I'm really excited about this team - I loved Koshiro's skating when he was a Singles competitor and he and Ikura are already ice-dancing beautifully - with some really emotive/moving programmes. I hope I'll get to see them compete.
Ikura Kushida & Koshiro Shimada
- Thread starter synesthesia
- Start date
Daidai Team Ehime's Report with lots of photos on Next Stage on Ice, with a video of guest messages (including Kana Muramoto & Daisuke Takahashi, and Takahiko Kozuka (his boots company Tobiha's factory is in Ehime and they used IyoTetsu for test skating)
(Edited in for IG photos)
(Edited in for IG photos)
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- Joined
- Mar 1, 2014
Deep Edge Plus conducted a short interview with IkuKo ahead of Fantasy on Ice (godspeed to all ice dancers trying to survive the Golden Waltz 
):
deepedgeplus.kyodonews.jp
Machine translation:
):
いくこう、「Fantasy on Ice 2026」でエキシビション曲を披露 櫛田育良「成長した姿を皆さんにお見せできたら」 - フィギュアスケート専門情報サイトDeep Edge Plus 最新ニュース・充実のコラムをお届け
「Faith」は〝シェアハピ〟なプログラム エキシビションナンバーを２曲を披露する。「Faith」について島田は「『出会えて良かったな』という、シェアハピと言いますか、幸せを共有するようなプログラム、『フレア』について […]
deepedgeplus.kyodonews.jp
Machine translation:
Ikura and Koshiro to perform exhibition routine at ‘Fantasy on Ice 2026’—Ikura Kushida: ‘We hope to show everyone how much we’ve grown’
Fantasy on Ice Makuhari
Ikura Kushida (Kinoshita Academy) and Koshiro Shimada (Kinoshita Group), the ice dance team who finished second at last year’s All Japan Championships, spoke to Deep Edge Plus ahead of their appearance in the ice show ‘Taiyo Life Presents Fantasy on Ice 2026 in MAKUHARI’ (30th and 31st, Makuhari Event Hall).
Kushida said, “I hope we can show everyone that we have grown, even just a little, since last year,” whilst Shimada, his eyes sparkling, added, “We are so honoured to be performing alongside such truly great skaters, and I hope we can convey both that joy and our determination to keep working hard.”
‘Faith’ is a ‘Share Happiness’ program
They will perform two exhibition numbers. Regarding ‘Faith’, Shimada revealed, “It’s a program about sharing happiness—or ‘Share Happiness’, as we call it—where we express the feeling of ‘We're so glad we met’.” As for ‘Freya’, he explained, “We’re performing it with the theme of contemporary-style physical expression.”
Next season’s rhythm dance is “crazy”
They have also been in contact with Guillaume Cizeron (France), a gold medallist at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. The waltz, which is a compulsory element in next season’s rhythm dance, is highly difficult, and Shimada revealed “It’s incredibly difficult. Guillaume even said, ‘It’s crazy, isn’t it?’ (laughs). I was like, ‘Are you saying that, as the world champion?’ He was saying it in a tone like, ‘What do you think? Isn’t it fast?’” Kushida added, “If Guillaume says it’s crazy, then it must be crazy (laughs),” and the pair shared a laugh.
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2003
I hope they consult with older coaches who actually competed with the Golden Waltz under IJS. Scott Moir would come to mind rather than Cizeron. The Golden Waltz was not part of any of the SDs, except for Season 2010-11. The Golden Waltz is only competed at the senior level. Cizeron did not become a senior until 2013-14.
www.ice-dance.com
We saw the Golden Waltz fairly often in the age of Pattern Dances 2009-2010 and earlier.
www.ice-dance.com
Barbara Fusar-Poli & Maurizio Margaglio skated a lot of Golden Waltzes in their career, since much coincided with the late 1990's, when it was competed every season from 1995-1998, including at the 1998 Olympics, but that was not under IJS.
Olivier Schoenfelder competed with the Golden Waltz under IJS at the 2005 Europeans.
Also, the Golden Waltz CD was competed at the 2010 World Championships so Scott Moir, Charlie White, and Massimo Scali all have competed with it at a high level. Moir and White also competed an SD with Golden Waltz section during the 2010-11 season.
So I would consult with one or more of them.
Short Dance (2010-2018) – Ice-dance.com
www.ice-dance.com
Compulsory & Original Dances (1968-2010) – Ice-dance.com
www.ice-dance.com
Olivier Schoenfelder competed with the Golden Waltz under IJS at the 2005 Europeans.
Also, the Golden Waltz CD was competed at the 2010 World Championships so Scott Moir, Charlie White, and Massimo Scali all have competed with it at a high level. Moir and White also competed an SD with Golden Waltz section during the 2010-11 season.
So I would consult with one or more of them.
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- Mar 1, 2014
I guess they asked Cizeron, because they currently perform at Fantasy on Ice together.
We saw the Golden Waltz fairly often in the age of Pattern Dances 2009-2010 and earlier.Short Dance (2010-2018) – Ice-dance.com
Compulsory & Original Dances (1968-2010) – Ice-dance.com
I suspect that you know most of this off the top of your head, but ice-dance.com is a great resource, isn’t it? I only started seriously following ice dance in 2020, so I'm thankful for all of the information provided there and consult it often.
Yes, that would be ideal. Since Cathy already has connections with IAM-O—and Utana and Masaya train there (at least part-time)—perhaps Ikura and Koshiro can accompany them some time?
Koshiro hinted that they are planning to go overseas for training camps in this interview with Nikkansports (the article is behind a paywall, but a fan gifted it for a limited amount of time, allowing me to read it with the help of machine translation)
:
島田高志郎「関係性が人生を豊かにする」櫛田育良と駆け抜けた１年／単独インタビュー - フィギュア : 日刊スポーツ・プレミアム
フィギュアスケート・アイスダンスの島田高志郎(24=木下グループ)が、5月9日に都内で開かれたコラントッテのイベント後に単独インタビューに応じました。ミラノ・コルティナオリンピック(五輪)シーズンに櫛田育良とカップルを結成。1シーズンを過ごした思いを振り返り、新たなシーズンへの意気込みなどを語りました。コラントッテに出演した現役選手の単独インタビューは、15日の友野一希からスタートし、山本草太、鍵山優真、三浦佳生とお届けしてきました。21日の最終回は中田璃士の声を配信します。 - 日刊スポーツ新聞社のニュースサイト、ニッカンスポーツ・コム（nikkansports.com）。
www.nikkansports.com
He also revealed that they intend to combine the waltz with a tango. However, what astonished me was his statement that he only learned of Ikura’s decision to focus entirely on ice dance starting this season through the media—she hadn't told him personally beforehand!
ETA: In the interview Koshiro also said that they are considering a contemporary/ballet direction for the FD.
___________
IkuKo looking gorgeous at Fantasy on Ice:
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- Jul 26, 2003
I hope their choices work out well for them!!
I have reservations about "wangos" (waltz+tango). It is very hard to tell a convincing story since even the costumes don't match.
I have reservations about "wangos" (waltz+tango). It is very hard to tell a convincing story since even the costumes don't match.
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2014
I can imagine that this season we will see several hybrids that, on paper, shouldn't work (e.g. UtaMasa combining waltz with samba)—so I'm curious to see how they pull it off.
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- Sep 22, 2024
And all with "creative dance element" that must include acrobatic movement.
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2014
Yeah, the potential for chaos seems to be pretty big. So far I have a hard time picturing what the RDs next season might look like...
The original word used for "crazy" in this artice is actually "yabai" in Japanese, and I wonder what was the exact word Guillaume used that let Koshiro translate into "yabai". In this context, "crazy" sounds like the most appropriate translation, but "yabai" could mean, you know, a lot in Japanese, from great to bad. (I think Ikura meant like "If Guillaume says he's screwed, then we're all screwed".)
Like synesthesia said, I too think it was just a part of chitchat they had on a break or something for their ice show rehearsals. The original text just said "they had an interaction (or socialization)".I hope they consult with older coaches who actually competed with the Golden Waltz under IJS. Scott Moir would come to mind rather than Cizeron. The Golden Waltz was not part of any of the SDs, except for Season 2010-11. The Golden Waltz is only competed at the senior level. Cizeron did not become a senior until 2013-14.
We saw the Golden Waltz fairly often in the age of Pattern Dances 2009-2010 and earlier.Short Dance (2010-2018) – Ice-dance.com
Barbara Fusar-Poli & Maurizio Margaglio skated a lot of Golden Waltzes in their career, since much coincided with the late 1990's, when it was competed every season from 1995-1998, including at the 1998 Olympics, but that was not under IJS.Compulsory & Original Dances (1968-2010) – Ice-dance.com
Olivier Schoenfelder competed with the Golden Waltz under IJS at the 2005 Europeans.
Also, the Golden Waltz CD was competed at the 2010 World Championships so Scott Moir, Charlie White, and Massimo Scali all have competed with it at a high level. Moir and White also competed an SD with Golden Waltz section during the 2010-11 season.
So I would consult with one or more of them.
Their coach is Cathy Reed, and I don't think they would consult Guillaume, even though Cathy is a big fan of Papadakis/Cizeron
They said they're talking with Cathy to decide where to have some intensive training in summer (just a short trip).
I love the Addams Family by Cathy and Chris back in 2010-11, and I'm hoping they are now inheriting that program (as SumiIbu split).
I'm already imagining Koshiro's grin with mustache in a tailcoat and Ikura in a spider-web black dress. I may be too optimistic and it may not be the same but I'm thinking of something similar anyways and I am not too worried for now. (But Koshiro's worried a bit as he says he's not very good at Tango either.)
(I'm sure you wouldn't need a vid to see which program I'm talking about, but just leaving it here for the sake of it)
EDIT: No, they did not say they're doing the Addams Family, it's just my imagination from Golden waltz+tango!
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"Skating Rink in Ehime" Petition is going on, and Ikura and Koshiro's petition videos were shown at a local baseball game. (Below Instagram's 10th page is Koshiro's petition video and 11th is Ikura's)
I'm just putting these great photos!
and someone uploaded Freya FaOI.
www.youtube.com
I'm just putting these great photos!
and someone uploaded Freya FaOI.
- YouTube
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
www.youtube.com
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Thank you for the clarification! Always grateful when someone who speaks the language weighs in – machine translations, especially of Japanese, can be "funny" sometimes (although they are much more advanced now than they were a couple of years ago).
I love Cathy & Chris's program as well and I could imagine this direction working for IkuKo too (especially after we saw Ikura's dark/goth side as a member of the Genbu Clan in Kassouya
).Before I forget...
Koshiro said quite a few have suggested him to switch to ice dance before, and today I learned Guillaume Cizeron is one of them.
Mainichi did an interview with Guillaume Cizeron in May before FaOI (under paywall)
mainichi.jp
According to the article, Guillaume said (Google translate) :
I guess they knew each other in Champery through Stephane. (That said, I don't know which show program he's talking about.)
Koshiro said quite a few have suggested him to switch to ice dance before, and today I learned Guillaume Cizeron is one of them.
Mainichi did an interview with Guillaume Cizeron in May before FaOI (under paywall)
リンクサイド：「五輪2連覇」シゼロンが語る日本のアイスダンスの未来 | 毎日新聞
ミラノ・コルティナ冬季オリンピックのフィギュアスケート・アイスダンスで、結成1季目ながら金メダルに輝いたロランス・フルニエボードリー選手、ギヨーム・シゼロン選手組（フランス）が5月、千葉県でアイスショー「ファンタジー・オン・アイス（FaOI）」に出演した。
mainichi.jp
"Actually, I think it was last year, I choreographed a show routine for Koshiro (Shimada). So I'm really looking forward to seeing them skate in this show."
"I thought he was a really good dancer, so I told him, "You should try ice dancing." But I never thought he'd actually do it (laughs)."
I guess they knew each other in Champery through Stephane. (That said, I don't know which show program he's talking about.)
櫛田育良、アイスダンスに専念してできるようになったこと 島田高志郎、呼吸を合わせて前へ 【木下グループ/アカデミー練習公開】 - フィギュアスケート専門情報サイトDeep Edge Plus 最新ニュース・充実のコラムをお届け
目次 CLOSE 楽曲と振り付け どんどん練習重ねている オフアイスのトレーニング うれしい気持ち、負けたくない気持ち つかめるチャンスつかみたい 楽曲と振り付け RD 楽曲：And The Waltz Goes On […]
deepedgeplus.kyodonews.jp
Okay, my fantasy of Ikura playing Morticia is over.
RD: And The Waltz Goes On / Libertango Choreo by Cathy Reed
FD: Akram Khan's Giselle Choreo by Kaitlyn Weaver
André Rieu / Anthony Hopkins - And The Waltz goes on...
A. Piazzolla. Libertango
Did I get the right videos for RD?
As for FD, I trust Kaitlyn's love for Ikura, so it should be real good. But I just can't imagine what it'll be like at all. They once mentioned somewhere that their FD will be something contemporary. The above article also mentions they're doing both ballroom dance lessons and contemporary dance lessons. And while their main coach is Cathy, their "lift" coach is Zachary Donohue; they are taking his lessons online, and I'd assume their lifts will be quite "acrobatic" as ISU wants. I think I'd better go to bed for tonight.
I just hope Koshiro's arm will get better soon and they both stay healthy.
Dreams On Ice on June 26-28 is coming soon.
ドリーム・オン・アイス2026｜日テレプラス ドラマ・アニメ・音楽ライブ
五輪や世界大会で活躍する選手たちの「新たな幕開け」となるプログラムとは!? 夢を追いかけるスケーターたちの熱い演技を、ぜひ番組で応援しましょう！
www.nitteleplus.com
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- Jul 26, 2003
They look like the right videos to me!
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