Ellie Kam and Danny O'Shea are not married or dating each other, despite their electric on-ice chemistry. The American pairs figure skaters teamed up in 2022 and went on to win Olympic gold at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Games.
Partnership and Olympic Success
Kam and O'Shea train together under coaches Drew Meekins and Sandy Straub, with choreography split between Marie-France Dubreuil for the free skate and Meekins for the short program. Their partnership is driven by trust and chemistry grown on and off the ice.
Speaking to Women's Health Magazine, coach Drew Meekins emphasized the importance of their relationship: "We've had to work through a lot of figuring out what each other is trying to say and how the other person wants to receive that information and all of that stuff. My job is usually kind of helping them navigate it."
Kam described O'Shea's joyful personality, saying, "Danny comes in with this big smile every day, and I'm like, 'Wait, I need a second. Please turn the sun off.'"
Overcoming Injuries
Between March 2025 and February 2026, injuries nearly derailed their Olympic bid. In March 2025, O'Shea broke his foot during off-ice jumps; months later, Kam sustained a severe concussion after a fall in practice. O'Shea told Women's Health: "We have to have the ultimate trust in each other, right? Keep each other safe and take care of going after things like this Olympic gold medal. If there happens to be a miscommunication or a lack of communication off the ice, we've really learned to just put it to the side, leave it off the ice." Kam added, "Be forgiving to each other."
How They Became Partners
At the start of their partnership in 2022, Kam had never competed internationally, and O'Shea was technically retired from pairs figure skating. He assisted Meekins in coaching Kam two days per week. According to NBC Sports, O'Shea said: "We skated together a little bit. It was, in a way, to help her get through that time, which can be emotionally pretty hard. In the back of my mind, I was like, this is an opportunity for myself and for us; if it feels easy and feels as good as I think it will, and it did. It was pretty awesome. She's a rising star, and I latched on."
Before the March 2023 ISU World Figure Skating Championships, O'Shea noted: "Ellie didn't know it at the time, but I was definitely interested in skating with Ellie, having watched her perform." Kam said: "Danny having all the experience helped a lot because he already knew what was going to happen. I just had to worry about being there and keeping my feet under me. He was able to guide my team with Drew. It was super helpful. Skating with Danny is exciting. He's Danny O'Shea!"
Achievements
Their joint achievements include: 2026 Olympic team event gold medal; U.S. Championships medals in 2026, 2025, 2024, and 2023; 2024 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships bronze medal; 2024 John Nicks Pairs Challenge International; 2024 ISU CS Nebelhorn Trophy; 2024 NHK Trophy; 2023 ISU CS Finlandia Trophy; 2022 Golden Spin of Zagreb; and 2022 Ice Challenge.
Off-Ice Lives and Boundaries
Kam is a major at the University of Colorado - Colorado Springs. Her hobbies include baking, reading, thrifting, and car racing. She told Women's Health: "I would stay in bed until probably, like, noon if I could." O'Shea works as a real estate agent and skating coach. He creates balance by hiking. He said: "She'll just wave at me from afar and be like, 'I am here. Hello. We just learned to be there for each other in those moments, right? I'm ready, I'm smiling, and I'm there to say, 'Okay, good morning, Ellie, and now have your space.'"
FAQs
- Are the US ice dancers couples? Some US ice dancing teams, such as Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik, Eva Pate and Logan Bye, and Madison Chock and Evan Bates, are married in real life.
- Are Danny O'Shea and Ellie Kim together? The 2026 Winter Olympics champions are not dating.
- How old are Ellie Kam and Danny O'Shea? As of 2026, Ellie Kam is 21 years old, and Danny O'Shea is 35 years old.
- Where is Ellie Kam from? Ellie Kam was born at Yokota Air Base in Japan and raised in Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States.
- Is Ellie Kam married? Ellie Kam is not married and is currently single.
- What nationality is Ellie Kam? Ellie Kam is American.
- Who is Danny O'Shea's husband? Danny O'Shea does not have a husband.
- How many partners has Danny O'Shea had? Danny O'Shea has competed internationally with three pairs partners: Tarah Kayne, Chelsea Liu, and Ellie Kam.
