Welcome to The Global Ice Skater
The Global Ice Skater offers a unique and comprehensive approach to online team figure skating training. Our international team of experienced trainers use a holistic approach to efficiently prepare competitive skaters of all ages and levels who do not have access to team training in their country/region or who are just looking for supplemental coaching.
Our focus is on teaching the athlete from head to toe, with off-ice jumping, spinning, skating theory and PCS video analysis classes, Vaganova ballet method (widely considered to be an injury-free form of ballet training), yoga classes, sport-specific functional strength and conditioning, sports nutrition sessions, flexibility training and mindset management and sports psychology. Our skaters also benefit from our network of trusted resources like our favourite costume designer whose services are also available for online consultations.
At The Global Ice Skater, our common goal is your success.
Our Team
Diana Lapierre
Diana Lapierre has coached skating in 5 countries. Born in the US, she began coaching in 1991 after an international show skating career. Diana has relocated with her family to Scotland, Hong Kong, Poland, Costa Rica and Germany. She achieved a National Ice Skating Association (NISA) UK Level 2 Skating Coach license, was Star Senior Coach at Elements, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR China, was named a Junior Coach in the Hong Kong Skating Union (HKSU), and is a coach in FSA Warszawa in Warsaw, Poland. She coaches her Junior level son and daughter who compete for Poland. Diana did the livestream broadcast commentary for the ISU Challenger Series Warsaw Cup 2022. Diana lives in Warsaw and is in Oberstdorf, Germany for summer training.
Matthew Matsuura
Matthew Matsuura is the owner of Fit2Fly Performance Training in Minnesota, USA.
After studying kinetic movement as an engineering student he has dedicated his career to understanding the most effective and efficient way to train athlete bodies from a variety of sporting disciplines through sport specific training and nutrition. As a Certified Personal Trainer Matthew gives 100% to every athlete whether they are elite, strength-training teenager or adult athlete. Since 2016 Matthew has primarily focused on the unique performance training requirements of figure skaters. His goal is to educate and train skaters in critical elements to make them more efficient in speed and explosiveness with emphasis on jump techniques to maximise efficiency. Matthew lives in Minnesota, USA.
Elena Johansen
Elena graduated with distinction from one of the top ballet schools in Saratov, Russia and was a classical corps de ballet dancer and soloist n Moscow. Her repertoire includes roles in “Swan Lake”, “Nutcracker”, “Sleeping Beauty”, “Giselle”, “Don Quixote”, “Romeo and Juliet”, “Coppelia” and others. She performed with a global company, touring Europe, N. America, Asia and S. Africa. Elena is a qualified Vaganova teacher and choreographer from the Moscow University of Culture and Art. She has taught for 10 years in Italy, Hong Kong and Denmark. A certified yoga instructor, Elena focuses on figure skaters and designs training combining Vaganova and yoga to improve extension, landing positions, posture and presentation. Elena lives in Copenhagen, Denmark.
