“I want to pour everything I couldn’t achieve in singles skating into ice dance.” Ikura Kushida and Koshiro Shimada express their dedication to excelling in their debut season, targeting the Four Continents Championship
Newly Formed ice dance duo push forward with ambitions for a strong debut season
original source: Nikkansports dd August 8th, 2025 by Fujizuka Daisuke
In their first public practice since forming a partnership in January, Ikura Kushida and Koshiro Shimada express their dedication to excelling in their debut season, targeting the Four Continents Championships and beyond. Here’s a translation of their comments.
On August 8th, ice dancers Ikura Kushida (17) and Koshiro Shimada (23) held their first open practice at the Kinoshita Academy Kyoto Ice Arena, showcasing their preparation for their debut season and reaffirming their competitive goals.
Shimada shared his outlook: “We want to give our all in every competition and use each one as a stepping stone forward.” Meanwhile, Kushida declared, “This season, I want to deliver a strong performance at the Japanese Nationals in December and earn a spot at the Four Continents Championship.” The January 2025 Four Continents, held in Beijing, is one of their primary targets.
Both skaters bring strong singles backgrounds to their partnership. Shimada, who placed second at the 2022 Nationals, has committed fully to ice dancing this season, while Kushida, who finished second at the 2023 Japanese Junior Nationals, plans to compete in both singles and ice dance.
“I’ve always loved the unmistakable ‘figure skating feeling’ you can only get from ice dance,” Shimada admitted. “I’ve been captivated by it since my novice and junior days, but it was only after becoming a senior that I seriously started viewing it as a competitive path.”
Encouraged by his former coach, Stephane Lambiel, and his current coaches at Kinoshita Academy Shimada took his first steps into ice dance last summer. After skating with Kushida on the ice for the first time in August 2024, the duo officially formed their partnership in January this year. “I want to pour everything I couldn’t achieve in singles skating into ice dance,” Shimada said passionately.
The team revealed their programs for the season during the practice. Their Rhythm Dance (RD) is set to Got The Groove / Show Me Something Special, and their Free Dance (FD) will feature Moonlight Serenade and Sabrina. Both programs were choreographed by coach Cathy Reed.
When forming their partnership, Kushida and Shimada made a mutual pledge: “Let’s aim for the Olympics.” While the Milan-Cortina Olympics in February 2026 are just around the corner, Shimada clarified, “Our ultimate goal is 2030,” referencing the Winter Olympics scheduled for the French Alps.
Shimada emphasized taking the first step this season: “We plan to give our all in every competition, and as a result, we hope that international opportunities will follow.”
Kushida echoed this sentiment, adding: “My goal is to score as high as I can at Nationals. I’ll work hard to achieve that.”
Related topics: Ikura Kushida, Koshiro Shimada
Leave a Reply