2025-26 U.S. Ice Dance News, Updates & Discussion - Backstreet Boys & Spice Girls

[Karen-W]

They did beat them

Did they? I thought they lost to them in the FD. Even if they did win the FD, they should have probably beaten them overall too - which was never going to happen against the reigning World Champs.

 

[Debbie S]

Did they? I thought they lost to them in the FD. Even if they did win the FD, they should have probably beaten them overall too - which was never going to happen against the reigning World Champs.

C/P won the FD but C/B had a 10-point lead after the RD so they maintained their overall lead. There are 2 phases in the comp....and let's not forget that in 2017 and 2018, C/B won the FD at Nats but did not win overall due to the point difference in the SD.

ETA: Given the publicity that USFS and NBC gave to the Shibs comeback, there would have to be a significant difference in performance for the Shibs to be placed out of the top 3. If their performance is bad enough for that to happen, then USFS would probably leave them off the team (but if their level of performance isn't really up to standard by Nats, I don't see them competing).

 

[Rukia]

Did they? I thought they lost to them in the FD. Even if they did win the FD, they should have probably beaten them overall too - which was never going to happen against the reigning World Champs.

Yes, Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomorenko are the 2024 US National Champions in the free dance

 

[princeton123]

It would just so be like USFS to fail to see the long-term and not give opportunities to young teams who will be able to capitalize on this for years to come and instead grandfather in a team who will fail to medal anyway

Shades of James/Radford

 

[Spikefan]

I’m not going to get worked up until January. However, I’ve been impressed with what I’ve seen from the teams that have debuted. So, if this comeback lit a fire in everyone I will just say thanks.

 

[Tinycities]

I just hope we get an update on Christina’s citizenship soon.

 

[Rukia]

I just hope we get an update on Christina’s citizenship soon.

In her most recent interview she said her needing to cross the border every day would end "soon"

 

[A.H.Black]

Speaking of Madison Chock being so ill at Nationals, it seems to be quite common that one of them is deathly ill almost every year for some competition or other. I think the key to this year, for them, may be to stay well. That is probably true of many of the skaters.

 

[Debbie S]

Speaking of Madison Chock being so ill at Nationals, it seems to be quite common that one of them is deathly ill almost every year for some competition or other. I think the key to this year, for them, may be to stay well. That is probably true of many of the skaters.

Both Madi and Evan were sick at 2024 Nats. Evan had a fever the day of the FD. At 2025 Nats, Madi was sick, IIRC it was said that it was something she ate. She said afterward in the press conference that she was going to pay more attention to who she was around and what she was eating, or something like that (paraphrasing). Hopefully, they both stay healthy this season.

(They probably should mask in crowded areas, esp at the Olys...in Paris, a lot of athletes got Covid.)

 

[TheOGSkateGuard]

ETA: Given the publicity that USFS and NBC gave to the Shibs comeback, there would have to be a significant difference in performance for the Shibs to be placed out of the top 3. If their performance is bad enough for that to happen, then USFS would probably leave them off the team (but if their level of performance isn't really up to standard by Nats, I don't see them competing).

What’s been interesting is that after that first announcement, USFS has been rather….hands off with them. I haven’t seen them much (if at all) on USFS generated socials. Even Emily and Ian have been given more attention on USFS IG.

But media attention has very little bearing on what a bunch of national judges will do. I’m just saying it’s going to be much harder to hand out top PCS in that first group given what the later teams are capable of doing, so any team would have to earn them. Even if they’re the Shibs.

 

[Debbie S]

But media attention has very little bearing on what a bunch of national judges will do. I’m just saying it’s going to be much harder to hand out top PCS in that first group given what the later teams are capable of doing, so any team would have to earn them. Even if they’re the Shibs.

National level judges, aka the volunteer side of the sport, basically run USFS. The paid staff takes their orders from, and is responsible to, the Board of Directors, and by extension the committees that are run by the judges and officials.

I'm sure the Shibs initially reached out to a few top judges who hold high level positions and got their blessing for their comeback. And then the USFS PR machine went to work. So yes, knowing the publicity that the Shibs comeback generated, the judges are going to be very interested in having them on the team, as long as they are competitive. If not, see my post above.

 

[Willin]

@Debbie S I think you give way too much credit and power to those National level judges. I know quite a few. While a small group have a lot of power, there are many more that have virtually no power or influence. Some are chosen for power and connections but many simply get there by putting in long hours judging local competitions for years. The international judges are the ones with the most influence, as that requires experience and connections. Even then - not all national level judges will judge nationals every year. So even if the ShibSibs got the blessing of a couple, those judges may not be at Nationals.

Judges aren't a monolith. There are likely just as many who hate this comeback as those who support it. Many judges have opinions, and those opinions may not be as clear and together as people on the internet want to believe.

 

[Debbie S]

The international judges are the ones with the most influence, as that requires experience and connections.

Well, in an Oly year, the dance panel at Nats does tend to be mostly composed of World and int'l judges. And even top judges who aren't judging are still in the position to influence others.

 

[VGThuy]

It would just so be like USFS to fail to see the long-term and not give opportunities to young teams who will be able to capitalize on this for years to come and instead grandfather in a team who will fail to medal anyway

Shades of James/Radford

James/Radford had a pretty respectable season. 2nd at an Autumn Classic, a bunch of 4th places at the GP events, and 3rd at Worlds with placing 2nd in the LP.

I know everyone is talking about the Shibs being entitled con artists, and delusional, who will get put on the Olympic team based on connections with USFS officials and judges bts, and not on merit, and who just don’t deserve a spot because they were jerks in 2018…. The other stuff may all be true, but maybe the connections with national judges and USFS won’t work out in their favor… I mean if the people involved in national skating world are as bitchy, gossipy, prejudicial, and cliquey about the domestic skaters/teams they support as skating fans are, then there’s always gonna be a backlash of some sort.

 

[Wyliefan]

I don't think the Shibs are entitled con artists or anything like that. But they may have started training and then felt they'd bitten off more than they could chew.

 

[A.H.Black]

Both Madi and Evan were sick at 2024 Nats. Evan had a fever the day of the FD. At 2025 Nats, Madi was sick, IIRC it was said that it was something she ate. She said afterward in the press conference that she was going to pay more attention to who she was around and what she was eating, or something like that (paraphrasing). Hopefully, they both stay healthy this season.

(They probably should mask in crowded areas, esp at the Olys...in Paris, a lot of athletes got Covid.)

Thanks for the reminder about 2024. I remember many times before that when she had a cold or he had a fever - back to before covid. It's very usual for Maddy to sound hoarse during an interview because she has something. There are probably others who have had that issue and I just wasn't paying attention. I used to notice how often Nathan Chen was sick as well.

I'm sure the skaters are much more upset about it than I am, but I always want to lecture them and tell them to take better care of themselves leading up to the important competitions of the season. Stop going out with friends. Don't do the family gatherings this year. Be more aware and careful - this year. It sounds like they are trying.

 

[tony]

I don't think the Shibs are entitled con artists or anything like that. But they may have started training and then felt they'd bitten off more than they could chew.

Or they will show up to the Grand Prix as originally planned and start their season normally. Three of the top four in the world seem to be opting for this, as well.

 

[TanithandBenFan]

Thanks for the reminder about 2024. I remember many times before that when she had a cold or he had a fever - back to before covid. It's very usual for Maddy to sound hoarse during an interview because she has something. There are probably others who have had that issue and I just wasn't paying attention. I used to notice how often Nathan Chen was sick as well.

I'm sure the skaters are much more upset about it than I am, but I always want to lecture them and tell them to take better care of themselves leading up to the important competitions of the season. Stop going out with friends. Don't do the family gatherings this year. Be more aware and careful - this year. It sounds like they are trying.

I don’t remember her sounding hoarse in interviews . The only other time before 2024 that I remember both her and Evan being sick was at 2023 Worlds when they had a stomach bug. But I do agree that they need to be extra careful. I’m psychotic about not being around people without a mask before my vacations and I’m not competing for National, World, and Olympic medals lol.

 

[Willin]

Or they will show up to the Grand Prix as originally planned and start their season normally. Three of the top four in the world seem to be opting for this, as well.

Which would be incredibly misguided to equate.

All of those top 4 teams have very recent high level competition experience, have been training and competing continuously since BEFORE the ShibSibs retired (and 3/4 of those teams competed against the ShibSibs pre-retirement). The US and Canadian teams got feedback at their National camps as well. So they're coming into the GP much less blind than the ShibSibs and with much more experience overall and with the new rule changes.

 

[tony]

Which would be incredibly misguided to equate.

All of those top 4 teams have very recent high level competition experience, have been training and competing continuously since BEFORE the ShibSibs retired (and 3/4 of those teams competed against the ShibSibs pre-retirement). The US and Canadian teams got feedback at their National camps as well. So they're coming into the GP much less blind than the ShibSibs and with much more experience overall and with the new rule changes.

You nor I nor anyone else knows what kind of monitoring or feedback they are getting, though. So why act like we do?

 

[angi]

Apparently, Dave Lease (or someone who claims to be him) published CCTV footage of the Shibs skating and doing their twizzles with Fix You playing in the background...

 

[Rukia]

Apparently, Dave Lease (or someone who claims to be him) published CCTV footage of the Shibs skating and doing their twizzles with Fix You playing in the background...

there's also footage of parts of their rd

 

[angi]

there's also footage of parts of their rd

Yep, from what I could make of it, it includes DJ Kool - Let Me Clear My Throat and Jock Jams - Are You Ready For This. Them likely doing Fix You again is a choice for sure.

 

[NinjaTurtles]

Yep, from what I could make of it, it includes DJ Kool - Let Me Clear My Throat and Jock Jams - Are You Ready For This. Them likely doing Fix You again is a choice for sure.

Let Me Clear My Throat is a good song; nice to have some 90s DC representation.

Would be fun if it’s a Bring It On themed RD.

 

[Rukia]

Let Me Clear My Throat is a good song; nice to have some 90s DC representation.

They've always done a good job of picking coherent and interesting rd choices. The parts on video look fine. Like not amazing but not bad. Alex looks like he's having a blast so good for him. Based on this I'm not any more concerned about the potential Olympic team than I was before lol.

 

[Allskate]

Apparently, Dave Lease (or someone who claims to be him) published CCTV footage of the Shibs skating and doing their twizzles with Fix You playing in the background...

So, maybe they have received a lot of judge feedback on their free dance, but it was about ten years ago?

That would be a very strange choice. Maybe they are going to use it as an exhibition program?

 

[Jammers]

No country needed a comeback in Ice Dance from a former team any less then the US with all of the depth they have i really don't know why they are doing this. They aren't going to medal and they've been to two Olympics already. If they were serious they would have come back last season like V/M did.

 

[tony]

No country needed a comeback in Ice Dance from a former team any less then the US with all of the depth they have i really don't know why they are doing this. They aren't going to medal and they've been to two Olympics already.

We haven't seen them. How does one know what they can or can't do? FB/C are a brand new team, have to literally learn how to skate with each other, and they could very well medal. Their FD looked great at Masters.

If they were serious they would have come back last season like V/M did.

Maybe they are serious and just have a different timeline than what V/M did, deciding later?

There's so much pushback here from a lot of people that haven't even seen them skate yet this season, and I get that they aren't well-liked and I also get that it pisses people off that they may potentially earn a spot that others feel should go to all those long-standing hardworking teams. I'll be the first to say I side-eyed the USFS rule change that benefits "Olympic medalists", but it doesn't mean they are not getting constant feedback as to what changes they need to do prior to when they actually show up to competition. They already had really strong foundations, consistent high levels, some of the best twizzles, and they have Scali choreographing for them. He usually hits it out of the park with the dancers.

The AIN skaters haven't been judged by ISU judges in almost 4 years, and that didn't hold them back from even throwing out mid-8's and 9s/high GOEs at the Skate to Milano event. The judges (and technical panels) are going to continue to do what they do. And in ice dance, the landscape has changed so much to give judges a lot of power with all of those choreographic element GOEs anyways.

 

[Kateri]

We haven't seen them. How does one know what they can or can't do? FB/C are a brand new team, have to literally learn how to skate with each other, and they could very well medal. Their FD looked great at Masters.

Maybe they are serious and just have a different timeline than what V/M did, deciding later?

There's so much pushback here from a lot of people that haven't even seen them skate yet this season, and I get that they aren't well-liked and I also get that it pisses people off that they may potentially earn a spot that others feel should go to all those long-standing hardworking teams. I'll be the first to say I side-eyed the USFS rule change that benefits "Olympic medalists", but it doesn't mean they are not getting constant feedback as to what changes they need to do prior to when they actually show up to competition. They already had really strong foundations, consistent high levels, some of the best twizzles, and they have Scali choreographing for them. He usually hits it out of the park with the dancers.

The AIN skaters haven't been judged by ISU judges in almost 4 years, and that didn't hold them back from even throwing out mid-8's and 9s/high GOEs at the Skate to Milano event. The judges (and technical panels) are going to continue to do what they do. And in ice dance, the landscape has changed so much to give judges a lot of power with all of those choreographic element GOEs anyways.

I agree with you. I do! But I will take it all back, if they actually skate to Fix You again.

 

[tony]

I agree with you. I do! But I will take it all back, if they actually skate to Fix You again.

But…. may you be influenced by the brand new inclusion of some lovely assisted lifts, slide movements, and character steps?