{"id":42055,"date":"2026-01-20T01:08:56","date_gmt":"2026-01-20T06:08:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/?p=42055"},"modified":"2026-01-20T01:08:56","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T06:08:56","slug":"recap-2026-u-s-championships-junior","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/recap-2026-u-s-championships-junior\/","title":{"rendered":"Recap: 2026 U.S. Championships (Junior)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

by Anne Calder | Photos by Daphne Backman<\/em><\/p>\n

The 2026 U.S. Figure Skating Championships were held in greater St. Louis, MO January 4-11. The main event, which included the selection of the 2026 Olympic Team was held at the downtown Enterprise Center.<\/p>\n

Earlier in the week, twelve Junior teams competed at the Centene Community Ice Center in the Maryland Heights suburb. Hana Marie Aboian & Daniil Veselukin and Jasmine Robertson & Chase Rohner earned byes by qualifying for the Junior Grand Prix Final in Nagoya, Japan. Ten teams qualified at the Ice Dance Final.<\/p>\n

RHYTHM DANCE<\/b><\/p>\n

The 2025-2026 ISU Junior \/ Senior Rhythm Dance theme is\u00a0<\/span>“The Music, Dance Styles, and Feeling of the 1990s,”\u00a0requiring high-energy music from that decade (Pop, Hip-Hop, Grunge, etc.) with crowd-pleasing energy, not classical styles.\u00a0Skaters must embody the 90s vibe through movement and holds, with no aggressive lyrics allowed.<\/span><\/p>\n

After the Rhythm Dance, the leaderboard showed: (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.<\/p>\n

Aboian & Veselukhin had an eight point lead with a 71.68 score for their dance to \u201cVogue\u201d by Madonna. The team trains in Newington, CT with Melissa Gregory and Denis Petukhov.<\/p>\n

Jasmine Robertson and Chase Rohner scored 63.56 with their music to “Groove Is in the Heart” by\u00a0Deer-Lite\u00a0and “100% Pure Love” by\u00a0Crystal Waters. The duo trains with Igor Shpilband\u2019s team in Novi, MI.<\/p>\n

Anaelle Kouevi & Yann Homawoo used the music of “Jump” by Kriss Kross and “Motownphilly” by Boyz II Men to score 58.81. The cousins train in Leesburg, VA with Alexei Kiliakov, Elena Novak, Pierre Souquet-Basiege.<\/p>\n

Jane Calhoun & Mark Zheltyshev earned a 58.61 for their dance to \u201cIce Ice Baby\u201d by Vanilla Ice, \u201cBlack Coffee\u201d by Heavy D\u00a0&\u00a0the Boyz, and \u201cU Can\u2019t Touch This\u201d by MC Hammer. Elena Dostatni and Logan Giulietti-Schmitt <\/span>coach the team in Colorado Springs, CO.<\/p>\n

Aneta Vaclavikova & William Lissauer scored 56.17 dancing to <\/span>\u201cIf You Could Read My Mind\u201d by Ultra Nate, Amber & Jocelyn Enriquez and \u201cFree\u201d by Ultra Nate. The team is coached by Melissa Gregory and Denis Petukhov in Newington, CT.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n


FREE DANCE<\/b><\/p>\n

Meet the 2026 Junior Ice Dance Podium: Hana Marie Aboian & Daniil Veselukhin (gold), <\/span>Jasmine Robertson & Chase Rohner (silver), Jane Calhoun & Mark Zheltyshev (bronze), and Aneta Vaclavikova & William Lissauer (pewter)<\/p>\n

Aboian & Veselukhin\u2019s mesmerizing interpretation of “Hymnus Orbis,\u201d \u201cSalvation For a Proud Nation\u201d and \u201cSurrender to Hope\u201d by Trailerhead scored 102.79. The dancers found each other on Partner Search in December 2023. Now they are two-time U.S National Champions.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe free dance was wonderful – exactly what we were hoping for,\u201d Aboian said after their skate. \u201cWe delivered everything we wanted here, and we left everything on the ice.\u201d<\/p>\n

Veselukhin continued, \u201cIt was really great. I can\u2019t process it fully now. I\u2019m really tired. All the hard work for the season is showing the results. We\u2019re really grateful for everything we\u2019ve got. Just really thankful.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aboian spoke about being back to back champions. \u201cThe fact that we qualified for nationals last year was insane for me, Winning the title was like years and years of effort finally paid off. Coming back and doing it again is a surreal feeling that makes me so proud.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBefore last season started, we couldn\u2019t imagine that we were going to win our first title together in our first season,\u201d Veselukhin added. \u201cNow it’s our second season together, and we\u2019ve already gone everywhere, and it feels really surreal, really memorable. I couldn’t imagine myself when I was younger, just a kid, that I was going to do this.\u201d<\/p>\n

The newly crowned 2025 Junior Grand Prix Final gold medalists scored a total 174.47 points.<\/p>\n

Robertson & Rohner danced to “Le Temps des Cath\u00e9drales” and “La F\u00eate des Fous” from the musical “Notre Dame de Paris” by Richard Cocciante and Luc Plamondon. The team scored 94.60 for the program and a total 158.16 points.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe program felt really good – like we were portraying the story that we’re trying to tell of Esmeralda and Quasimodo,\u201d  Robertson explained.<\/p>\n

The team reflected on the Championships as a whole. \u201cIt was super awesome. It went by really fast, which is unfortunate. I wish I could savor it a bit more, but I enjoyed performing both programs. I’m really proud of what we put out there,\u201d Robertson said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been amazing. it’s been very fun,\u201d Rohner added.<\/p>\n

Calhoun & Zheltyshev chose music from the Hunger Games <\/i>series for their Free Dance presentation and scored 88.14 and totaled 146.75.<\/p>\n

The partnership came about because the dancers mother knew each other back in Russia. After tryouts with different skaters, Calhoun and Zheltyshev gave it a try. It was a success. .<\/p>\n

Zheltyshev ended the program with a strong fist pump. \u201cThis is my first national championship in all my life,\u201d he laughed. \u201cI\u2019m very happy! The free dance was very emotional \u2026 after the twizzles.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was much easier than our first competition [Lake Placid International] * which was only seven weeks after our tryout,\u201d Calhoun added.<\/p>\n

*Calhoun & Zheltyshev placed fifth out of 14 teams, with a third place rhythm dance at the Lake Placid Ice Dance International.<\/p>\n

Vaclavikova & Lissauer danced to <\/span>\u201cMoonlight Sonata\u201d performed by Sandra Kissy and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, with the original composer being L. V. Beethoven. The team moved from fifth to fourth place with an 83.74 score and 139.91 total that delivered a pewter medal.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought the skate was really nice,\u201d Lissauer said. \u201cWe ended it off on a high note, which is all we were hoping to do. We put everything out there that we could. I think we’re both happy with how the performance went.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was clean. I’m happy to end the season on a clean program,\u201d Vaclavikova added.<\/p>\n

Kouevi & Homawoo danced to The Four Seasons <\/i>by Antonio Vivaldi and earned a sixth place 80.82 score. After a disappointing rotational lift, the cousins unfortunately slipped from third to fifth place.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome things could have been better, but for the most part, we really improved\u201d Kouevi said. \u201cThat was our goal to kind of have an important feel-good feeling with ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was only one mistake that happened, and it kind of cost a lot,\u201d Homawoo added. \u201cOverall the skate was not that bad. The score was actually better than the 2026 Ice Dance Final that had no mistakes. Mentally and physically, I think, is where our training got us to the point where I was able to peek at this competition, so it definitely felt really good, one of the best competitions this season.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n


JUNIOR ICE CHIPS<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  • The second, third and fourth place podium teams have been partners for less than a year: Robertson & Rohner (January 2025), Vaclavikova & Lissauer. (March 2025) Calhoun & Zheltyshev (June 2025). All three teams made their U.S. Championships debut.<\/li>\n
  • After the dancers partnered, Daniil Veselukhin and Coach Denis Petukhov discovered they were from the same Russian city. Now the relatives often watch competitions together at their countryside home.<\/li>\n
  • Hana Marie Aboian & Daniil Veselukhin are the ninth U.S. Ice Dance team to win the ISU JGPF.<\/li>\n
  • The Fugate farm in Michigan raises many kinds of animals. As a hobby outside of skating, Warren runs a small business, WCF Poultry, that sells chicks and hatching eggs of the turkeys, ducks, geese, pheasants, peacocks, etc. \u201cI had a turkey that I sold this year that was being shown on the national circuit, and he won APA National Champion. That was pretty cool to see.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS TEAM SELECTION<\/strong>
    The ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships 2026 will take place at the Tondiraba Ice Hall in Tallinn, Estonia, from March 3-8. The team includes the following:<\/p>\n

    Hana Maria Aboian and Daniil Veselukhin
    Jane Calhoun and Mark Zheltyshev
    Jasmine Robertson and Chase Rohner<\/p>\n

    Alternate 1:\u00a0Michelle Deych and Ryan Hu
    Alternate 2:\u00a0Annelise Stapert and Maxim Korotcov
    Alternate 3:\u00a0Grace Fischer and Luke Fischer<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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