Madison Chock and Evan Bates: a journey through the history of dance

Hawaii Five-O, Let’s Twist Again, Rock Around the Clock, Stayin’ Alive, Car Wash, Blame it on the Boogie, Y.M.C.A., Last Dance

What are those, you ask?

Madison Chock and Evan Bates’ companions in their rhythm dance this season – no less than eight trademark songs (narrowed down from eleven at the start), representative for the required RD music: social dances and styles of the 1950’s, 1960’s and 1970’s.

The result of it all?

A “journey through the decades”, Madison and Evan described it in Grenoble, during the 8th Grand Prix Final of their career (the first one, in December 2014), and the second they won.

And their rhythm dance this season really feels like a journey, their journey, through seasons, through challenges, through ups and downs, to present times, anticipating yet another road to the Olympics, their 4th one.

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In Grenoble, Madison and Evan were followed by another team of experienced dancers, Italy’s Charlène Guignard and Marco Fabbri (silver in their fourth Grand Prix Final), and by Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson, the “Disco Brits”, winning their first GPF medal, the bronze, in their third participation in the event.

Canada’s Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha finished 4th in Grenoble, while the more experienced and highly innovative Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier ended the event on the 5th place due to a costly error in the rhythm dance (but with the second free dance of the night).

Having nothing to lose and everything to gain, France’s Evgenia Lopareva and Geoffrey Brissaud finished the first Grand Prix Final of their career on the 6th place, but on such a high note – their free dance was a highlight all throughout the season.

Relive it all in the following photos – the buzz, the energy, the tension, the dancing butterflies.

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Energy through the roof: Madison Chock and Evan Bates during their rhythm dance

Madison Chock and Evan Bates: free dance

Charlène Guignard and Marco Fabbri: rhythm dance

Charlène Guignard and Marco Fabbri: free dance

Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson: rhythm dance

Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson: free dance

Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha: rhythm dance

Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha: free dance

Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier: rhythm dance

Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier: free dance

Evgenia Lopareva and Geoffrey Brissaud: rhythm dance

Evgenia Lopareva and Geoffrey Brissaud: free dance

Evgenia and Geoffrey: they sure look ready for what the future holds


Gold: Madison Chock and Evan Bates, United States of America
Silver: Charlène Guignard and Marco Fabbri, Italy
Bronze: Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson, Great Britain
4th place: Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha, Canada
5th place: Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier, Canada
6th place: Evgenia Lopareva and Geoffrey Brissaud, France

[All photos by Alberto Ponti, Grenoble]

Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin: Grand Prix Final dominance.

Finding one’s style: Ilia Malinin in Grenoble & other photo-stories

Amber Glenn: her time to shine has come – and she’s now Grand Prix Final champion