Stephanee Grosscup

Stephanee Grosscup, Nathan Chen's first coach and 2018 ITNY Alumni Award Recipient.

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Stephanee Grosscup: A Very Big Life

This story is from our 2018 Ice Theatre of New York Gala Program by Daniel Gesmer.

Stephanee Grosscup started skating at age nine in the iconic outdoor rink in Sun Valley, Idaho. Until her mid-teens she trained diligently for amateur competition, but in her late teens she veered precociously off the conventional path and began an unusually wide-ranging and prolific career as a professional performer, teacher, coach, and choreographer.

For over two decades Stephanee was a soloist in the Sun Valley summer ice shows. She performed for 25 years with companies including Disney On Ice, Ice Follies, and Holiday on Ice; and she appeared in made-for-TV movies such as “Carmen on Ice” and “Champions on Ice.” In the early 80s Stephanee also spent two years performing in Cabaret-style shows in New York, which earned her a rare appearance skating (on synthetic ice) on the stage of “Late Night with David Letterman.”

As a coach, Stephanee has helped many students to successes at the U.S. National Championships. Her longtime student Erin Reed, now a veteran professional skating coach and performer herself, said, “Stephanee has a contagious, youthful energy. As a coach, choreographer, mentor and friend, she has inspired me and many others to push our limits, both competitively and artistically. I’m forever grateful for her guidance, which has encouraged my continued love of skating.”

As a choreographer, Stephanee has created works for Olympians and national champions such as Nathan Chen, as well as numerous top professionals. She was a member of the Emmy Award-winning team that created the Opening Ceremony for the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. She also worked for Volkswagen in Wolfsburg, Germany, producing over 45 pieces annually for five seasons. More recently, she just completed her *fourth season choreographing the renowned Sun Valley Summer Ice Show.

In 1988, Stephanee met the then-choreographer of Ice Theatre of New York, Rob McBrien and Founder, Moira North, who invited her to begin performing with the company. It was a juncture that changed her life forever.

“I had already had a full career,” she recalled, “but meeting Rob showed me that ensemble skating could be more than a chorus line; it could have a meaningful storyline with recurring characters.”

“I have no idea where life would have taken me without Ice Theatre’s community of beautiful, talented athlete-artists whom I hold near and dear to my heart. They shaped who I am, and I’m immensely grateful. Something is missing in my life when I’m not around them.”

Stephanee feels a strong spiritual attunement with the natural world and exudes a joyful, childlike sense of wonder. “I’m so grateful,” she said, “for the ongoing beautiful, mind-boggling flow in my career.”

She is also deeply philosophical about the creative process. “I get possessed by an idea or piece of music and let myself be a channel for an energy that’s greater than myself,” she said. “It always astounds me, and there’s no stopping it when it starts.”

We are thrilled to have Stephanee Grosscup as one of our 2026 Gala Co-Chairs!

*Update, today, Stephanee just entered her 11th season choreographing Sun Valley on Ice.

This program is supported, in part, by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy C. Hochul and the New York State Legislature. ITNY is also supported by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council, and NYC Council Members Abreu, Bottcher, Powers and Marte. ITNY's Manhattan programming is funded in part by a grant from the New York City Tourism Foundation.

Additionally, ITNY receives funding from Bloomberg Philanthropies, The Daniel & Corrine Cichy Memorial Foundation,The Lisa McGraw Figure Skating Foundation, the Will Sears Foundation, and its generous private patrons.

Photo Stephanee Grosscup