My Favorite Figure Skating Programs of 2025 - Part III
We're wrapping up the year by looking at the show and theatre on ice programs that moved me in 2025.
After looking at my favorite programs from the four major competitive disciplines on Monday and Tuesday, I wanted to take a look at show skating and theatre on ice to wrap up 2025, since that’s actually what I spent most of my time watching this year. I went to nearly two dozen Disney On Ice shows, plus exhibitions and theatre on ice presentations throughout the northeast. In fact, I went to a theatre on ice show (Ice Dance International’s SOAR) before I ever attended a single competitive program.
Also, for those of you who were wondering “Where are Chock & Bates?!?!?!” on Tuesday’s post that included my favorite Ice Dance programs, well, you’ll finally see them below. As a reminder, these are MY favorite programs, not necessarily the ones that the larger figure skating community would consider the “best,” so, yes, there was a show program from them that I liked more than this season’s free dance (or last season’s rhythm dance, which I saw at Stars On Ice and also adored).
Show Skating
Madison Chock & Evan Bates - Sherlock Holmes
Where I saw it: Stars On Ice
Figure skating is a sport, yes, and Chock & Bates are at the top of the sport in their chosen discipline. But skating can also be a form of art, and can tell a story, and this program does just that. It’s beautifully skated, a little cheeky, the costumes are great, and they both seem to be having fun with it, which is what a show like Stars On Ice should be all about. So, yes, for this duo, this was my favorite program I saw them skate this year. Even rewatching it for this post brought a smile to my face.
Alexe Gilles - Need A Little Christmas
Where I saw it: SeaWorld Orlando’s Winter Wonderland On Ice
A little confession: I used to hate Christmas music, the after effect of having worked retail jobs for nearly a decade when I was younger. But skating has changed my opinion on Christmas music, because there are so many great programs set in the season. And for me, this year, none was better than Gilles’s solo during SeaWorld’s holiday show. I somehow never got to see her skate as Elsa on Disney On Ice, so this was a nice treat.
Maddie Morin-Viall - Tolerate It
Where I saw it: Scott Hamilton’s Sk8 to Elimin8 Cancer
Morin-Viall, a former solo ice dancer, showed off this Taylor Swift program back in May, and I was instantly hooked. Like I said in Tuesday’s post, we need more Taylor Swift programs, especially ones that perfectly capture the emotions of the music like this program did.
Maria Starr - Je Te Cherche
Where I saw it: Disney Sur Glace: Dansons
Speaking of capturing the emotions of the music, this program makes me cry every time. I was so lucky to get to see it in French in Montreal back in March. I can’t explain why, but somehow the song — my favorite Disney song of all time — is even more emotional in another language. And the way Starr skates it is just breathtaking.
Sasha Streeter - I’m Not That Girl
Where I saw it: An Evening With Champions
I probably shouldn’t have picked so many programs that made me cry, because I’m tearing up just writing this post. But in a year where “Wicked” was so prominent in the pop culture discourse, this was the top program I saw using music from the show.
Kristina Yntema - Let It Go
Where I saw it: Disney On Ice Into the Magic and Disney On Ice Jump In!
I saw “Let It Go” performed 18 times with Disney On Ice in 2025, with 11 of those performed by Yntema, who just takes my breath away every time she skates as Elsa. And good news, I have an interview with her publishing on Friday, right before I get to see her skate this program for the first time in 2026! (Also, memo to competitive skaters: we need more “Frozen” themed programs in competition in 2026, especially “Let It Go.” I know it was overdone years ago, but it’s time to bring it back!)
Theatre on Ice
Sarah Baetge - Modigliani
Where I saw it: Ice Theatre of New York’s Fall Frolic
Seeing Baetge skate is always a delight, and I was lucky enough to get to do so multiple times this year. This was a new program that debuted at the Fall Frolic and immediately jumped to the top of my list, not only because of the skating, but because of the incredible dress.
Shae-Lynn Bourne - All That Jazz
Where I saw it: Ice Theatre of New York’s Fall Frolic
Bourne was ITNY’s honoree at this year’s Fall Frolic, and this program that closed the show was incredibly fun. Even years after her competitive career ended, you can easily see how talented a skater she is.
Valerie Levine - Arctic Memory
Where I saw it: Ice Theatre of New York’s 2025 Season, Philadelphia Skating Club Exhibition, Ice Theatre of New York’s Fall Frolic
I feel lucky to have been able to see this program multiple times this season. I also feel lucky to have been able to interview Levine about it, and her skating journey, and that post is coming soon!
Robin Johnstone, Kseniya Ponomaryova and Andy Buchanan - After the Rain
Where I saw it: Philadelphia Skating Club Exhibition
Is this program on here mostly because it makes me think of “The Favorites”? The answer isn’t no, but also it’s a beautiful program on its own.
BB McKain & Oska Renee - skater4skater
Where I saw it: American Ice Theatre Contemporary Skating Festival
In a year where the issue of same-gender skating pairs came to the forefront and U.S. Figure Skating enacted anti-trans policies for competitions, this program wasn’t only beautiful and moving, it was important.
Gabriella Papadakis - Babylon
Where I saw it: Ice Dance International’s SOAR
This might have been the single hardest choice because of the “one program per skater” rule I made for myself. I was so torn between “Reflections,” the program I saw Papadakis skate with Alissa Czisny, and this one. In the end, I went with the solo program, but they’re both truly beautiful works of art.
Amazing list of skaters! Would love to see Shae-Lynn live somewhere.