LaLa: How Did It End

We hereby conduct this post-mortem.

From personal bests and a Top Five finish at Montreal Worlds in March 2024…to announcing the end of their partnership just two years later.

What the heck happened to LaLa?

If you’re here, I assume you know that “LaLa” refers to Canadian Ice Dancers Marjorie LaJoie and Zak Lagha, and I assume you’re reading this with a fashionable black mesh veil in front of your eyes, for we are in mourning at the demise of their partnership.

But if you don’t know, I’ll repeat what I said last weekend: LaLa were poised to be the next Big Canadian Ice Dance team, just waiting for Piper and Paul to retire. Some would even argue they should have surpassed P2’s scores, at least a couple of times, but were held back by Ice Dance politics while Skate Canada threw the full force of their support behind the elder statesmen. LaLa were audience faves, known for their top tier skating skills and grumpy/sunshine dynamic. Forever the up-and-comers, despite being in the second half of their 20s.

So what happened? Why walk away from a 15 year partnership, right when you’re two miles from the end of the marathon, the goal in sight?

I have some theories. Let’s get into it.