Celina Fradji and Jean-Hans Fourneaux
For French ice dancers Celina Fradji and Jean-Hans Fourneaux, this season marks the start of an exciting new phase. After six seasons on the junior circuit, the duo is making their senior debut—and they’re diving in headfirst.
“Yeah, for us it’s like a new chapter,” Fradji said. “Now is the moment to change. We did a lot of big junior competitions, so now we’re ready to move up.”
The team was already assigned a coveted Grand Prix assignment for Skate America, but then after the 2025 Masters domestic competition, they were also selected for Grand Prix de France.
“We knew the selection criteria set by the French Federation for the Masters, and we’re happy that we met those requirements by delivering two clean programs and receiving positive feedback from the judges,” said Fradji. “Being selected for the Grand Prix de France is a huge honor for us, especially since it’s our very first senior season.”
“We’re very grateful for the work of our coaches, the support from the Federation, and for everyone who has already sent us positive messages about our senior debut,” added Fourneaux. “It’s extremely encouraging. It’s a valuable opportunity to gain experience, improve both technically and artistically, and to show our identity on the ice. We know the road to Angers will be intense, but we’re highly motivated and ready to work hard to deliver our best performances.”
A Packed Season Ahead
Their senior debut isn’t coming quietly—their schedule is stacked. Before their Grand Prix event in France, they’ll compete in two Challenger Series events: Nepela Memorial and Trialeti Trophy. Following the Grand Prix Fance, they will then head to their third Challenger event—the Golden Spin of Zagreb.
“It’s a busy season for us,” Fradji admitted. “We know we have to do a lot of competitions to keep a good ranking. There are so many strong couples in seniors, so it’s going to be challenging.”
While they face five major competitions before the halfway point of the season, the ice dancers see it as “preparation” instead of being overwhelmed.
“This is the best way to get ready,” said Fradji. “We enjoy moving and performing at different events. It makes us stronger!”
Fradji and Fourneaux train full-time in Villard-de-Lans, a small alpine town known for its sports village. Their apartment is just steps from the rink.
“We live even closer than close,” Fourneaux laughed. “It’s like 15 meters from the rink—maybe a two-minute walk.”
With morning practices starting at 6 a.m., proximity matters.
“It was the best choice for us,” Fradji said. “We wake up at five every morning and try to be in bed by nine.”
Highlights of a Junior Journey
The duo has been skating together since 2016, making this their 10th season as a team. Looking back, they’ve collected six Junior Grand Prix medals and numerous milestones, but one stands out.
“Our highlight was winning our first Junior Grand Prix gold last year in Ostrava,” Fourneaux said. “After six medals, to finally get the gold—it was really special.”
Fradji agreed, adding that qualifying for their third Junior Grand Prix Final—this time on home ice in France—was another unforgettable moment.
The team also competed at four consecutive World Junior Championships, always placing in the top 10.
“One of my favorite memories was our free dance at 2024 Junior Worlds in Taipei,” recalled Fradji. “It was a great destination, a great trip, and we skated well. We were so close to the podium!”
“Every year is special for us,” said Fourneaux. “We have good and bad memories, but the whole journey is very special for us. It will help us to grow even more into our senior journey.”
Summing up their junior career, the team feels that one important lesson learned is to focus on themselves during competitions. Fradji explained that when she tried to be “better” than other teams, she would get more nervous with the mental preparation.
“But when I just try to do better than our last program, our last performance, I always skate better,” she said. “So to me, the junior competitions, and also the seniors one, will be a challenge against ourselves to be better than ourselves at every event.”
Building a New Identity
Transitioning to seniors has brought the team new challenges—and new opportunities for creative growth. In May, they worked with renowned choreographer Benoît Richaud for a few days in Avignon on a portion of their free dance. It’s a contemporary, lyrical program designed to showcase a deeper, more natural connection between them.
They described last year’s free dance to Muse as “dramatic and intense” and said they wanted something more “melancholic and softer” this season. Their free dance for 2025-26 is to “Reminiscence” by Ólafur Arnalds and Alice Sara Ott, “Second Self-Portrait Series” by Rachel’s, and a remix of “Protest” by Philip Glass.
“Working with Benoît was incredible,” Fradji said. “He not only helped with our skating skills, but also to explore movement in a different way and bring new energy to our skating. The first part of our free dance is one of my favorite sections we’ve ever done.”
“The midline steps are the first part and of the free dance and we really want to make an impression,” said Fourneaux. “We want to show the work we’ve done.”
Their rhythm dance, meanwhile, takes a completely different approach. Set to a high-energy remix of music by Destiny’s Child, it’s playful, flirty, and fun, and was choreographed by coaches Karine Arribert and Mahil Chantelauze.
“This program is really full of energy,” Fradji shared. “It matches our personalities, and skating to Beyoncé’s voice is a pleasure.”
Fourneaux sees the rhythm dance as a chance to push himself.
“This year, I want to dance more—to move my whole body and really express myself,” he said. “It’s tiring, but it’s so joyful.”
They also had the opportunity to work with Katrina Pachette—a professional ballroom dancer from Australia—when the team was training in Dreux during July.
“Working with her was really helpful and refreshing because we had a new external viewpoint,” said Fourneaux. “She gave us advice, and it was really helpful and refreshing for us.”
Fradji and Fourneaux both point to Canada’s Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier as their idols.
“They have their own style,” Fourneaux pointed out, “and we want the same. We want to have our own style and skating techniques. We want to transmit a story like them because that’s what they do to us when we watch them.”
“What I really like about them is like the fresh ideas they bring every season and how they can dance to all kinds of music,” added Fradji. “They are very complete and make everything seem so easy.”
Taking Risks
Since last season, Fradji and Fourneaux feel like they’ve improved on speed and their connection on the ice.
“I feel like when we are skating together it’s more natural, more with control and maturity,” said Fradji. “Also, with all these choreographies we worked a lot on how to dance and improve our skating skills.”
With expectations high in seniors, Fradji and Fourneaux are embracing the chance to push beyond their comfort zone.
“In juniors, we were like the ‘good students,'” Fradji explained. “Everything had to be clean. Now we want to take risks and really live in our performances.”
Fourneaux agreed: “In seniors, it’s not just about speed or technique—it’s about connection, storytelling, and bringing pleasure to the program. We want people to see us differently.”
The team has been working on new elements, such as the combination lift and choreo elements. They are also putting a lot of focus on improving their steps sequences.
“We executed our combo lift well at Masters, even though it was still very fresh for the competition,” said Fradji. “The judges really appreciated it because it brings something unexpected to our program. We did lose one point because it was slightly too long, so we know we need to keep working on the precision and details of this complex element. Overall, the feedback was very positive, and it motivates us to continue bringing more maturity and depth to our skating.”
For the Masters competition, the team elected to do a choreographic slide, but plan to keep working on making the execution smoother and more fluid.
“Our goal is to refine both programs, make them even more complete, and add more complexity and personality to our skating,” said Fradji.
Off the Ice
Between training, physical preparation, and university studies, their schedules leave little room for hiking, sightseeing, or nightlife. Both skaters are second-year students at the Université Grenoble-Alpes. Fradji is working towards a bachelor’s degree in management while Fourneaux studies psychology. They try to attend in person once a week, a 40-minute car ride, while the rest is online.
“Most of our days are skating, conditioning, and studying,” Fourneaux explained. “There’s not much time for hobbies, but we like it here. It’s a village full of athletes—it’s motivating.”
Despite their packed schedules, the team shares a few passions off the ice. For Fradji, it’s scary movies—especially classics like The Shining. Most recently, they enjoyed the movie Sinners.
“We used to watch horror movies together all the time when we were kids,” she said with a grin. “I also like listening to podcasts, watching documentaries, and reading.”
Fourneaux, on the other hand, is a self-proclaimed coffee enthusiast.
“I like to make it, watch it, drink it, smell it—everything,” he laughed. “I’ve had to cut back a little, but it’s still a big part of my day.”
Both ice dancers took a little time off for vacation with Fourneaux going to Italy and Fradji visiting Los Angeles.
Looking Ahead
With a heavy competition lineup and new programs that highlight both artistry and athleticism, the 2025 National junior champions are ready to make their mark on the senior stage.
“This first season as seniors isn’t about medals,” Fradji emphasized. “It’s about experience, growth, and showing who we are as skaters.”
And judging by their energy, connection, and ambition, it won’t take long before they do exactly that.
Related Info:
