Gilles and Poirier Urge Ice Dance to Reclaim Its Roots

A call for skating at the centre

Gilles and Poirier argue that strong skating should underpin every part of ice dance. They say audiences see less of the close, detailed partner skating that defined traditional dance, even though executing it well is difficult.

For the pair, proximity between partners is not a retreat from excitement. They believe ice dance can hold an audience without making every moment overtly dramatic, and want programs to leave room for the precision and intricacy of skating itself.

Why compulsory dances matter

The pair describe compulsory dances as a foundation for the discipline. Working through set patterns teaches dancers to track one another, move around a partner and adjust to that partner’s movement—skills they see as central to ice dance beyond the prescribed steps.

Their concern is that recent rule changes have reduced opportunities to practise skating within programs. Gilles and Poirier see a tension between encouraging more immediately striking performances and preserving the technical habits that make close, coordinated skating possible.

Experience behind the argument

Their perspective comes after a long career together: the Prague World Championships were their 13th. They first competed at Worlds in 2013 in London, Ontario, and have earned five World medals and two Four Continents titles.

They also competed at the 2018, 2022 and 2026 Winter Olympics, winning bronze in 2026. Gilles said the 2022 Games helped them shed the sense that they had to prove they belonged, allowing them to compete with greater confidence and to show more of themselves in their performances.

Prague as a choice, not an obligation

After achieving their Olympic goal with the bronze medal, Gilles and Poirier treated the 2026 World Championships in Prague as an opportunity they chose to take. They returned to their “Wuthering Heights” free dance for the event and described Worlds as a bonus rather than the season’s defining test.

That change in outlook also shaped how they talked about the sport. Rather than focusing only on their own results, they used the conversation to set out what they hope ice dance can become—and why its basic skating skills should remain visible as the discipline evolves.

A possible role with younger dancers

Gilles and Poirier have said they want their views to be heard and hope to mentor younger colleagues. They have put themselves forward as team leaders for junior ice dancers, giving their interest in the sport’s future a practical direction.

Their competitive plans remain open: they have announced that they will skip the Grand Prix circuit, while leaving the question of whether they will continue competing undecided. Whatever comes next, their message is clear: keep innovation, but give traditional skating skills and close partner work a firmer place in ice dance.

Takeaway: Gilles and Poirier want ice dance to renew its identity by making close, intricate skating—not spectacle alone—a visible foundation of the sport.