Finally the veil has been lifted!
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Mao Asada & Daisuke Takahashi, the dream team, talk about each other: the past and present of these extraordinary skaters
[April 2, 2025, 7:59am]
The past and present of these legendary skaters intersect. The figure skating ice show "Stars on Ice Japan Tour 2025" will be held on the 5th and 6th at the Towa Yakuhin RACTAB Dome in Osaka. Mao Asada (34) will be appearing in the world's top show for the first time in nine years. She will be performing a special collaborative number with Daisuke Takahashi (39) and others. From their days as athletes to professionals. We sneaked into the practice where they were creating a piece with the theme of time, and talked to them about each other.
★ Choreography by Muramoto of "Kanadai"
In March, the main rink at "MAO RINK" in Tachikawa, Tokyo was heating up. The rink, which opened last November, was in the middle of a public session. In the center of the ice, Asada, who produced the entire facility, and Takahashi, with pink-dyed hair, exchanged opinions with gestures and continued skating. Next to them was Muramoto Kana, who was Takahashi's partner in ice dancing as "Kanadai" during their competitive days. The sudden appearance of the gorgeous trio left visitors skating around them in amazement.
They had started working on the piece before the scheduled private time afterwards. That alone shows the enthusiasm they put into it. ‘Wasn't that beautiful?’ The work continued to be checked many times, including the lift in which Takahashi held Asada. After a total of 90 minutes of practice, they all agreed that it was fresh.
Asada: Dai-chan leads me with his ice dance experience, so I feel like I have to match him.
Takahashi: It's interesting to hear how Mao takes notes!
These two led the figure skating boom from the early 2000s. Asada retired in 2017, and Takahashi returned as a single skater after retirement, then retired in 2023 after switching to ice dancing. Both have brought a breath of fresh air to the world of shows as professionals.
★"Maybe this is the last time"
Asada has led tours around the country with shows like "Thanks Tour" and "Beyond," as well as the theater show "Everlasting33," where she even tried her hand at tap dancing, while Takahashi has produced "Kassouya," where he scouts young skaters and leaves an impression of the diversity of expression in their group dances. They have seen each other do this.
Takahashi: I was a bit shocked to see how much her performance and presentation skills had improved. I felt like I had to work harder too. I've been thinking that I want to create something that is uniquely my own so that I don't lose out to her.
Asada: Each of us is active in a completely different worldview, so it always gives me the strength to work hard, too. I learned a lot from skating together today, being so close. I think he is an amazing skater.
Living in the same era, they have been and still are each other's source of growth and challenge. Muramoto, who was entrusted with song selection and choreography, also responded to this relationship.
Muramoto: They've competed in many different fields, and now they'll be reuniting after having their own shows and having had many different experiences. I think it's really special. I wanted to highlight the two of them.
The theme is past and present. Muramoto will play Asada's past, and Tomono Kazuki will play Takahashi's past, and the four will dance together. It's an ambitious piece that chronicles the two of their journeys to the song "Silhouette" sung by AQUILO.
Asada: This may be the last (collaboration). I want to savor every moment.
Takahashi: Maybe by looking back on it, we'll discover something new and think about it again. I hope it will be a piece that gives people a sense of hope as the four of us share it.
The two actors, playing their past roles and the two actors playing their present roles, come together on the ice, depicting them moving forward into the future. This will be a major milestone production for both [all] of them.
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as there were a few transitions leading into some of the individual programs (although those were a bit disjointed and didn't have much to do with the following number, e.g. Smells like teen spirit -> Makeba (KanaDai) or Enter sandman/Seven nation army/Kashmir -> Poison (Kaori Sakamoto)).
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