On a recent weekday afternoon, 39-year-old Ekaterina Gordeeva is practising at the Upper Canada College rink in Forest Hill. The photographer needs a shot, but Gordeeva is tired after a long practice.

Ekaterina Gordeeva was born in Moscow, Russia, and by the age of four was already training as a figure skater. By the age of 11, Gordeeva was a natural on ice and was paired with Sergei Grinkov.