March 20, 2026
By Maddie Scherzer
Staff Writer
“Glitter & Gold: Ice Dancing” is packed with emotion, intensity and incredible performances. Following the lives of fierce competitors as they make their way to the 2026 Winter Olympics, this three-part docuseries illustrates both the beauty and behind-the-scenes stress of the sport.
The first episode introduces the main pairs as they prepare for and begin their competitive season.
Representing the United States, Madison Chock and Evan Bates began skating together in July 2011 and got married in June 2024. Representing Canada, Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier have also been a skating pair since July 2011. Representing France, Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron have been a skating pair for less than a year but are still contenders for Olympic gold.
The episode raises questions about Fournier Beaudry’s previous partnership with her boyfriend of 12 years, Nikolaj Sørensen, who in October 2024 received a six-year suspension from the sport due to a sexual assault allegation. An arbitrator overturned Sørensen’s suspension in June 2025. Unfortunately, the docuseries includes minimal information about this because Fournier Beaudry indicated she did not want to discuss it.
The second episode reveals the time and effort that goes into choreography and music selection. It highlights each pair’s resilience and teamwork as their routines get harder, practice times lengthen and stakes rise. The pressure is on, especially when judges show up to observe practices.
While ice dancers are meant to make their moves look easy, this docuseries demonstrates that it is far from the truth.
Costume malfunctions and injuries add more drama to the docuseries. For example, Chock’s skirt blinds Bates during practice, causing the couple to fall. They adjust their programs to be more challenging, and at the Skate America Grand Prix in New York, Bates experiences severe back and rib pain that prompts him to consider withdrawing from the competition, fearing he could be putting his wife’s safety at risk.
The final episode addresses the competitors’ personal lives. Viewers learn that Gilles had to undergo surgery for stage 1 ovarian cancer, her mom died after battling stage 4 brain cancer and Fournier Beaudry suffered from anorexia and bulimia.
The episode exposes the athletes’ frustrations with what they perceive as unfair scoring at the Grand Prix in Finland. It also underscores Fournier Beaudry’s anxiety as she, a Canadian citizen, awaits French citizenship so she can compete with Cizeron, a Frenchman, at the Olympics.
The climax of the docuseries occurs at the Grand Prix Final in Japan. Filled with triumph, angst and a horrific tumble on the ice, these scenes do not disappoint.
While ice dancers are meant to make their moves look easy, this docuseries demonstrates that it is far from the truth. Consequently, viewers will come away from “Glitter & Gold: Ice Dancing” with a heightened appreciation for the perseverance and teamwork required to reach the end goal: winning a medal on Olympic ice.
