Alex and Maia Shibutani are American competitive ice dancers. They are two-time Olympic bronze medalists (2018 team and individual ice dance events), three-time World medalists (silver in 2016; bronze in 2011 and 2017), 2016 Four Continents champions, two-time U.S. national champions (2016, 2017) and are members of the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame (first ballot inductees, 2023). They are two-time members of the U.S. Olympic team competing at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia (second youngest team in the field) and the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
The Shibutanis have made history in their sport on multiple occasions. In 2018, they become the first ice dancers of Asian (non-white) descent to win medals at the Olympics. Their US national titles and ISU Grand Prix series and championship titles and medals were also historic firsts for athletes of Asian descent in the discipline of ice dance. Alex became the first male figure skater of Asian descent to be inducted into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame. They are the second sibling duo to share an Olympic medal as partners in ice dance, and the first from the United States. Their bronze medal at the 2011 World Figure Skating Championships is the highest result for an American team during their debut season at the World championships, and at 16 and 20 years of age, they became the second youngest team to earn world medals in the history of the sport.
As competitors at the senior level, the Shibutanis (Alex and Maia) were the first team in history to earn medals at both of their events during their rookie season, and have won six titles on the Grand Prix circuit. At the junior level, they earned the silver medal at the 2009 World Junior Figure Skating Championships (their debut season competing internationally), captured a bronze medal at the 2009–10 JGP Final, and during their four competitive outings over two years on the Junior Grand Prix circuit, earned three gold and one silver medal. From 2005 through 2018, they stood on the podium for 14 consecutive years at the U.S. National Figure Skating Championships (at all 5 competitive levels, including 8 consecutive years at the senior level).
The Shibutani siblings are often referred to by their nickname, the ShibSibs.
Career Early career 2004–2005 season Maia and Alex Shibutani teamed up to compete in ice dance in the spring of 2004. Their singles coach, Kathy Bird, arranged for them to work with their first dance coaches Andy Stroukoff and Susie Kelley. Additional coaches included Mary Marchiselli and choreographer, Josh Babb. During their first season of competition, they competed on the juvenile level. A gold medal at the 2005 North Atlantic Regional Championships, earned them qualification for the U.S. Junior Championships where they won the silver medal.
2005–2006 season After moving up to the intermediate level and performing well at the non-qualifying competitions, the Shibutanis went to Colorado Springs, Colorado, to work with choreographer Tom Dickson. During that off-season, they were being coached by Judy Blumberg on the east coast. After doing better than expected at the Lake Placid Ice Dance Competition in the summer of 2005, the Shibutanis decided to move coaching centers to a better training environment and so moved to train in Colorado Springs under head coach Patti Gottwein. During that time, they also worked with Rich Griffin, Damon Allen, and Eric Schulz.
Alex Shibutani changed his club representation to the Broadmoor Skating Club. The Shibutanis won the Southwestern Regional Championships, their qualifying competition for the 2006 U.S. Junior Championships. At the 2006 U.S. Junior Championships, they placed second in the first compulsory dance and then won the second compulsory and free dances to win the title overall. They worked as guest bloggers and aides for the media staff for U.S. Figure Skating at the 2006 U.S. Championships, and again at the 2006 Four Continents, which were held in Colorado Springs.
2006–2007 season The Shibutanis moved up to the novice level, which is the first of the three levels that compete at the U.S. Championships. Strong results at the Lake Placid Ice Dance Championships, including first place in the Novice Free Dance event, earned them their first opportunity to compete internationally under the ISU Judging System. At the North American Challenge event in Burnaby, British Columbia, they were the highest placing Americans in the novice event, pulling up from fifth place after the compulsory to second overall.
At the 2007 Midwestern Sectional Championships, their qualifying competition for the national championships, the Shibutanis placed second in the first compulsory dance and then won the second compulsory and the free dances to win the competition overall and qualify for the 2007 U.S. Championships. At US Nationals, the Shibutanis placed second in both compulsory dances, but with a win in the free dance were able to capture the novice gold medal by a margin of victory . This was their second consecutive national title.
Following the 2007 U.S. Championships, the Shibutanis relocated once again, moving to Michigan to be coached by Marina Zueva and Igor Shpilband at the Arctic Edge Arena in Canton, Michigan. An important factor in the decision to relocate their training based included the opportunity to live and train in an area which could provide access to both world class ice dance coaching, as well as excellent educational opportunities. Alex Shibutani, at the time of the coaching change, had two years left of high school and was considering his university options.
Junior level 2007–2008 season
The Shibutanis moved up to the junior level nationally. However, they were unable to compete internationally on the junior level because Maia was not yet old enough. At the 2008 Midwestern Sectionals, the Shibutanis placed fourth in the compulsory dance and then third in the original and free dances to win the bronze medal overall. This medal qualified them for the 2008 U.S. Championships. At Nationals, they placed 7th in the compulsory dance, 2nd in the original dance, and 4th in the free dance. They placed 4th overall, winning the pewter medal.
2008–2009 season: World Junior silver & two Junior Grand Prix medals
Maia Shibutani became age-eligible to compete on the international junior circuit. The siblings made their junior international debut on the ISU Junior Grand Prix (JGP). At their first event, the 2008–09 ISU Junior Grand Prix event in Courchevel, France, they placed second in the compulsory dance and then won the original and free dances to win the gold medal overall by a margin of victory of 11.00 points over silver medalists Kharis Ralph and Asher Hill. They were then assigned to their second event, the event in Madrid, Spain. At this event, they placed second in all three segments of the competition and won the silver medal. These two medals qualified them for the 2008–2009 ISU Junior Grand Prix Final, for which they were the third-ranked qualifiers. Qualifying for the event had also qualified them for the 2009 U.S. Championships.
The Junior Grand Prix Final was held concurrently with the senior final for the first time and so did not have a compulsory dance segment. The Shibutanis placed 7th in the original dance and 3rd in the free dance, finishing in 4th place overall.
The Shibutanis went on to the 2009 U.S. Championships, where they competed on the junior level for the second consecutive year. At the event, the Shibutanis placed second in the compulsory dance, the original dance, and the free dance. They won the silver medal overall marking their fifth consecutive podium finish at a national-level competition. Following the competition, the Shibutanis were named to the team to the 2009 World Junior Championships.
At Junior Worlds, the Shibutanis placed 5th in the compulsory dance, 4th in the original dance, and 2nd in the free dance. At the ages of 14 and 17, they won the silver medal.
2009–2010 season: Junior Grand Prix Final bronze For the 2009–2010 season, the Shibutanis continued to compete at the junior level, as Maia at just 15, remained age-ineligible to compete on the senior level internationally. On the Junior Grand Prix series, the Shibutanis won gold medals at both their JGP events - in Lake Placid, New York, and in Zagreb, Croatia. At the JGP Final in Tokyo, Japan, they won the bronze medal. At the 2010 US Nationals, competing for their third and final time at the junior level, they won the Junior ice dance title. At the 2010 Junior Worlds, their final junior event after having competed for only two seasons on the international circuit, they finished just off the podium in fourth place. This was their final junior event.
Senior level 2010–2011 season: World bronze, Four Continents silver & two Grand Prix medals
At the ages of 16 and 19, the Shibutanis advanced to the senior level and experienced a historic rookie season. At their senior international debut, they finished fifth at the 2010 Nebelhorn Trophy, moving up from eighth after the short dance with a strong free dance showing. They won the bronze medal at both the 2010 NHK Trophy (pulling up from 5th place after the short dance) and the 2010 Skate America (pulling up from fourth place after the short dance), making them the first dance team to medal at both Grand Prix events in its first senior season. They were the first alternates for the Grand Prix final.
The Shibutanis finished second at U.S. Nationals (behind Meryl Davis and Charlie White) and were chosen to compete at the Four Continents and World Championships. At their first ISU Championship event as senior competitors, the 2011 Four Continents championships, they once again finished just behind Davis and White, earning a silver medal. Maia and Alex Shibutani became the first figure skaters of Asian descent in the history of the sport to medal in ice dance at an ISU championship event. At the World Championships, they were in fourth after the short dance, 4.09 points behind third-placed Nathalie Péchalat / Fabian Bourzat. In the free dance, they scored 4.34 ahead of Pechalat and Bourzat, both of whom had fallen. The Shibutanis finished third overall by 0.25 points and won a bronze in their World Championships debut, a feat not even Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, the current Olympic Champions, had accomplished. Their bronze medal finish remains the highest world championship debut of any US ice dance team in history. At the ages of 16 and 20, they were also the youngest world medalists in the discipline of ice dance in over 50 years.
2011–2012 season: Two Grand Prix medals
The Shibutanis started their season with a silver medal at the 2011 Finlandia Trophy. Beginning their Grand Prix season, they won silver at the 2011 Cup of China. A week later they placed first at the 2011 NHK Trophy, edging Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje for gold by 0.09 points. It was the Shibutanis' first senior Grand Prix title. Their combined results qualified them for the Grand Prix Final.
At the 2012 US National championships, the Shibutanis repeated as the silver medalists behind Davis and White. The Shibutanis finished 4th at the 2012 Four Continents, an event during which Alex competed in the free dance while extremely ill, and 8th at the 2012 World Championships.
During the off-season, they were invited by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, to attend a dinner in honor of Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda on May 1, 2012, in Washington, D.C.
Following Igor Shpilband's dismissal from the Arctic Edge Arena in June 2012, the Shibutanis decided to remain at the rink with Marina Zoueva and ended their collaboration with Shpilband.
2012–2013 season: Grand Prix bronze