Ice skating gets a 1990s throwback at the Winter Olympics

The 2026 Winter Olympics figure skating competition in Italy took a nostalgic turn after the International Skating Union (ISU) mandated a 1990s theme for the rhythm dance.

Monday saw 23 ice dance teams deliver routines featuring US boy bands, Eurodance, and Latin pop. Ricky Martin’s foot tapping numbers emerged as a popular choice, with his 1995 hit “Maria” used by three separate teams.

US champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates delivered a high-energy Lenny Kravitz medley, while Canada’s Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier chose queer icon RuPaul’s “Supermodel (You Better Work)”. Britain’s Lilah Fair and Lewis Gibson performed a Spice Girls tribute.

While the event celebrated the 90s, it created a generational divide.

For Gen Z athletes, choreography for such era music was a mix of guesswork and coach-led. Several athletes had to clear music copyrights before using the tracks for the world stage.