by Anne Calder | Images by Daphne Backman
The 2026 U.S. Determine Skating Championships had been held in larger St. Louis, MO January 4-11. The principle occasion, which included the number of the 2026 Olympic Staff was held on the downtown Enterprise Middle.
Earlier within the week, twelve Junior groups competed on the Centene Group Ice Middle within the Maryland Heights suburb. Hana Marie Aboian & Daniil Veselukin and Jasmine Robertson & Chase Rohner earned byes by qualifying for the Junior Grand Prix Last in Nagoya, Japan. Ten groups certified on the Ice Dance Last.
RHYTHM DANCE
The 2025-2026 ISU Junior / Senior Rhythm Dance theme is “The Music, Dance Kinds, and Feeling of the Nineteen Nineties,” requiring high-energy music from that decade (Pop, Hip-Hop, Grunge, and so forth.) with crowd-pleasing power, not classical types. Skaters should embody the 90s vibe by means of motion and holds, with no aggressive lyrics allowed.
After the Rhythm Dance, the leaderboard confirmed: (1) Hana Marie Aboian & Daniil Veselukhin, (2) Jasmine Robertson & Chase Rohner, (3) Anaelle Kouevi & Yann Homawooo, (4) Jane Calhoun & Mark Zheltyshev, and (5) Aneta Vaclavikova & William Lissauer.
Aboian & Veselukhin had an eight level lead with a 71.68 rating for his or her dance to “Vogue” by Madonna. The group trains in Newington, CT with Melissa Gregory and Denis Petukhov.
Jasmine Robertson and Chase Rohner scored 63.56 with their music to “Groove Is within the Coronary heart” by Deer-Lite and “100% Pure Love” by Crystal Waters. The duo trains with Igor Shpilband’s group in Novi, MI.
Anaelle Kouevi & Yann Homawoo used the music of “Soar” by Kriss Kross and “Motownphilly” by Boyz II Males to attain 58.81. The cousins prepare in Leesburg, VA with Alexei Kiliakov, Elena Novak, Pierre Souquet-Basiege.
Jane Calhoun & Mark Zheltyshev earned a 58.61 for his or her dance to “Ice Ice Child” by Vanilla Ice, “Black Espresso” by Heavy D & the Boyz, and “U Can’t Contact This” by MC Hammer. Elena Dostatni and Logan Giulietti-Schmitt coach the group in Colorado Springs, CO.
Aneta Vaclavikova & William Lissauer scored 56.17 dancing to “If You Might Learn My Thoughts” by Extremely Nate, Amber & Jocelyn Enriquez and “Free” by Extremely Nate. The group is coached by Melissa Gregory and Denis Petukhov in Newington, CT.
FREE DANCE
Meet the 2026 Junior Ice Dance Podium: Hana Marie Aboian & Daniil Veselukhin (gold), Jasmine Robertson & Chase Rohner (silver), Jane Calhoun & Mark Zheltyshev (bronze), and Aneta Vaclavikova & William Lissauer (pewter)
Aboian & Veselukhin’s mesmerizing interpretation of “Hymnus Orbis,” “Salvation For a Proud Nation” and “Give up to Hope” by Trailerhead scored 102.79. The dancers discovered one another on Companion Search in December 2023. Now they’re two-time U.S Nationwide Champions.
“The free dance was great – precisely what we had been hoping for,” Aboian stated after their skate. “We delivered the whole lot we wished right here, and we left the whole lot on the ice.”
Veselukhin continued, “It was actually nice. I can’t course of it absolutely now. I’m actually drained. All of the exhausting work for the season is exhibiting the outcomes. We’re actually grateful for the whole lot we’ve obtained. Simply actually grateful.”
Aboian spoke about being again to again champions. “The truth that we certified for nationals final yr was insane for me, Successful the title was like years and years of effort lastly paid off. Coming again and doing it once more is a surreal feeling that makes me so proud.”
“Earlier than final season began, we couldn’t think about that we had been going to win our first title collectively in our first season,” Veselukhin added. “Now it’s our second season collectively, and we’ve already gone all over the place, and it feels actually surreal, actually memorable. I couldn’t think about myself after I was youthful, only a child, that I used to be going to do that.”
The newly topped 2025 Junior Grand Prix Last gold medalists scored a complete 174.47 factors.
Robertson & Rohner danced to “Le Temps des Cathédrales” and “La Fête des Fous” from the musical “Notre Dame de Paris” by Richard Cocciante and Luc Plamondon. The group scored 94.60 for this system and a complete 158.16 factors.
“This system felt actually good – like we had been portraying the story that we’re attempting to inform of Esmeralda and Quasimodo,” Robertson defined.
The group mirrored on the Championships as an entire. “It was tremendous superior. It glided by actually quick, which is unlucky. I want I might savor it a bit extra, however I loved performing each applications. I’m actually pleased with what we put on the market,” Robertson stated.
“It’s been superb. it’s been very enjoyable,” Rohner added.
Calhoun & Zheltyshev selected music from the Starvation Video games collection for his or her Free Dance presentation and scored 88.14 and totaled 146.75.
The partnership happened as a result of the dancers mom knew one another again in Russia. After tryouts with totally different skaters, Calhoun and Zheltyshev gave it a strive. It was a hit. .
Zheltyshev ended this system with a powerful fist pump. “That is my first nationwide championship in all my life,” he laughed. “I’m very blissful! The free dance was very emotional … after the twizzles.”
“It was a lot simpler than our first competitors [Lake Placid International] * which was solely seven weeks after our tryout,” Calhoun added.
*Calhoun & Zheltyshev positioned fifth out of 14 groups, with a 3rd place rhythm dance on the Lake Placid Ice Dance Worldwide.
Vaclavikova & Lissauer danced to “Moonlight Sonata” carried out by Sandra Kissy and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, with the unique composer being L. V. Beethoven. The group moved from fifth to fourth place with an 83.74 rating and 139.91 whole that delivered a pewter medal.
“I assumed the skate was very nice,” Lissauer stated. “We ended it off on a excessive observe, which is all we had been hoping to do. We put the whole lot on the market that we might. I feel we’re each proud of how the efficiency went.”
“It was clear. I’m blissful to finish the season on a clear program,” Vaclavikova added.
Kouevi & Homawoo danced to The 4 Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi and earned a sixth place 80.82 rating. After a disappointing rotational elevate, the cousins sadly slipped from third to fifth place.
“Some issues might have been higher, however for probably the most half, we actually improved” Kouevi stated. “That was our aim to type of have an necessary feel-good feeling with ourselves.”
“There was just one mistake that occurred, and it type of value rather a lot,” Homawoo added. “General the skate was not that dangerous. The rating was really higher than the 2026 Ice Dance Last that had no errors. Mentally and bodily, I feel, is the place our coaching obtained us to the purpose the place I used to be capable of peek at this competitors, so it undoubtedly felt actually good, probably the greatest competitions this season.”
JUNIOR ICE CHIPS
- The second, third and fourth place podium groups have been companions for lower than a yr: Robertson & Rohner (January 2025), Vaclavikova & Lissauer. (March 2025) Calhoun & Zheltyshev (June 2025). All three groups made their U.S. Championships debut.
- After the dancers partnered, Daniil Veselukhin and Coach Denis Petukhov found they had been from the identical Russian metropolis. Now the relations usually watch competitions collectively at their countryside residence.
- Hana Marie Aboian & Daniil Veselukhin are the ninth U.S. Ice Dance group to win the ISU JGPF.
- The Fugate farm in Michigan raises many sorts of animals. As a pastime exterior of skating, Warren runs a small enterprise, WCF Poultry, that sells chicks and hatching eggs of the turkeys, geese, geese, pheasants, peacocks, and so forth. “I had a turkey that I offered this yr that was being proven on the nationwide circuit, and he gained APA Nationwide Champion. That was fairly cool to see.”
WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS TEAM SELECTION
The ISU World Junior Determine Skating Championships 2026 will happen on the Tondiraba Ice Corridor in Tallinn, Estonia, from March 3-8. The group contains the next:
Hana Maria Aboian and Daniil Veselukhin
Jane Calhoun and Mark Zheltyshev
Jasmine Robertson and Chase Rohner
Alternate 1: Michelle Deych and Ryan Hu
Alternate 2: Annelise Stapert and Maxim Korotcov
Alternate 3: Grace Fischer and Luke Fischer
