SHIBUTANI / SHIBUTANI (USA) | Ice Dance Rhythm Dance | Finlandia Trophy 2025 | #GPFigure

Well, since we saw them last at the NHK Trophy in Osaka, Maya and Alex Shibutani returned back to the training base. And when they landed, they went straight to the ice rink. They said they made the most of every day and made changes based on the feedback from their return to competition. This, their rhythm dance, the concept, the shib-shibs in Shibuya. Needing clean turns within the non-touch step sequence. And this, the start of their pattern dance type step sequence. Four very important difficult turns to try to be called by the technical panel. And this, the choreographic rhythm sequence must be performed across the short axis of the rink. Well, the first of the sibling pairings, Maya Shibutani and Alex Shibutani open up the rhythm dance at the Finlandia Trophy. And they're showcasing, as they suggested, changes and improvements and progress made from their debut performance at the NHK Trophy. And it was suggested that in the two Olympic cycles since we last saw them back in 2018, that the sport has tweaked and changed. And that, undoubtedly evident. But the rhythm dance this year must be a 1990s theme. And Maya and Alex have really embraced the concept, arguably as well as any, even down to the stylization of the skates. Their skates have their year of birth in the 90s, adorning their boots. As Marina Zueva and Massimo Scali meet the rink side. What was impacting the team in NHK, and I think again here, is the levels required by the technical panel. Only a pattern dance type step two, which we wait to see how that will play out as this event goes on, whether more teams will achieve much higher. But just a level one step sequence. So here, right inside bracket turn. That's a difficult turn that the technical panel will assess as to whether it is callably clean and well enough secured. And perhaps a little far apart on that element. As we see some of their transitional content. But the performance, utterly embraced. And you wonder now, as we look at this rotational lift, what the focus and what the aspirations are for Maya and Alex. They've been so successful many years ago on the world stage, but having that hiatus of so many years, you know, seven years since they competed, what is the focus now? Are they, you assume, still eager to make the Olympic team again? But perhaps just so happy to be back, as Maya suggested, back on the world international competitive stage. So it's not far adrift from their NHK trophy score. Indeed, only 15 hundredths of a point higher. But they accept it. And it remains to be seen how that 71.99 will play out as the competition unfolds.