April's Dance

America is in love with figure skating! Network TV can't program enough to satisfy a hungry public. Business week recently ranked figure skating as the second highest rated spectator sport. Live shows and competitions continue to break all previous attendance records. And with this popularity comes another desire. The American viewer wants to know- just who are these kings and queens of the ice?

Biographies have been written and movies have been produced about some of these athletes. There is one young skater, however,  beautiful and courageous individual, both on and off the ice, whose story remains untold...

I own the exclusive story rights for premier American ice dancer, April Sargent, and have completed a screenplay capturing the true story of her journey to the 1992 Olympics in Albertville, France.

April's Dance is the incredible tale of a young girl's solitary goal, a single-minded dream of one day being chosen to represent the United States in Olympic Competition. In every sense of the word, we are witness to a classic heroine's journey.

Leaving home and relocating to an international training center at the tender age of 14, April soon encounters the fierce competitiveness of the multitude of other Olympic hopefuls. In a new environment, with little adult supervision, she is exposed to the habits and behaviors of the older skaters. Firsthand, she observes the darker sides of this beautiful sport.

In spite of a number of personal challenges, she manages to make it through her mid-teens. At 18 she has a new ice dance partner and a shot at an Olympic berth for the 1988 Olympics in Calgary. She's right on track, right where she's supposed to be until she begins to gain weight...

Weight gain can sound the death knell to a promising career in figure skating. In a moment of weakness, she entertains the idea of utilizing bulimic methods to rid herself of the poundage, but decides instead to leave the training center. She returns home, where, through the love, support and novel diet program designed by her mother, she sheds her heaviness. In triumph, she returns to the world of skating.

In 1988, at the US Nationals, the top two finishers will go onto the Olympics in Calgary. April finishes a disappointing third.

Undaunted, she continues to train, harder than ever, now setting her sights on the 1992 Olympics. But over the years, many wants and needs have been sacrificed for the sake of skating. Rink time has always taken priority over any of April's romantic pursuits. All that changes when in 1991 her life intersects with World Professional Champion, Canadian ice dancer, John Thomas.

The two marry and April's parents fear that she will veer off the road to Albertville. Quite the contrary, John retains his current position with the Ice Capades and April continues to fine tune her program for the 1992 US Nationals. If she wins the Nationals she and her partner Russ will be heading for the Olympics.

However, April faces one final trial. Less then 3 weeks away from Nationals, she is struck down with a life-threatening illness. Emergency surgery saves her, but she faces a long, slow, painful convalescence. Her Olympic dream begins to fade.

Against doctor's orders, violating all medical advice, John spirits her away to a small rink in Canada. There, bathed in the love of her husband and her parents, April searches deep within herself, and makes the decision of a lifetime...

April's Dance is a heartwarming, inspirational story that not only profiles one woman's courage, determination and spirit, but also takes us backstage to this increasingly popular sport.

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