championship. ...
to start the
Grand Prix ( , meaning ''Grand Prize''; plural ''Grands Prix'') most commonly refers to: * Grand Prix motor racing, a form of motorsport competition ** List of Formula One Grands Prix, an auto-racing championship *** Monaco Grand Prix, the most prestigious ...
, they won the silver medal. The podium of gold medalists Guignard/
Fabbri Fabbri may refer to: * Fabbri (surname), an Italian surname * Fabbri Group, an Italian amusement rides manufacturer, based in Bergantino * Fratelli Fabbri Editori, an Italian publishing house now part of Rcs MediaGroup * Fabbri and Partners Ltd ...
, silver medalists Fournier Beaudry/Sørensen, and bronze medalists Lopareva/ Brissaud was the same as the previous year. They won another silver medal at the
2023 Grand Prix of Espoo The 2023 Grand Prix of Espoo was the fifth event of the 2023–24 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating: a senior-level international invitational competition series. It was held at the Espoo Metro Areena in Espoo, Finland, from November 17–19. Med ...
. They finished fifth at the
Grand Prix Final The Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final – originally known as the Champions Series Final – is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union (ISU). It is the culminating event of the Grand Prix Series. Meda ...
. Days before the 2024 Canadian Championships, American journalist
Christine Brennan Christine Brennan (born May 14, 1958) is a sports columnist for ''USA Today'', a commentator on ABC News, CNN, PBS NewsHour and NPR, and a best-selling author. She was the first female sports reporter for the ''Miami Herald'' in 1981, the first ...
reported in ''
USA Today ''USA Today'' (often stylized in all caps) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth in 1980 and launched on September 14, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headq ...
'' that Sørensen was under investigation by the Canada's Sport Integrity Commissioner following an allegation that he had sexually assaulted an American skater on April 21, 2012. Amidst this controversy, Fournier Beaudry and Sørensen withdrew from the championships. He released a statement saying that the "allegations are false, and I intend to strongly defend myself and my reputation." Despite the controversy, the pair competed as previously scheduled at the 2024 Four Continents Championships in
Shanghai Shanghai, Shanghainese: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: is a direct-administered municipality and the most populous urban area in China. The city is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the ...
, winning their second consecutive silver medal. They were also assigned to the home 2024 World Championships, which attracted further media attention in light of the allegations. Sørensen declared "we're here today because we feel like we deserve to be here." They encountered difficulties in the rhythm dance after Fournier Beaudry had a twizzle error, and came tenth in the segment. They finished sixth in the free dance, but rose only to ninth overall. Fournier Beaudry called the crowd reception "really fantastic."


Suspension by Skate Canada

Fournier Beaudry/Sørensen were assigned to compete at the 2024 Skate America and
2024 NHK Trophy The 2024 NHK Trophy was the fourth event of the 2024–25 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating: a senior-level international invitational competition series. It was held at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan, from November 8–10. Medals w ...
ahead of the 2024–25 season, and planned to open their season at the 2024 Shanghai Trophy in October. However, on 2 October 2024, it was announced that Sørensen had been banned by
Skate Canada Skate Canada (Canadian French: ''Patinage Canada'', lit. "Skating Canada") is the national governing body for figure skating in Canada, recognized by the International Skating Union and the Canadian Olympic Committee. It organizes the annual C ...
for a minimum of six years due to "sexual maltreatment" following an Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner investigation into the allegations lodged against him earlier that year.


Programs


With Good


With Heroldová


With Thomsen


Competitive highlights


Ice dance with Laurence Fournier Beaudry (for Canada)


Ice dance with Laurence Fournier Beaudry (for Denmark)


Ice dance with Katelyn Good (for Denmark)


Ice dance with Barbora Heroldová (for Denmark)


Ice dance with Anna Thomsen (for Denmark)


Detailed results


With Fournier Beaudry for Canada

''Small medals for short and free programs awarded only at ISU Championships. At team events, medals awarded for team results only. Current ISU personal bests highlighted in bold''.


References


External links

*
Laurence Fournier Beaudry & Nikolaj Sørensen
at SkatingScores.com (for Canada)
Laurence Fournier Beaudry & Nikolaj Sørensen
at SkatingScores.com (for Denmark) * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sorensen, Nikolaj 1989 births Living people Sportspeople from Copenhagen Canadian male ice dancers Danish ice dancers Danish male dancers 21st-century Danish dancers Danish expatriate sportspeople in Canada Danish emigrants to Canada Figure skaters at the 2022 Winter Olympics Olympic figure skaters for Canada Four Continents Figure Skating Championships medalists Sports controversies 21st-century Canadian sportsmen