Veteran Ice Dancers Chock and Bates Embrace โขFinal Olympic Push
Milan, Italy โ- As they embark โon what is likely their final competitive season, ice danceโข partnersโ Madison โChock, 33, and Evan โขBates, 36,โ are finding renewed recognition for โคthe journey, even as they โnavigate a generational โคgap with their younger U.S.โค teammates.โฃ The duo, entering theirโข 15th season together, remains โขfocused onโ delivering innovative performances ahead of theโฃ 2026 โWinter Olympics in Milan.
Should they reach the top of the podium, Chock and Bates wouldโข each become the oldest ice dancerโข of their respectiveโ sex to win Olympic โgold. Bates,whoโฃ willโฃ turn 37 just after the Games conclude,will also โtie for โขthe most Olympic appearances by aโฃ figure skater with five total.
Despite their experience, the pair acknowledges the changingโค landscape of the โsport. “I feelโฃ old, but I don’t think about it frequently enough,” Bates said. Chock echoed this โขsentiment, playfully noting a recent disconnect with โขteammatesโ Alysa Liu, โค20, and Amber Glenn, 26, the two-time reigning U.S. womenS singles champion. “Alysa and Amber were talking about something โthe other day, and itโฃ was like a foreign โlanguage โคto me,” Chock recounted. “I’m like, ‘Are โฃyou guys speaking English?’ I don’t โunderstand anything โyou just said.”
However, age hasn’t diminished their commitment to creativity. Chock and Bates โconsistently pushโฃ boundaries with their routines, a philosophy thatโค extends to their โฃcostumes, many of which are designed by Chock herself.This โseason’s free dance features a striking role reversal concept: Bates embodies a โขbull,while Chock โportrays a โฃmatador. Her costume includes โฃa flowing black-and-scarlet skirt functioning as a โbullfighter’s cape, accented with metallic highlights โฃevoking a “suit of lights.” Bates’ costume is in shades of brown,โฃ with bull horns integrated into the sleeve design.
“You โcan express so much of your personality โthru what you wear on the ice,” Chock explained. “That’s โฃwhat is unique about our sport. As I love design, it just makes sense that Iโ designed โwhat we โคwear on the ice.”
The pair emphasizes the importance of reinvention โฃafter a long career. “We โalways try to think of something different,” Batesโข said.โ “It can be really challenging, especially having a long career.The challenge is like reinvention, โขnot repeating yourself.”
While acknowledging the pressure of competition, Chock and Batesโ have learned to maintain โviewpoint.โ theyโค approach thisโ Olympic season with a blend of seasoned composure and continued artistic ambition.