by Anne Calder | Images by Daphne Backman
Novice ice dancers competed for the primary time at a U.S. Determine Skating Championship in 1991 on the Goal Middle in Minneapolis, MN. For many years, the novice participated on the annual Nationwide occasion utilizing varied schedule codecs.
The Nationwide Qualifying Collection (NQS) that was adopted for the 2019-2020 season created a wholly new construction for the juvenile, intermediate, novice (JINs). As a substitute of competing on the Nationwide Championships, they needed to qualify on the Ice Dance Ultimate for the Nationwide Excessive-Efficiency Improvement Crew and attend an annual camp held two to a few days after the Championships.
For the 2024 U.S Determine Skating Championships, a rule change certified the 5 highest scoring novice groups on the 2024 Ice Dance Ultimate in Bloomington MN to compete with the juniors and seniors in Columbus, OH.
The identical rule has been utilized for the 2025 U.S. Determine Skating Championships, January 20-26. The 5 highest scoring novice groups on the 2025 Ice Dance Ultimate in Plano, TX will compete in Wichita, KS.
The occasion will start for the novice dancers with two follow periods on Monday, January 20. The groups will compete the Westminster Waltz and Tango Sample Dances on Tuesday night (January 21) at 7:55-8:56 p.m. CST.
The Free Dance will likely be competed Wednesday night (January 22) at 7:20-8:05 p.m. CST. Medals will likely be awarded after the Junior Free Dance on middle ice to the 4 highest scoring groups.
The novice occasions will likely be obtainable to observe on the U.S. Determine Skating YouTube channel.
Marian Carhart & Denis Bledsoe
The crew trains in Estero, Florida with Marina Zueva and Ilia Tkachenko. Marian started skating when she was two-years outdated. Denis started at age three. They’re the 2025 Ice Dance Ultimate novice gold medalists.
Why did you select ice dance?
Marian Carhart (MC): I used to be a single skater, however I liked to bounce. I needed to skate with my older sisters, Helena and Adrienne Carhart.
Denis Bledsoe (DB): I switched [from freestyle] to ice dance as a result of after I was leaping, I began getting injured.
How did your partnership start?
MC: I had been doing solo dance earlier than the tryout. Our coaches communicated, and Denis flew to Florida. Waking up the day of the tryout, I used to be so excited.
Inform us about your free dance – Czárdás, a conventional Hungarian folks dance. Why do you take pleasure in performing it?
MC: I really like skating my free dance as a result of it’s one thing we haven’t performed earlier than. It’s very completely different from our different free dances. I actually loved studying a brand new fashion of dance.
DB: I actually like skating our free dance as a result of I’ve by no means performed a folks dance earlier than, and I assumed it’s actually attention-grabbing to study this fashion of dance.
What are you essentially the most enthusiastic about skating at your first U.S. Nationwide Championships.
MC: Competing on the Nationwide Championships has been considered one of my objectives, and I’m excited to attain it. I’m additionally excited to observe all of the Junior and Senior groups skate, which I at all times take pleasure in.
DB: I’m excited as a result of the Nationwide Championships is without doubt one of the greatest competitions I’ve ever been to. I can’t wait to compete.
Grace Fischer (13) & Luke Fischer (15)
The crew trains in Novi, MI with Igor Shpilband, Adrienne Lenda, Pasquale Camerlengo, Natalia Deller, Ben Agosto, Katherine Hill and Renee Petkovski. Choreographers: Ben Agosto / Katherine Hill
The siblings started their skating journeys in New Haven, CT. Grace stepped on the ice for the primary time when she was 18 months outdated. Luke was two when he joined his grandparents’ learn-to-skate program on the Yale Determine Skating Membership.
In 2018, the household moved to Colorado Springs, CO to coach with Tom Zakrajesek. Grace and Luke had been seven and 9. The sister and brother dancers are the 2025 Ice Dance Ultimate silver medalists.
Why did you select ice dance?
Grace Fischer (GF): After we moved to Colorado I did pairs and freestyle for 2 years. Then my brother requested me to be his ice dance accomplice. I used to be hesitant at first, however after I tried it, it was love at first sight. We began working with Ben Agosto and Katherine Hill and competed as juveniles on the 2022 Championship Collection in Blaine, MN. On the finish of the season I finished singles as a result of I appreciated the expressiveness of dance.
Luke Fischer (LF): I used to be a skater solely as a result of my dad needed me to play hockey. I switched to singles after I was seven. A 12 months after shifting to Colorado, an area lady requested me to be her accomplice, and I began ice dance with Ben Agosto and Christopher Dean. After we broke up I continued ice dance by myself till I requested my sister to be my accomplice. On the finish of the season, I switched to ice dance totally as a result of I appreciated skating with a accomplice and performing attention-grabbing packages.
Inform us about skating together with your sibling. Are there benefits? disadvantages?
GF: I drastically take pleasure in skating with my brother, Luke, as a result of it makes scheduling a lot simpler, and I have already got a in-built accomplice. On the flip aspect, we used to argue rather a lot after we first began, however now we’ve discovered a steadiness. General, I really like skating with him and revel in each second I’m on the ice.
LF: Whereas skating with my sister has many execs and cons, I’m very grateful to skate along with her. It’s simple to make choices and journey as we solely have one set of fogeys. It additionally made it simpler to proceed skating collectively in the course of the pandemic as a result of we lived collectively.
Inform us about your free dance to “Sizzling Stuff” by Donna Summer season, “Love’s Theme” by Barry White, and “You Ought to Be Dancing” by the Bee Gees. Why do you take pleasure in performing it?
GF: This 12 months we determined to skate to a medley of songs from the 70s. It’s a very enjoyable, quick, and energetic program that I take pleasure in doing as a result of I really like performing to the music with my brother. I particularly take pleasure in our Character Type Step Sequence as a result of I believe it’s a nice time to essentially present the expression and power of the music that I’m skating to.
LF: Our free dance is a medley of some well-known disco songs. It’s a fairly excessive power program, which makes it enjoyable to carry out particularly at competitions. We selected the theme earlier than the junior and senior themes had been introduced, which is why our music is just like the their [Rhythm Dance] music.
Share your ideas about competing for the primary time on the Nationwide Championships. What are you most enthusiastic about it?
GF: I’m so excited to have this chance this 12 months. I’m most trying ahead to having the ability to carry out in entrance of a giant viewers in an enormous enviornment. I’m additionally trying ahead to watching and cheering on our opponents. We all know most of the junior and seniors competing, and I can’t wait to observe them.
LF: I’m grateful for the chance to compete on the Nationwide Championships. I’m excited to skate in an enormous enviornment with essential judges, assist different skaters I do know and see my skating mates.
How is your crew coaching and making ready for the Championships? Have any adjustments been made because the Ultimate?
Our coaching for the Championships contains skating 4 to 5 periods a day in addition to dance class and fitness center three days every week. We have now been working arduous to enhance the standard consistency of our components, the efficiency of our program, and our skating expertise. We have now not made any main choreography adjustments because the Ice Dance Ultimate.
Apart from competing, what else are you trying ahead to seeing and doing at Nationals?
GF: I’m trying ahead to watching the opposite occasions. I’m particularly excited to observe the Senior ice dance occasion and to cheer on the groups from Novi. Additionally, as an ongoing custom, I’m trying ahead to getting ice cream after we compete to have a good time with my brother and my mother.
LF: I’m trying ahead to seeing a brand new place as I’ve by no means been to Wichita.
Sophia Feige (17) & Wiles Middlekauff (17)
The crew trains in Novi, MI with Coaches Igor Shpilband, Natalia Deller, Pasquale Camerlengo, Adrienne Lenda on-ice, Renee Perkovski (dance) and Oleg Ouchakof (lifts) off ice. Choreographer: Igor Shpilband. The dancers are the 2025 Ice Dance Ultimate bronze medalists.
Inform us about your particular person skating journeys.
Sophia Feige (SF): I began skating after I was 5 or 6 years outdated in Plymouth, England. After shifting again to the U.S. a 12 months or so later, I didn’t proceed skating. In December 2021, I went to a public session and located myself wanting to return and skate extra. My mother, a former singles skater, signed me up for learn-to-skate classes. In November 2022, I attempted ice dance and competed in solo dance the next season whereas coaching in Palm Seashore, FL.
Wiles Middlekauff (WM): My older siblings skated, so I spent hours on the rink earlier than I might stroll. Once I was six, we moved to Canton, MI. I began ice dance classes with Marina Zoueva. When she moved to Florida, I skilled on the Detroit Skating Membership earlier than transferring to Novi to work with Igor Shpilband.
What drew you to ice dance?
SF:I liked having the ability to dance to the music on the ice whereas skating with a accomplice. I’ve at all times loved engaged on my skating expertise. Studying and bettering varied turns, edges and components provides me a way of accomplishment which motivates me to maintain working tougher for extra.
WM: For a very long time I used to be doing freestyle and dance. Though I loved freestyle, I needed to focus most of my time on jumps and never as a lot time on performing. With ice dance, each second on the ice is a efficiency. I like that. I like it after I’m having enjoyable, and the individuals watching me are having enjoyable too.
How did you change into companions?
SF: After the 2023 Solo Dance season ended, I needed to discover a accomplice. I additionally was on the lookout for a brand new place to coach with larger degree ice dancers to push me to enhance and with a extra organized coaching setting. In March 2024, Novi, MI I had a tryout with Wiles throughout a go to. It went effectively, and we formally started our partnership in April.
WF: After the tryout, we met with the coaches, and I mentioned I needed to accomplice with Sophia. Everybody agreed.
Inform us about your free dance. Why do you take pleasure in performing it.
SF: We’re skating to music from the Cirque Du Soleil Quidam present. I take pleasure in performing it due to the variations in music from the start to finish, which supplies us the chance to precise completely different types of music and inform a narrative.
WF: At first, my accomplice is enjoying a personality that has been transported to a dream world the place my character lives. I discover her and take her from room to room in my costly fantastic citadel. I take pleasure in performing this free dance as a result of I like to have the ability to dance with out holding again. This free dance, particularly the Choreographic Step Sequence, actually lets me do it.
How is your crew coaching for the Championships? Have any adjustments been made because the Ultimate?
Because the Ultimate we have now been engaged on our skating expertise and refining the small particulars inside our packages. We’re working arduous to good all the weather and to boost our grades of execution and element scores.
Share your ideas about competing for the primary time on the U.S. Nationwide Championships. What are you essentially the most enthusiastic about?
SF: I believe will probably be an amazing alternative to expertise competing in entrance of a bigger viewers and to current every thing that we have now been working arduous on for our final competitors of the season.
WF: I really like performing and this can be a nice alternative to carry out in entrance of mates, household and spectators on a grand scale.
Clara Fugate (16) & Warren Fugate (16)
The crew trains in Canton, MI on the Michigan Ice Dance Academy (MIDA) with Tanith White, Charlie White and Greg Zuerlein. They started skating on the age of three and a half. The twins are the 2025 Ice Dance Ultimate pewter medalists.
Why did you select to do ice dance?
Clara Fugate (CF): I’ve at all times appreciated the creative facet.
Warren Fugate (WF): We at all times had a ardour for skating with one another.
Inform us about skating together with your sibling. Are there benefits? Disadvantages?
CF: I don’t assume there are any disadvantages. Benefit: It makes our bond as siblings stronger.
WF: I don’t see any disadvantages. As benefits go, we have now much more alternative to follow collectively.
Inform us about your free dance. Why do you take pleasure in skating it?
CF: It’s enjoyable, and the music is upbeat and makes you cheerful.
WF: This 12 months we selected Rio. It’s enjoyable to skate and picture all of the birds and really feel you’re there as effectively.
How is your crew coaching and making ready for the Championships? Have any adjustments been made because the Ice Dance Ultimate?
We’re coaching arduous similar to we might for any competitors. We have now made a few adjustments and are trying ahead to performing them.
You competed on the 2024 Nationals – the primary season novice ice dance was invited. Share your ideas and pleasure on returning to the occasion. How will your expertise assist?
CF: It was an amazing honor to go final 12 months, and we’re excited to go this 12 months. It helps me really feel extra ready for this 12 months’s Nationals.
WF: After competing on the 2024 Nationals, I’ve felt extra assured as a performer. I’m feeling extra assured for Nationals understanding what to anticipate.
Annie Huang (16) & Simon Mintz (16)
The crew trains on the Colonial FSC in Boxboro, MA (major website) and New England Sports activities Middle in Marlboro, MA (secondary website) with Coaches Dmitri Boundoukin and Svetlana Kulikova. The dancers are the 2024 Problem Cup gold medalists.
When did you start skating? Why did you select ice dance?
Annie Huang (AH): After seeing skaters on Frog Pond within the Boston Widespread I used to be mesmerized and needed to attempt it. I began skating after I was 4 in a learn-to-skate lesson on the Skating Membership of Boston. I did singles and synchro. I began ice dance after I was twelve.
Simon Mintz (SM): I first skated at three and a half by pushing crates on the ice. At age 4 I took group classes. After seeing a good friend do a solo efficiency in a vacation present, I started personal classes. I attempted synchro and my coach instructed ice dance to enhance my posture. Then I danced with a accomplice and realized I most popular ice dance to different forms of determine skating. I actually just like the efficiency facet.
When and the way did your partnership start?
The partnership started in September 2023. Annie and Simon had been working individually with Coach Boundoukin. Simon was on the lookout for a brand new accomplice and taking personal classes. They quickly discovered one another via their coach and began working collectively.
Inform us about your free dance, and why you take pleasure in skating it?
AH: Our free dance is “Besame Mucho” by Lara Louise, a slower, Rhumba-like tune and “Baila Me” by the Gipsy Kings, a faster-paced Paso Doble fashion. They’re each new types for me. I take pleasure in skating this system as a result of it challenges me each day. My favourite half Is the Choreographic Step Sequence due to its quick tempo, and it’s actually enjoyable to do.
SM: It’s actually enjoyable music to skate to. The gradual half lets us display our edges and specific extra. I actually take pleasure in having the ability to specific out to the viewers within the Choreographic Step Sequence, however my favourite half is the
footwork to start with as a result of I’m able to work on skating out to gradual music with expression which is a enjoyable problem.
How is your crew coaching and making ready for the Championships? Have any adjustments been madesince the Dance Ultimate?
AH & SM: We’re working with a ballroom dance instructor to enhance our efficiency and interplay with one another. On the whole, we’re specializing in fine-tuning the important thing factors and fundamentals of our program.
Share your ideas about competing for the primary time on the U.S. Nationwide Championships. What are you most enthusiastic about?
AH: I’m very excited to compete on the Nationwide Championships. I’m glad we get to compete all our packages one final time this season. I’m most enthusiastic about having the ability to share the ice with so many superb skaters.
SM: I’m actually glad that I’m getting one other alternative to compete with the group we’ve competed with so this season. They’re all nice individuals. I’m additionally trying ahead to being in the identical competitors as all these high-level skaters on the junior and senior degree. I’m most likely essentially the most excited to do our packages once more, particularly the Waltz and free dance. I really feel we left some key factors and program parts on the desk [at the Final] and actually wish to hit some level objectives.
