Olympic Ice Dancer Melissa Gregory

I had the privilege of getting to know Olympic Ice Dancer Melissa Gregory before she began skating with her current partner and husband Denis Petukhov. .

She skated and trained in Colorado Springs and did much of her practicing at the Chapel Hills Mall Ice Rink, where I taught skating and directed programs. She needed some extra money to help with her skating, so she taught Learn-to-Skate Classes at the Chapel Hills arena. I hired her!

I remember her mother asking me a bit about how to use the internet to contact prospective Russian figure skating partners! Melissa is a very sweet person, and I'm delighted that she was able to participate in the 2006 Olympics.

_{Melissa Gregory and Denis Petukhov - Photo by Matthew Stockman - Getty Images}