On Ice Photographs by Yoriko Suzuki
Germany’s Alexia Kruk & Jan Eisenhaber are rising as a group to look at following a standout 2025–26 season that included robust Junior Grand Prix performances and an eighth-place end on the World Junior Championships. IDC lately spoke to the duo about their partnership, accomplishments and extra.
Tell us about your particular person skating journeys, together with any early particular reminiscences.
Alexia Kruk (AK): I began determine skating after I was 5 years previous. I don’t fairly keep in mind how and why, as no one in my household had something to do with determine skating earlier than. What lots of people don’t learn about me is that my mother and father come from Kazakhstan, and my dad used to play soccer there. They actually wished me to do some form of sport as nicely earlier than I went to highschool. I had no intention of skating. Apparently, I preferred it a lot that I simply saved going and my love and fervour to the game continued to develop.
Jan Eisenhaber (JE): I first stepped onto the ice after I was two and a half years previous. My mother was a skater till her mid-teenage years, and he or she began skating once more as a passion. She usually took me to the rink along with her. At first, I didn’t actually get pleasure from skating myself — I largely preferred being on the rink and watching the opposite skaters, however I saved wanting to return time and again. Over time, I began skating extra and commenced to essentially get pleasure from it. I initially began in singles skating and entered a sports activities faculty in first grade.
AK: I used to be at all times okay at leaping, however by no means the perfect. I used to be actually good at interpretation, dancing, feeling the rhythm and the music, in order that has at all times been my energy. I’m not shy in any respect in relation to this. At first, I by no means actually thought of doing ice dance.
JE: I began ice dance in third grade. My jumps by no means actually labored nicely, however my former coach at all times stated that I used to be excellent with steps and turns and that my skating abilities have been stronger than these of many different skaters on this age. Due to that, she really useful that I strive ice dance. For about half a yr I educated each singles and ice dance, after which I lastly determined to completely swap to ice dance. Having somebody subsequent to me on the ice and sharing the identical ardour and pleasure made it way more enjoyable for me. Trying again, I really feel that it was the perfect determination.
AK: I nonetheless keep in mind my first competitors in ice dance. I by no means preferred competing in singles. It was at all times actually demanding. In ice dance, it was fully totally different. I loved each second and you possibly can inform that I used to be free. That’s after I realized I made the fitting determination and looking out again wouldn’t have accomplished it any in a different way. In fact, you have got these large objectives like going to the Olympics sooner or later if you’re little, however I believe most children don’t understand what it actually means and what sort of work you must put in it. In actuality, I might’ve by no means dreamed of touring the entire world for this sport as a result of it sounded so unreal. I don’t even assume my household imagined this. We wished to compete on the World Junior Championships for such a very long time and after we lastly made it, the sensation of skating there and the entire course of earlier than and through is admittedly indescribable and I’m actually grateful for this life.
How did the 2 of you first resolve to group up, and what do you keep in mind about your first tryout collectively?
AK: I used to be nonetheless in singles skating. Jan’s former ice dance coach in Berlin reached out to me to check out for ice dance, so I gave it a strive. Each of us don’t keep in mind rather a lot from our first tryout really which is form of humorous. We have been fairly younger nonetheless. I believe I used to be 11 and Jan was 13.
JE: I used to be skating for one yr alone and I had some tryouts as a result of I used to be searching for a accomplice, however not one of the tryouts actually labored out. I do not forget that my former coach recommended to do the tryout with Alexia as a result of she was actually good in acting on the ice. I don’t actually have one other reminiscence of the tryout. It simply labored nicely.
AK: The one factor I keep in mind is that I actually didn’t wish to skate with a boy. It was the age the place I simply didn’t wish to contact boys or wish to have a look at boys, so the primary tryout I form of felt like this. I saved on making an attempt and received used to it fairly rapidly. Jan and I turned good associates. A number of days after, it was determined that we’re going to skate collectively. I used to be actually nervous and was afraid of doing one thing flawed as a result of he already had some expertise and I simply wished to be ok. I considered him as a extremely good skater already.
When did you begin to really feel just like the partnership really “clicked”?
AK: We’ve at all times had a reasonably good partnership and as you become older it additionally will get nearer and also you develop a friendship. In Superior Novice, I believe we have been about 14 and 16, we already had the bottom of a partnership after which as you get older you additionally begin to develop and it begins to click on. It’s like a transition you could’t even actually really feel. Additionally, particularly final season after the Junior Grand Prix, we grew even nearer and began working higher collectively and really understanding the worth of the partnership. I believe that’s the reason this season has additionally been so profitable for us.
What do you want most about skating together with your accomplice?
AK: For me, it’s fairly easy, you by no means really feel alone. You at all times have any individual that you understand has your again. It’s only a particular feeling that skating with a accomplice provides you. Additionally, Jan could be very caring and I can belief him with all the things. It’s simply good to know that you simply at all times have any individual with you.
JE: I wish to skate with any individual subsequent to me as a result of then we are able to push one another. Particularly as a result of she is an incredible dancer, she can assist me rather a lot with some actions much more and get the perfect strikes out of me.
Inform us about your coaches and choreographers.
AK: Stefano Caruso and Robynne Tweedale are our two major coaches. We’re very shut. it’s like our little skating household. They’re each fairly totally different. Stefano’s Italian you possibly can actually really feel it on the ice. Additionally, he’s a technical specialist so he pays a number of consideration on the technical facets, the turns, the important thing factors, the degrees. Robynne can be our choreographer so we do a number of arm and physique actions along with her. She’s there for the small print and to essentially clear it up.
JE: Most of this yr’s choreo was made by Robynne. Within the rhythm dance, she had some assist from Stefano Ati, a dancer and a visitor coach.
AK: We labored a number of arm actions with him. He did our starting, our cease half and he additionally choreographed our ending.
JE: Stefano Ati was there for all the small print within the rhythm dance. Within the free dance, Robynne did the choreo. She had some assist from Matthew Gates. He did some methods and components of the start.
AK: Some transitions we additionally did with Matthew. In fact all through the season we swap up some issues. We develop the choreography, however primarily we do it with Robynne. All year long totally different visitor coaches additionally come to Berlin. We work rather a lot with Catherine Papadakis, the mom of Gabriella. Jimmy Younger can be a part of our group. He got here rather a lot this yr, particularly. Earlier than the Junior Worlds, we educated with Olga Rabinina who got here to Berlin proper earlier than the Junior Worlds.
JE: Stefano (Caruso) could be very linked and he tries to provide us the chance to work with all of the totally different coaches as a result of all people has a unique view and concepts about skating and dancing. We strive all the things and ultimately we are able to select what works the perfect for us and we like essentially the most. We’ve got loads of alternatives to decide on the perfect for our performances.
AK: To me, it’s additionally attention-grabbing to see the totally different types every coach has. Additionally they have totally different personalities and the way they deal with conditions on the ice and off the ice too. We actually like working with totally different coaches all through the season.
The place are you presently coaching, and what does a typical coaching day seem like for you?
JE: We’re presently coaching in Berlin. We don’t actually have a typical day as a result of day-after-day is barely totally different due to Alexia’s faculty. We’ve got two periods every day – morning and night, so it’s switching between observe and college for Alexia. We additionally exercise three 4 instances per week. We’re on the ice day-after-day for about 4 hours at the least.
AK: As a result of I’m nonetheless in class, now we have to search out the time to make it work collectively. Jan is in college, that’s why it’s a bit simpler. He has extra freedom, so he can adapt the instances when he desires to observe and when he desires to review. For me, the instances are set for college. That’s why it’s extra as much as me how we are able to prepare. Moreover, within the off season, we do ballet, dancing and stretching, so it actually additionally is determined by what time of the yr it’s.
What facets of ice dance did you deal with essentially the most this season—technical parts, efficiency high quality, or one thing else?
AK: We wished to enhance our primary skating, so we labored rather a lot on primary skating high quality to indicate this in applications to get larger elements. Moreover, we labored on higher physique actions and unison and connection this season.
JE: Stefano (Caruso) is an enormous fan of the dance Lindy Hop. We had some periods of Lindy Hopp particularly within the low season. It’s a dance the place there’s no steps which can be set. You simply have one chief and one follower, so you possibly can observe main and likewise following. The chief can resolve which steps he likes to do and also you simply attempt to comply with and really feel the music collectively.
Inform us about your applications this season. What impressed your music decisions and total themes?
AK: For the rhythm dance, we used to do a latin free dance again in superior novice. It labored very nicely and suited us and likewise was actually enjoyable. Robynne got here up with the thought to do a latin rhythm dance this season. Once we heard that it was the 90s theme, we immediately considered Ricky Martin as a result of he’s actually well-known and his songs are actually actually cool, so it was fairly simple with the rhythm dance music. We selected “Maria” and “La Copa de la Vida.”
We selected the music fairly quick, so we had it fairly early within the season. We wished to do a slower half for the Rhumba/Fast Step as a result of we thought it’s going to be a slower rhythm and likewise to change up the rhythm slightly bit. We selected “Maria Maria” from Santana as a result of it additionally matched the latin theme and was extra of a Rhumba feeling. Then they determined to alter the timing for the sample dance so it’s on quicker music, however we didn’t wish to hand over the Santana half. That’s why we determined to make it slightly bit shorter, however nonetheless preserve it for the transition and raise as a result of we actually like this music.
JE: Within the free dance we attempt to do a unique fashion of music yearly. We had already skated an indian program, tango program and final yr we had the music from the film Billy Elliot. This yr, our objective was to indicate magnificence on the ice. That’s why we selected a extra lyrical melancholic one. We wished to indicate our strains and magnificence and good high quality primary skating.
AK: Our coaches got here up with Chilly Play and we preferred the thought. The primary half was additionally set fairly early within the season. We had some bother with music for the second half, however then “Repair You” was a extremely sensible choice as a result of it had a ‘lifting up’ second in the direction of the top of the free dance.
How concerned are you within the choreography course of?
JE: We get concepts from our choreographers after which we strive the steps and resolve how we really feel with them and preserve or change them. We’re at all times open to adjusting them the entire season and so as to add extra particulars. Additionally, if now we have a cool concept or we discover one thing particular, we present them and discuss placing it within the choreo someplace.
Did you set any objectives for this season and in that case, what have been they?
JE: Our objectives have been to begin the season earlier to be higher ready for the Junior Grand Prix. That’s why we did the Lake Placid Worldwide. We wished to depart impression on the Junior Grand Prix sequence as final season it was not so nice for us. We additionally wished to gather some world rating factors. One other objective was to change into German nationwide junior champions this yr. Our final large objective was to compete at Junior Worlds and to make the highest 10 there.
What have been among the largest classes you’ve discovered from competing internationally?
AK: As we’re a pair that additionally skilled a number of downs with some ups, the largest lesson is that you simply actually should additionally take one other perspective on it. You’ll be able to’t let all the things come so deeply to you as a result of it actually kills you from the within. You simply should take the expertise and study from it. That’s what really helped us to come back to the purpose the place we have been capable of showcase what we are able to do, particularly this season within the Junior Grand Prix and likewise Junior Worlds. Additionally, it’s not in your fingers how the rating goes to come back out, so you actually have to simply present your finest and study to be comfortable despite the fact that it’s not at all times excellent.
Is there a contest efficiency that stands out as a breakthrough second for you as a group (thus far)?
JE: We each fairly rapidly considered the Junior Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi this season as a result of it simply felt actually good to carry out there. We had a fairly good efficiency and we received good factors, so total it was a pleasant expertise there. We additionally got here very near the rostrum and that proved us that we’re on the fitting path in coaching and typically as a pair.
AK: Coming so near the rostrum was additionally some form of further motivation that okay we are able to really make it, in order that’s form of additionally our objective subsequent season. It additionally confirmed us that regardless of errors the work that we did on high quality skating paid off as a result of we received really fairly good factors and positioned fairly excessive.
You completed eighth on the 2026 World Junior Championships, did you have got a objective heading into this occasion?
AK: Our objective was to make the highest 10 and we received eighth, which was truthfully fairly sudden. We had two strong performances. Despite the fact that there have been small errors, I believe we’re very proud and comfortable. I believe we’ve by no means been this nervous earlier than in any competitors, so you possibly can actually really feel the nerves and dealing with the nerves is one thing that’s not talked about rather a lot. We’re proud that we earned two spots for Germany and can hopefully be competing subsequent yr in Sofia as nicely.
What do you are taking out of your performances there to assist push you for subsequent season?
JE: We take from them that we don’t assume an excessive amount of earlier than the skate as a result of there’ll by no means be an ideal efficiency. We simply should get pleasure from each second on the ice as we step on it and provides all the things now we have even with a number of nerves. We are able to go into the competitions subsequent season and be a bit extra relaxed, in order that we are able to get pleasure from it much more.
For those who may have a lesson with any ice dancer previous/current, who wouldn’t it be? Why?
JE: It will be Guillaume (Cizeron) due to his wonderful skating abilities so i wish to a lesson with him.
AK: I immediately thought of Charlie White. To me, he’s one of many biggest skaters of all time. All of the loopy stuff that he did with Meryl i simply would actually love him to show us one thing or give us some methods and insights.
What’s one phrase that finest describes your partnership?
AK: If we needed to describe our partnership in a single phrase it will be continuity as a result of we simply have been skating collectively for such a very long time. Regardless of all the things we’ve been via with the ups and downs, the dangerous instances, the great instances, all of the experiences, we’re nonetheless right here collectively. We’re excited to see what is going to occur sooner or later. We’re a robust couple that sticks collectively it doesn’t matter what and we’ve confirmed that.
Observe Alexia Kruk & Jan Eisenhaber on their particular person and group Instagram accounts.