by Anne Calder
The Mullett Enviornment 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 for the reason that 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 (workforce) 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 workforce’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 workforce wouldn’t defend it’s World Determine Skating title. Osaka was the following vacation spot and group preparation for the Japan SOI tour April 3-12.
The complete U.S. Stars on Ice solid met up in Ft. Myers, Florida April 14 for 2 full days of intense rehearsals for the tour previous to opening on the Hertz Enviornment in Estero.
When the solid 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 elements of her new passion.
“I’ve completed two rounds of golf within the final couple of weeks, and it’s been so enjoyable. It’s simply very nice being outdoor. I feel I’m appreciating it a lot extra as a result of we’re often inside a lot for our sport. Being outdoors and doing bodily actions feels actually particular.
“It appears 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 method. I actually respect that, and stay up for making little good points 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 keep in mind ever doing a present in Mississippi or two exhibits in Texas. It’s actually thrilling, We had Skate America in Texas a few occasions. We had fun there. It’ll be enjoyable.”
“We had a very pretty time right here in Arizona,” Chock mentioned. “Along with {golfing}, we had an awesome dinner with the solid. We had a very good little break and acquired 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 mentioned. “Pins had been my greatest memento. I like gathering pins. We had our Henry and Stella pins from Nulo Pet Meals that we had been buying and selling, so I acquired to commerce for lots of enjoyable pins.”
“It’s such a memorable expertise once you go to the Olympic Video games,” Bates mentioned. “The feelings are so excessive and so actual, and you reside within the reminiscence of those Olympic moments. They simply stick with you so strongly. I can keep 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 push 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 part, doing nothing. All of it’s simply so vividly captured in my reminiscence that it’s actually exhausting to pinpoint only one, so I’d say every part.”
Chock and Bates have carried out in twelve main Stars on Ice excursions throughout the U.S., Canada and Japan. The 2026 tour was completely different. It had record-breaking gross sales and offered out venues in most cities.
“It’s really exhilarating,” Chock mentioned about performing to a offered out viewers each night time. “It’s so thrilling to listen to the screams of the viewers, and the joy that it feels has been throughout determine skating for the reason that Olympics, Then to witness it stay each time we step on the ice. It’s been wonderful.”
“I feel additionally the truth that we’ve got these offered out arenas for present skating is actually 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 Heart or SAP Heart 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?
“Probably not,” Chock mentioned. “I feel we’ve loved each program that we’ve completed annually. We put a variety of ourselves into the artistic course of and the work, and I feel there’s so much to be happy with as soon as we’ve accomplished this system with our workforce. 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 exhibits, 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 perfect 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, but it surely’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 will probably be actually enjoyable to observe.”
The married couple spoke concerning the post-tour, trip and summer time plans.
“We’ve been residence solely two days since we left for the Video games,” Bates mentioned. “Our canines are with my of us in Michigan. We’ve been on the street for a very long time. It’s been a whirlwind after the Olympics, but it surely’s been enjoyable.
“We undoubtedly are planning extra time with household, which I might take into account a trip. We’ll be spending time in Michigan and in California, the place our dad and mom stay.
“This summer time 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, but it surely feels somewhat completely 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 on the subject of every part in ice dance, from rule adjustments to competitors schedule to safeguarding athletes, and every part in between.”
“We’re not locking something into place,” Chock mentioned. “Undoubtedly present skating sounds interesting. We now have some extra exhibits on the horizon, and we’re excited for it.”
Because the interview the next exhibits 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 workforce was introduced 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 stunned by their momentary residence in Milan.
“I didn’t count on to love the village life that a lot,” Carreira mentioned. “It was actually enjoyable as a result of all of Group USA was on the identical flooring because the skating workforce, so all of us acquired to stay 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 buddies. It was so much enjoyable.”
Ponomarenko added, “I feel the respect between athletes was stunning to me. Everybody there needed to sacrifice a lot to get to the Olympics, so speaking with the pace 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 individuals 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 incredible,” Ponomarenko mentioned. “They’d solely a choose few of them, so they might maintain the cake within the again. You needed to particularly ask for it and generally 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 associate snagged an official Milano Cortina 2026 gameplay puck for his memento.
“Additionally there was a lot in our rooms,” Carreira mentioned. U.S. Determine Skating had Sonja Hilmer make work of all of us, after which we acquired 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 company in a number of cities. Nevertheless, when Emily Chan & Spencer Howe withdrew on account of a scheduling battle, they had been had been invited to hitch the total 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 stay with everybody. On the longer drives we sleep, as a result of we’re often skating the following day.”
Ponomarenko added, “Our complete schedule has shifted since beginning the tour as a result of we’ve got late nights.”
“We go to mattress tremendous late and get up additionally tremendous late,” Carreira continued. “Our day simply begins later. I don’t suppose 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 mentioned. “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 – wanting 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 the complete solid. Everybody loves it – the costumes, the choreography. So it’s simply actually, actually enjoyable to skate that each night time,” Ponomarenko added.
“We needed to do side-by-side single axels within the group numbers, but it surely was really simpler than anticipated. We each did freestyle as children, so it’s in there someplace,” Carreira mentioned.
On the tour, the workforce visited many new cities. Every had a favourite that left a particular reminiscence.
“I find it irresistible right here in Arizona,” Carreira mentioned. “Yesterday we had a day without work. We spent the day on the pool. There’s a Entire Meals proper throughout the road. We had a giant dinner all collectively the primary night time we acquired right here, and final night time a couple of of us went out to dinner collectively. Yeah, Arizona. I wish to stay right here.”
“I might say Greenville, South Carolina. It was our first full day without work in every week and a half. We had been doing a bunch of rehearsals, and we traveled up there,” Ponomarenko mentioned. “The city was simply quiet and peaceable with a variety of fantastic eating places and delightful surroundings. It was nice to simply stroll round and see every part.”
He shortly added, “I might 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. In the course of the tour he acquired to see a Minnesota Wild Stanley Cup playoff sport.
“Hockey is my favourite sport, so simply having the ability to see a sport stay and obtain some jerseys from NHL groups is fairly particular,” he mentioned.
Writer’s Be aware: Within the pictures above, Anthony Ponomarenko is holding a brand new memento – an authentic 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 workforce mentioned subsequent season’s Rhythm Dance and the Golden Waltz sample.
“Very, very excited,” Ponomarenko mentioned. “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 joyful that they’re placing it again. I feel it’s an awesome change.”
“I’m additionally tremendous excited,” Carreira mentioned. “I actually just like the Golden Waltz. It’s actually enjoyable. We’ve solely set to work on it somewhat bit thus far, however there’s so much to study and so much 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 Sturdy [choreographer and dance coach] put us involved with considered one of her buddies, 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 Authentic 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 suppose so. We undoubtedly need to skate it effectively to honor their reminiscence and their contact on the game, however I don’t really feel like I’ve stress. We’re going to actually practice this dance and be sure that it’s good.”
About further assist they might obtain, he added, “I feel 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 publish 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 time. We’re actually excited for this new season,” Carreira mentioned.
“We [already] have two very vital program choices, one for rhythm and one without cost and even some tough cuts to start out. We’ll actually nail that down once we get again. We’re somewhat bit alongside.”
“We wish to be totally organized, so once we get again, all we’ve got to do is right. Nicely it’s a giant half, however all we’ve got to do is choreography,” Carreira mentioned. “We’re speaking to our coaches continuously so we’re prepared to start out once we get again residence.”
When Carreira returns residence she will probably be residing in Canada. For 4 years, she commuted day by day from Michigan to keep up 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 acquired my [U.S] passport, I acquired a spot actually near the rink. Particularly within the winter, driving on that street backwards and forwards, it’s not protected. I’ve had many shut calls, so the minute I might, I moved again,” Carreira mentioned.
The chat ended with the workforce discussing their coaching location and future objectives.
“We are going to proceed to spend a while in Montreal coaching in that environment, however our important hub now will probably be in London, Ontario,” Ponomarenko defined.
“We’re undoubtedly staying in 4 extra years. We wish to carry again some Olympic medals,” Carreira mentioned. “We’ve talked with our coaches. We now have a plan for applications for 4 seasons. We’re wanting ahead to rising, and I feel we’re going to have a good time.”