“Actually, I’ve been asked, ‘What do you think about ice dance?’ for several years now. Back then, I thought, ‘It’s impossible for me.” Koshiro Shimada about switching to ice dance
An interview with Koshiro Shimada: From Singles to Ice Dance
original source: Nikkansports dd. June 14th 2025
Koshiro Shimada (23), a male figure skater under the Kinoshita Group, recently announced his transition from singles to ice dance, forming a pair with Ikura Kushida (17). In an exclusive interview with Nikkan Sports, Shimada revealed the thought process behind his decision to pursue this new discipline and the challenges he faces as he embarks on this journey. Here’s a translation of his comments.
Standing at 176 cm, Shimada has long been known for his versatile expressiveness across genres – a quality he now hopes to refine in ice dance. Turning 24 in September, this significant transition had been quietly in the works for years.
“Actually, I’ve been asked, ‘What do you think about ice dance?’ for several years now. Back then, I thought, ‘It’s impossible for me,’” he shared.
A turning point came in December 2022 when he finished second behind Shoma Uno at the Japanese Nationals.
“I thought achieving second place would reignite a desire to aim even higher, but in reality, it left me feeling satisfied. I even considered retiring from competition that year,” he admitted.
Though it seemed to many that his singles career was on the verge of a global breakthrough, Shimada had been struggling with hip pain and felt a growing absence of the passion he valued most.
“There’s a sense of fulfillment that comes from competing at the Olympics or World Championships —something I couldn’t quite find in singles. Looking back, perhaps I should have been more ambitious and daring in singles, but given my circumstances, I became too lenient with myself. However, what reignited my desire to push forward was ice dance.”
In the summer of 2017, at the age of 15, Shimada moved to the small Swiss village of Champéry to train under Stephane Lambiel. The experience shaped not just his skating but his overall worldview.
“In one word, Stephane taught me about being human. My values changed dramatically during my time with him. Normally, when you spend so much time with someone, you start to notice their flaws. But with Stephane, you don’t. He’s a coach who provides unwavering support for anything you set your mind to. When I thought about the kind of expressions I wanted to create and the new worlds I wanted to explore, ice dance appeared to be the more challenging path. It was my decision, but Stephane also gave me the push I needed.”
Shimada has partnered with 17-year-old Ikura Kushida to begin his ice dance career, transitioning to a new training base in Kyoto. Leaving behind the Alpine village where he trained for seven and a half years was bittersweet for him.
“It’s incredibly lonely. Champéry was an environment where I wanted to stay forever,” he confessed.
Despite this, Shimada is driven by the prospect of achieving goals he couldn’t realize in singles, such as competing at the Olympics and World Championships.
“This requires an incredible amount of determination. From Stephane, I learned the importance of connections with people and passion. I believe that if you approach anything with passion, life becomes richer as a result.”
Shimada is stepping onto this challenging and ambitious path with a newfound sense of purpose. “The road ahead is steep, but I’ve made the decision to be greedy about pursuing this new challenge. It may be difficult, but I’m committed to taking the first steps on this journey.”
Related topics: Koshiro Shimada
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