Simon Mintz and Annie Huang perform a lift during free dance at Skate Detroit. Credit: Cynthia Slawter Photography

Lexington High School senior Simon Mintz will compete in the Junior Ice Dance category at the 2026 US Figure Skating Championships in St. Louis, Missouri, from January 5–11, alongside his partner Annie Huang of Newton.

Another Lexington High School student, sophomore Henry Gao, will compete in the Junior men’s figure skating competition. (Gao was added to the competition when another skater withdrew at the last minute, so LexObserver was not able to reach him for comment before publishing).

Mintz was introduced to skating at a young age, beginning with a playdate at The Edge Ice Rink in Bedford. The casual outing soon turned into regular group lessons.

“When I was around eight, I did synchronized skating, and my private coach at the time suggested I try ice dance to improve my posture and overall skating skills,” Mintz said.

Compared to other forms of skating, ice dance, which is preformed in pairs, emphasizes timing and being in unison with a partner. It primarily focuses on intricate footwork and synchronized movements rather than difficult jumps and spins.

Last year, Mintz and Huang competed in the novice division; this year, they have advanced to the junior level, a step away from the elite Senior category.

“It is definitely a lot more intense,” Mintz said.

The competition season, which begins in early July, follows months of preparation and choreography. The team trains five to six days a week with head coach Dmitri Boundoukin of the Colonial Figure Skating Club. Mintz and Huang also work closely with their choreographer, Svetlana Kulikova, throughout that process.

“We skate with her, and she would spend time helping us figure out what elements we are going to do and what the transitions are,” Mintz told LexObserver.

This year, Mintz and Huang’s program includes parts from Sia’s California Dreamin’, followed by Another Way to Die, the theme song to the 2008 James Bond film Quantum of Solace. 

Mintz credits his musical background with helping him improve his skating skills. When he was younger, he participated in musical theater, which helped him develop expressiveness on the ice. Now, as a member of the LHS Wind Ensemble, he has gained a stronger appreciation for timing and precision.

“You start to think you’re going to be on time, and then you’re actually slightly behind,” Mintz said. “When you watch it back, being just a little off makes a big visual difference.”

Like many sports, ice dance requires mental focus in addition to physical skill. Before some practices, Mintz mentally walks through the program with Huang, rehearsing each movement.

“[The walkthrough] helps us really focus on small details, such as whether we are going to point our toes or what we are going to do with our arms,” Mintz said.

Mintz and Huang have been skating together for just over two years and quickly found their rhythm, earning strong placements throughout the 2024-2025 season. Over his seven years in ice dance, Mintz has worked with three different partners.

“You have to work with that specific person, figuring out how both of you skate, to be able to work together,” Mintz said. 

2025 was not an easy year for the skating world. Tragedy struck when an American Airlines flight from Wichita, Kansas crashed, killing everyone on board. Among the victims were youth skaters and coaches returning from a development camp that followed the 2025 US Figure Skating Championships in Wichita. 

Mintz and Huang competed in the tournament but did not stay for the development camp.

“You know the skaters, you know the coaches, you know the moms, and everybody knew them,” Mintz said. “It makes you realize how small the community is.”

As Mintz nears the end of high school, he plans to continue pursuing skating at the highest level possible.

“I’m choosing my college based on where I can find places to skate,” Mintz said. “I want to make it to senior, and I want to do well at that level. The Olympics are, of course, hard to reach, but they’re not outside my list of goals.”

The US Figure Skating Championships can be watched on Peacock.

Join the Conversation

1 Comment

Leave a comment
Commenters must be registered and logged in with a verified email address and REAL FIRST AND LAST NAME. To register for an account visit the registration page for our site. If you already have an account, you can login here or by clicking "My Account" on the upper right hand corner of any page on the site, right above the search icon.

Commenters must use their real first and last name and a real email address.
We do not allow profanity, racism, or misinformation.
We expect civility and good-faith engagement.

We cannot always fact check every comment, verify every name, or debate the finer points of what constitutes civility. We reserve the right to remove any comment we deem inappropriate, and we ask for your patience and understanding if something slips through that may violate our terms.

We are open to a wide range of opinions and perspectives. Criticism and debate are fundamental to community – but so is respect and honesty. Thank you.