2025-26 U.S. Ice Dance

[Weathergal]

Now they maybe need to bring back their last season's FD to be more competitive at U.S. Nationals. Hmm @Jammers, perhaps the long wait was concerning. But more likely, Christina knew her attorneys had a good idea of the passport coming through in time. As far as Car/Pom's performances this season, their material, IMO, is not as good as last season.

Anything can happen, of course. But Chock/ Bates are locks, with Zingas/ Kolesnik making a strong case for second, and third more likely between Car/Pom and the Shibs. Perhaps Green/Parsons in the battle for third, but more likely Gr/ Par, Pate/Bye will get 4CCs, with the third 4CCs spot battled between Bratti/ Somerville and Wolfkostin/ Tsarevski.

Link to US figsk athletes who will compete at Nationals:

2026 Prevagen U.S. Figure Skating Championships Lineup Announced - U.S. Figure Skating

More than 180 athletes have qualified for the 2026 Prevagen U.S. Figure Skating Championships, which will take place Jan. 4-11 in St. Louis, Missouri.

www.usfigureskating.org

You're leaving the Browns completely out of the conversation? I think they have almost no chance at the Olympics and even getting Worlds would be quite a struggle, but I think they would be in the conversation for at least 4CCs, especially over Pate / Bye and possibly Bratti / Somerville and Wolfkostin / Tsarevski as well.

 

[crystalspin]

Pate/Bye have had a wonderful challenger season.

 

[skatingguy]

You're leaving the Browns completely out of the conversation? I think they have almost no chance at the Olympics and even getting Worlds would be quite a struggle, but I think they would be in the conversation for at least 4CCs, especially over Pate / Bye and possibly Bratti / Somerville and Wolfkostin / Tsarevski as well.

If the Browns come out of US Nationals without at least a spot at Four Continents it will be a huge missed opportunity.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

You're leaving the Browns completely out of the conversation? I think they have almost no chance at the Olympics and even getting Worlds would be quite a struggle, but I think they would be in the conversation for at least 4CCs, especially over Pate / Bye and possibly Bratti / Somerville and Wolfkostin / Tsarevski as well.

Hmm, yes. The Browns have good programs this season despite some rough outings and harsh judging at their GP events. I had a feeling I was missing one of the many deep U.S. teams. The Browns would likely have a good opportunity at 4CCs for sure over Pate/ Bye, Bratti/ Somerville, and especially Wolfkostin/ Tsarevski. The Browns are a cut above in skating skills over Pate/ Bye, for sure, and they have better programs than P/B and B/S.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Pate/Bye have had a wonderful challenger season.

I have tended to enjoy watching Pate/ Bye for their creativity and competitiveness. They are certainly well-liked by U.S. fed, but I see them as the weakest of the second-tier U.S. ice dance teams. They don't have the best skating skills, and they are a bit rough around the edges (i.e., they would benefit from more polishing and refinement).

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Vadym & Emilea at a holiday show recently. Does anyone know where this was being held? Was it at the Detroit-area rink where they train or somewhere else?

- 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

Also, Emi & Vadym were recently interviewed on the Blades & Banter podcast on YouTube:

- 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

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

^^ Thanks to @ManyCairns for explaining in the fanfest thread that the holiday show Emi/ Vadym performed in took place at the Penn Ice Center in Philadelphia. Thanks as well to @apgold for filming and posting the performance by Emi/ Vadym.

 

[ice coverage]

All Massive credit to the experienced @apgold not only for sharing your content from the Philadelphia show, but also for composing a title for the Zingas/Kolesnik video that always has included the show information (emphasis added below) -- per usual for apgold's videos:

" Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik - Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24 - Gold on Ice Philly - 12.13.25 "​

I first enjoyed the Z/K video on Sun Dec 14 (and then multiple times thereafter), and the title always has been the same, IIRC.

Thanks to @apgold for your attention to detail. Also for your years of sharing many videos from many events!

ETA:​

I have tweaked my wording above. I hope I did not sound disrespectful to @ManyCairns, who has my appreciation for being helpful in the other thread and for giving a shout-out to apgold over there.​

 

[apgold]

Thanks @ice coverage and @ManyCairns for the shout-outs. I always try to label my fan-cams as clearly as possible.

Regarding the video of Z/K, I really enjoyed them and had not seen them skate live before. They are so VIVID in person and I hope they make the Olympic team.

US Ice dance is so deep and as much as I want my beloved Long Islanders Oona & Gage to make the team, I think their time will be in 2030, if they can hang around long enough. I think once C/B retire, the field will be very competitive and exciting! (Nothing against Chock and Bates, whom I've come to appreciate the past few years, but I'm assuming that they will be done following the OG?)

 

[ManyCairns]

I agree Oona and Gage are so exciting, and I can't forget Green and Parsons, as well as my faves Z/K, for the upcoming quad and maybe even beyond! And yes, Z/K just shine.

US Ice Dance is an embarrassment of riches, for sure. My dream Olympic team for Milano-Cortina is C/B, Z/K, and Gr/Pa. And I recognize CPom's skills, although to me they don't project much personality or character in their skating. It will be a strong US team regardless!

 

[Lamente Ariane]

I'd also like to throw in a good word for Wolfkostin/Tsarevski who have a great FD this year, and who I very much expect to be on the Four Continents team this year. Really, such a deep and wonderful field of ice dancers across the board.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

^^ Thanks to @ManyCairns for explaining in the fanfest thread that the holiday show Emi/ Vadym performed in took place at the Penn Ice Center in Philadelphia. Thanks as well to @apgold for filming and posting the performance by Emi/ Vadym.

Ah, so the info from @ManyCairns in the fanfest thread was incorrect. And I did not notice @apgold's info on the posted video. Good to know. Enjoy the festive season, everyone. I'm looking forward to all the upcoming skating events leading into 2026 Milano Olympics.

ETA:
NM! So @ManyCairns' info is accurate, and I misread @ice coverage's initial post...

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

I agree Oona and Gage are so exciting, and I can't forget Green and Parsons, as well as my faves Z/K, for the upcoming quad and maybe even beyond! And yes, Z/K just shine.

US Ice Dance is an embarrassment of riches, for sure. My dream Olympic team for Milano-Cortina is C/B, Z/K, and Gr/Pa. And I recognize CPom's skills, although to me they don't project much personality or character in their skating. It will be a strong US team regardless!

Yes. An embarassment of riches, with Bratti/ Somerville and Pate/Bye also accomplished competitively, and vying for the 2026 4CCs assignments. Plus, there are numerous other young teams coming up the ranks, including Neset/ Markelov; Cui/ Rogers; the Peals (now coached by Moir/ Hubbell). Even Pham/ Spirodonov; and Koncius/ Schchepetov should be competitive on the lower end of the second tier. If Flores/ Desyatov were still partnered, they would be right up there close to the top competitively, too. It's sad that Flores has had to regroup with a new partner who does not match with her quite as well in terms of lines, chemistry, lifts, and exciting potential. Their performance styles do not match as well either.

There's so much depth in ice dance domestically and internationally. In two years, the winning U.S. junior team, Aboian/ Veselukhin will be coming up to seniors. They are so good now, it is looking like they could move up to the top domestically in seniors fairly quickly, if all goes well for them.

I, too, would love to see Green/ Parsons on the Olympic team. They certainly have the talent, but they lost their momentum after switching to MIDA, and enduring so-so program choices and injury ups-and-downs. I have enjoyed G/P's programs the past two seasons, but they seem to have lost favor with international judges.

Placement predictions for U.S. Nationals is a hard one to figure. Right now, I would guess:

Chock/Bates
Zingas/Kolesnik
Carreira/Ponomarenko
The Shibutanis
Green/ Parsons
The Browns
Wolfkostin/Tsarevski
Bratti/Somerville
Pate/ Bye
Neset/ Markelov
Cui/ Rogers
Pham/ Spirodonov
The Peals
Koncius/ Schchepetov
Flores/ Jepsen

 

[ice coverage]

That's our very own @apgold 's video. The Gold on Ice event was at the Penn Ice Rink in Philadelphia.

Ah, so the info from @ManyCairns in the fanfest thread was incorrect.

The information from ManyCairns was CORRECT!!!
As was the title of apgold's video.

The show was in Philadelphia on Dec 13, 2025. The venue was Penn Ice Rink, to be specific.
The Instagram account for the show was Gold on Ice (aka American Gold Live).

https://www.instagram.com/goldonice/​

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

I'd also like to throw in a good word for Wolfkostin/Tsarevski who have a great FD this year, and who I very much expect to be on the Four Continents team this year. Really, such a deep and wonderful field of ice dancers across the board.

Yes, I like Wolf/Tsar's programs this season. But the 4CCs assignments will depend in part upon what happens with the Shibs, Carreira/Ponomarenko, the Browns, and Green/Parsons in U.S. Nationals standings. While Wolf/ Tsar did well at their first and only senior GP this season, and they could land in front of Pate/Bye and Bratti/ Somerville at U.S. Nationals, getting a 4CCs assignment over the Browns, Green/ Parsons, and/ or the Shibs (depending upon which teams go to the Olympics) will not be easy.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

I recognize CPom's skills, although to me they don't project much personality or character in their skating.

Christina definitely improved under Scott Moir's close tutelage and Maddie Hubbell's (plus Tessa Virtue's) mentoring. Anthony doesn't look quite as good since coming back from surgery a couple of seasons ago. Christina is now arguably stronger in some respects than Anthony. They were both helped in improving their expressive skills with the FD they had last season, which was much better than the flat, empty programs they have this season.

 

[labgoat]

Merry Christmas from the MIDA dancers as posted by Katarina Wolfkostin

pictured L to R: Clara Fugate / Warren Fugate, Tanith, Raffaella Koncius/Alexey Shchepetov, Katarina Wolfkostin/Dmitriy Tsarevski, Emily Bratti/Ian Somerville, Caroline Green/Michael Parsons

 

[Fireplace7890]

Merry Christmas from the MIDA dancers as posted by Katarina Wolfkostin
View attachment 10495
pictured L to R: Clara Fugate / Warren Fugate, Tanith, Raffaella Koncius/Alexey Shchepetov, Katarina Wolfkostin/Dmitriy Tsarevski, Emily Bratti/Ian Somerville, Caroline Green/Michael Parsons

Is Charlie White no longer part of MIDA? I noticed his name has been removed as a coach for their teams and their website is under construction.

 

[labgoat]

Is Charlie White no longer part of MIDA? I noticed his name has been removed as a coach for their teams and their website is under construction.

No idea...ask MIDA
Sounds like you follow them closer than I have time for

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Is Charlie White no longer part of MIDA? I noticed his name has been removed as a coach for their teams and their website is under construction.

Right. Charlie's name is no longer on the teams' ISU bios. Apparently, there have been divorce rumors re Charlie & Tanith. That's so sad, especially for their son.