Maia Shibutani Bio
Maia Harumi Shibutani (born July 20, 1994) is an American ice dancer best known for competing alongside her older brother, Alex Shibutani. Together, the siblings, popularly called the Shib Sibs, became one of the most successful U.S. ice dance teams of the 2010s, earning two Olympic bronze medals at the 2018 Winter Olympics and three World Championship medals. Born in New York City and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Maia combined a competitive skating career with studies at the University of Michigan, becoming a prominent figure in American figure skating.
Early Life and Background
Maia Harumi Shibutani was born on July 20, 1994, in New York City to Chris Shibutani and Naomi Uyemura, both of Japanese descent. Her parents met as Harvard musicians, and their family later moved to Old Greenwich, Connecticut, where Maia first stepped onto the ice at the age of four in 1998. She attended Greenwich Academy during her early years in Connecticut, gaining exposure to a range of academic and athletic pursuits that would shape her future.
In 2005, the family relocated to Colorado Springs, Colorado, to support Maia and Alex’s growing skating commitments, and Maia was home-schooled during this period. In 2007, the siblings moved again, this time to Ann Arbor, Michigan, to train at the Arctic Edge Arena in Canton, Michigan, under coaches Marina Zueva and Igor Shpilband. The move also gave the family access to strong educational opportunities, allowing Maia to graduate from Huron High School in Ann Arbor in 2012 before enrolling at the University of Michigan that fall.
Path to Ice Dance
Maia began skating as a single skater and was taught by Slavka Kohout Button, a coach best known for guiding U.S. ladies’ champion Janet Lynn. A pivotal moment came in March 2003, when the family attended the World Figure Skating Championships in Washington, D.C. Watching the ice dancers warm up inspired Maia and Alex to try the discipline themselves, drawn in by the artistry, skating quality, and speed of the top teams.
In the spring of 2004, Maia teamed up with Alex to compete in ice dance, with their singles coach, Kathy Bird, arranging for their first dance coaches, Andy Stroukoff and Susie Kelley. Additional mentors included Mary Marchiselli and choreographer Josh Babb, and after strong early results the siblings moved to Colorado Springs to work with choreographer Tom Dickson and coach Judy Blumberg. A breakthrough performance at the Lake Placid Ice Dance Competition in the summer of 2005 led them to relocate once more, this time to train with head coach Patti Gottwein.
Maia Shibutani Career
Early Career (2004-2010)
The Shibutani siblings began their competitive partnership in 2004, winning a gold medal at the 2005 North Atlantic Regional Championships before taking silver at the 2005 U.S. Junior Championships. After moving up through the intermediate level, they captured their first U.S. Junior title in 2006 and added a second consecutive national novice title in 2007, demonstrating steady improvement with each season.
In 2007, the siblings moved to Michigan to work with Marina Zueva and Igor Shpilband, setting the stage for a rapid rise through the junior ranks. On the ISU Junior Grand Prix circuit, they won gold at their 2008-09 debut in Courchevel, France, and silver in Madrid, Spain, qualifying for the Junior Grand Prix Final and the 2009 World Junior Championships, where they earned a silver medal. They added a 2010 U.S. junior title before transitioning to the senior level for the 2010-11 season.
Senior Breakthrough and World Medals (2010-2015)
The Shibutanis made a historic senior debut in 2010, becoming the first dance team to medal at both of their Grand Prix events in an initial senior season, taking bronze at both the 2010 NHK Trophy and the 2010 Skate America. At the 2011 World Championships, they became the youngest world medalists in ice dance in over 50 years, winning bronze in their debut by a margin of 0.25 points. They also became the first figure skaters of Asian descent to medal in ice dance at an ISU Championship event at the 2011 Four Continents.
Over the next several seasons, the team medaled consistently on the Grand Prix circuit, capturing their first senior Grand Prix title at the 2011 NHK Trophy and adding additional podium finishes at the 2012 NHK Trophy and 2013 Skate America. They represented the United States at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, finishing ninth, and won the 2014 Ondrej Nepela Trophy and 2014 Ice Challenge to top the 2014-15 ISU Challenge Cup series.
National and World Titles Era (2015-2018)
The 2015-16 season marked the siblings’ rise to the top of U.S. ice dance, beginning with a second career Grand Prix title at the 2015 NHK Trophy. They went on to win their first senior U.S. title at the 2016 U.S. Championships and then captured their first ISU Championship title at the 2016 Four Continents, becoming the first ice dancers of Asian descent to win an ISU ice dance championship. At the 2016 World Championships, they set personal bests in both segments to claim the silver medal.
The 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons cemented their place among the world’s elite, with Grand Prix victories at 2016 Skate America, the 2016 Cup of China, the 2017 Rostelecom Cup, and 2017 Skate America, along with back-to-back bronze medals at the Grand Prix Final. They captured a second U.S. title in 2017 and earned their third World Championship medal, another bronze, at the 2017 World Championships. At the 2018 Winter Olympics, they helped Team USA win bronze in the team event and then took bronze in the individual ice dance, becoming the first ice dancers of Asian descent to medal at the Olympics. The siblings chose not to compete at the 2018 World Championships and retired from competition shortly after.
Return to Competition (2025-Present)
On May 1, 2025, Maia and Alex announced their intent to return to competitive skating after a seven-year hiatus. They opened their return with a sixth-place finish at the 2025 NHK Trophy in November, followed by a fifth-place result at the 2025 Finlandia Trophy two weeks later. In early 2026, they discarded their rhythm dance and debuted a new program set to Canned Heat by Jamiroquai before finishing ninth at the 2026 U.S. Championships.
Notable Events and Milestones
The Shibutani siblings authored several historic firsts, including becoming the first ice dancers of Asian descent to medal at an ISU Championship event, the first ice dancers of Asian descent to medal at the Olympics, and the first sibling duo from the United States to share an ice dancing Olympic medal. Their bronze at the 2011 World Championships remains the highest world championship debut of any U.S. ice dance team in history, and they stood on the podium at 14 consecutive U.S. Championships across five levels, with eight senior medals.
Maia Shibutani Career Wins
Across their career, the Shibutani siblings compiled an extensive medal collection at the junior, national, and international senior levels, including two U.S. senior titles, one Four Continents title, and three World Championship medals.
International and Grand Prix Highlights
The siblings won six Grand Prix titles across the 2011 NHK Trophy, 2015 NHK Trophy, 2016 Skate America, 2016 Cup of China, 2017 Rostelecom Cup, and 2017 Skate America. They earned a silver medal and a bronze medal in their two appearances at the Grand Prix Final, and they were two-time members of the U.S. Olympic team, competing at the 2014 and 2018 Winter Olympics.
Other Wins and Achievements
At the junior level, the Shibutanis were 2009 World Junior silver medalists, 2008-09 JGP Final qualifiers, and 2009-10 JGP Final bronze medalists. They captured the 2016 Four Continents title and were guests of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at a 2012 dinner in honor of Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, recognizing their contributions to sports diplomacy.
Maia Shibutani Family
Family Background and Skating Lineage
Maia is the daughter of Chris Shibutani and Naomi Uyemura, both of Japanese descent, who met as Harvard musicians. She has an older brother, Alex Shibutani, who has been her ice dance partner throughout their competitive career, and the family played a central role in supporting the siblings’ training and education across multiple relocations.
Personal Life
Maia began figure skating at the age of four in Old Greenwich, Connecticut, and lived in Colorado Springs from 2005 through 2007, where she was home-schooled. She moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 2007, graduated from Huron High School in 2012, and enrolled at the University of Michigan that fall. In 2019, she was diagnosed with a malignant mass on her kidney and began immediate treatment.