2026 US Nationals Free Dance "Nix You"

[terisa]

Do you ever watch these athletes and think to yourself, I bet they never eat cheese puffs. While sitting and eating cheese puffs? Because I do. Lol

Now I want cheese puffs.

 

[~tapdancer~]

OK, here's the tl;dr up front. I don't warm to this program because I don't think it has "chemistry" but I can admire the ability and skill.

Long ago, in the Disco Era, the DJ at a bar I used to hang out in was an incredible disco dancer. She and her partner would dance to every techno tune, and their dancing was very precise, very synchronized, very PERFECT. But also very cold and mechanical. I get the same feeling from Chock and Bates. I can admire the skill, but no tears of joy for the FEELING of it.... don't know if that makes sense to anyone but me.

I get it totally. They have never evoked any emotional feeling for me. Always cold and mechanical. There are so many ice dance teams I have loved over the years, some at the top of the podium, some nowhere near it. It's always about the feels for me. It's why I was such a D/W uber fan, the way they skated like their hair was on fire and I felt so blessed that they ended up our first World Champions in ice dance and Olympic Gold medalists. I would have loved them no matter what but that was the cherry on top!

I remember the first time I saw Evan and Emily skate and I was mesmerized by them. So sad when they ended their partnership. And I am happy for Evan and Madison that they fell in love and married. I think Evan would have been content to retire, from what I know he likes the business side of being involved in skating. But Madison is a performer, she loves the spotlight. I don't know them personally so I am just speaking from watching them for oh these many years. I get that they wanted to stay in after faltering some in their early partnership but now it just seems too much hype, they are not the new Torvill and Dean.

 

[purple skates]

I know I need to stop but honestly, I have never gotten over Evan dumping Emily and I guess it shows, especially since they just refuse to retire.

When I came back to skating as an adult, I shared the ice several times a week with Evan and Emily, and Maddy and Keiffer when they were middle school age. I was gutted when first the injury and then the breakup happened. I felt that Madison (Chock) was the other woman.

But, things change. When our paths have crossed over the years, it is clear to me that they are made for each other. I am so thrilled that they are in the position they are today! I hope they get that Oly gold!

 

[terisa]

I really see Madison retiring after this season and doing full program design... music, choreo and costumes. She's so talented and her designs are stunning.

 

[clairecloutier]

I can take or leave C/B's program, I'd just like to see her in a more blingy, more Olympian costume.

I thought we’d see a new costume at Nationals. Hoping for a new one in Milano!

 

[~tapdancer~]

I really see Madison retiring after this season and doing full program design... music, choreo and costumes. She's so talented and her designs are stunning.

See that's what I am talking about. Both Madison and Evan have great skills sets outside of competition and they are in their 30s now. Why not go out at the top of your game? I really wouldn't like to see them get beat by the younger teams even if I believe the younger teams are better and I know the judges are propping them up. If it wasn't Olympic year, I am thinking that might have happened. But what's done is done.

 

[Skaterbob]

I thought we’d see a new costume at Nationals. Hoping for a new one in Milano!

I think there is a high probably there will be one and it will be revealed for the individual FD event.

 

[Carolla5501]

Johnny’s ice dance commentary sounds like me in junior high trying to BS my way though a book report.

And that’s different from his commenting for other events

 

[tangerine dream]

Johnny’s ice dance commentary sounds like me in junior high trying to BS my way though a book report.

Did you also put on a pretentious accent to say foreign words?

 

[terisa]

See that's what I am talking about. Both Madison and Evan have great skills sets outside of competition and they are in their 30s now. Why not go out at the top of your game? I really wouldn't like to see them get beat by the younger teams even if I believe the younger teams are better and I know the judges are propping them up. If it wasn't Olympic year, I am thinking that might have happened. But what's done is done.

She seems to be building that sort of future already, designing dresses for her competitors

 

[once_upon]

Now I want cheese puffs.

Sorry, I finished my bag

 

[Karen-W]

FD results -
Pl. Name Club TSS= TES+ PCS+ CO PR SK Ded.- StN.
1 Madison Chock / Evan Bates All Year FSC/Ann Arbor FSC 137.17 77.89 59.28 10.00 9.96 9.68 0.00 #15
2 Emilea Zingas / Vadym Kolesnik St. Clair Shores FSC/SC of New York 127.67 72.17 55.50 9.32 9.36 9.07 0.00 #14
3 Christina Carreira / Anthony Ponomarenko SC of New York/SC of San Francisco 123.66 69.24 54.42 9.07 9.18 8.96 0.00 #13
4 Caroline Green / Michael Parsons Pavilion SC of Cleveland Heigh/Washington FSC 121.50 68.06 53.44 9.04 8.93 8.75 0.00 #12
5 Oona Brown / Gage Brown SC of New York/SC of New York 118.59 67.15 51.44 8.75 8.61 8.36 0.00 #10
6 Emily Bratti / Ian Somerville Washington FSC/Washington FSC 117.86 66.38 51.48 8.64 8.64 8.46 0.00 #11
7 Katarina Wolfkostin / Dimitry Tsarevski Peninsula SC/Peninsula SC 111.61 62.33 49.28 8.29 8.21 8.14 0.00 #9
8 Leah Neset / Artem Markelov Magic City FSC/Magic City FSC 105.18 57.74 47.44 8.04 7.82 7.86 0.00 #7
9 Amy Cui / Jonathan Rogers SC of Boston/Texas Gulf Coast FSC 104.79 59.23 45.56 7.68 7.64 7.46 0.00 #4
10 Maia Shibutani / Alex Shibutani SC of New York/SC of New York 101.93 54.63 47.30 8.04 7.82 7.79 0.00 #6
11 Raffaella Koncius / Alexey Shchepetov Los Angeles FSC/Los Angeles FSC 101.47 57.27 44.20 7.43 7.46 7.21 0.00 #2
12 Elliana Peal / Ethan Peal Scott Hamilton SC/Scott Hamilton SC 100.00 55.38 44.62 7.46 7.46 7.39 0.00 #5
13 Vanessa Pham / Anton Spiridonov SC of Houston/SC of New York 97.21 54.07 43.14 7.21 7.29 7.07 0.00 #1
14 Eva Pate / Logan Bye Cleveland SC/SC of New York 96.95 51.15 46.80 8.00 7.79 7.61 1.00 #8
15 Isabella Flores / Linus Colmor Jepsen Thunderbirds FSC/Individual Member 94.38 51.44 42.94 7.29 7.18 7.00 0.00 #3

Judges Protocols - https://ijs.usfigureskating.org/lea...------FNL-000100--_JudgesDetailsperSkater.pdf

Final Results -
FPl. Name Club Points RD FD
1 Madison Chock / Evan Bates All Year FSC/Ann Arbor FSC 228.87 1 1
2 Emilea Zingas / Vadym Kolesnik St. Clair Shores FSC/SC of New York 213.65 2 2
3 Christina Carreira / Anthony Ponomarenko SC of New York/SC of San Francisco 206.95 3 3
4 Caroline Green / Michael Parsons Pavilion SC of Cleveland Heigh/Washington FSC 202.05 4 4
5 Emily Bratti / Ian Somerville Washington FSC/Washington FSC 197.29 5 6
6 Oona Brown / Gage Brown SC of New York/SC of New York 194.31 6 5
7 Katarina Wolfkostin / Dimitry Tsarevski Peninsula SC/Peninsula SC 186.60 7 7
8 Leah Neset / Artem Markelov Magic City FSC/Magic City FSC 176.46 9 8
9 Maia Shibutani / Alex Shibutani SC of New York/SC of New York 173.17 10 10
10 Amy Cui / Jonathan Rogers SC of Boston/Texas Gulf Coast FSC 172.39 12 9
11 Eva Pate / Logan Bye Cleveland SC/SC of New York 170.49 8 14
12 Elliana Peal / Ethan Peal Scott Hamilton SC/Scott Hamilton SC 169.60 11 12
13 Raffaella Koncius / Alexey Shchepetov Los Angeles FSC/Los Angeles FSC 166.62 14 11
14 Isabella Flores / Linus Colmor Jepsen Thunderbirds FSC/Individual Member 160.75 13 15
15 Vanessa Pham / Anton Spiridonov SC of Houston/SC of New York 158.62 15 13

 

[MacMadame]

So far, these guys don't seem that excited to have medalled.

 

[Wyliefan]

Long hug between Christina and Caroline.

 

[MacMadame]

I really think Madison's costume needs 1 more row of that piping on her chest/breast area.

 

[MacMadame]

I just noticed the medals. They are pretty cheap. I give out much better medals at my events and they aren't National Championships.

 

[once_upon]

So are the going to stuff all 8 on the podium like last night?

 

[Matryeshka]

These are the fakest smiles. Ooof. Do you think Caroline and Christina are plotting to take the ZinKols out? Cause that was a really long hug.

 

[Dobre]

Two thoughts:

I thought this during practice earlier this week, but having seen the full FD tonight, I feel even more strongly that this is the best FD that Chock & Bates have had in at least three years. I've seen these three programs live; and for the last two seasons, the FD program construction had big highlights but poor use of the ice. Not this FD. It flows and uses the full surface of the ice very well. The elements are balanced and suit this team. And the choreo within the program shows off the decade+ of time they have put in together.

The Brown's Godfather program was every bit as terrific as it looked on the screen. Quite plausibly the best storytelling of the entire international dance season. I look forward to seeing the rematch at 4CCs.

 

[MacMadame]

These are the fakest smiles.

I noticed that.

 

[once_upon]

I think it's because no one knows what tomorrow will bring. Obviously Madi and Evan know they are going. But the other 3 pairs have no idea. Or are praying for a miracle.

Has there been this much uncertainty since Tanith and Ben citizenship issues? Only this time there were two teams with citizenship issues.

I bet the only ones who sleep tonight are Madi and Evan.

 

[MacMadame]

I think it's because no one knows what tomorrow will bring. Obviously Madi and Evan know they are going. But the other 3 pairs have no idea. Or are praying for a miracle.

Has there been this much uncertainty since Tanith and Ben citizenship issues? Only this time there were two teams with citizenship issues.

I bet the only ones who sleep tonight are Madi and Evan.

I don't see any uncertainty at all. These teams have finished in this order all season. Why would they switch it up for the Olympics?

 

[Karen-W]

I think it's because no one knows what tomorrow will bring. Obviously Madi and Evan know they are going. But the other 3 pairs have no idea. Or are praying for a miracle.

Has there been this much uncertainty since Tanith and Ben citizenship issues? Only this time there were two teams with citizenship issues.

I bet the only ones who sleep tonight are Madi and Evan.

Uhm, per Jackie Wong on X earlier, the Ice Dance Selection committee already met this evening - around 9pm CT, so about 3 hours ago. I'm guessing that everyone already knew the outcome before the medal ceremony because this was, along with the women, the most clear-cut, easy decision to make.

 

[RoseAugust]

I think that the audience standing and prolonged ovation for the Brown's program may have rivaled the ovation for the top two. That made me happy. Wonderful story telling. Wonderful skating.

 

[once_upon]

I don't do X or really any social media except FSU and Facebook, and I don't follow any skaters or Wing.. I was just going supposing based on the long, days, weeks long discussion here.

Please accept my apologies.

 

[Kateri]

Still catching up, but just watched the Shibs.

I just want to say that I really enjoyed the way Maia lit up with a fierce joy for the last minute, safe in the knowledge that Alex had irreparably ****ed up all on his own, while she skated great.

Also, she was always beautiful but her tired, knowing, melancholy 30s energy makes her just incredibly, insanely hot. Thank you for this aspect of your comeback, even if nothing much else.

 

[Feliznavidad25]

Flores/Jepsen

Error for him on twizzles, I felt like their edges looked deeper in the RD and today they were more flat

Kinda interested to see if this partnership lasts

Any idea who she could partner with? Or should she still it out for another year- to see if they grow together?

 

[her grace]

Any idea who she could partner with? Or should she still it out for another year- to see if they grow together?

Not at the moment. After post-season splits, we’ll know who is available.

 

[her grace]

Comparing this year's results to last year's

1 Madison Chock / Evan Bates [S1]
2 Emilea Zingas / Vadym Kolesnik [S4]
3 Christina Carreira / Anthony Ponomarenko [S2]
4 Caroline Green / Michael Parsons [S3]
5 Emily Bratti / Ian Somerville [S6]
6 Oona Brown / Gage Brown [S5]
7 Katarina Wolfkostin / Dimitry Tsarevski [S7]
8 Leah Neset / Artem Markelov [S9]
9 Maia Shibutani / Alex Shibutani comeback team
10 Amy Cui / Jonathan Rogers [S13]
11 Eva Pate / Logan Bye [S8]
12 Elliana Peal / Ethan Peal [J2]
13 Raffaella Koncius / Alexey Shchepetov [S11]
14 Isabella Flores / Linus Colmor new team
15 Vanessa Pham / Anton Spiridonov [S12]

I continue to be impressed with how much movement USFS allows in its dance field. It makes for a very motivated field and healthy competition, which fuels success.

 

[terisa]

what is guy doing?? he is very slow and not artistic

now Peacock is dead

Why is someone waving lights around the rink? Exorcising bad spirits?

I think I've figured it out! He was 3D mapping the ice under exhibition lighting, and I bet we find out why in the exhibition. I saw a documentary where they were 3D mapping an old church... same sort of movement.