A dream that finally becomes reality
In the thirty years that I have been involved in the dance world, I have seen many talents pass by, but Allison Reed's story really touches me. It takes a certain kind of perseverance to keep training year after year while bureaucratic walls block your path to the highest podium. On Monday, February 9, 2026, the moment finally arrived: Allison Reed stepped onto the ice of the Milano Ice Skating Arena for her first official Olympic performance representing Lithuania.
Together with her partner Saulius Ambrulevičius, she delivered an impressive Rhythm Dance to the tunes of 'I'm Too Sexy' by Right Said Fred and 'Cantloop' by Us3. With a score of 82.95, they are currently in a respectable seventh place. Today, Wednesday, February 11, they compete in the free dance for what they describe as their ultimate goal: a medal for their adopted homeland.
The long road to the Lithuanian passport
For us as dancers, it is sometimes difficult to imagine that your career depends not only on your technique or your passion, but also on a stamp in a passport. Allison, born in Kalamazoo, USA, has been skating for Lithuania since 2017. Despite their enormous successes, including bronze at the 2024 European Championships, the pair was not allowed to participate in the 2022 Games in Beijing. The reason? Reed did not get her Lithuanian citizenship finalized in time.
After two previous rejections by the Lithuanian president in 2022 and 2023, the long-awaited news finally came in November 2024. President Gitanas Nausėda granted her citizenship due to her extraordinary merits for sports in the country. In December 2024, she officially took the oath. The fact that she was allowed to serve as the flag bearer for Lithuania during the opening ceremony in Milan was the icing on the cake after years of uncertainty. In an interview with WMUK, it becomes clear how deep that recognition goes for an athlete who has been 100% committed for years to a country where she was not born.
Technical perfection and the power of partnership
What makes Allison and Saulius so special is their partnership of nearly ten years now. In ice dance – and it is no different in ballroom or salsa – that mutual understanding is everything. You can see it in the way they perform their 'twizzles' in sync and the effortless transitions in their lifts. During their Rhythm Dance last Monday, you could see that routine. Saulius acts as a rock, while Allison sets the lines with her technical precision.
At Miss Salsa, we always emphasize the connection between partners, and with this duo, you see that the connection goes beyond just the steps. They have experienced deep lows together, including the sudden passing of Allison's brother Chris Reed in 2020, also a well-known ice dancer. They take that emotional baggage onto the ice, which gives their interpretation of the music an extra layer. For their free dance today, they have chosen music by Faithless ('God Is a DJ' and 'We Come 1'), a bold choice that requires enormous physical strength and tight rhythmic control.
What we as dancers can learn from Allison Reed
When I look at Allison's career, I see parallels with the challenges that many of my own students face. Not everyone deals with international passport issues, but we all know the moments of injuries, partner changes, or the feeling that you are not progressing. Concretely, we can draw three important lessons from her journey:
- Long-term vision: Reed and Ambrulevičius have been skating together for ten years. In a world where partners are quickly exchanged when things get tough, they show that depth in a dance relationship takes time.
- Adaptability: Allison skated for Georgia and Israel before finding her place with Lithuania. She has learned to adapt to different cultures and styles, something that greatly enriches you as an all-round dancer.
- Mental resilience: Receiving a rejection for your dream twice and still continuing. That is the definition of a top-sport mentality.
The climax in Milan
The competition in the Milano Ice Skating Arena is cutthroat. Ticket prices for the free dance went up to over €550, which indicates how popular this discipline is. The pair is currently in seventh place, but the differences in the top ten are small. Their score of 82.95 in the Rhythm Dance is close to their personal record, indicating they are in top form.
It is wonderful to see how Allison, who comes from a real skating family (her sister Cathy and brother Chris were both Olympians for Japan), is now finally writing her own chapter. She proves that your background or your place of birth does not define who you are, but that your passion and your commitment to your sport form your identity. Today we look forward to their free dance with excitement. Whether a medal comes or not, Allison Reed has already won simply by appearing at the starting line.