Canada’s four newly formed senior ice dance teams pose ahead of the 2026–27 season: (from left) Alicia Fabbri/Marko Jevgeni Gaidajenko, Sandrine Gauthier/Paul Ayer, Marjorie Lajoie/Jean-Luc Baker, and Hannah Lim/Zachary Lagha.

Four New Ice Dance Teams Signal a New Era for Canada

Canadian ice dance will look dramatically different this season as four newly formed partnerships prepare to make their competitive debuts.

Following a wave of partnership changes after the Olympic season, several of Canada’s most recognizable ice dancers have found new teammates. Some partnerships were created through Ice Academy of Montreal’s “mix-and-match” sessions, while others emerged after extensive international partner searches. Together, they represent one of the most significant offseason reshuffles in recent memory.

Speaking during Skate Canada’s Summer Showcase and Media Day, the teams reflected on how their partnerships came together, the challenges of starting over, and the goals they hope to achieve over the next Olympic cycle.

Marjorie Lajoie and Jean-Luc Baker speak to the media after announcing their new Canadian ice dance partnership at Skate Canada’s Summer Showcase. Photo © Golden Skate / Yuan Tian

Lajoie and Baker headline Canada’s new partnerships

Perhaps the most anticipated pairing of the offseason is Marjorie Lajoie and Jean-Luc Baker.

“The months following the Olympic Games were filled with difficult decisions, and I never expected Jean-Luc to return to competition,” Lajoie said. “After Marie-France suggested we skate together, we had one tryout, and everything clicked immediately.”

Lajoie said what stood out most was how naturally the partnership came together.

“The connection, communication, and trust were there from the very beginning.”

Rather than focusing solely on results, the pair hopes to create programs that leave a lasting impression.

“We’re aligned in what we want to achieve,” Lajoie explained. “Of course results matter, but our biggest goal is to create performances that people remember.”

Their rhythm dance is designed to be energetic and bring the audience into the performance, while their free dance aims to create a deeper emotional connection.

Receiving an assignment to the NHK Trophy in their first season together was an encouraging start, but Lajoie emphasized that the priority this year is building strong programs, staying healthy, and continuing to grow as a team.

She also said working alongside Baker this summer, both in training and while assisting with younger skaters, has given her a new appreciation for his perspective on the sport.

For Baker, returning to competition required the right opportunity.

“After stepping away from competition for more than three years, I always felt there was still something left for me to give back to the sport,” he said. “Returning only made sense if I found the right partner.”

From their very first skate together, Baker said it never felt like a tryout.

“Everything came naturally, and Marjorie’s positivity, emotional intelligence, and willingness to explore new ideas made the decision an easy one.”

Although balancing choreography commitments with elite training has been challenging, Baker said his focus is now fully on the partnership.

Looking beyond this season, the pair is approaching the new Olympic cycle with ambitious goals.

“Our goals include winning the Canadian title, earning a top-eight finish at the World Championships, and continuing to help keep Canadian ice dance among the strongest in the world.”

Baker also acknowledged that competing against his fiancée, Olivia Smart, will be a unique experience, but said that once competition begins, he and Lajoie will remain focused on delivering their own performances.

Hannah Lim and Zachary Lagha discuss their fresh start together during Skate Canada’s Summer Showcase and Media Day. Photo © Golden Skate / Yuan Tian

Lim and Lagha embrace a fresh start

Another new partnership pairs Hannah Lim and Zachary Lagha, with both ice dancers beginning new chapters following the conclusion of their previous partnerships.

Following the World Championships, Lim said she didn’t see anyone at the Ice Academy of Montreal who she thought would be the right partner until Lagha reached out.

“A few days later, Zach reached out, asking if we could talk. We discussed the possibility of skating together, had a tryout, and everything developed from there.”

Since the pair will not compete internationally this season, they are treating the Canadian Championships as their primary objective.

“Our main goal this season is to deliver our best performance at the Canadian Championships,” Lim said. “Since we won’t compete internationally, we’re treating Nationals with the same level of importance. Long term, we want to work our way toward the World Championships and the Olympic Games.”

Lim acknowledged it will be difficult watching friends receive Grand Prix assignments while they remain at home, but said the experience will serve as motivation to continue improving.

She also reflected on her decision to switch representation from South Korea to Canada.

“Korea had become a second home to me, and I was incredibly grateful for the support from the federation and fans,” she said. “In the end, skating with Zach and representing Canada felt like the best path forward.”

Asked what has stood out most about the new partnership, Lim pointed to Lagha’s work ethic.

“What I admire most about Zach is his work ethic. We challenge each other every day, and because we share similar movement quality, musical tastes, and artistic ideas, working together has felt very natural from the beginning.”

Lagha said he initiated the conversation after deciding it was time for a change.

“Although we both explored different partnership options, it quickly became clear that we were the right fit.”

The transition proved easier than he expected.

“After about a week, skating together already felt natural. We have similar dance backgrounds and approaches to movement, which made the transition smooth. The real challenges will come later under competitive pressure, but we’ll deal with those as they come.”

For the rhythm dance, the team has chosen a more classical approach to the waltz, which Lagha said reflects both skaters’ skating backgrounds.

“We wanted to embrace the dance rather than hide it, and the music was a favorite of both of ours from the start.”

After spending 15 years with his previous partner, Lagha said beginning again has been both challenging and rewarding.

“Looking back, my previous partnership reached a point where our artistic visions no longer aligned. After the Olympic cycle, it felt like the right time to begin a new chapter, both for my career and for my personal growth as a skater.”

Alicia Fabbri and Marko Jevgeni Gaidajenko, who formed their partnership this spring, prepare for their debut season representing Canada. Photo © Golden Skate / Yuan Tian

Fabbri and Gaidajenko build toward the future

Alicia Fabbri and Marko Jevgeni Gaidajenko may have only been skating together for about ten weeks, but both believe they have found the right partnership.

“The end of my previous partnership wasn’t my decision, and it happened very suddenly,” Fabbri said. “I wasn’t sure I would find another partner and had almost accepted that I might sit out the season and focus on improving my own skating.”

Everything changed after the Ice Academy of Montreal organized a “mix-and-match” session.

According to both skaters, Marie-France Dubreuil suggested they skate together. After a tryout a few days later, the partnership came together quickly.

“We’re very similar in the way we work and communicate,” Fabbri said. “After everything we’ve learned from previous partnerships, we know how important it is to build a relationship based on trust and mutual support.”

Although they have only been training together for a short time, the pair said they feel ready to make their debut at Summer Provincials.

For their first season together, they have selected a Billie Eilish medley for the rhythm dance and music by Beth Hart for the free dance.

Their immediate goal is to earn international assignments this season and represent Canada at the World Championships.

For Gaidajenko, the partnership came after several unsuccessful tryouts in France and the United States.

“Before that, I had tryouts in France and the United States, but none of them led anywhere,” he said. “With Alicia, everything clicked from the start. It was just magical.”

Gaidajenko acknowledged that every partnership comes with challenges but said the two have built a supportive environment where they communicate well and help each other through difficult days.

Gaidajenko also explained why he chose to represent Canada.

“Estonia will always be close to my heart, but Canada’s strong ice dance field pushes us to become better athletes.”

Looking ahead, the pair have already mapped out an ambitious eight-year plan with the Olympic Games as their long-term goal.

Sandrine Gauthier and Paul Ayer share their goals for the new Olympic cycle during Skate Canada’s Summer Showcase. Photo © Golden Skate / Yuan Tian

Gauthier and Ayer set their sights on the Olympic cycle

New senior partnership Sandrine Gauthier and Paul Ayer have been together for only a few weeks, but both say they’re making the most of every training session.

For their first season together, they have selected a Queen medley for the rhythm dance and music from The Hunger Games soundtrack for the free dance.

“Three weeks into the partnership, we’re still having a blast and somehow still running out of ice time every session,” Ayer said. “That’s a good problem to have because it means there’s so much we want to accomplish.”

After training through the World Championships with his previous partner, Ayer said he explored several partnership opportunities around the world before finding the right fit with Gauthier.

“What stood out with Sandrine was not only how natural everything felt between us, but also that coaches on both sides agreed we were the best match. At the end of the day, it’s a judged sport, so feeling comfortable together and looking strong as a team both matter.”

Although Ayer recently obtained Mexican citizenship, he said representing Canada has always been his dream and that he wants to pursue that goal with one of the strongest ice dance nations in the world.

“Our immediate focus is preparing for our debut in a few weeks,” he said. “Longer term, our goal is clear: in four years, we want to be on Canada’s Olympic team.”

After her previous partnership ended, Gauthier explored different partnership options before deciding to skate with Ayer.

“One of the things I admire most about Paul is his energy and focus on the ice. He always knows what he wants to accomplish, whether it’s for the day, the week, or the month, and that motivates me to become a better athlete.”

As she transitions to the senior ranks, Gauthier said she is taking the process one day at a time while learning from Ayer’s experience competing at the highest level.

“Our first goal is to make our debut in a few weeks, followed by aiming to become national champions this season. Looking further ahead, the Olympic Games are our ultimate goal.”

A new Olympic cycle begins

While each partnership has a unique story, several common themes emerged during Summer Showcase. Nearly every team emphasized trust, communication and finding the right personal connection as the foundation for a successful partnership. Many also credited the collaborative environment at the Ice Academy of Montreal, where coaches helped facilitate introductions and tryouts following an offseason filled with partnership changes.

Some teams are already preparing for Grand Prix competition, while others will spend the season focusing primarily on domestic events. Yet all four partnerships share the same long-term ambition: establishing themselves among Canada’s elite and earning a place at future World Championships and the Olympic Games.

Whether it’s Marjorie Lajoie and Jean-Luc Baker, Hannah Lim and Zachary Lagha, Alicia Fabbri and Marko Jevgeni Gaidajenko, or Sandrine Gauthier and Paul Ayer, each partnership begins this season with its own ambitions but the same long-term goal of reaching the Olympic Games.

As the road to the 2030 Winter Olympics begins, Canadian ice dance enters the new quadrennial with a dramatically reshaped landscape—and four new partnerships hoping to define the next chapter of one of the sport’s strongest disciplines.