Maia Shibutani
Encyclopedia
Maia Harumi Shibutani is an American
ice dancer. She competes with her brother Alex Shibutani
. They are the 2011 World bronze medalists
, 2011 Four Continents silver medalists
, 2009 World Junior silver medalists
, 2011 U.S. national silver medalists
, 2011 NHK Trophy champions
and 2010 U.S. Junior national champions
.
in 2007.
Maia Shibutani was originally home-schooled. She graduated from Clague Middle School
in 2008 and entered Huron High School in the fall of 2008.
in Washington D.C. Her brother said, "We were seated close to the ice in the second row, and when the ice dancers
came out for their warm up, we could actually feel a gust of wind as the skaters flew by. We were so impressed with the artistry, skating quality, and speed of the top teams that we decided to give it a try."
Maia and Alex Shibutani teamed up to compete in ice dancing in the spring of 2004. During the 2004–2005 season, their first season of competition, they competed on the juvenile level, which is the lowest competitive level in the U.S. Figure Skating testing structure. They competed at the 2005 North Atlantic Regional Championships, the qualifying competition for the U.S. Junior Championships, and won the competition. The win qualified them for the 2005 U.S. Junior Championships. At that competition, they placed second in the first compulsory dance, fourth in the second compulsory dance, and third in the free dance. They won the silver medal overall.
In the 2005–2006 season, they moved up to the Intermediate level. The Shibutanis won the Southwestern Regional Championships, their qualifying competition for the 2006 U.S Junior Championships. At the 2006 U.S. Junior Championships, they placed second in the first compulsory dance and then won the second compulsory and free dances to win the title overall. They worked as guest bloggers and aides for the media staff for U.S. Figure Skating at the 2006 U.S. Championships, and again at the 2006 Four Continents
, which were held in Colorado Springs.
In the 2006–2007 season, they moved up to the novice level, which is the first and lowest of three levels that compete at the U.S. Championships. At the 2007 Midwestern Sectional Championships, their qualifying competition for the national championships, the Shibutanis competed under the ISU Judging System
for the first time. They placed second in the first compulsory dance and then won the second compulsory and the free dances to win the competition overall and qualify for the 2007 U.S. Championships
. At Nationals, the Shibutanis placed second in both compulsory dances and then won the free dance to win the novice gold medal by a margin of victory of 2.06 points ahead of silver medalists Sara Bailey & Kyle Herring. This was their second consecutive national title.
In the 2007–2008 season, the Shibutanis moved up to the junior level nationally. However, they were unable to compete internationally on the junior level because Maia was not yet old enough. At the 2008 Midwestern Sectionals, the Shibutanis placed fourth in the compulsory dance and then third in the original and free dances to win the bronze medal overall. This medal qualified them for the 2008 U.S. Championships
. At Nationals, they placed 7th in the compulsory dance, 2nd in the original dance, and 4th in the free dance. They placed 4th overall, winning the pewter medal.
In the 2008–2009 season, Maia became age-eligible for the international junior circuit. The Shibutanis made their junior international debut on the ISU Junior Grand Prix
. At their first event, the 2008-2009 ISU Junior Grand Prix
event in Courchevel, France, they placed second in the compulsory dance and then won the original and free dances to win the gold medal overall by a margin of victory of 11.00 points over silver medalists Kharis Ralph
and Asher Hill
. They were then assigned to their second event, the event in Madrid
, Spain
. At this event, they placed second in all three segments of the competition and won the silver medal, placing 4.24 points behind champions Ekaterina Riazanova
and Jonathan Guerreiro
. These two medals qualified them for the 2008-2009 ISU Junior Grand Prix Final, for which they were the third-ranked qualifiers. Qualifying for the event had also qualified them for the 2009 U.S. Championships
.
The Junior Grand Prix Final was being held concurrently with the senior final for the first time and so did not have a compulsory dance segment. The Shibutanis placed 7th in the original dance, 4.79 points behind original dance leaders Madison Chock
& Greg Zuerlein
. The Shibutanis placed 3rd in the free dance. They placed 4th overall.
The Shibutanis went on to the 2009 U.S. Championships
, where they competed on the junior level for the second consecutive year. At the event, the Shibutanis placed second in the compulsory dance, the original dance, and the free dance. They won the silver medal, placing 6.78 points behind Chock and Zuerlein. This was their fifth consecutive medal at a national-level competition. Following the competition, the Shibutanis were named to the team to the 2009 World Junior Championships
.
At Junior Worlds, the Shibutanis placed 5th in the compulsory dance, 4th in the original dance, and 2nd in the free dance. They won the silver medal, placing 10.40 points behind Chock and Zuerlein.
In the 2009–2010 season, the Shibutanis won both their junior Grand Prix events and won the bronze medal at the Junior Grand Prix Final
. They again skated at the junior level at US Nationals
, which they won. At 2010 Junior Worlds
, they finished off the podium in fourth place. This was their final junior event.
, moving up from eighth after the short dance with a strong free dance showing. They won the bronze medal at both the 2010 NHK Trophy
and the 2010 Skate America
, making them the first dance team to medal at both Grand Prix events in its first senior season. They were the first alternates for the Grand Prix final.
The Shibutanis finished second at U.S. Nationals
and were chosen to compete at the Four Continents
and World Championships
. They won the silver medal at Four Continents. At the World Championships, they were in fourth after the short dance, 4.09 points behind third-placed Nathalie Péchalat
/ Fabian Bourzat
. In the free dance, they scored 4.34 ahead of Pechalat and Bourzat, both of whom had fallen. The Shibutanis finished third overall by 0.25 points and won a bronze in their World Championships debut, a feat not even Virtue and Moir, the current Olympic Champions had accomplished.
with a silver medal at the 2011 Finlandia Trophy
.
For the Grand Prix
season, the Shibutanis were assigned to the 2011 Cup of China
and 2011 NHK Trophy
. They placed 2nd at the Cup of China. A week later they placed 1st at the NHK Trophy, edging Kaitlyn Weaver
and Andrew Poje
for gold by .09 points. It was the Shibutanis' first senior Grand Prix title. Their combined results qualified them for the Grand Prix Final
.
Maia and Alex Shibutani originally competed as single skaters. Their singles coach, Kathy Bird, arranged for them to work with their first dancing coaches Andy Stroukoff and Susie Kelley
. The Shibutanis also worked with Mary Marchiselli. During their juvenile season, their programs were choreographed by Josh Babb.
After moving up to the Intermediate level following the 2004–2005 season and performing well at the non-qualifying competitions, the Shibutanis went to Colorado Springs, Colorado
to work with choreographer Tom Dickson
. During that off-season, they were being coached by Judy Blumberg
on the east coast. After doing better than expected at the Lake Placid Ice Dance Competition in the summer of 2005, the Shibutanis decided to move coaching centers to a better training environment and so moved to train in Colorado Springs under head coach Patti Gottwein. During that time, they also worked with Rich Griffin, Damon Allen
and Eric Schulz.
Following the 2007 U.S. Championships, the Shibutanis changed coaches to Igor Shpilband
and Marina Zueva in Canton, Michigan. One factor in the decision to change coaches was the issue of university for Alex Shibutani, who at the time of the coaching change, had two years left of high school and was considering his university options.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ice dancer. She competes with her brother Alex Shibutani
Alex Shibutani
Alex Hideo Shibutani is an American ice dancer. He competes with younger sister Maia Shibutani. They are the 2011 World bronze medalists, 2011 Four Continents silver medalists, 2009 World Junior silver medalists, 2011 U.S. national silver medalists, 2011 NHK Trophy champions and 2010 U.S...
. They are the 2011 World bronze medalists
World Figure Skating Championships
The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion...
, 2011 Four Continents silver medalists
Four Continents Figure Skating Championships
The Four Continents Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition. The International Skating Union established it in 1999 to provide skaters representing non-European countries with a similar competition to the much older European Figure Skating Championships and a chance...
, 2009 World Junior silver medalists
2009 World Junior Figure Skating Championships
The 2009 World Junior Figure Skating Championships was the World Junior Figure Skating Championships for the 2008–2009 figure skating season. Commonly called "World Juniors" and "Junior Worlds", they are an annual figure skating competition in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of...
, 2011 U.S. national silver medalists
2011 United States Figure Skating Championships
The 2011 United States Figure Skating Championships were a national figure skating competition during the 2010–2011 season. Skaters competed for the title of U.S. national champion in men's singles, ladies singles, pair skating and ice dancing on the senior, junior, and novice levels...
, 2011 NHK Trophy champions
2011 NHK Trophy
The 2011 NHK Trophy will be the NHK Trophy Grand Prix competition of the 2011–2012 season and the fourth of six events in the 2011–2012 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, a senior-level international invitational competition series. The event is organized annually by the Japan Skating Federation.The...
and 2010 U.S. Junior national champions
2010 United States Figure Skating Championships
The 2010 United States Figure Skating Championships was the United States Figure Skating Championships of the 2009-2010 figure skating season. It was the national championship of the United States. In addition, the event was used to determine the U.S...
.
Personal life
Maia Shibutani was born to Chris and Naomi Shibutani, who met as Harvard musicians. She lived in Colorado Springs from 2005 through 2007. She moved to Ann Arbor, MichiganAnn Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
in 2007.
Maia Shibutani was originally home-schooled. She graduated from Clague Middle School
Clague Middle School
Clague Middle School is a public school in Ann Arbor, in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located at 2616 Nixon Road on the northeast side of Ann Arbor, located around the Maplewood and Bromley neighborhoods. The school serves grades 6-8, with its principal being Ms. Cynthia Leaman...
in 2008 and entered Huron High School in the fall of 2008.
Early career
Maia Shibutani began skating at age four. She originally trained as a single skater and tested up to the juvenile level in singles. In March 2003, she and her family attended the World Championships2003 World Figure Skating Championships
The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion. This event is considered the most prestigious of the ISU Championships...
in Washington D.C. Her brother said, "We were seated close to the ice in the second row, and when the ice dancers
Ice dancing
Ice dancing is a form of figure skating which draws from the world of ballroom dancing. It was first competed at the World Figure Skating Championships in 1952, but did not become a Winter Olympic Games medal sport until 1976....
came out for their warm up, we could actually feel a gust of wind as the skaters flew by. We were so impressed with the artistry, skating quality, and speed of the top teams that we decided to give it a try."
Maia and Alex Shibutani teamed up to compete in ice dancing in the spring of 2004. During the 2004–2005 season, their first season of competition, they competed on the juvenile level, which is the lowest competitive level in the U.S. Figure Skating testing structure. They competed at the 2005 North Atlantic Regional Championships, the qualifying competition for the U.S. Junior Championships, and won the competition. The win qualified them for the 2005 U.S. Junior Championships. At that competition, they placed second in the first compulsory dance, fourth in the second compulsory dance, and third in the free dance. They won the silver medal overall.
In the 2005–2006 season, they moved up to the Intermediate level. The Shibutanis won the Southwestern Regional Championships, their qualifying competition for the 2006 U.S Junior Championships. At the 2006 U.S. Junior Championships, they placed second in the first compulsory dance and then won the second compulsory and free dances to win the title overall. They worked as guest bloggers and aides for the media staff for U.S. Figure Skating at the 2006 U.S. Championships, and again at the 2006 Four Continents
2006 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships
The 2006 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships were the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships for the 2005/2006 season. Commonly abbreviated "4CC", they are an annual figure skating competition in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of Four Continents Champion. Skaters...
, which were held in Colorado Springs.
In the 2006–2007 season, they moved up to the novice level, which is the first and lowest of three levels that compete at the U.S. Championships. At the 2007 Midwestern Sectional Championships, their qualifying competition for the national championships, the Shibutanis competed under the ISU Judging System
ISU Judging System
The ISU Judging System , is the scoring system on the event and on the level of competition. At the senior international level, single and pairs short programs contain eight technical elements. The actual eight elements are detailed for single skaters in ISU rule 310...
for the first time. They placed second in the first compulsory dance and then won the second compulsory and the free dances to win the competition overall and qualify for the 2007 U.S. Championships
2007 United States Figure Skating Championships
The U.S. Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition organized by the United States Figure Skating Association. In addition to determining the national champions, the event is used to determine the U.S. teams for the World Figure Skating Championships, World Junior Figure...
. At Nationals, the Shibutanis placed second in both compulsory dances and then won the free dance to win the novice gold medal by a margin of victory of 2.06 points ahead of silver medalists Sara Bailey & Kyle Herring. This was their second consecutive national title.
Junior career
2008 United States Figure Skating Championships
The 2008 United States Figure Skating Championships was the figure skating national championship to determine the national champions of the United States for the 2007/2008 season. It was organized by the United States Figure Skating Association. In addition to determining the national champions,...
. At Nationals, they placed 7th in the compulsory dance, 2nd in the original dance, and 4th in the free dance. They placed 4th overall, winning the pewter medal.
In the 2008–2009 season, Maia became age-eligible for the international junior circuit. The Shibutanis made their junior international debut on the ISU Junior Grand Prix
ISU Junior Grand Prix
The ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating is a series of international invitational junior level competitions organized by the International Skating Union. Junior figure skaters compete in the disciplines of men's singles, ladies' singles, pair skating, and ice dancing...
. At their first event, the 2008-2009 ISU Junior Grand Prix
2008-2009 ISU Junior Grand Prix
The 2008–2009 ISU Junior Grand Prix was the twelfth season of the ISU Junior Grand Prix, a series of international junior level competitions organized by the International Skating Union. It was the Junior-level complement to the 2008–2009 Grand Prix of Figure Skating, which was for Senior-level...
event in Courchevel, France, they placed second in the compulsory dance and then won the original and free dances to win the gold medal overall by a margin of victory of 11.00 points over silver medalists Kharis Ralph
Kharis Ralph
Kharis Ralph is a Canadian ice dancer. She competes with partner Asher Hill. They are the 2008 Canadian junior national champions, the 2007 Canadian novice national champions, the 2006 Canadian pre-novice champions, and 2011 Nebelhorn Trophy bronze medalists...
and Asher Hill
Asher Hill
Asher Hill is a Canadian ice dancer. He competes with partner Kharis Ralph. They are the 2008 Canadian junior national champions, the 2007 Canadian novice national champions, the 2006 Canadian pre-novice champions, and 2011 Nebelhorn Trophy bronze medalists...
. They were then assigned to their second event, the event in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. At this event, they placed second in all three segments of the competition and won the silver medal, placing 4.24 points behind champions Ekaterina Riazanova
Ekaterina Riazanova
Ekaterina Vladimirovna Riazanova is a Russian ice dancer. With partner Ilia Tkachenko, she is the 2011 Russian national silver medalist.- Early career :...
and Jonathan Guerreiro
Jonathan Guerreiro
Jonathan Guerreiro is a Russian-Australian ice dancer who currently competes internationally for Russia. With current partner Ekaterina Pushkash, he is the 2011 World Junior silver medalist and 2011 Russian Junior silver medalist....
. These two medals qualified them for the 2008-2009 ISU Junior Grand Prix Final, for which they were the third-ranked qualifiers. Qualifying for the event had also qualified them for the 2009 U.S. Championships
2009 United States Figure Skating Championships
The 2009 United States Figure Skating Championships were the United States Figure Skating Championships of the 2008-2009 figure skating season. They were a national championship to determine the national champions of the United States. In addition to determining the national champions, the event...
.
The Junior Grand Prix Final was being held concurrently with the senior final for the first time and so did not have a compulsory dance segment. The Shibutanis placed 7th in the original dance, 4.79 points behind original dance leaders Madison Chock
Madison Chock
- External links :...
& Greg Zuerlein
Greg Zuerlein
- External links :*...
. The Shibutanis placed 3rd in the free dance. They placed 4th overall.
The Shibutanis went on to the 2009 U.S. Championships
2009 United States Figure Skating Championships
The 2009 United States Figure Skating Championships were the United States Figure Skating Championships of the 2008-2009 figure skating season. They were a national championship to determine the national champions of the United States. In addition to determining the national champions, the event...
, where they competed on the junior level for the second consecutive year. At the event, the Shibutanis placed second in the compulsory dance, the original dance, and the free dance. They won the silver medal, placing 6.78 points behind Chock and Zuerlein. This was their fifth consecutive medal at a national-level competition. Following the competition, the Shibutanis were named to the team to the 2009 World Junior Championships
2009 World Junior Figure Skating Championships
The 2009 World Junior Figure Skating Championships was the World Junior Figure Skating Championships for the 2008–2009 figure skating season. Commonly called "World Juniors" and "Junior Worlds", they are an annual figure skating competition in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of...
.
At Junior Worlds, the Shibutanis placed 5th in the compulsory dance, 4th in the original dance, and 2nd in the free dance. They won the silver medal, placing 10.40 points behind Chock and Zuerlein.
In the 2009–2010 season, the Shibutanis won both their junior Grand Prix events and won the bronze medal at the Junior Grand Prix Final
2009–2010 Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final
The 2009–2010 Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final was the Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final and the Junior Grand Prix Final competition of the 2009–2010 figure skating season...
. They again skated at the junior level at US Nationals
2010 United States Figure Skating Championships
The 2010 United States Figure Skating Championships was the United States Figure Skating Championships of the 2009-2010 figure skating season. It was the national championship of the United States. In addition, the event was used to determine the U.S...
, which they won. At 2010 Junior Worlds
2010 World Junior Figure Skating Championships
The 2010 World Junior Figure Skating Championships was the World Junior Figure Skating Championships for the 2009–2010 figure skating season. Commonly called "World Juniors" and "Junior Worlds", they were an annual figure skating competition in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of...
, they finished off the podium in fourth place. This was their final junior event.
Senior career
2010–2011 season
In the 2010–2011 season, the Shibutanis moved to the senior level. They finished fifth at the 2010 Nebelhorn Trophy2010 Nebelhorn Trophy
The 2010 Nebelhorn Trophy was the Nebelhorn Trophy for the 2010–2011 figure skating season. The competition is held annually in Oberstdorf, Germany and is named after the Nebelhorn, a nearby mountain....
, moving up from eighth after the short dance with a strong free dance showing. They won the bronze medal at both the 2010 NHK Trophy
2010 NHK Trophy
The 2010 NHK Trophy was the NHK Trophy Grand Prix competition of the 2010–2011 season and the first of six events in the 2010–2011 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, a senior-level international invitational competition series. The event is organized annually by the Japan Skating Federation.The...
and the 2010 Skate America
2010 Skate America
* *...
, making them the first dance team to medal at both Grand Prix events in its first senior season. They were the first alternates for the Grand Prix final.
The Shibutanis finished second at U.S. Nationals
2011 United States Figure Skating Championships
The 2011 United States Figure Skating Championships were a national figure skating competition during the 2010–2011 season. Skaters competed for the title of U.S. national champion in men's singles, ladies singles, pair skating and ice dancing on the senior, junior, and novice levels...
and were chosen to compete at the Four Continents
2011 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships
The 2011 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships was the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships for the 2010–2011 season. Skaters competed in the disciplines of men's singles, ladies singles, pair skating, and ice dancing for the title of Four Continents Champion...
and World Championships
2011 World Figure Skating Championships
The 2011 World Figure Skating Championships are the World Figure Skating Championships for the 2010–2011 season. They are an annual figure skating competition in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion....
. They won the silver medal at Four Continents. At the World Championships, they were in fourth after the short dance, 4.09 points behind third-placed Nathalie Péchalat
Nathalie Péchalat
Nathalie Péchalat is a French ice dancer who competes with Fabian Bourzat. They are the 2011 European Champions, the 2010–2011 Grand Prix Final silver and 2009–2010 bronze medalists, 2010 Cup of China champions, 2010 Trophée Eric Bompard champions, and two-time French national champions .- Career...
/ Fabian Bourzat
Fabian Bourzat
Fabian Bourzat is a French ice dancer. He competes with Nathalie Péchalat. They are the 2011 European Champions, 2010–2011 Grand Prix Final silver and 2009–2010 bronze medalists, 2010 Cup of China champions, 2010 Trophée Eric Bompard champions, and two time French national champions .- Career :-...
. In the free dance, they scored 4.34 ahead of Pechalat and Bourzat, both of whom had fallen. The Shibutanis finished third overall by 0.25 points and won a bronze in their World Championships debut, a feat not even Virtue and Moir, the current Olympic Champions had accomplished.
2011–2012 season
The Shibutanis started their 2011–2012 season2011–2012 figure skating season
The 2011–2012 figure skating season begins on July 1, 2011, and ends on June 30, 2012. During this season, elite skaters will compete on the ISU Championship level at the 2012 European, Four Continents, World Junior, and World Championships...
with a silver medal at the 2011 Finlandia Trophy
2011 Finlandia Trophy
The 2011 Finlandia Trophy was an international figure skating competition for the 2011–2012 season. It was the 16th edition of the annual event...
.
For the Grand Prix
2011–12 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating
The 2011–2012 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating will be a series of senior international figure skating competitions in the 2011–2012 season. Skaters will compete in the disciplines of men's singles, ladies singles, pair skating, and ice dancing at six invitational competitions in the fall of 2011...
season, the Shibutanis were assigned to the 2011 Cup of China
2011 Cup of China
The 2011 Cup of China was the Cup of China Grand Prix competition of the 2011–2012 season. Organized by the Chinese Skating Association, it was the third event of six in the 2011–2012 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, a senior-level international invitational competition series.The event was held...
and 2011 NHK Trophy
2011 NHK Trophy
The 2011 NHK Trophy will be the NHK Trophy Grand Prix competition of the 2011–2012 season and the fourth of six events in the 2011–2012 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, a senior-level international invitational competition series. The event is organized annually by the Japan Skating Federation.The...
. They placed 2nd at the Cup of China. A week later they placed 1st at the NHK Trophy, edging Kaitlyn Weaver
Kaitlyn Weaver
Kaitlyn Weaver is an American-Canadian ice dancer who represents Canada internationally. With partner Andrew Poje, she is the 2010 Four Continents champion, 2008 Canadian national silver medalist and 2007 World Junior bronze medalist...
and Andrew Poje
Andrew Poje
Andrew Poje is a Canadian ice dancer. With partner Kaitlyn Weaver, he is the 2010 Four Continents champion, the 2008 Canadian national silver medalist and World Junior bronze medalist.- Career :...
for gold by .09 points. It was the Shibutanis' first senior Grand Prix title. Their combined results qualified them for the Grand Prix Final
2011–2012 Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final
The 2011–2012 Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final will be the Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final and the Junior Grand Prix Final competition of the 2011–2012 season...
.
Coaching changes
Susan Kelley (figure skater)
Susan Marie "Susie" Kelley is an American ice dancer. With partner Andrew Stroukoff, she represented the United States at the 1976 Winter Olympics, where they placed 17th. They represented the Skating Club of BostonFollowing her retirement from skating, she became a coach...
. The Shibutanis also worked with Mary Marchiselli. During their juvenile season, their programs were choreographed by Josh Babb.
After moving up to the Intermediate level following the 2004–2005 season and performing well at the non-qualifying competitions, the Shibutanis went to Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado...
to work with choreographer Tom Dickson
Tom Dickson
Tom Dickson is an American figure skater who currently works as a coach and choreographer.-Career:During his eligible career, Dickson won the U.S. Figure Skating Championships at junior level in 1980; at the senior level, he placed 5th at the 1984 Championships. He also won Nebelhorn Trophy in 1980...
. During that off-season, they were being coached by Judy Blumberg
Judy Blumberg
Judith Ann "Judy" Blumberg is an American former ice dancer.Blumberg was born in Santa Monica, California. She and Michael Seibert won the 1981-1985 U.S. Figure Skating Championships and the 1983-1985 World bronze medalist. They placed 7th at the 1980 Winter Olympics and 4th at the 1984 Olympics...
on the east coast. After doing better than expected at the Lake Placid Ice Dance Competition in the summer of 2005, the Shibutanis decided to move coaching centers to a better training environment and so moved to train in Colorado Springs under head coach Patti Gottwein. During that time, they also worked with Rich Griffin, Damon Allen
Damon Allen
Damon Allen is a former professional quarterback in the Canadian Football League, most recently with the Toronto Argonauts. He is currently second in all-time professional football passing yards and second in all-time CFL passing yards after he was surpassed for first place by the Montréal...
and Eric Schulz.
Following the 2007 U.S. Championships, the Shibutanis changed coaches to Igor Shpilband
Igor Shpilband
-Personal life:Shpilband was born in Moscow. In January 1990, he and other skaters were part of a U.S. tour headlined by Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean when one of them, Gorsha Sur, decided to defect and Shpilband, Veronika Pershina and Elena Krikanova decided to join him. He got a coaching...
and Marina Zueva in Canton, Michigan. One factor in the decision to change coaches was the issue of university for Alex Shibutani, who at the time of the coaching change, had two years left of high school and was considering his university options.
Programs
| Season | Short dance Short dance The short dance is a segment of an ice dancing competition. It was approved by the June 2010 International Skating Union congress and instituted beginning in the 2010–2011 figure skating season... |
Free dance Free dance (figure skating) The free dance is a part of an ice dancing competition. It is the second part of the competition to be contested, after the short dance.-Structure and content:... |
Exhibition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011–2012 | Batucada by DJ Dero, Skip to the Bip by Club des Belugas, Jazz Machine by Black Machine |
Sun Valley Serenade Sun Valley Serenade Sun Valley Serenade is a 1941 musical film starring Sonja Henie, John Payne, Glenn Miller, Milton Berle, and Lynn Bari. It features The Glenn Miller Orchestra as well as dancing by The Nicholas Brothers and Dorothy Dandridge, performing "Chattanooga Choo Choo", which was nominated for an Academy... by Glenn Miller Orchestra Glenn Miller Orchestra The Glenn Miller Orchestra was originally formed in 1938 by Glenn Miller. It was arranged around a clarinet and tenor saxophone playing melody, while three other saxophones played the harmony... : In The Mood In the Mood "In the Mood" is a big band era #1 hit recorded by American bandleader Glenn Miller. Joe Garland and Andy Razaf arranged "In the Mood" in 1937-1939 using a previously existing main theme composed by Glenn Miller before the start of the 1930s... , Moonlight Serenade Moonlight Serenade Moonlight Serenade is an album by the American singer-songwriter Carly Simon. It is her 22nd studio album , and her fourth album of pop standards.... , Chattanooga Choo Choo Chattanooga Choo Choo "Chattanooga Choo Choo" is a song by Harry Warren and Mack Gordon . It was recorded in a big-band/swing manner by Glenn Miller and his orchestra and featured in the 1941 movie Sun Valley Serenade, which starred Sonja Henie, John Payne, Glenn Miller and his orchestra, The Modernaires, Milton Berle... |
|
| 2010–2011 | The Carousel Waltz by Richard Rodgers Richard Rodgers Richard Charles Rodgers was an American composer of music for more than 900 songs and for 43 Broadway musicals. He also composed music for films and television. He is best known for his songwriting partnerships with the lyricists Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein II... |
Smile Charlie Chaplin Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin, KBE was an English comic actor, film director and composer best known for his work during the silent film era. He became the most famous film star in the world before the end of World War I... soundtrack Let's Face the Music and Dance Let's Face the Music and Dance "Let's Face the Music and Dance" is a song written in 1936 by Irving Berlin for the film Follow the Fleet, where it was introduced by Fred Astaire and featured in a celebrated dance duet with Astaire and Ginger Rogers... by Irving Berlin Irving Berlin Irving Berlin was an American composer and lyricist of Jewish heritage, widely considered one of the greatest songwriters in American history.His first hit song, "Alexander's Ragtime Band", became world famous... |
The Prayer by Charlotte Church Charlotte Church Charlotte Maria Church is a Welsh singer-songwriter, actress and television presenter. She rose to fame in childhood as a classical singer before branching into pop music in 2005. By 2007, she had sold more than 10 million records worldwide including over 5 million in the United States... & Josh Groban Josh Groban Joshua Winslow "Josh" Groban is an American singer-songwriter, musician, actor, and record producer. His four solo albums have been certified at least multi-platinum, and in 2007, he was charted as the number-one best selling artist in the United States with over 21 million records in that country... La Vie En Rose La vie en rose "La Vie en Rose" was the signature song of French singer Édith Piaf.-Signature song of Édith Piaf:Édith Piaf first popularized La Vie en Rose in 1946. The lyrics were written by Piaf and the melody of the song by "Louiguy" . Initially, Piaf's peers and her songwriting team did not think the song... by Louis Armstrong Louis Armstrong Louis Armstrong , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana.... |
| Original dance Original dance The original dance was a segment of an ice dancing competition. It was usually the second of three programs, sandwiched between the compulsory dances and the free dance. Until 1994, it was known as the original set pattern dance... |
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| 2009–2010 | Itsuka Mata by Tetsuro Naito Ao-ki Kaze by Ryutaro Kaneko |
Tango Rhapsody by Luis Bacalov La Vie en Rose La Vie en rose (film) La Vie En Rose is a 2007 French biographical film about the life of French chanteuse Édith Piaf co-written, and directed by Olivier Dahan. Marion Cotillard stars as Piaf. The title La Vie en Rose comes from Piaf's signature song... by Louis Guglielmi |
La Vie En Rose La vie en rose "La Vie en Rose" was the signature song of French singer Édith Piaf.-Signature song of Édith Piaf:Édith Piaf first popularized La Vie en Rose in 1946. The lyrics were written by Piaf and the melody of the song by "Louiguy" . Initially, Piaf's peers and her songwriting team did not think the song... by Louis Armstrong Louis Armstrong Louis Armstrong , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana.... |
| 2008–2009 | Selections from Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day is a 2008 British/American romantic comedy film directed by Bharat Nalluri. The screenplay by David Magee and Simon Beaufoy is based on the 1938 novel of the same name by Winifred Watson.-Plot:... by Paul Englishby Paul Englishby Paul Englishby is a Film and Theatre Composer, Orchestrator, Conductor and Pianist. He is versatile across many genres, from big orchestral works to 1930s jazz-influenced scores. Englishby has composed the music for 4 feature films and 7 theatre productions in the past 2 years.-Short... |
Cinema Paradiso by Ennio Morricone Ennio Morricone Ennio Morricone, Grand Officer OMRI, , is an Italian composer and conductor, who wrote music to more than 500 motion pictures and television series, in a career lasting over 50 years. His scores have been included in over 20 award-winning films as well as several symphonic and choral pieces... |
Japanese Kodo Music |
| 2007–2008 | Japanese Kodo Music | Piano music by Jean-Marie Senia |
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| 2006–2007 | Memoirs of a Geisha Memoirs of a Geisha (film) Memoirs of a Geisha is a 2005 film adaptation of the novel of the same name, produced by Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment and Spyglass Entertainment and by Douglas Wick's Red Wagon Productions. It was directed by Rob Marshall. It was released in the United States on December 9, 2005 by... by John Williams |
Competitive highlights
(with Shibutani)Results
| Event | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006–07 | 2007–08 | 2008–09 | 2009–10 | 2010–11 | 2011–12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| World Championships World Figure Skating Championships The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion... |
3rd | |||||||
| Four Continents Championships Four Continents Figure Skating Championships The Four Continents Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition. The International Skating Union established it in 1999 to provide skaters representing non-European countries with a similar competition to the much older European Figure Skating Championships and a chance... |
2nd | |||||||
| World Junior Championships World Junior Figure Skating Championships The World Junior Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which younger figure skaters compete for the title of World Junior Champion... |
2nd | 4th | ||||||
| U.S. Championships United States Figure Skating Championships The United States Figure Skating Championships is figure skating competition held annually to crown the national champions of the United States. The competition is sanctioned by U.S. Figure Skating. In the U.S. skating community, the event is often referred to informally as "Nationals".Skaters... |
1st N. | 4th J. | 2nd J. | 1st J. | 2nd | |||
| U.S. Junior Championships | 2nd Ju. | 1st I. | ||||||
| Grand Prix Final | TBD | |||||||
| Cup of China Cup of China The Cup of China is an international, senior-level figure skating competition held as part of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series. The location changes yearly. Figure skaters compete in the disciplines of ladies' singles, men's singles, pair skating, and ice dancing.The Cup of China is... |
2nd | |||||||
| NHK Trophy NHK Trophy The NHK Trophy is an international, senior-level figure skating competition held as part of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series. Figure skaters compete in the disciplines of ladies' singles, men's singles, pair skating, and ice dancing.... |
3rd | 1st | ||||||
| Skate America Skate America Skate America is an international, senior-level figure skating competition held as part of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series. It is organized by the United States Figure Skating Association. The location changes yearly... |
3rd | |||||||
| Nebelhorn Trophy Nebelhorn Trophy The Nebelhorn Trophy is an international senior-level figure skating competition organized by the Deutsche Eislauf-Union and held annually in Oberstdorf, Germany. The competition is named after the Nebelhorn, a nearby mountain.... |
5th | |||||||
| Finlandia Trophy Finlandia Trophy The Finlandia Trophy is an annual senior-level international figure skating competition, held in Finland. Skaters compete in the disciplines of men's singles, ladies singles, pair skating and ice dancing, although not every discipline has been included in every year... |
2nd | |||||||
| Junior Grand Prix Final | 4th | 3rd | ||||||
| Junior Grand Prix, Croatia | 1st | |||||||
| Junior Grand Prix, USA | 1st | |||||||
| Junior Grand Prix, Spain 2008-2009 ISU Junior Grand Prix The 2008–2009 ISU Junior Grand Prix was the twelfth season of the ISU Junior Grand Prix, a series of international junior level competitions organized by the International Skating Union. It was the Junior-level complement to the 2008–2009 Grand Prix of Figure Skating, which was for Senior-level... |
2nd | |||||||
| Junior Grand Prix, France 2008-2009 ISU Junior Grand Prix The 2008–2009 ISU Junior Grand Prix was the twelfth season of the ISU Junior Grand Prix, a series of international junior level competitions organized by the International Skating Union. It was the Junior-level complement to the 2008–2009 Grand Prix of Figure Skating, which was for Senior-level... |
1st | |||||||
| North American Challenge Skate North American Challenge Skate The North American Challenge Skate was a series of annual summer figure skating competitions for American and Canadian figure skaters on the novice and junior levels. It was a developmental program rather than an elite competition series; the purpose of the program was to give young skaters a... |
2nd N. | |||||||
| Midwestern Sectionals Midwestern Sectional Figure Skating Championships The Midwestern Sectional Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by U.S. Figure Skating.Skaters compete in three levels: Senior, Junior, and Novice. Medals are awarded in four disciplines: Ladies singles, Men's singles, Pairs, and Ice dance. Medals are... |
1st N. | 3rd J. | ||||||
| Southwestern Regionals | 1st I. | |||||||
| North Atlantic Regionals | 1st Ju. |
- Ju = Juvenile level; I = Intermediate level; N = Novice level; J = Junior level