Fresh off a silver medal win at 2022’s Winter Olympics in Beijing, professional figure skaters Madison Chock and Evan Bates are back in the rink for the Stars on Ice Tour.
The pair — who perform as a duo and are in a relationship — both have strong ties to the metro Detroit area. Bates was born and raised in Ann Arbor and graduated from University of Michigan. Chock was born in California but later relocated to Michigan and attended Novi High School. They both skate for the Ann Arbor Figure Skating Club, and up until two years ago, trained in Detroit.
Despite their current residency in Montreal, Canada, the duo is excited to return to Detroit on May 7 for the local Stars on Ice performance, which will also feature skaters such as Olympic gold medalist Nathan Chen (who trained at Arctic Edge Ice Arena of Canton), bronze medalists Madison Hubble and Zachary Donohue, and more.
Ahead of the show, the duo spoke with 鶹 Detroit about training, performing as a group, and skating in front of their families.
鶹 Detroit: What has the training schedule been like ahead of the tour?
Maidson Chock: We did three days of rehearsals in Fort Myers and that was probably the most intense preparation we’ve ever done for a tour. We had a 12-hour day focused on learning choreography and making sure we were in the right formations. Jeff Buttle did all the choreography, and he was absolutely incredible along with his assistant Tyler. We’ve been having group practices along the way, and we also do some individual work before each show.
How has it been working with other skaters in a non-competitive atmosphere?
Evan Bates: I think that’s been the most fun aspect of the tour other than getting to see the country in an interesting way. We’re busing around and we’re having a lot of downtime with the cast, and we’re all getting along so great. The group performances are the highlight of the show for the skaters and for the audience; it’s something so unique and you won’t see these kinds of performances in a competitive environment. There’s four group performances and the costumes are incredible — Matthew Caron in Montreal did all the costuming. There are so many different formations and shapes and lifts that we all get to play around with.
How has your relationship on and off the ice helped you grow as individual skaters following Beijing and on this tour?
MC: Evan and I have always been close friends and have always shared a similar work ethic and sense of humor. Since we started dating, our appreciation for each other’s company has grown immensely. The fact that we get to spend this time together and experience so many highs and lows as a team has really brought us closer together as a unit.
What aspect of touring are you most excited about?
EB: I think being in front of a home audience for the first time in a few years. For most of us, we haven’t had a chance to skate in front of our parents very often and haven’t been able to perform live in front of the U.S. skating fans who are so loyal. It’s a great chance to reconnect and see these happy fans in the stands, that’s really the best part for me.
MC: We have so many friends and family who will be attending the show in Detroit. The last time we performed in Detroit was at the U.S. Championships in 2019 at Little Caesars. There really is nothing better than performing in front of a hometown audience. Little Caesars is a gorgeous rink, and we have so many great memories there.
What can attendees of the May 7 show expect?
MC: Lots of energy, lots of color, lots of personality. Every single member of this cast is a performer, and we have so much fun skating together. I think there’s going to be a ton of joy, tons of excitement, and maybe some feathers for the finale.
Tickets for Stars on Ice are available at .
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