Isabeau Levito knows exactly what she wants out of her first Olympic experience — to stay grounded, to skate to her fullest potential, and to experience every single thing the Olympic village has to offer. Read on to learn more about the youngest member of the 2026 Winter Olympics U.S. figure skating team.

TOGETHXR: Congratulations on having such a great year so far! How did you initially get into figure skating? 

IL: My mom always loved skating, but she never had the opportunity to try [it] herself growing up. She was watching the 2010 Olympics and I, at the very ripe age of three, was dancing around the living room imitating [the skaters], having a blast. So, my mom took it as a sign. It was before I was basically conscious enough to have thoughts, but it worked out. I stuck to it and I love doing it. 

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TOGETHXR: Being an elite athlete at such a young age obviously has its challenges. How did you learn how to handle pressure?

IL: I am very grateful for competing in this sport, and learning my whole life to come perform under high stress and pressure — because I feel like it sets me up for life. I always joke that nothing in life will be as hard as a free program. It is so insanely hard. I gained a lot of respect for myself as well, knowing that I can perform under such high stress. I feel like… not a machine, but like a beast sometimes. It's good for confidence, and I respect myself a lot for it. 

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TOGETHXR: Are you superstitious? Do you have any pre-competition rituals or routines before you go out there and put on a show? 

IL: Specifically, this year, I've been grounding myself. I feel like I've become very in tune with what I need mentally to get myself in the perfect zone, to be able to do what I do every day, when it matters. My favorite part of competition is doing my makeup for it. I don't wear makeup every day because I touch my face so much that it would be a mess, but I love doing my makeup. I love doing my makeup for competition — the full glam. Crack open a coconut Red Bull and get some really good music going. I noticed, though — nothing too crazy, because if I stream hype music, it will burn me out. I have a playlist with good energy music, and it's about the beat of the song. Like, “One Dance” by Drake. It's a happy, vibey beat, but it's not too crazy, so I'm not wasting my energy — I'm just getting in a good zone. Like, I realize that what I need is just a good mood. You know? I don't need to be overly hyped. 

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TOGETHXR: We’ve seen some people in your comments dying to know what kind of eyeshadow you're using. Do you use one specific brand you like? 

IL: Okay, so I mix it up. Two years ago, my aunt gave me this YSL eye shadow palette for Christmas. The pink is so beautiful, so sparkly and not overly pigmented. When I go for eyeshadow, I'm aiming for sparkles. I like to acquire small makeups here and there and I bedazzle them. I put the pink underneath before I do anything, then I'll do a thicker shimmer. I love my Rare Beauty highlighter. My makeup routine changes each time — I haven't narrowed it down to one routine.

TOGETHXR: Do you have a favorite program out of all of the different things that you do? 

IL: Honestly, my short program for this year has been super fun to skate and perform because it's Sophia Loren. She's this Italian actress, and [in the] program, I am embodying her because she's singing this song, right? I'm embodying her character for the program, and it's this sultry diva, confident woman that I'm portraying. I have a lot of fun playing characters, and it's really natural for me. I really enjoy doing it. I really believe in the “fake it until you make it” mindset. I understand that, with confidence, it's the same thing — and it goes a long way. 

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If you watch videos, they always pan to my face and zoom in right when I'm starting my beginning position, and I'm eyeing up the judges — I'm already in my character. The confidence just seeps into me, because it's the whole “fake it until you make it” thing. I'm playing this persona, it's becoming me, and I'm gaining the energy off of this confidence. 

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TOGETHXR: When does that character shift happen for you — when you're going out onto the ice, during the makeup, or warming up before the event starts? 

IL: The second I get into my beginning pose before the music plays, that's it. I'm in my zone. I'm in my area. I'm ready to play this character. I've always been like this. If you find videos of me from intermediate level at like age 12, when I did these Spanish programs, I was insanely feisty. It's a little embarrassing to look back on because I held this persona until like the bows at the end of the program. I definitely stood out. 

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TOGETHXR: When you’re having a hard time with skating, what helps you reconnect with your passion and your love for it? 

IL: Yeah, I definitely went through a stage like that. The issue for me was that I didn't go to school. I did online because it wasn't gonna work out; I didn't want to drive for a half day and schedule-wise, it just worked out. A lot of my friends at the rink that were homeschooled started going back to school for high school or they quit the sport, so I didn't have a lot of friends at that time. I wasn't even really doing international competitions yet either, because of COVID and being too young to do international competitions for a minute there. [Skating] was also just getting harder, you know? Every year, you do harder things and ramp up. And I wasn't seeing all the rewards yet. 

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For a period of time, it felt like a burden because I was in this really cold ice rink all day with no friends. But, I knew it was just a period of time. I knew it felt crappy then, but I knew it was temporary. I'm really glad I had that trust and knew the rewards of doing this. I knew it wasn’t something I wanted to give up on. I wanted to make it to the Olympics. I wanted to get to do all these things. I'm glad I never even partially considered quitting, ever. I'm so glad because now, through skating, I have friends from all over the world. I'm going to the Olympics. So it's all worth it. 

TOGETHXR: You’ve said that one of the things that you're most excited for is being in the Olympic village. What are you most excited for? 

IL: I have been saying left and right that I'm so excited just to be in the village. This is my Disneyland. I'm going to do all the things and experience all the things. 

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TOGETHXR: You have family in Milan, and your mother is from Milan. What's it like to know that your family will be there and get to see you compete? 

IL: Yeah, they've always supported my skating from far away. They've always been very proud of me and excited about my journey. A few of them got to watch me compete when I did the Grand Prix Final in Torino, I think in 2022. That was a while ago. It's gonna be so crazy, because the Olympics, especially in figure skating, is the dream already. Just being there is its own victory. The fact that they get to be there for that and watch me live my Olympic dream is so special. 

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TOGETHXR: We have to ask about the amazing trio that consists of you, Amber [Glenn], and Alysa [Liu]. What's it like to know that, even though you're competing against each other, you're still cheering each other on and in each other's corner? What's been your favorite moment with those two so far? 

IL: I'm really appreciative that we are mature and intelligent enough to know that it’s just not that deep. We go through the same things — we’re on tour together, and we understand more than anyone else, what we do every day, what we sacrifice for it or what we put into this. At the end of the day, we all have the same goal of wanting to perform our best and give it our all when it counts. Those goals align with each other, and I'm glad that none of us are petty. I'm just glad that we can just be normal with each other and there's nothing weird. It makes the competition more lighthearted when we're all chill, and I think it helps us all compete better, too.

Your go-to gas station snack: Mixed nuts and water. For my sport, I eat very clean — to the point where if I have a burger from a fast food restaurant, I feel it immediately. I can feel it's slowing me down. I feel it in my brain more than my body. 

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Your favorite album or artist of last year: I'm trying to remember my Spotify Wrapped. I'm a sucker for, like, 2010's music. Not that I was hitting the clubs at that age. I was three, but I wish I could have been in another life. 

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Your biggest pet peeve: When my cat meows at 4 a.m. every day. I have a clock here that I can see the second I open my eyes. Every morning, for about five minutes… just enough to wake me up. 

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Your best piece of advice for other young athletes: Try to better yourself 1% every day. It doesn't need to be, “Today, I need to gain 10 different skills and be so much better.” Just really stick to it, commit yourself, and hold yourself accountable. It all adds up. That's why I say 1% each day. You miss a day and you think, “No one’s going to care if I missed a Thursday.” But it adds up. Build that trust with yourself.