Madison Chock and Evan Bates: Team USA ice dancers chase individual gold at Winter Olympics 2026
Madison Chock and Evan Bates: A fine balance off the ice
“I think our skating and our professional life definitely bleeds into our personal life because it’s all intertwined,” explained Chock, the two having moved to Montreal to live together and train since 2018. “It’s who we are, it’s what we’re passionate about, but we definitely do take time to unplug and unwind from the day or from a competition.”
At home, Evan strums on the guitar and Madi likes to draw and sketch; she’s designed most of their costumes the last few seasons, including their “Paint it Black” in which he plays a charging bull and she the matador.
Their two dogs, Stella and Henry, provide necessary distraction, too, going from one room to the next to see what mum and dad are up to.
“We don’t spend every second together,” Bates confirmed. “And in that time apart, you know, we might spend time journalling, or she does a lot of artwork and sketching and design. And I think having that time apart to each work on our own individual growth, and then we return to one another as better, more complete and full people, it just strengthens our relationship.”
But they are also two top-level Olympic figure skaters chasing a gold medal… who happen to live together.
So yes, they talk shop at home, too.
“There’s always talk of skating around our apartment because we’re goal-oriented people, so when we set goals, we plan for them and we prepare,” Chock said. That… never stops. This one [gestures towards Bates] has got a very active brain, so he’s always coming up with ideas when he’s lying in bed.”
“As we’ve gotten older, I guess the relationship with work has shifted a little bit,” Bates expanded. “It’s not necessarily about like what to say, but when to say it.
He added: “I think what’s nice about us is that we’re really different… and I think that comes through on the ice. [But we are] each others biggest supporter and cheerleader in terms of those [other] interests. And I think that keeps it interesting.”
