Solo Q & A: Andrea and Selena Alphonse

In this Solo Q&A, learn more about twin sisters Andrea and Selena Alphonse, pre-gold ice dancers from the United States who train with Penny Coomes, Nick Buckland and Diamond Ice Academy. Photos by Melanie Heaney Photography. 

How did each of you first get into skating, and was it always something you did together? Do you have any special memories?

We started skating in 2022 when we were 1. Skating has been something we always did together and one of our special memories was winning nationals our first year competing. This year we competed at the Edward G. Picken Ice Dance Classic and won gold in shadow dance. This was our first competition of the season and we’re really proud of how far we’ve come in 4 years.

What made you decide to pursue solo ice dance specifically?

Andrea: I started off as a singles skater and learned all my single jumps. I had no idea what ice dance was but after watching Madison Chock and Evan Bates at the 2022 Olympics, I fell in love and immediately knew that ice dance was what I wanted to pursue. I loved how passionate they are and how they’re able to express their emotions throughout their programs, it’s something I have always aspired to achieve. It was actually a full circle moment because we got to meet them at Skate America last year and I was able to tell them they were the reason I switched to ice dance.

Selena: I love both singles and ice dance. I’m currently novice and working on my triple salchow. When we first started skating we were told by many that skaters can’t do both figure skating and ice dance even though we loved both so much. One day Andrea and I saw a shadow team skating together, we looked at each other and instantly we fell in love with shadow dance. From there we began training really hard and skating 6 days a week in order to catch up to other skaters our age since we started late.

What do you like most about Solo Dance? What kind of music do you like to skate to the best? Why?

Andrea: I love skating to upbeat music especially for a free dance because I feel like I am having a party on the ice. And also because I’m skating by myself, the music helps me keep my energy high. I think one of my favorite things about ice dance is being able to express myself in so many different ways.

Selena: I love having the freedom to express myself. Whether it’s through my pattern or my free, I love adding something to showcase my personality or my gymnastics background. I also love skating to anything upbeat.

What’s one thing the two of you do exactly alike on the ice? And what’s something completely different about your skating personalities?

Something we do exactly alike is shadow dance. Because we’re doing the same pattern side by side at the same time, we have to look very identical. We also unintentionally do a lot of things alike in our daily lives like saying the exact same things or putting on the same outfit by accident, so shadow dance came pretty natural to us.

Something different about our skating personalities is that Selena is a lefty skater and I’m (Andrea) a righty skater. Meaning, Selena lands her jumps on her left leg and I land them on my right. This confuses a lot of our coaches.

Tell us about your training site.

We train at different rinks on the east coast. We have almost all the same coaches. Selena sees a few more coaches than I (Andrea) do for jumps. It’s amazing getting to train every day with my twin and share the love of the sport together.

Who choreographed your programs. What do you like best about skating them?

Usually our programs are choreographed by Olympians and Olympic coaches Nick Buckland and Penny Coomes, but this year’s choreography was done by one of our other coaches, former Team USA athlete Collin McManus, since Nick and Penny were coaches at the 2026 Winter Olympics. We have the best team! They are so supportive, caring and they each motivate us to be better athletes. We couldn’t have been where we are today without them.

Have there ever been moments where being twins made training harder?

Honestly, no. But it’s really funny when our coaches mix us up.

Please share some of your solo dance accomplishments.

We are 3 time National Solo Dance Final qualifiers. In 2022, our first year of competing, we won nationals. This year Selena competed in her first international competition, and we won gold at the 2026 Edward G. Picken Ice Dance Classic

Solo Dance is now an international discipline. Have you competed internationally?  

Selena: This year I competed at U.S. Solo Ice Dance International Edward G. Picken Dance Classic. It was my first international competition ever and an experience I will never forget. Competing internationally and representing the U.S. has always been a dream of mine and being able to accomplish my goal was definitely a dream come true.

What’s the biggest challenge in telling a story alone on the ice?

One of the biggest challenges in telling a story alone on the ice is being able to not only clearly tell your story in an artistic and entertaining way but also embrace the audience and take them on the journey with you.

Are there certain emotions or stories you naturally connect to on the ice?

We naturally connect to upbeat and high energy programs. We love feeling fierce and strong but we also like to switch it up with soft and gentle emotions as well.

What is your favorite pattern dance and why is it your favorite?

Andrea: My favorite pattern dance is definitely the Paso Doble. I love sharp and precise dances and I always feel so fierce and confident when I’m doing it.

Selena: My favorite pattern dance is the Quickstep because I feel like I’m being transported to another era.

How would you describe each other’s skating style in three words?

Andrea: If I had to describe Selena’s skating style in three words I would say fearless, energetic, and graceful.

Selena: If I described Andrea’s skating style in three words it would be fierce, confident and electric.

What are your short-term and long-term goals in solo dance and beyond?

Our short term goal is to qualify for nationals this season and get a personal best at each competition. One of our long term goals is getting an ice dance partner. Andrea would love to have an ice dance partner and Selena would love to have to compete pairs one day. And a major goal has always been to compete at the Olympics.

What has been your favorite competition experience together?

One of our favorite competition experiences was when we won nationals in our first year competing. After being told by our coach at the time we probably weren’t going to qualify or win because it’s our first time competing at nationals. From that moment we knew we wanted to prove them wrong. When we won nationals it was so special because we knew we worked so hard.

Do you participate in any other sports or skating-related activities?

We also attend a ballet school and train in ballet and pointe as well as other dance styles 6 days a week.

If you could have a lesson with any ice dancer past/present, who would it be? Why?

If we could have a lesson with any ice dancer it would be Madison Chock and Evan Bates because they are absolutely iconic.

What are your favorite off-ice activities?

Our favorite off-ice activities are crocheting, going to the theater to watch a ballet or Broadway musicals. We also love playing the piano, riding horses and creating content and posting ice skating tutorials or sharing our day with our followers.

You can follow Andrea and Selena on Instagram: @andreselenatwins, TikTok: @andreaselenatwins1 and YouTube: @andreaselenatwins1.