| Biography | Ilona Melnichenko is a former ice dancer who competed for the Soviet Union. With former partner Gennady Kaskov, she is the 1987 World Junior Champion and 1991 Winter Universiade champion. She is from Odessa and has a Bachelor degree in Physical Education from the Odessa State Institute of Physical Culture. Melnichenko is married to former pair skater Artem Torgashev, the 1987 World Junior silver medalist, with whom she has two children, Andrew and Deanna. They coach at the Panthers Figure Skating Club, Saveology Iceplex in Coral Springs, Florida. Their son is a single skater who won the U.S. national title on the Juvenile level in 2012 and on the Intermediate level in 2013. |