Madison Hubbell & Zachary Donohue
Official Website - 2018 and 2022 U.S. Olympians; 2022 Olympic Silver Medalists
2018, 2019, and 2021 U.S. National Ice Dance Champions
2018, 2019, and 2021 World Ice Dance Medalists
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Welcome to our official website! We're thrilled to be sharing our journeys and experiences with you. Below, you can find real-time updates from our social media accounts. To the right, and throughout this website, we'll also be continually posting longer, more comprehensive content. Thanks for your support, and come visit us again often!

Madi & Zach



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Here to play, here to sway

Madi and Zach continue their roll at the 2022 Beijing Olympics with a third-place rhythm dance showing in the ice dance competition

February 13, 2022 - Webmaster Update

Watch Madi and Zach on NBC Olympics

Click above to watch Madi and Zach's rhythm dance on NBC Olympics (credit: NBC Sports)

On the heels of a lights-out performance of their Janet Jackson-themed rhythm dance in the team figure skating event - which helped Team USA earn a silver medal - Madi and Zach have once again delivered in the ice dance event. Their precise, imposing, yet fun rhythm dance earned them 87.13 points - a season's best - and puts them in third place ahead of tonight's free dance.

Although Madi and Zach must be seen live to be fully appreciated for their skating skills, you can still see hints of everything that makes them special in the videos linked on this page. As you watch the free dance tonight, look closely for the following qualities that set them apart from rest of the field.

Technical elements. Madi and Zach execute key elements like their showstopper twizzles and their difficult, gravity-defying lifts with precision, speed, power, deep edging, and exceptional ice coverage, setting them apart from the rest of the field and meriting them the highest grades of execution. It's not just about the acrobatic positions achieved in the air, but also the solid edging foundations on which they're based. And although their footwork patterns look like gentle walks in the park, it's precisely their skating skills that allow them to execute steps of the highest difficulty in such smooth fashion - all while covering larger portions of the ice than the competition.

Program composition. Don't feel bad if you don't even notice that Madi and Zach are actually executing technical elements. Their programs are so jam-packed, yet so seamlessly choreographed, that they transition effortlessly from element to element in literally nonstop fashion. They also blaze across the ice continuously for the entire four minutes of their free dance - without pauses to catch their breath.

Speed and ice coverage. Although it's tough to judge on a TV screen, their speed is evident in person. One way to gauge this on TV is how quickly the logos on the boards in the background fly past when they skate, when compared to the rest of the field. Moreover, look closely to see how much ice they cover with every step and glide they make. This is not so much a testament to their physical size and power as it is their ability to use the edges of their skate blades to maximum advantage - which is exactly what gives "figure skating" its name. When in doubt, look to what Madi and Zach - or any ice dancer or figure skater - are doing with their blades and feet.

Performance qualities. Fans and commentators alike have remarked throughout Madi and Zach's career that their emotional chemistry is palpably off-the-charts - but in an absolutely organic and authentic way. Indeed, what you see with Madi and Zach is what you get: real people with real feelings and emotions who let it all out on the ice. Their free dance, set to a version of "Drowning" by Anne Sila that was originally arranged for Cirque du Soleil, begins with a clear sense of edginess and leads viewers down a cathartic journey of emotional honesty and vulnerability.

With all these qualities in mind, it's clear that when you see Madi and Zach perform, you're seeing figure skating at a truly elevated - even transcendent - level. See the below clip of their visionary free dance from the 2022 Toyota U.S. Figure Skating Championships for yourself. And don't forget to cheer on Madi and Zach from your living room as you watch the free dance tonight! Madi and Zach remain ever grateful for your support and encouragement.


Related articles
- Hubbell and Donohue in Podium Position After Rhythm Dance in Beijing (U.S. Figure Skating)
- Madison Hubbell, Zachary Donohue in line for medal after strong ice dancing rhythm performance (Yahoo! Sports)
- Donohue and Hubbell in Third Place Midway Through the Ice Dance (Zip06)
- How it went down: Olympic ice dance begins with hip-hop/blues programs (NBC Olympics)
- Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue Take Ice for Rhythm Dance at the Winter Olympics (NBC New York)
- Video: Zachary Donohue Says He’s ‘Proud’ Of Partner Madison Hubbell (UInterview)
- 'It has never been a very close fight': Engaged ice dancers face off in Beijing Games (Yahoo! Sports)
- Dance Dominance: Montreal school keeps producing Olympians (Washington Post)
- Once confined to classical music, figure skaters now turn to an eclectic mix of genres (PBS NewsHour)
- Winter Olympics 2022 - Unhappy Valentine's Day! The Figure Skating Lovers Competing Against Each Other (Eurosport)
- Are Figure Skating Duo Madison Hubbell And Zachary Donohue Dating? (The List)
- Watch: Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue: Exes on ice (WAVY-TV)



Master class

Madi and Zach debut in dominating fashion at the 2022 Beijing Olympics

February 9, 2022 - Webmaster Update
February 5, 2022 - Originally Posted


Watch Madi and Zach on NBC Sports/YouTube

Click above to watch Madi and Zach's rhythm dance on YouTube/NBC Sports (credit: NBC Sports)

Congratulations to Madi and Zach on winning the rhythm dance segment of the team figure skating event at the 2022 Beijing Olympics! Their score of 86.56 was their best in international competition so far this season. They also earned a maximum-possible 10 points in the team event, helping Team USA take the lead after the event's first night.

Update: Team USA, which includes Madi and Zach, has won the silver medal in the team figure skating event. Congratulations!

Madi and Zach’s rhythm dance is an upbeat, difficult, and well-constructed program to a Janet Jackson medley that highlights all of the qualities – indeed, the entire spectrum of program components – that distinguish them from a highly competitive and talented field of ice dancers.

First and foremost, Madi and Zach’s unrivaled skating skills are built on a foundation of deep, strong edging. While figure skate blades are designed to cut through the ice like knives, they are thicker than knives and have two edges instead of one. These edges are on the sides of the blades, leaving a concave “hollow” in the middle. Look closely at Madi and Zach’s feet as they skate and you’ll see that they lean more deeply into their edges and cut across the ice more cleanly and smoothly than virtually any other ice dance team.

Being able to skate with deep edges means that you can build speed more organically and execute larger lobes and patterns more efficiently – as if you’re floating on ice. Furthermore, Madi and Zach’s partnering skills allow them to skate with extreme closeness, excellent unison, and varied hand holds. And despite their relatively tall stature, they skate with straight, solid posture. So it’s no surprise that, in their rhythm dance for the team event, Madi and Zach earned an average score of 9.50 for skating skills, with one judge awarding them a well-deserved perfect 10.

In addition to skating skills, Madi and Zach earned top marks for other program components. Their transitions, for example, reflect the difficulty and variety of their steps, edges, footwork, and positions. The thoughtful, intricate composition of their programs includes a variety of music and tempo changes, the full utilization of the ice surface, the placement and execution of technical elements in line with musical phrases, virtually continuous movement, and sophisticated choreography. And last, but not least, their superior performance and faithful interpretation of the legendary Janet Jackson’s music have drawn rave reviews and praise from around the world.

Because Madi and Zach are still busy at the Olympics preparing for upcoming events, they cannot answer all messages individually. But they would like to thank all their family, friends, and supporters for the outpouring of love and support!

Related articles
- Madison Hubbell, Zachary Donohue Dazzle in Rhythm Dance For Team Event (NBC Bay Area)
- 2022 Winter Olympics: U.S. Skaters Get Nasty With Janet Jackson In Beijing (Billboard)
- Mid-Michigan Olympian inspires next wave of figure skaters (WILX-TV)
- How to watch Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue at the 2022 Winter Olympics (NBC Olympics)
- Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue broke up off the ice, but stayed together on it (USA Today)
- 2022 Winter Olympics will be last hurrah for Michigan skaters Madison Hubbell, Zachary Donohue (WDIV-TV)
- Red-hot bods of America’s sexiest athletes ignite Winter Olympic flames (New York Post)



Floating on ice

Madi and Zach look to cap a beautiful 11-year partnership with stellar finishes in their second Olympics

February 3, 2022 - Webmaster Update

Madi and Zach on outdoor ice

Madi and Zach have arrived in Beijing to compete at the XXIV Olympic Winter Games! They will represent the United States in two competitions: the team figure skating event and the ice dance event.

In the team figure skating event, skaters from all four disciplines of figure skating – ladies’ singles, men’s singles, pair skating, and ice dance – compete as one team, per country, similar to the team all-around events in artistic gymnastics at the Olympic Summer Games. Madi and Zach will perform their rhythm dance for Team USA as part of this event.

In the ice dance event, teams each comprising one woman and one man compete in two phases: the rhythm dance and the free dance. Ice dance differs from singles and pairs skating in that it does not involve jumps, but instead marries ballroom dancing with lifts, spins, and intricate steps and turns that recall the on-ice tracings that give figure skating its name. You can learn more about ice dance here.

Madi and Zach have distinguished themselves throughout their careers for performing high-difficulty, high-risk elements at the highest grades of execution, given their unparalleled basic figure skating technique. They are not only a tall, physically striking couple on the ice, but they are also masters of the edgework that makes figure skating possible. Indeed, it’s less their physical size and more their expert edges and skating skills that allows them to build more speed, skate larger patterns, and cover more of the ice rink than virtually any other ice dance team.

Add smoldering chemistry with difficult, finely constructed programs and you get riveting, edifying, and innovative ice dance. Best of all, Madi and Zach make it all look easy – as if they’re floating on ice.

Madi and Zach have competed together since the 2011-12 season. This season will be their last as a competitive couple, and they hope to round out their spectacular 11-year journey with strong finishes here at these Olympics.

When and how to watch the Olympics

Although spectators are not allowed at this year’s Olympics because of current circumstances, you can follow Madi and Zach in real-time on Instagram.

You can also cheer on Madi and Zach from the comfort of your home over the next two weeks. In the U.S., Olympic events will be televised on NBC and on Peacock, its online streaming service.

Team Figure Skating – Ice Dance – Rhythm Dance
Beijing time: Friday, February 4, 2022 at 11:35 a.m.
U.S. Eastern time: Thursday, February 3, 2022 at 10:35 p.m.

Ice Dance – Rhythm Dance
Beijing time: Saturday, February 12, 2022 at 7.00 p.m.
U.S. Eastern time: Saturday, February 12, 2022 at 6:00 a.m.

Ice Dance – Free Dance
Beijing time: Monday, February 14, 2022 at 9:15 a.m.
U.S. Eastern time: Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 8:15 p.m.

Related articles
- Meet the Athletes: Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue (WDIV-TV, Detroit)
- U.S. Olympic Figure Skater Madison Hubbell Talks About Partnership With Zachary Donohue (USports)
- Zachary Donohue On Partner Madison Hubbell’s Growth Before 2022 Beijing Olympics (USports)
- Zachary Donohue & Madison Hubbell | Beijing 2022 Olympic Profile (Yahoo! Sports)
- Team event up 1st as Olympic figure skating begins (Associated Press)
- After finishing fourth in the 2018 Olympics, Madison ice dancer Zach Donohue and his partner Madison Hubbell want an Olympic medal this time around (Hartford Courant)


Previous news updates from Madi & Zach


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