2025-26 Program Music and Choreographers

[DORISPULASKI]

I think

What would be an oversight?

I think the piece is fabulous and will also really stand out in the current field of FD offerings.

I think the FD will work very well. Team C&B have an imagination. ( I would never have thought "alien love affair=Daft Punk," but they did.) I think the fact that Najarro is still listed as a choreographer means they are doing "modern flamenco= Paint it Black." I don't think putting (or leaving) Najarro in the choreo list was some kind of clerical error, as others might suggest.

 

[Wyliefan]

On Reddit they're saying that Alysa may just be using old programs while she reworks the new ones. Apparently she said that might happen. We'll see ...

 

[DORISPULASKI]

It may be Alysa will go back to Lady Gaga for her next event. Bloody Mary by Lady Gaga is banned in China.

Lady Gaga and Beyonce on China song blacklist

Hits by Lady Gaga, Beyonce and Take That are among 100 songs on an internet blacklist by China's culture ministry, deemed harmful to "cultural security".

www.bbc.com

As are

Among the Western acts, Lady Gaga has six banned tracks: The Edge of Glory, Hair, Marry the Night, Americano, Judas and Bloody Mary. Beyonce's Run the World (Girls) has also been outlawed as well as Katy Perry's Last Friday Night, which has lyrics about a menage a trois.

The list also includes the Backstreet Boys track I Want It That Way, which was released more than a decade ago.

 

[Kateri]

Among the Western acts, Lady Gaga has six banned tracks: The Edge of Glory, Hair, Marry the Night, Americano, Judas and Bloody Mary. Beyonce's Run the World (Girls) has also been outlawed as well as Katy Perry's Last Friday Night, which has lyrics about a menage a trois.

Mao Shimada skated to Americano in Beijing a couple of years ago with no problems, so I don't think this is a serious issue. Kevin is using Judas this year, though he's not at CoC.

 

[Former Lurve Goddess]

Someone needs to do a “banned in Beijing” program

 

[Tesla]

Mao Shimada skated to Americano in Beijing a couple of years ago with no problems, so I don't think this is a serious issue. Kevin is using Judas this year, though he's not at CoC.

Alysa may not want to take any chances. I don't blame her.

 

[Headintheclouds]

I think

I think the FD will work very well. Team C&B have an imagination. ( I would never have thought "alien love affair=Daft Punk," but they did.) I think the fact that Najarro is still listed as a choreographer means they are doing "modern flamenco= Paint it Black." I don't think putting (or leaving) Najarro in the choreo list was some kind of clerical error, as others might suggest.

I am pretty sure Najarro is a choreographer on their FD. I follow him on Instagram and a few weeks ago he posted about a trip he was making to Montreal to put the finishing touches on the World Champion Ice Dancers Olympic FD. I have followed Najarro’s career since he choreographed Madi and Evan’s SD years ago. His work is recognized worldwide and rightfully so. I believe he has even choreographed for Disney. He is worth a follow on Instagram because he often uploads videos of actual professional performances of his always inspiring and innovative choreography. I am a huge fan and excited to see what he has created for Madi and Evan who I also feel have brought a new creativity to the sport.

 

[DORISPULASKI]

Here's the insta post, dated Oct. 2! (Thank you!)

Antonio Najarro on Instagram: "✈️ Hoy vuelo a Montreal para dar los últimos detalles al nuevo programa de Madison Chock & Evan Bates, Campeones del Mundo de Danza sobre Hielo, que presentarán en los próximos Juegos Olímpicos de Invierno en Milán 2026

424 likes, 14 comments - antonionajarro on September 22, 2025: "✈️ Hoy vuelo a Montreal para dar los últimos detalles al nuevo programa de Madison Chock & Evan Bates, Campeones del Mundo de Danza sobre Hielo, que presentarán en los próximos Juegos Olímpicos de Invierno en Milán 2026. Un...

www.instagram.com

translation

From account on Instagram antonionajarro


"Today I'm flying to Montreal to give the Final details on the new program by Madison Chock & Evan Bates, Ice Dance World Champions, which they will present at the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milan 2026.


A very special project for me: the union of flamenco and Spanish dance with figure skating.


I've been fortunate enough to see great skaters win Olympic and world medals with my choreography, and now I feel the same excitement and responsibility to contribute my choreographic creation alongside Marie France Dubreuil.


I'll tell you more soon"

 

[peibeck]

So, Alysa has also ditched the Lady Gaga program and gone back to MacArthur Park -

Alysa LIU - International Skating Union

Alysa LIU - International Skating Union

isu-skating.com

Booooooo!!! I loathe that song (although if forced to listen to it, Donna Summer is better than Richard Harris or William Shatner )

 

[Skaterbob]

Loena's changed her SP music - we'll see the new program at NHK.

https://x.com/fs_gossips/status/1979288125680849073

I went back to look at the Milano skate because I had completely forgotten what she skated too and I would say replacing it would be a good choice. Didn't seem connected to it at all even for a first time outing.

 

[peibeck]

This is the version of Paint it Black they’re using

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

youtu.be

Hmm, I really don't care for the dirge ending of this music; I'm hoping it's edited for a big dynamic finish.

 

[Karen-W]

Hmm, I really don't care for the dirge ending of this music; I'm hoping it's edited for a big dynamic finish.

That was my only concern as well.

 

[Bigbird]

I am not a C/B fan, but if this were my last competitive season, I'd want a program that plays to my strengths. They will be playing catch-up for the entire season. Either they change that program, or they change the program.

 

[Karen-W]

I am not a C/B fan, but if this were my last competitive season, I'd want a program that plays to my strengths. They will be playing catch-up for the entire season. Either they change that program, or they change the program.

I disagree about the need to change the program for the most part. There were some sections that were weaker than others - like the choreo character step sequence, and I think the program can be much more impactful with a stronger music edit at the end. And, of course, changing Madison's costume, but if she's still wearing that by Nats, maybe even sooner, I'll be shocked, since the costume does NOT work in its current iteration.

 

[Wyliefan]

Maia & Alex Shibutani (USA)
RD:
C.R.E.A.M. by Wu-Tang Clan
Let Me Clear My Throat by DJ Kool
B-BOY by Rhymester
Starting Race by Kenta Nagata
Award Tour by A Tribe Called Quest
Get Ready For This by 2 Unlimited
Stomp To My Beat by JS16
The Rhythm of the Night by Corona

Maia SHIBUTANI / Alex SHIBUTANI - International Skating Union

Maia SHIBUTANI / Alex SHIBUTANI - International Skating Union

isu-skating.com

The theme is "American and Japanese culture in the 1990s."

第1回：マイア・シブタニ＆アレックス・シブタニ「ぼくたちはずっとある種の孤独を感じていた」 | Page 3 of 3 | WFS-Web ワールド・フィギュアスケートWeb

2018年の平昌オリンピックでアジア系として初めてアイスダンスの銅メダルを獲得したあと、競技を離れたマイア・シブタニとアレックス・シブタニ。7年後の今シーズン、兄妹チームは電撃的な競技復帰を発表しました。2人の初戦は今週末のNHK杯。久しぶ

worldfigureskating-web.jp

So the Shibs really looked at C/B's RD from last year and said, "Hold our beer."

 

[Karen-W]

Maia & Alex Shibutani (USA)
RD:
C.R.E.A.M. by Wu-Tang Clan
Let Me Clear My Throat by DJ Kool
B-BOY by Rhymester
Starting Race by Kenta Nagata
Award Tour by A Tribe Called Quest
Get Ready For This by 2 Unlimited
Stomp To My Beat by JS16
The Rhythm of the Night by Corona

As I read through this list this was precisely my thought...

So the Shibs really looked at C/B's RD from last year and said, "Hold our beer."

We'll see what this looks like in just over 37 hours!

 

[Tesla]

As I read through this list this was precisely my thought...

We'll see what this looks like in just over 37 hours!

Me, too!

 

[marbri]

So they are actually skating to Fix You for the FD, was so hoping that was wrong

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

C.R.E.A.M. by Wu-Tang Clan
Let Me Clear My Throat by DJ Kool
B-BOY by Rhymester
Starting Race by Kenta Nagata
Award Tour by A Tribe Called Quest
Get Ready For This by 2 Unlimited
Stomp To My Beat by JS16
The Rhythm of the Night by Corona

All in two minutes and 40 seconds? Like chock and bates? Please can we just hear the Humpty dance from start to end

 

[Rukia]

Maia & Alex Shibutani (USA)
RD:
C.R.E.A.M. by Wu-Tang Clan
Let Me Clear My Throat by DJ Kool
B-BOY by Rhymester
Starting Race by Kenta Nagata
Award Tour by A Tribe Called Quest
Get Ready For This by 2 Unlimited
Stomp To My Beat by JS16
The Rhythm of the Night by Corona

I guess they had to cover every rd they missed while they weren't skating or something idk

 

[jmtfti]

It appears Guignard/Fabbri have scrapped "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely" and replaced it with a Backstreet Boys song I'd never heard of, "That's the Way I Like It": https://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00012929.htm

 

[Kateri]

So they are actually skating to Fix You for the FD, was so hoping that was wrong

Yeah, sorry, this is just rude of them. If they can't even summon up the energy to give us a new FD, and giving us reheated leftovers yet again, I'm done. I don't like calling skaters lazy, because we don't know what's going on in their lives, but if they really couldn't manage that much, they should not have come back.

 

[Former Lurve Goddess]

It appears Guignard/Fabbri have scrapped "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely" and replaced it with a Backstreet Boys song I'd never heard of, "That's the Way I Like It": https://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00012929.htm

Too bad they're not skating to one of the 1990s covers of the KC and the Sunshine Band song with the same title.

 

[lauravvv]

Yeah, sorry, this is just rude of them. If they can't even summon up the energy to give us a new FD, and giving us reheated leftovers yet again, I'm done. I don't like calling skaters lazy, because we don't know what's going on in their lives, but if they really couldn't manage that much, they should not have come back.

Or this is not about laziness, and they just really think that to get a positive response from judges and to be successful after such a long break, they have to do something safe, something that brought them success before, instead of experimenting with something new. Kind of like Cizeron doing a similar style and elements as what he did with Papadakis in order to achieve the desired results already this season. But, of course, there is a difference. Judges may have longed to see something like what P/C did, skated if not with the same, then at least with a similar level of quality, but do they want to see a complete retread of what Shibutanis did years ago? On the other hand, for the newer judges it may feel as something new, the same as for most of the general public.

 

[Coco]

Coldplay has other songs.

 

[SidelineSkater]

Saying this in sarcasm font. It’s the year of the retreads. Shibs are just staying on trend.

I know other teams doing repeats have given us something new in the last 7 years.

 

[Former Lurve Goddess]

Saying this in sarcasm font. It’s the year of the retreads. Shibs are just staying on trend.

I know other teams doing repeats have given us something new in the last 7 years.

To save time and money, the ISU could simply play videos of the skaters' best performances of their retreads.

 

[lauravvv]

Coldplay has other songs.

In an interview, Mai Shibutani said that it's about the message of this particular song and program, their journey etc. Of course, it seems like an excuse, but maybe there is some truth to it. Or the real truth is that they found out that the training process etc. after such a long break was much harder than they imagined it would be, but it was too late to back out, so they decided to make it a bit easier for themselves by using an old FD. Still, I think that after such a break even lelearning the old elements and choreo may not feel much different from learning something new.

 

[marbri]

Okay.
In 2016 it was about their journey and now in 2026 it is about their journey.
I think they need a new travel agent

 

[Amy L]

Okay.
In 2016 it was about their journey and now in 2026 it is about their journey.
I think they need a new travel agent

I'm already envisioning the PR answer, the song has taken on a new meaning, Maia is a cancer survivor, etc. Then comes the inevitable internet comments about how Alex's version of helping his sister involves screaming in her face about how much of a bitch she is.

It's gonna be a long olympic season y'all.