US Ice Dance 2024-25 News & Updates

[On My Own]

They have what they skated at Worlds. Which I saw live. People can snark as cleverly as they want. It won't change that Chock & Bates weren't has-beens just waiting to be knocked off, they were in top form.

I say this as someone who was tired as heck of them and thought they should have been done. But seeing them live I had to give them their due.

Oh I'm sure you're right.

TBH though, the only bits of skating I've watched in full since Chinese Nationals 2024 are Jason Brown programs, not because I like him as a skater, but to see who between the "Jason Brown deserves 5s in PCS" and "Jason Brown deserves 100 PCS every time he steps on the ice, even in the Short Program" was right. (answer, unsurprisingly, was neither, in typical skating fan fashion)

 

[BlueRidge]

Oh I'm sure you're right.

TBH though, the only bits of skating I've watched in full since Chinese Nationals 2024 are Jason Brown programs, not because I like him as a skater, but to see who between the "Jason Brown deserves 5s in PCS" and "Jason Brown deserves 100 PCS every time he steps on the ice, even in the Short Program" was right. (answer, unsurprisingly, was neither, in typical skating fan fashion)

I saw Jason live at Worlds too, very enjoyable skate.

What the scores should be I don't agitate myself with.

 

[Rukia]

brb about to buy out a religious candle factory

 

[nylynnr]

nowadays teams that rely on good, precise technique, rather than flash, are not as favored as they were when the Shibs competed.

Probably reiterating the obvious, but that is an astute observation if ever there was one. Maybe all the time in LA, plus watching Fear and Gibson's ascent, will have an impact. I'm certain they've been seriously training for months. The material Zoueva and Scali, and probably a host of dance choreographers/music editors/performance directors, come up with will be the key .... I think every comeback is interesting. Back in '94, when Boitano announced his return, he told younger U.S. men, "If you don't like it, you can go out and beat me." It's a sport, and it can use every bit of competitive (as opposed to toxic) drama it can get.

 

[BlueRidge]

I always hate comebacks.* They disrupt the way I thought things were going to be and make me But they keep happening and I've learned to live with them.

*that's a lie, there was one comeback I loved

 

[On My Own]

I always hate comebacks.*

*that's a lie, there was one comeback I loved

Yuna

 

[Debbie S]

You never know what can happen over the course of one season.

True. I remember when Skary Babs and Margaglio came back for Torino and people assumed they would medal and possibly win. Even w/o the infamous fall in the OD, they likely wouldn't have medaled.

If USFS is smart, they're not going to push the Shibs as a challenge to C/B and potential Oly medal, b/c yeah, only one medal spot for USA and dumping the 3-time world champs, who are from arguably the most politically powerful school right now, would be stupid. And I imagine USFS looks at the Shibs return as a way to generate interest in the upcoming season, not a savior for U.S. ice dance, which doesn't need saving.

And the programs C/B (and the other top teams) have been doing over the past quad are superior to anything the Shibs put out.

As far as training, per their social media, the Shibs have been doing a lot of travel both in the U.S. and abroad the past 8 months. Maybe they've been training in between, and now they'll probably hunker down, but the other top U.S. teams have been hunkering down for the past 7 seasons.

 

[BlueRidge]

Yuna

I would have loved that if she'd have gotten the gold she deserved.

 

[VGThuy]

So, what's the rhythm dance theme this coming season?

 

[On My Own]

I would have loved that if she'd have gotten the gold she deserved.

The Carolina Kostner fans (all 5 of them) will zerg rush you with their walkers

 

[VGThuy]

The Carolina Kostner fans (all 5 of them) will zerg rush you with their walkers

I don't need a walker yet. Ask me again in 5 years.

 

[BlueRidge]

If USFS is smart, they're not going to push the Shibs as a challenge to C/B and potential Oly medal, b/c yeah, only one medal spot for USA and dumping the 3-time world champs, who are from arguably the most politically powerful school right now, would be stupid. And I imagine USFS looks at the Shibs return as a way to generate interest in the upcoming season, not a savior for U.S. ice dance, which doesn't need saving.

See this is what makes sense to me. Sure USFS is touting Shibs return but because they have a lot of fans and it generates interest. I don't see them dumping C&B for them.

Now can Shibs beat GrePar or Z&K? I think they'd have to do that with their actual skating, at least for Z&K they are ice dance future for USFS, I don't see them dumping them either. But we'll have to see what Shibs can do on the ice.

 

[Dobre]

She always wanted to continue.

Look, if they aren't good enough, they won't go anywhere. It's hard for the young teams. It's hard. But at least they didn't drop this announcement on them right before 4CCs or Worlds.

(If the Shibs were, in fact, back to training last season when the rumors started, then the timing was late. Too late to sign up for the GP as comeback skaters, get their two spots, and have a full season. If they've been training since then, that's good. It's really hard to come back).

So, what's the rhythm dance theme this coming season?

The 90s.

The Backstreet is really back with the Shibs, Cizeron, and probably Stepanova & Bukin.

 

[BlueRidge]

The Carolina Kostner fans (all 5 of them) will zerg rush you with their walkers

I'm older than all the Carolina Kostner fans.

I don't have an argument with them, she didn't win the gold either.

 

[leilaofpaper]

I always hate comebacks.* They disrupt the way I thought things were going to be and make me But they keep happening and I've learned to live with them.

*that's a lie, there was one comeback I loved

Alysa?

 

[princeton123]

I'm genuinely curious bc I haven't kept up with them, but don't they have normal jobs at this point? They haven't really coached or choreographed. What have they been doing in the 7 years since they retired?

 

[BlueRidge]

Alysa?

well but I was thinking of comebacks for the Olys.

 

[Karen-W]

I don't even think Carreira/Ponomarenko are a safe third. They had a good showing at Worlds, but one bad program is all it takes

I'm glad that CPom have established themselves as a pretty solid U.S. second, but I'm even a little worried for them -- if there are enough shakeups, who knows what could happen?

CarPon have steadily risen up the ranks at Worlds each of the 3 seasons they've been - 9th, 7th, 5th. That isn't ONE good showing at Worlds and they've thoroughly established themselves as a solid US 2nd. Sure, poor programs could knock them down, but apart from their 1st season at IAM-O, they've had very solid material and I'd be surprised if they come out with anything but solid programs that keep them ahead of the rest of the pack now that they've got a bit of distance, score-wise, from GreenP and ZingKol & the rest of the mid-tier US teams.

They won't beat Chock & Bates. There's no way they can get to that level in one year.

AFAIK since this ended up true, they’ve already been back on the ice practicing at some level of seriousness for at least 8 months. Of course they haven’t faced the judges, but neither has the brand new team in France and people are worried that they will swoop in for Olympic gold apparently.

You never know what can happen over the course of one season.

I tend to side with those who think it's ridiculous to believe they're going to displace ChoBat as the US #1 - but I do think it will make ChoBat step up their game programs-wise and, hopefully, we'll get better material out of them than we have this Oly cycle - and they won't show up at their first GP with at least one programs that is universally panned or two mediocre programs that no one is particularly enthusiastic about.

FWIW, the same people who are pointing out that the ShibSibs didn't compete in the current choreo element-heavy environment are also choosing to ignore that Cizeron doesn't have much experience with the choreo element-heavy environment either - even in 2022, the choreo elements didn't carry the same impact on the overall score as they do now. I don't know that I'd bet much on either the ShibSibs or FBCiz being a threat to either ChoBat or GilPoir, who have both put some distance, score-wise, between themselves and the current #3-4 of FearGib and GuigFab. Personally, I think those two are in far greater danger of being displaced than either ChoBat or GilPoir.

Really, the SkateGods looked at all the bitching this past Olympic cycle about the "old couples" who need to retire - ChoBat (33/36), GilPoir (34/34) & GuigFab (36/38) - and decided what we deserve are "even older" couples in the next Oly quad battling it out for the podium - FBCiz (37/35), the ShibSibs (35/38) and StepBuk (34/36) will suck all the air out of the room & vie for gold 2030.
* ages listed are the ages that the current "old folks" will be in 2026 and the ages the new "even older" teams will be in 2030.

 

[Debbie S]

I'm genuinely curious bc I haven't kept up with them, but don't they have normal jobs at this point? They haven't really coached or choreographed. What have they been doing in the 7 years since they retired?

Alex had some exhibit in L.A. of his photography. Other than that, they've basically been traveling, making appearances at red carpets and such, and they've written (ghost-written more likely) a couple of children's books.

I think they did some choreo for Mao Asada's show?

I don't believe they continued with any sort of college education (which they started while competing) but of course not everyone needs a college degree.

 

[skategal]

Yes, those were the younger teams I meant.

I'm glad that CPom have established themselves as a pretty solid U.S. second, but I'm even a little worried for them -- if there are enough shakeups, who knows what could happen?

I’m more worried for them that she doesn’t have US Citizenship yet.

I feel sick when I think of that.

I’d be really surprised if they didn’t land on the podium and be eligible for an Olympic spot even with the ShibSibs back.

It’s the dang Citizenship issue that worries me.

 

[Rukia]

ok but when the shibs and c/b are blindly battling it out for supremacy then cpom sneaks in and become us champs what then

it's never too early to start wildly manifesting my friends

they've written (ghost-written more likely) a couple of children's books.

I would say they were probably ghost-written but not too heavy a hand. My kids loved them.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

The Carolina Kostner fans (all 5 of them) will zerg rush you with their walkers

Now I want a Linda Fratianne / Annet Poetszch rematch!

 

[Debbie S]

FBCiz (37/35), the ShibSibs (35/38) and StepBuk (34/36) will suck all the air out of the room & vie for gold 2030.
* ages listed are the ages that the current "old folks" will be in 2026 and the ages the new "even older" teams will be in 2030.

The Shibs are currently 34 and (almost) 31.

Never mind, I see you edited.

 

[Karen-W]

ok but when the shibs and c/b are blindly battling it out for supremacy then cpom sneaks in and become us champs what then

it's never too early to start wildly manifesting my friends

I will join you in wildly manifesting.

 

[Karen-W]

The Shibs are currently 34 and (almost) 31.

Yes - and the ages listed are how old they will be in 2030, not next season.

 

[VGThuy]

Do we know if they are definitely going back to Marina? Who and where has Marina been coaching since 2018? I thought Scali was based in L.A. these days.

 

[Debbie S]

Do we know if they are definitely going back to Marina? Who and where has Marina been coaching since 2018? I thought Scali was based in L.A. these days.

According to the USFS press release, they will be working with Marina and Massimo.

Marina is coaching in FL. I think she has a few OES teams, plus the Carhart sisters. Her best team is probably the youngest Carhart and partner, who won Novice at Nats.

Massimo is based in San Fran.

 

[Rukia]

Do we know if they are definitely going back to Marina? Who and where has Marina been coaching since 2018? I thought Scali was based in L.A. these days.

The usfs post says they are going back to marina.

This is the only serious post I will make about this: I am happy that Maia is feeling healthy enough to train at this level again. I know that must feel good.

 

[Yyzskater]

I'm genuinely curious bc I haven't kept up with them, but don't they have normal jobs at this point? They haven't really coached or choreographed. What have they been doing in the 7 years since they retired?

Fighting cancer

 

[Karen-W]

Do we know if they are definitely going back to Marina? Who and where has Marina been coaching since 2018? I thought Scali was based in L.A. these days.

Scali has been in the Bay Area, not LA, for awhile. Marina has been in Estero FL for several years - she had Morozov/Chen in the 2nd half of the season after he (presumably) was kicked out of MIDA, and Yi/Savelev went to her after the WASA Ice Dance green card marriages were revealed in the fall. She also has the youngest Carhart & her partner (Bledsoe), and I presume the new team representing Poland of Helena Carhart/Filip Bojanowski; Larson/Kapran UKR are also with her.