Hannah Lim and Ye Quan: “We asked, “Tessa, how do you make your movements so big, clear, and natural?” She said, “I always performed for Scott – never for the judges or the audience, but always for my partner.”
Hannah Lim and Ye Quan: redefining figure skating with bold choices and creative interpretation
original source: mfocus.kr dd. July 28th 2025 by Park Jimin
In this interview posted on MFocus, South Korean ice dancers Hannah Lim and Ye Quan spoke about their decision to change programs mid-season, the creative process behind their “Cruella” free dance, and their aspirations for the international stage. Here’s a translation of their comments.
Q: Changing a program mid-season isn’t an easy decision. What led you to make this choice?
Hannah Lim: First of all, making a program change during the middle of the season is definitely challenging. We didn’t have much time to prepare. However, we didn’t change much of the choreography itself. The feedback we kept receiving from judges was that our energy and dancing were lacking, so we decided to make a change based on that.
Ye Quan: Our head coach also suggested trying a different dance style. They felt it could help us grow, which encouraged us to make the shift.
Ye Quan also added that the revised rhythm dance has a slightly slower tempo than the previous version, providing an advantage by allowing their movements to appear sharper and more pronounced.
Q: Your free dance is based on a soundtrack with well-defined characters and a story. Previously, we’ve seen you add a white highlight to your hair to embody Cruella’s character. Are you emphasizing a specific character or storyline this time as well?
Hannah Lim: Yes, our coach suggested adding a white streak to my hair. They felt going for Cruella’s full half-and-half hairstyle would be too much, but adding just one symbolic highlight would enhance the overall effect. It’s such an iconic feature of her character that I wanted to make sure even a small white accent was included to represent Cruella better.
Q: What specific characters and storylines are you portraying in this program?
Ye Quan: Honestly, Cruella has been a challenging program to interpret. The movie primarily revolves around Cruella herself. At the beginning of the season, I even tried to embody Cruella in some way, but since Cruella is inherently a female character, it didn’t quite feel right for me. Now, with the help of acting coaches, we’ve developed a new storyline that allows for more dimension in our roles.
Hannah Lim: Instead of strictly following the movie’s plot, we’ve created our own interpretation. In this story, Ye falls in love with Cruella, who is a dangerous and toxic character. Their love represents a sort of addictive relationship – it’s like being attracted to something you know is harmful. Cruella is, in essence, a “bad girl,” someone wild, unpredictable, and full of dangerous allure. Ye’s character is drawn to her despite knowing how destructive the relationship is.
Ye Quan: Through this interpretation, we’ve been able to fully realize both characters within the program, giving depth and interaction to their dynamic.
In December 2024, Ye Quan completed the process of naturalization, officially obtaining Korean citizenship. Reflecting on the naturalization process, Ye admitted, “I really felt a sense of relief once it was done.”
Q: Congratulations on obtaining Korean citizenship! Could you tell us more about how the naturalization process went? Sports-related naturalization is quite different from standard procedures, isn’t it?
Ye Quan: Yes, in my case, the process moved surprisingly quickly. It usually takes five to six years, but I completed it in about a year and a half to two years. I started by applying at the Suwon Immigration Office and securing a recommendation letter from the Korea Skating Union. During the summer of 2024, I even visited Korea to explain to the Olympic Committee why I wanted to represent Korea.
After that, I had to submit a lot of documentation, like school, employment, and income proof. Since I don’t work in Korea, proving income was challenging. I also got a foreigner registration card and underwent interviews. With so much to do within a short time, it felt like a whirlwind. It was constantly, ‘I need to do this,’ ‘I have to do that,’ and things just sped along.
One hurdle unique to amateur figure skating was the income proof requirement, which is particularly stringent. With the help of coach Kim Wan, Ye Quan: managed to overcome this obstacle by creating and selling fan merchandise like mugs, t-shirts, and banners. The enthusiastic support from fans not only provided documentation for income proof but also significantly alleviated the financial strain. “I’m incredibly grateful to the fans who helped us – it made all the difference,” Ye Quan acknowledged.
Ye Quan: Now, I just need to get my Korean passport. I plan to apply for it after the Four Continents Championships in February. Once I apply, I won’t be able to leave the country using my old passport – I’ll need the new Korean passport. They say it usually takes about a week to process, so I hope I can get it on time.
Hannah Lim: I saw how much stress Ye was under throughout the process. It was incredibly tough for him – just when we thought one issue was resolved, another would pop up. And since these were government procedures, there was only so much I could do to help directly, which made me feel sorry. The interview preparation was especially difficult for Ye, but thanks to coach Wan and his own efforts, he made it through, and I’m so relieved.
Despite being fluent in English, French, Chinese, and some Korean, the naturalization process required more rigorous proficiency in formal Korean for interviews. Even Hannah Lim found the interview questions challenging, let alone Ye Quan, who had to study both the language and Korean history.
Ye Quan: Initially, I thought Korean would be similar to Chinese since many words are derived from Chinese characters. But as I studied, I realized that Korean writing was simpler than Chinese. The pronunciation, however, was incredibly hard. People told me I had a Chinese accent, and I often mispronounced ‘mun’ as ‘mul.’
Q: How did you study Korean?
Ye Quan: At first, I wanted to take university courses on Korean language and culture, but my coaching and training schedules didn’t align. Later, I took private online lessons with Korean tutors, which made scheduling much easier. I tried to do at least one or two sessions a week, and Hannah even recommended some tutors for me. As the naturalization interview approached, I increased my lesson frequency to almost daily. I had two tutors at that point – one for Korean language and one for Korean history. I was determined to pass.
During the interview, my speaking and listening skills were still not great, so when they spoke too quickly, I would politely ask them to repeat. I remember one question being, ‘Who is on the 10,000-won bill?’ and I answered, ‘Oh, King Sejong!’ Luckily, the interviewers were incredibly kind; they repeated questions, spoke slowly, and even provided examples to help me.
Hannah Lim: It was a constant learning process. Seeing how stressed Ye was made me want to help more, but there were limits to what I could do. Still, I tried my best to be there for him, whether it was driving him to practice or helping him rehearse answers during training sessions.
Q: You’ve clearly made significant improvements this season in technical areas, particularly in twizzles, which you mentioned were a weak point before. You’re receiving higher scores in these elements, especially in the free dance. How have you worked on improving them?
Hannah Lim: In twizzles, we’ve been focusing heavily on increasing speed. A good twizzle needs to cover a lot of space on the ice while maintaining smooth rotation. The goal is for the twizzle to move from one end of the rink to the other. So, we’ve been working on increasing our speed during the entry and ensuring we stay perfectly synchronized during the rotations. I think this has helped us boost our scores.
Q: You’ve also mentioned before that pattern dance presented difficulties. Is that still the case this season? How have you worked to improve in that area?
Ye Quan: Like with twizzles, we’re focusing on increasing speed in our pattern dance while ensuring the turns don’t require excessive effort. At the beginning of the season, our pattern steps were a bit small, which affected the quality of our edges. Now, we’ve worked hard to make everything bigger and improve our skating, focusing intensely on quality.
Our coaches have also commented recently that our turns and edges have become much cleaner and more precise, so I feel like we’re heading in the right direction. We’re applying the same thinking to the step sequences in both our rhythm dance and free dance – making them faster, more dynamic, and as exact as possible.
Hannah Lim: Yes, we’ve been working on using deeper edges. We often record ourselves to check if the edges are clean and sharp, and if they’re not, we go back, practice again, and record it until it’s right.
Hannah Lim and Ye Quan are advancing toward their ultimate goal of competing at the Olympics by breaking their journey into smaller, achievable milestones.
Hannah Lim: While we do set major outcome-based goals, we try not to focus on them too much during practice because they can add unnecessary stress. Thinking “I have to be first” or “I need to make the top 10” can create pressure that distracts from skating itself. So, instead of focusing on results, we set smaller, actionable goals that help guide us toward the big picture.
Q: It seems you prioritize the process over the results.
Hannah Lim: Yes, it’s less about “What do we want to achieve?” and more about “How are we going to get there?” We break our journey into smaller steps to stay focused.
Q: With the upcoming World Championships being critical for Olympic qualification, do you have specific goals for preparing for that competition?
Hannah Lim: Of course. The goal is to finish in the top 19 because that’s what will qualify us for the Olympics. That’s definitely our main target.
Ye Quan: In addition to that, setting intermediate goals is key for us, like achieving personal bests in both programs. While Olympic qualification is the ultimate goal, as Hannah mentioned, our focus is more on smaller milestones. Most importantly, we want to express our storytelling and connect deeply with the audience. That’s one of our strengths when we skate.
Hannah Lim and Ye Quan manage demanding training schedules while also leading fulfilling lives off the ice. Ye works as a coach, guiding young skaters, while Hannah is preparing to transfer to McGill University to begin in-person studies starting in September 2025, reducing her coaching workload in the meantime.
Q: Let’s talk about time management and coaching. Quan, you’re known for being good at managing your time. How do you handle it?
Ye Quan: My coach helps me a lot with time management. My family has made significant sacrifices for my skating, so I try to work as much as I can, although it sometimes leads to overworking. My coach often reminds me, “Ye, you need to rest; otherwise, your training will suffer.” Thanks to those reminders, I’ve learned how to balance my time better.
Now I know when to take breaks and when to put in extra effort. I’m also learning how to say no – for example, when my students ask for coaching while I’m too worn out or have competitions. Sometimes, I’ll return from an event and say, “No coaching this week, I need to rest or my training won’t go well.” It’s not easy, though – I often feel like I could keep going even when I should listen to my body.
Q:: That’s an important lesson. While we know Kwon is coaching, it’s surprising to learn you’ve also been coaching, Hannah.
Hannah Lim: Yes, I’ve been coaching too, though much less than Quan. Last year, I coached three times a week, but now I’ve cut back to twice a week because it was exhausting for me. I still teach a few skaters, but working with young kids is tough. I’m currently attending an online university, but when I transfer to McGill and start in-person classes, I’ll likely stop coaching altogether to focus on school and skating.
Ye Quan: I had to make the same choice before – whether to focus on school or coaching. In the end, I decided to prioritize coaching, as I needed the income. I took a break from school and plan to return once I finish skating professionally.
Hannah Lim: Ye has always preferred coaching over school. He chose what he enjoys most.
Ye Quan: Exactly. At school, I didn’t even know what I wanted to study – it felt like I was just doing it because I had to. But coaching is something I love, and I hope to make it my career one day.
Q: Do you coach at the same rink together?
Ye Quan: One of the rinks where I teach is the same place where Hannah coaches.
Hannah Lim: Coaching at the same rink with Ye is always fun. When I struggle with teaching lifts or steps to dance teams, I’ll ask, “Can you do this lift or step with me for the students?” Ye always helps, and the students love it – they say, “Wow, the coaches are skating together!”
Ye Quan: It’s enjoyable for me too. When teaching ice dance teams, sometimes I’ll need help showing certain movements, especially female steps. I’ll ask Hannah, “Can you demonstrate this part?” and we work together.
Q: Senior athletes often say the second and third years are the most challenging. How do you feel about this period in your careers?
Hannah Lim: The expectations can be both motivating and overwhelming. While they push us to grow, they also come with a lot of stress. Trying to meet those expectations has been mentally challenging for me at times.
Ye Quan: Last year, there were no expectations, so I was satisfied with the results. But this year, the pressure to do even better has been a learning experience for me – figuring out how to handle those feelings. Still, I see it as something we have to learn and overcome.
Q: You’ve become known for your pre-competition ritual – hugging each other and synchronizing your breathing. It seems like this moment is becoming longer lately. Does it have a positive impact during competitions?
Ye Quan: Yes, it definitely helps reduce stress. It’s also a practice run for syncing our breathing, which strengthens our connection and alignment as a team. If one of us is particularly stressed or distracted, taking that moment to breathe together really helps us align and stay calm. That synchrony carries into our performances.
Hannah Lim: I remember the first time we did this. I think it was at the Four Continents Championships last year. It wasn’t on the ice but just outside the rink. Ye suddenly asked, “Can you hug me for a second?” I was like, “What?” but then I said, “Okay,” and gave him a quick 1-2 second hug. It felt a little awkward at first, but Ye said it helped him calm down. So I thought, “Let’s give it a try,” and now it’s become a key part of our routine – it helps me as much as it helps him.
Ye Quan: That day, I was extremely nervous because my family was in the audience. I was so stressed and asked Hannah, “Could you hug me to help me calm down?” She hesitated for a second but said, “If you want, sure.” It turned out to be incredibly helpful, and ever since, it’s been part of our ritual.
We even mentioned it to our Pilates coach, who said, “That’s such a smart way to release stress.” They taught us additional moves, like leaning back to feel each other’s breathing through our backs. It’s become an irreplaceable part of our pre-performance preparation.
Hannah Lim: Our Pilates coach originally suggested it, saying a lot of dance groups do similar bonding exercises. Our coach shared examples of teams that build incredible synchronicity, and we thought, “This might work for us too.”
Q: A sensitive question – have you ever imagined what you’d do if your partner got injured or faced an unexpected situation?
Ye Quan: I haven’t really thought about it, but we always check on each other. We’re a team – we can’t skate without each other. If Hannah ever got sick or injured, we’d text constantly to make sure everything’s okay and be ready to help each other whenever needed.
Hannah Lim: Even if one of us couldn’t skate due to injury, we’d still be on the ice, watching and supporting the other during training. We’d maintain that connection of being together, because even in such circumstances, we’re still a team.
Hannah Lim shared how meeting Olympic ice dance champion Tessa Virtue not only inspired her but also brought them back to their roots.
Ye Quan: It was just a week or two ago. Tessa Virtue came to our rink to coach another team. Hannah was so excited and said, “I really want to ask her something, but I can’t go alone – come with me!”
Hannah Lim: Tessa is so warm and kind. Last year, she told us how much she enjoyed our programs (Prince medley for rhythm dance and The Umbrellas of Cherbourg for free dance), and I was deeply moved by her feedback. Knowing that she and Scott Moir had performed to The Umbrellas of Cherbourg in the past made her compliments even more meaningful to me.
This time, I really wanted to talk to her, but I was too shy to approach her alone. I told Ye, “I can’t do it without you – please come with me.” So I finally mustered up the courage and asked, “Tessa, how do you make your movements so big, clear, and natural?” Her answer was unforgettable.
She said, “I always performed for Scott – never for the judges or the audience, but always for my partner. That’s what made my movements feel natural and impactful.” That advice hit me deeply because I already knew this, but I had forgotten. It reminded me of what I want to show in our own performances. If I hadn’t asked her, I think I would’ve felt lost this season.
Ye Quan: It was incredible to have Tessa there. After we asked her our question, she stayed to watch us skate. I turned to Hannah and saw her face turning bright red. I jokingly asked, “Hannah, are you even breathing?” and she replied, “I don’t think so!” Later, we performed our entire program, and Tessa applauded for us from behind. That moment was unforgettable.
Preparing for the Olympic Season
Lim and Quan are gearing up for key milestones in the Olympic season, starting with their first event at the 2025 Lake Placid International on July 30–31, followed by the Cup of China Senior Grand Prix from October 24–26. To further polish their craft, the team is also participating in Challenger events.
Their new rhythm dance program features an energetic medley of Will Smith hits, including “Men in Black,” “Da Butta,” “Pump It Up,” and “Gettin’ Jiggy wit It.” Lim explained, “The theme is the ’90s, and his fun and unique energy matches ours perfectly.” Their free dance, set to “Adagio for Strings” and Laura Bretan’s “Adagio,” tells a heartbreaking story set during the wartime of the 1940s–1950s, exploring themes of love, separation, and longing.
Both programs were crafted under Marie-France Dubreuil, with Samuel Chouinard contributing to the rhythm dance choreography.
Related topics: Hannah Lim Ye Quan, Tessa Virtue
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