ICE BRAVE 2025: Program Set List (Spoilers Alert + LONG POST)
Shoma Uno was blessed with many different programs during his competitive years, and ICE BRAVE 2025 utilized that really well. From my perspective, the main objective of the set list is to celebrate Shoma's range of music genre, highlight the individual skills of each performers, and also make sure they all not die doing this show because all of them charged forward with full power.
SPOILERS ALERT. If you don't want to be spoiled about the show (especially if you're flying to Japan to watch) I don't recommend reading. Because honestly, Shoma made some incredible choices, I tip my hat to him and his team as producers.
Warning: I have included relevant photos for visuals so this is going to be REALLY REALLY LONG.
01. GREAT SPIRIT (Opening Number - All Skaters)
Well Shoma can't not open the show without this one, can he? Bless the day Shae-Lynn Bourne chose Grespi for Shoma. The program started with Shoma skating alone, and then Rika and Marin skated together in the center, before all the men joined them and they all skated together.
02. COME TOGETHER (All Skaters without Stephane Lambiel)
Still on SLB's Shoma playlist of intense heavy duty music, all skaters except Stephane (who skated backstage) continued the intense opening with Come Together.
03. INTRODUCTION - MENT / TALKING TIME (All Skaters, introduced by Shoma Uno as MC)
So this show has no breaks / intermissions (there was no zamboni time between halves) and no pre-recorded videos to fill the space when the skaters are resting, meaning it's a full nonstop show for 90 minutes. How the 7 skaters bought time to rest was this "MENT" (Talking time, common in KPOP concerts) where the skaters are on the ice and talk to the audience with mics. So the first MENT was Shoma on the mic introducing the cast, and they did some tricks when they were introduced.... Stephane who is like. 10 years older than all of them did a cartwheel LMAO (my Steph fan friend: STEPHANE NEVER DID ANY CARTWHEEL EVER)
04. LEGENDS (Shoma Uno & Stephane Lambiel)
I was watching from the very first show, and after the introduction, I note that the next program is about to start and... Shoma and Stephane stayed out while the rest of the skaters went backstage. My brain went haywire trying to think what program they would do together in that black shiny pleather opening costumes??? AND THEN LEGENDS STARTED PLAYING AND I LOST MY MIND. THIS EARLY IN THE SETLIST... SHOMA YOU GALAXY BRAINED GENIUS. They did the program in a diagonal mirroring way, with THAT step sequence done side by side. Some amazing new choreo with a bit of ice work too at the end. Just... the coolest legends skating Legends... and on the third show, they did it in front of the legend that brought this program to the world: Mihoko Higuchi herself, there in the flesh. They bowed at the end to the audience- this is also an interesting detail, there were only 3 bows in the whole show outside of the closing number: Stephane/Shoma, Shoma/Marin and Shoma alone. The rest of the programs flowed into the next without any time for bows.
05. LA VIE EN ROSE (Yoji Nakano & Rika Hongo)
Now this is where Shoma's portfolio of programs shine: he has many music that allows for physically less intense programs but still allow for some really good delicious flowing skating. La vie en Rose was reimagined to be a romantic duet with a little bit of cheek. Yoji and Rika played off each other so well, they were in their own little musical. One thing that is a bit clunky was that they did play a little humorous skit, which while cute may be disrupting the worldview fans have of La vie en Rose, which is a very sentimental song in Shoma's career (JNats 2019 gala anyone...) but overall it's very sweet and cute, and Yoji is perfectly charming to Rika's gorgeousness.
06. TIME AFTER TIME (Yoji Nakano, Kazuki Kushida, Tsunehito Karakawa, Rika Hongo & Stephane Lambiel)
Still in the light-hearted cheeky romantic musical vibe, the charming couple of Yoji and Rika were joined by Maitre'd Stephane Lambiel and his assistants Tsunehito and Kazuki Kushida, and they had a charming dinner with jazzy entertainment provided by the assistants and then Yoji too, lol. Yoji and Tsune are Prince Ice World skaters so this type of musical interlude with tricks and smooth skating are very much in their wheelhouse, and Kazuki Kushida has also charisma to spare. Stephane and Rika spent most of this number on chairs to enjoy the show, and at the end they all lifted Rika up, lol.
07. TANGUERA (Tsunehito Karakawa, joined by Shoma Uno & Marin Honda)
Dinner's over, the Maitre'd kicked everyone out of the ice, except Tsunehito who took off his vest and stayed. And then Tanguera started playing... the lights turned red... and we're in the spicy part of Shoma's portfolio. Tsune's skating is smooth and sharp, and he's joined midway by the owner of the program himself, and then Shoma and Tsune faced off against each other with some sharp skating. It built and built to the reveal of none other than Marin Honda in an incredible one shouldered red dress entering the ice to skate against them both, and well, this section ends with her sitting on their knees, a queen on her throne.
08. STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN / PPA (Marin Honda solo, ft. Shoma Uno & Tsunehito Karakawa)
Marin's red dress was more flamenco than tango so it's obvious the next song was Stairway to Heaven / PPA. The guys did feature a bit on the opening choreo, but this is Marin's show and they are immediately dismissed. And what a show it is, Marin Honda at her most glamorous best with her full splendor.
09. BUENOS AIRES HORA CERO / BALADA PARA UN LOCO (Shoma Uno solo)
After 8 years and countless questions by fans... she's here. The original and inimitable Loco, now skated by 2025 Shoma Uno, who is not only blonde, but wore a costume with such a sheer back I can see his entire back and shoulder blades moving to this music. And well. Loco is Loco. Shoma's masterpiece, and he kept the axel on the music change, with either 2A or 3A depending on his mood. He's on his full dangerous mode with this one.
10. GRAVITY (Stephane Lambiel solo)
How best to follow Loco? (this is a question that comes up often in this show, lol). Well, how about Gravity skated by the man who created it? Stephane is clearly the best professional skater in the cast with his years of experience, and it's amazing to see Gravity free from the shackles of competition, in its sensual, languid and emotional best. And Steph picked an excellent shirt for this one too ;) Also I included the jump landing photo because STEPHANE JUMPED SO MUCH IN THIS SHOW. Incredible.
11. WINTER (Rika Hongo & Marin Honda)
Beautifully dressed in all white, Rika and Marin look like the Winter Queen and Snow Princess respectively in this program. The choreography for Winter was pretty faithful to Shoma's original short program, especially on the step sequence. The ladies took turns harmoniously with the musical phrasing of the piece, which I loved.
12. NARCO by TIMMY TRUMPET (NEW PROGRAM) (Shoma Uno, Yoji Nakano, Tsunehito Karakawa, Kazuki Kushida)
This was a fun group number that was converted from land dancing choreography. The long training time really showed here, the guys are so good and synchronized, and this was probably when Shoma's projection power was at his very peak and brought up the temperature of the venue up. Very nice red costumes for this one.
13. MENT / TALKING TIME (MC by Shoma Uno, Yoji Nakano, Tsunehito Karakawa, Kazuki Kushida, Stephane Lambiel)
More talking time! Stephane joined the guys on the ice with towels and water bottles, making it very similar to KPOP MENT. At the shows that I attended, this is where Stephane said his compliments and thoughts on the show IN ENGLISH. Which Shoma does not understand. And then Shoma talks about his compliments and thoughts on the show IN JAPANESE. Which Stephane does not understand. (Spoiler alert: they both just said the same thing basically. IDK if they coordinated but they both look so confused askjdnaksjdnkadsn) It's a whole ass skit on its own lmao. 14. EARTH SONG / HISTORY (Yoji Nakano, Tsunehito Karakawa, Kazuki Kushida)
Shoma's one and only Michael Jackson program was a deep cut with Earth Song as its opening, but it was really convenient in the show because the slower, more mellow song allows for the guys who skated this to catch their breath before really turning on the full MJ experience when History started. This is also one of my favorite program of the show- Yoji, Tsune and Kazuki Kushida were AMAZING. Love the popping happening in the program, and I still remember the sound of Kazuki Kushida blowing a kiss to my direction even now lol. 15. RIVERDANCE (Rika Hongo solo)
How can you not ask Rika Hongo in your show to do her legendary Riverdance program? This is a music Shoma and Rika shared. The opening choreo is actually Shoma's choreo from 2009, and then new choreography was added before Rika going full legend and unleashed her legendary step sequence from her original FS. It's a really cool way to both honor Shoma's portfolio and Rika's program. Also the penlights by the audience turned to all green for her, it's a really cool sight to see. 16. TIMELAPSE / SPIEGEL IM SPIEGEL (Stephane Lambiel solo)
This is a masterpiece. There is no way around it. For the promotion of this show, Shoma talked about making Stephane do this program that was really difficult. Which most fans thought it was Bolero, but Timelapse / Spiegel im Spiegel was Stephane's own selection of music given to Kenji Miyamoto to choreograph for Shoma, and the first time Shoma and Kenji listened together to the songs they went .... "oh shit" because it was SO HARD. Stephane was faithful to the original choreo, and it was truly incredible. This is masterpiece level.
Also when the music started the crowd can't help but gasp... Shoma gave the best music choices he can choose for Stephane. Incredible. 17. WILD SIDE by ROBERTO CACCIAPAGLIA (NEW PROGRAM) (Shoma Uno & Marin Honda)
How do you even follow a masterpiece like Stephane's Timelapse / Spiegel??? Well, you don't. All you need to do is reveal that you have been practicing ice dance together for NINE MONTHS. When I tell you I sat there with my mouth open the WHOLE TIME. How do I even talk about it. More than the twizzles, the lifts, the dance spin... it was that they moved together as one. They were breathing together... their lines polished to match each other. Marin looking ethereal like the fairy queen... and Shoma looked like he would rearrange the world for her happiness.
This was really the moment everyone broke character in the audience, so far we were applauding really hard (Stephane's program had the biggest applause), but this was when we just started talking in disbelief to each other when it was over. Shomarin bowed to the audience after this, and it's hard not to feel like this was Shoma's way to tell the audience, his long time fans, that this is his happiness now, with Marin. And as his fans love him because of his skating, he tells them through their skating as well.
18. DANCING ON MY OWN (Yoji Nakano, Rika Hongo, Kazuki Kushida)
I'm kinda sad that there's not many photos for this program (I guess the photographers were reeling after Shomarin revealed THAT). But this was a beautiful callback to La vie en Rose back in the start, but this time, Rika left Yoji for Kazuki Kushida. Again this is where Shoma's portfolio of variety of songs shine, it was a beautiful, lyrical interpretation of the song with just lovely skating skills, and giving skaters time to breathe and recover. And they honor David Wilson's penchant for very literal choreo with Rika doing her beautiful Biellman spin on the lyrics "I'm spinning around in circles".
All choreographers in Shoma's competitive career were well represented, in my opinion. From Mihoko to Stephane to David to Shae and to Kenji, with Kenji overseeing the overall choreo for this show to make up for his choice only represented in one program and its skated by the person who chose the music for him to choreograph (Stephane's Timelapse).
19. BOLERO IV - NEW BREATH (aka SHOLERO) (Group Number - All Skaters)
The program that Shoma was most happy about during his competitive life... of course it will end with this. All skaters were decked beautifully in gold and cream, and they did this beautiful circle formation and choreography reminiscent of Bejart's Bolero at the beginning, before it goes into the song. The skaters then left the ice one by one to leave the skater and choreographer alone with this program that made them World Champion and the coach of the World Champion, before Stephane sent Shoma off to finish the program with the legendary demonic step sequence.
20. SEE YOU AGAIN (Closing Number - All Skaters)
Just beautiful outro song to conclude the show, with the skaters showing beautiful, lyrical skating to this song, which had been with Shoma almost every step of his career. The jackets the skaters wore for this song has Ice Brave tagline: "BRAVERY ISN'T JUST MINE, IT'S BUILT BY THOSE WHO STAND WITH ME." And it really is Shoma's thesis statement for this show- he wants to show what he can create with other skaters, away from skating alone in competition. In his interview after the first day of the show, he confirmed the same thing- this is what fulfills him now, skating together with others to reach the same goal. He even said that it makes skating alone to his solo program (Loco) felt lonely.
21. OUTRO / TALKING TIME & FINAL LAPS (All Skaters, MC by Shoma Uno)
"Hello, Shoma Uno here." was the opening line of so many posts on Shoma's website back during his competitive days, so of course he started his final MENT with that. It was really a moment to thank all the audience, before going to the final laps. Tsune does a jump, Yoji does a backflip, and Shoma does his 4T and 4T3T... in his ice dancing blades. You know. Just Shoma Uno things.
TL;DR IT WAS A REALLY GOOD SHOW IM SO HAPPY
