World champion figure skater Deanna Stellato-Dudek has made the decision to return to the United States after seven seasons competing for Canada. She will now be partnering with Danil Siianytsia in a new pairs team.
A native of Chicago aged 43, Stellato-Dudek previously represented the United States in women’s singles over 25 years ago before transitioning to Canada in 2019 to skate alongside Maxime Deschamps. Deschamps recently announced his retirement from competitive figure skating in July.
In 2024, at the age of 40, Stellato-Dudek, together with Deschamps, secured a world figure skating title for Canada, making her the oldest woman to achieve this feat. They also clinched the 2024 Four Continents title and three Canadian championships. Subsequently, she acquired Canadian citizenship, enabling her to compete for Canada at the Olympics.
Expressing her enthusiasm for this new partnership, Stellato-Dudek stated, “I’m incredibly excited to embark on this new journey with Danil, and I deeply appreciate the unwavering support from my fans throughout my career. I am committed to giving my all to make you proud and represent the USA with utmost dedication.”
Reflecting on her skating career, Stellato-Dudek remarked, “My journey in this sport has taken me to unexpected places, but it all started for me in the United States. I am thankful for the experiences I’ve had in my career and look forward to what Danil and I can achieve together.”
Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps placed 11th at the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympics following a challenging lead-up to her long-awaited Olympic debut. Just weeks before the pairs event, she suffered a head injury during a training session, receiving medical clearance shortly before competing. Unfortunately, a fall during the short program dashed their hopes of contending for a medal.
Danil Siianytsia, aged 25 and originally from Dnipro, Ukraine, has been representing the United States in pairs competitions since 2017, most recently partnering with Anastasiia Smirnova. Stellato-Dudek and Siianytsia will be training in Colorado Springs under the guidance of Olympic coach Drew Meekins in preparation for the upcoming qualifying season leading to the 2027 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.