by Anne Calder
The Mullett Area on the Arizona State College campus in Tempe was an added cease to the unique 2026 Stars on Ice tour and offered out shortly.
Twelve Olympians carried out continuous for an hour earlier than a 15 minute Zamboni break. The group quantity that ended the primary half – “It’s Too Darn Scorching” was very applicable for the 95 diploma Arizona temperature. The skaters additionally carried out Olympic applications within the second half of the present.
Previous to the occasion, Madison Chock & Evan Bates and Christina Carreira & Anthony Ponomarenko spoke individually with ice-dance.com about their whirlwind experiences throughout and because the Olympics.
Madison Chock & Evan Bates
Madison Chock & Evan Bates opened their 2025-2026 season with a gold medal at the Grand Prix Cup of China October 24-26. In St. Louis, they defended their U.S Nationwide Championship crown. A month later the duo gained gold (crew) and silver (particular person) medals on the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy.
After the Video games, the duo traveled to Zurich, Fribourg and Davos, Switzerland February 26 – March 7 for the crew’s debut look on the famend Artwork on Ice present. The occasion celebrated it’s thirtieth anniversary with Olympic and World Champions performing alongside worldwide pop artists.
Then briefly again residence to Montreal the place they introduced the crew wouldn’t defend it’s World Determine Skating title. Osaka was the subsequent vacation spot and group preparation for the Japan SOI tour April 3-12.
Your complete U.S. Stars on Ice forged met up in Ft. Myers, Florida April 14 for 2 full days of intense rehearsals for the tour previous to opening on the Hertz Area in Estero.
When the forged had a two day break between the Portland, Oregon and Tempe, Arizona stops, Chock & Bates headed south to the hotter desert temps and inexperienced grass of the Phoenician Golf Course in Scottsdale.
Bates is an avid golfer; Chock is a novice-in-training who loves all of the points of her new interest.
“I’ve carried out two rounds of golf within the final couple of weeks, and it’s been so enjoyable. It’s simply very nice being outdoor. I believe I’m appreciating it a lot extra as a result of we’re normally inside a lot for our sport. Being outdoors and doing bodily actions feels actually particular.
“It seems like a deal with to be out within the solar and having fun with the nice and cozy climate, and difficult myself in a brand new manner. I actually recognize that, and stay up for making little beneficial properties and pouring my athletic mind into a brand new sport.”
Bates famous that Arizona, Texas and Mississippi had been new tour stops.
“It’s enjoyable to play some areas we haven’t been earlier than. I can’t bear in mind ever doing a present in Mississippi or two reveals in Texas. It’s actually thrilling, We had Skate America in Texas a few instances. We had fun there. It’ll be enjoyable.”
“We had a very pretty time right here in Arizona,” Chock stated. “Along with {golfing}, we had an awesome dinner with the forged. We had a superb little break and received to rejuvenate.”
The seven-time U.S. Nationwide Champions mirrored on the tangibles and intangibles they every introduced residence from Milan.
“Two medals and pins” Chock stated. “Pins had been my greatest memento. I like amassing pins. We had our Henry and Stella pins from Nulo Pet Meals that we had been buying and selling, so I received to commerce for lots of enjoyable pins.”
“It’s such a memorable expertise while you go to the Olympic Video games,” Bates stated. “The feelings are so excessive and so actual, and you reside within the reminiscence of those Olympic moments. They only stick with you so strongly. I can bear in mind so many moments, and a few of them are small, like going out for pizza with my mother on her birthday, which was February 17, whereas we had been there.
“Additionally stepping on the ice and looking out round and seeing all of the American flags and getting the frenzy of adrenaline and feelings, after which carrying the flag on the closing ceremonies, going to different sporting occasions, assembly individuals, being within the village, doing every thing, doing nothing. All of it’s simply so vividly captured in my reminiscence that it’s actually onerous to pinpoint only one, so I’d say every thing.”
Chock and Bates have carried out in twelve main Stars on Ice excursions throughout the U.S., Canada and Japan. The 2026 tour was totally different. It had record-breaking gross sales and offered out venues in most cities.
“It’s actually exhilarating,” Chock stated about performing to a offered out viewers each evening. “It’s so thrilling to listen to the screams of the viewers, and the thrill that it feels has been throughout determine skating because the Olympics, Then to witness it dwell each time we step on the ice. It’s been superb.”
“I believe additionally the truth that we have now these offered out arenas for present skating is basically particular,” Bates added. “We had nice attendance on the final couple of World Championships, and naturally, the Olympic Video games is all the time a sellout, however to promote out a Stars On Ice present at a venue like Honda Middle or SAP Middle with like 15 to 16 thousand individuals screaming, It’s’s so enjoyable.”
Over time the couple has skated to many genres. Are there others they need they’d chosen?
“Not likely,” Chock stated. “I believe we’ve loved each program that we’ve carried out annually. We put a variety of ourselves into the artistic course of and the work, and I believe there’s rather a lot to be pleased with as soon as we’ve accomplished this system with our crew. If there’s one thing else on the market that we wish, or we discover, we’ll simply skate to it.”
“It’s all the time enjoyable to think about new and artistic stuff, and that’s what’s enjoyable about skating within the reveals, particularly with youthful skaters. They decide music from artists I’m not even conscious of,” Bates added. “It’s enjoyable! We’ll maintain exploring. The most effective a part of determine skating is it’s artistic, so we’ll maintain our ears to the bottom for brand new genres.”
The Golden Waltz is a extremely technical ice dance sample that’s being competed within the 2026-2027 Rhythm Dance after a decade and a half absence.
Bates shared his ideas. “I like doing Golden Waltz, however it’s a very tough dance. It takes a variety of effort and time to grasp it, so it is going to be actually enjoyable to see a few of the newer skaters who’ve by no means competed obligatory dances on the senior stage. Now they’re going to be thrown into in all probability essentially the most difficult obligatory or sample dance. That shall be actually enjoyable to observe.”
The married couple spoke concerning the post-tour, trip and summer season plans.
“We’ve been residence solely two days since we left for the Video games,” Bates stated. “Our canines are with my people in Michigan. We’ve been on the street for a very long time. It’s been a whirlwind after the Olympics, however it’s been enjoyable.
“We undoubtedly are planning extra time with household, which I’d take into account a trip. We’ll be spending time in Michigan and in California, the place our dad and mom dwell.
“This summer season we’ll be celebrating some household milestones. My dad and mom are celebrating their fiftieth wedding ceremony, so we’re planning a visit round that celebration. Hopefully we’ll get to have a good time Father’s Day with Madi’s dad and mom and simply reconnecting after a really busy time. We’re nonetheless busy, however it feels a bit totally different.
“I’ll nonetheless be a part of the ISU. I’m doing the athletes committee once more, so we’ll be concerned with hopefully some enchancment throughout the board with regards to every thing in ice dance, from rule adjustments to competitors schedule to safeguarding athletes, and every thing in between.”
“We’re not locking something into place,” Chock stated. “Positively present skating sounds interesting. We now have some extra reveals on the horizon, and we’re excited for it.”
Because the interview the next reveals have been added to Chock & Bates schedules:
- Future Ice Present in Tokyo, Japan – July 31, August 1-2, 2026
- Solar Valley Ice Present – Solar Valley, ID – August 29, 2026.
Christina Carreira & Anthony Ponomarenko
Christina Carreira & Anthony Ponomarenko started coaching for his or her Olympic dream again in April 2014 when the duo first partnered. Twelve years later on the Choice Gala in St. Louis, the crew was offered their jackets by Christina’s mom together with an invite to compete on the Winter Video games in Milan, Italy.
Whereas it was the younger athletes’ Olympic debut, the title Ponomarenko was already related to its historical past. Anthony’s dad and mom are the one ice dancers to win Olympic medals of all three colours. Sarajevo (1984-bronze), Calgary (1988-silver) and Albertville (1992-gold).
The U.S. Bronze medalists spoke to IDC about their expectations for the Olympics and the way each had been shocked by their non permanent residence in Milan.
“I didn’t count on to love the village life that a lot,” Carreira stated. “It was actually enjoyable as a result of all of Staff USA was on the identical flooring because the skating crew, so all of us received to dwell collectively for a month. There was all the time one thing to do within the village. I by no means needed to be in my room. I used to be all the time out with pals. It was rather a lot enjoyable.”
Ponomarenko added, “I believe the respect between athletes was stunning to me. Everybody there needed to sacrifice a lot to get to the Olympics, so speaking with the velocity skaters, the hockey skaters, even a few of the skiers, all of them had a lot respect for what the opposite does. I made deep, significant connections with individuals. Some persons are simply so cool.”
The Olympic Village had one other distinction. It served a desert deal with that the athletes simply couldn’t get sufficient of – chocolate lava cake with a heat gooey heart that oozed out when reduce.
“It was unbelievable,” Ponomarenko stated. “That they had solely a choose few of them, so they might maintain the cake within the again. You needed to particularly ask for it and typically even commerce a pin.”
One other foodie factor was a go to to the McDonalds that offered regional Italian meals together with Nutella muffins, Gelato bites and Parmigiano Reggiano snacks. After their Free Dance together with two different dancers, the athletes ordered from the skin drive-thru at 2:00 a.m. Then they posted a video that went viral.
Carreira’s mom purchased her a necklace with Olympic rings to recollect her Milan debut whereas her companion snagged an official Milano Cortina 2026 gameplay puck for his memento.
“Additionally there was a lot in our rooms,” Carreira stated. U.S. Determine Skating had Sonja Hilmer make work of all of us, after which we received to take them residence, which was actually cool.”
A month after the Olympics, Carreira & Ponomarenko represented the U.S. on the World Determine Skating Championships in Prague, CZE previous to embarking on their first Stars on Ice Tour.
Carreira & Ponomarenko had been initially scheduled to seem solely as friends in a number of cities. Nevertheless, when Emily Chan & Spencer Howe withdrew as a consequence of a scheduling battle, they had been had been invited to affix the complete tour.
The skaters traveled from metropolis to metropolis in a sleeper bus.
“All of us have our personal bunk beds,” Carreira defined. “We play playing cards, we speak, we sleep. It’s simply been a variety of enjoyable attending to dwell with everybody. On the longer drives we sleep, as a result of we’re normally skating the subsequent day.”
Ponomarenko added, “Our whole schedule has shifted since beginning the tour as a result of we have now late nights.”
“We go to mattress tremendous late and get up additionally tremendous late,” Carreira continued. “Our day simply begins later. I don’t assume it’s been too unhealthy on our our bodies. We really feel fairly good.”
Along with their first bus tour expertise, the duo needed to regulate to skating in teams.
“It’s simply a lot enjoyable,” Carreira stated. “We don’t get to skate with the opposite disciplines ever, so it’s good to see how they work, how they practice. Within the group numbers we’re used to monitoring one another – trying within the nook
of our eye for the place the opposite individual is, so it hasn’t been too massive of an adjustment. The group rehearsals and group numbers are a favourite half.”
“There’s one quantity particularly, The Too Darn Scorching one which has all the forged. Everybody loves it – the costumes, the choreography. So it’s simply actually, actually enjoyable to skate that each evening,” Ponomarenko added.
“We needed to do side-by-side single axels within the group numbers, however it was really simpler than anticipated. We each did freestyle as youngsters, so it’s in there someplace,” Carreira stated.
On the tour, the crew visited many new cities. Every had a favourite that left a particular reminiscence.
“I like it right here in Arizona,” Carreira stated. “Yesterday we had a time without work. We spent the day on the pool. There’s a Complete Meals proper throughout the road. We had a giant dinner all collectively the primary evening we received right here, and final evening just a few of us went out to dinner collectively. Yeah, Arizona. I wish to dwell right here.”
“I’d say Greenville, South Carolina. It was our first full time without work in per week and a half. We had been doing a bunch of rehearsals, and we traveled up there,” Ponomarenko stated. “The city was simply quiet and peaceable with a variety of great eating places and exquisite surroundings. It was nice to only stroll round and see every thing.”
He shortly added, “I’d additionally say right here [in Arizona] is one other good one, simply because I performed my first sport of golf ever yesterday on the Phoenician, and it was superior.”
Ponomarenko loves hockey. Throughout the tour he received to see a Minnesota Wild Stanley Cup playoff sport.
“Hockey is my favourite sport, so simply with the ability to see a sport dwell and obtain some jerseys from NHL groups is fairly particular,” he stated.
Writer’s Observe: Within the photographs above, Anthony Ponomarenko is holding a brand new memento – an unique 1988 Champions on Ice Tour program from the Milwaukee, WI occasion. The present was a tribute to the Calgary Olympians together with ice dance silver medalists – Marina Klimova & Sergei Ponomarenko.
The crew mentioned subsequent season’s Rhythm Dance and the Golden Waltz sample.
“Very, very excited,” Ponomarenko stated. “I’ve all the time been towards not having obligatory dances in our sport, in our self-discipline, simply because they’re the basics. It’s the naked bones fundamentals of our sport, and I’m completely satisfied that they’re placing it again. I believe it’s an awesome change.”
“I’m additionally tremendous excited,” Carreira stated. “I actually just like the Golden Waltz. It’s actually enjoyable. We’ve solely started working on it a bit bit thus far, however there’s rather a lot to be taught and rather a lot to do with it. So, I’m actually excited.
“We had a few days off after the San Jose SOI, so we flew to Los Angeles. Randy Robust [choreographer and dance coach] put us in touch with one in every of her pals, and we did ballroom for 2 days earlier than we went to the Toast to Milan occasion in Colorado Springs.”
Anthony Ponomarenko has historical past with the Golden Waltz.
His dad and mom, Marina Krylova & Sergei Ponomarenko with their coach, Natalia Dubova created and first carried out the sample in 1987 as a part of the Unique Set Sample. The OSP allowed groups to decide on their very own music and choreography to an ISU assigned particular rhythm and music kind that modified yearly.
He spoke about whether or not his household historical past with the sample would add stress.
“I don’t assume so. We undoubtedly need to skate it nicely to honor their reminiscence and their contact on the game, however I don’t really feel like I’ve stress. We’re going to essentially practice this dance and ensure that it’s good.”
About further assist they might obtain, he added, “I believe we’ll in all probability ship a video or two over to them, simply because they’ve little secrets and techniques and ideas that possibly others don’t.”
The dancers shared their put up tour schedule.
“We now have 5 days off, after which we begin coaching once more. We do choreography for applications, have Champs Camp this summer season. We’re actually excited for this new season,” Carreira stated.
“We [already] have two very vital program choices, one for rhythm and one free of charge and even some tough cuts to start out. We’ll actually nail that down after we get again. We’re a bit bit alongside.”
“We wish to be totally organized, so after we get again, all we have now to do is right. Properly it’s a giant half, however all we have now to do is choreography,” Carreira stated. “We’re speaking to our coaches continually so we’re prepared to start out after we get again residence.”
When Carreira returns residence she shall be dwelling in Canada. For 4 years, she commuted day by day from Michigan to take care of her U.S. residency. In November 2025 she obtained her U.S. passport and was sworn in as an American citizen in time to compete on the Olympics.
“Proper after I received my [U.S] passport, I received a spot actually near the rink. Particularly within the winter, driving on that street backwards and forwards, it’s not secure. I’ve had many shut calls, so the minute I might, I moved again,” Carreira stated.
The chat ended with the crew discussing their coaching location and future targets.
“We’ll proceed to spend a while in Montreal coaching in that environment, however our primary hub now shall be in London, Ontario,” Ponomarenko defined.
“We’re undoubtedly staying in 4 extra years. We wish to convey again some Olympic medals,” Carreira stated. “We’ve talked with our coaches. We now have a plan for applications for 4 seasons. We’re trying ahead to rising, and I believe we’re going to have a good time.”
