Matej Silecky

 

Matej Silecky Biography: Champion Figure Skater, Coach, and Filmmaker

Birth and Early Life: Matej Silecky was born on April 15, 1994, and was raised in Verona, New Jersey, and Kyiv, Ukraine.

Education: Matej graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 2015. He received the Charlene Conrad Liebau Library Prize for Undergraduate Research for his work titled "The Post-Soviet Development of Elite-Level Athletics in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan."

Figure Skating Career

Competitive Skating:

  • Junior Men's Champion: Matej competed in singles and pairs and was the 2012 U.S. Collegiate Figure Skating Championships Junior Men's Champion.

  • Injury and Hiatus: He left competitive skating due to a shoulder injury sustained during the 2015-2016 season while partnered with Elizaveta Usmantseva, competing in Senior Pairs at the 2016 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

  • Return to Competition: After a six-year hiatus, Matej and his partner, Kate Finster, competed at the 2022 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Championship Pairs, placing 7th.

Competitive Programs:

  • 2021-2022 Pairs:

    • Short Program: "Carry You" (featuring Fleurie) by Ruelle; choreographed by Sinead Kerr and John Kerr

    • Free Skating: "Lighthouse" by Patrick Watson; choreographed by Sinead Kerr and John Kerr

  • 2015-2016 Pairs:

    • Short Program: Selections from Ghost (soundtrack); choreographed by Matej Silecky

    • Free Skating: Selections from Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End; choreographed by Matej Silecky

  • 2012-2013 Singles:

    • Short Program: "Vuelvo al Sur" (Koop Remix) by Astor Piazzola & Fernando Solanas

    • Free Skating: "Exogenesis: Symphony, Pt. 3 Redemption" by Muse; choreographed by Phillip Mills

Professional Skating

Dancing on Ice:

  • 2017-2018 (UK): Joined ITV's Dancing On Ice (series 10) and finished as runners-up with partner Brooke Vincent.

  • 2019-2020 (Netherlands and Belgium): Participated with Olympic gold medalist Nicolien Sauerbreij and reached the semifinals.

Skate Nepal:

  • Skated in the first ice skating event in Nepal, Skate Nepal, at Gokyo Lakes on February 14, 2020, as part of the Visit Nepal 2020 campaign, alongside Elizabeth Putnam, Patrick Chan, Jeremy Abbott, Sergei Voronov, and others.

Film Career

Production and Directing:

  • Founded Kitsune Tale Productions and directed the documentary "Baba Babee Skazala" (Grandmother Told Grandmother) about Ukrainian children during World War II.

Acting:

  • In 2022, played the role of Ice Skater in the independent feature film "Goodbye, Petrushka."

Matej Silecky’s diverse career in figure skating, both on competitive and professional stages, coupled with his academic achievements and ventures into film, demonstrates his multifaceted talents and dedication to his passions.