France boasts a long and successful history in ice dance, and Dania Mouaden and Theo Bigot are emerging as two of the discipline’s brightest young talents. The teenagers have turned heads since competing internationally at the novice level, bringing a striking combination of energy, expression and natural chemistry to the ice.

The young French team opened their season with a maiden victory at the ISU Junior Grand Prix in Riga, Latvia, and built on that success at their second stop of the series in Ankara, Türkiye.

Celebrating a Maiden Victory in Riga

Winning their first gold medal on the junior circuit was a massive milestone for Mouaden and Bigot.

“We were so happy,” Mouaden shared. “I can’t say we were expecting it, but we just tried to skate as well as we could. When we saw our score, we were thrilled.”

The skaters felt confident after taking the lead in the Rhythm Dance, but they knew the competition was tight and that they had to remain focused.

“You need to be able to handle the pressure of being in the lead,” longtime coach Barbara Piton pointed out.

Ankara: Building on Riga

Following their breakthrough victory in Riga, Mouaden and Bigot competed last week at JGP Ankara in Türkiye where they finished second.

“We are really satisfied with our Rhythm Dance,” said Mouaden. “To beat our personal best is certainly a good thing. This progress comes from improving the elements and the key points. We felt that we were more precise and had more confidence than in Riga.”

Bigot agreed but added that there was “still room for improvement.”

“Not everything was perfect,” he noted. “That’s interesting moving forward. We know now exactly what we need to work on to be more consistent and solid in both programs.”

Their performance in Ankara determined their path toward the ISU Junior Grand Prix Final, where the French duo have set a clear goal after finishing fourth last season.

“It is a great satisfaction,” said Mouaden. “To qualify for the first time was already great for us and to be able to come back to the Final for the second year proves a certain continuity in our progression.”

“This qualification marks a new milestone,” Bigot added. “We have now the experience of the Junior Grand Prix, and coming into the Final we want to use it to be even better prepared. We’re very excited to go back, but we don’t see this qualification as an end in itself: above all, it makes us even more eager to improve.”

“For the Final, we are aiming for a better placement than last year,” Mouaden said. “We want to make the top three.”

Coach Piton said they will use the next few weeks to go into “detail in both programs.”

“For the Rhythm Dance, the goal is to make sure to get the key points and to seek further precision in the technical elements,” she said. “But we want also to develop the general quality of our programs. The goal is not just looking for extra points element by element, but to present two programs that are more well-rounded as a whole.”

The Junior Grand Prix Final will take place Dec. 10-13, 20206, in Chongqing, China.

“We have a good chunk of time to work ahead of us,” Bigot pointed out. “We’ll use it to come to the Final with programs that have even more evolved compared to Riga and Ankara.”

The Power of Carmen in the Free Dance

As an expressive team, the French duo did not shy away from a bold choice for their Free Dance: a modernized version of Carmen. But rather than portraying the traditional characters, they have created their own interpretation of the classic theme.

“We don’t try to embody two specific characters,” Mouaden explained. “We try to embody a force, a passion, and an energy that flows freely through our veins—showing our desire to break free, express ourselves, and be unrestricted.”

“We want to interpret this program with raw, authentic emotions,” the more soft-spoken Bigot added.

Piton, a former international-level ice dancer herself, suggested the music.

“I knew it would suit them. We know each other so well—after all, they’ve been skating together for seven years. We wanted to change things up and present something more mature,” Piton noted.

“Dania and Theo are very expressive skaters despite their youth—they are only 16 and 17 years old. We didn’t want to do a traditional Carmen, but rather a Carmen that runs through their veins, just like the title suggests. It’s Carmen revisited, leveraging that raw energy.”

For the Rhythm Dance, the team chose “Milord” and “La Foule” by iconic French singer Édith Piaf.

“When we heard the music, we immediately said to each other, ‘This is for us!’ The music chose us, not the other way around,” Mouaden said.

Confidence from Summer Preparation

Riga was their first official competition of the season, preceded only by a test event in France that proved invaluable. The team then used the feedback from Riga as they prepared for Ankara, looking to deliver an even stronger performance.

Both ice dancers and their coach believe they are heading in the right direction.

“We are fully aligned with the theme, and the composition of both programs is strong,” Piton said. “There are always points to improve, as with anything.”

“The first competition wasn’t too difficult for us because we were ready,” Mouaden pointed out. “We’ve been preparing all summer—really, ever since Junior Worlds [last March]. By now, we know what we need to do to be prepared.”

The skaters live and train in Châlons-en-Champagne in northeastern France, supported by a strong network of specialists. In addition to Piton, they work with a physical trainer, a mental coach, a ballet instructor, a former Paris Opera dancer, and a circus school.

“Step by step, we are growing and developing,” Piton noted. “They are only 16 and 17, and we want to preserve their freshness. We don’t want to turn them into little adults.”

The team focused on skating skills, speed and expression over the summer.

“However, they are still very young, and we need to give them time,” Piton observed. “We already expect a lot from Dania and Theo, even though they are younger than many of their competitors.”

Nevertheless, they have already made a name for themselves.

Sparks Flying from the Beginning

It isn’t just their experience driving their progress, but also their natural chemistry and shared drive. Piton recognized this immediately when she first paired them together.

“It was an instant match,” she recalled.

Piton had coached Bigot from the beginning and met Mouaden when she was nine, quickly realizing they would complement each other perfectly.

“We were close right from the start,” Bigot confirmed.

“We hit it off right away, both on and off the ice,” Mouaden agreed. “It just clicked—sparks were flying. It was so much fun.”

Beyond their personalities, their technique aligned naturally.

“They did the twizzles in the same way,” Piton noted. “There were similarities in their basic movement.”

At the same time, their personalities offer a dynamic contrast—“a bit like fire and ice,” as Piton put it, “or yin and yang.”

The skaters balance each other out: Mouaden is vibrant and energetic, while Bigot remains calm and composed.

“The judges notice it too—each of them brings something unique to the partnership,” said Piton. “That’s exactly what we want to showcase.”

Forming a Partnership Early On

Piton built the team from the ground up. While Mouaden started as a single skater in a different club, Bigot went straight into ice dance. In France, young skaters typically specialize early in either singles or ice dance based on their club’s focus. Mouaden tried both for a short period before making her decision.

“I was doing both singles and dance when Barbara called me for a tryout with Theo,” Mouaden recalled. “I was impressed by the club, and honestly, I loved skating with Theo much more than competing in singles. Singles was a great experience, but I preferred skating as a team.”

Seven years later, that early connection has developed into a partnership built on trust, familiarity and a shared ambition.

Inspired by Olympic Champions

Mouaden and Bigot draw inspiration from the leading skaters who came before them, particularly 2026 Olympic Champions Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron.

“We love their speed and their connection,” Mouaden said. “They skated with such unity and achieved so much together. They had that connection right from the start.”

“We were fortunate that Dania and Theo got to watch Laurence and Guillaume up close at the Final last year,” Piton explained. “That was an incredible learning experience.”

Mouaden nodded in agreement.

“Yes, it was incredible and deeply inspiring.”

“Watching them live is completely different from seeing them on a screen,” Bigot added.

The young skaters also had the opportunity to speak with their role models.

“We chatted with them just like normal people—it was amazing,” Mouaden shared. “Guillaume gave us great advice regarding daily practice and warm-up routines.”

Looking Toward the Future

With plenty of time left to compete in the junior ranks, Mouaden and Bigot are building toward a long career.

“Senior teams have proven that you can keep competing well into your 30s,” Piton noted.

“It’s a marathon, not a sprint,” Mouaden agreed.

Off the ice, both plan to graduate high school this year and pursue university studies alongside their training. Piton and the skaters strongly emphasize education, and both attend a local public high school.

“It gives them balance and a healthy social life,” Piton observed. “It allows them to experience life outside the rink.”

Attending the same school and sharing the same grade level doesn’t strain their relationship.

“We’re like brother and sister,” Mouaden said. “We might disagree during practice occasionally, but it’s rare and quickly forgotten.”

For Mouaden and Bigot, the journey has only just begun. Seven years after first coming together, the French duo continue to sharpen their skating, strengthen their partnership and develop their artistic identity—one competition at a time.