Pre-Euros Media and introduction of skaters

I also disagree with sisinka. My first reaction was to post a bunch of links (just like sisinka did) to 'prove' that Elena is actually very expressive, but then I decided not to bother. A bunch of links will not prove to sisinka that Elena is expressive, the same way as sisinka's links did not prove to me that she isn't expressive. The thing is, if someone WANTS to believe something, no matter what I post will persuade them otherwise. There seem to be 'a war' against I/K, which may or may not have something to do with their coach and his relationship with Elena, so whatever I/K do will be wrong. But that doesn't matter. Haters luckily can't influence their skating results, so as long as I/K get on with it, they will be fine! If sisinka finds them so bad, I suggest that she use them as toilet or snack break and does not bother to watch them.

hanca said:

I also disagree with sisinka. My first reaction was to post a bunch of links (just like sisinka did) to 'prove' that Elena is actually very expressive... If sisinka finds them so bad, I suggest that she use them as toilet or snack break and does not bother to watch them.

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I agree with one thing…if you don’t want to see the difference of skating and dancing qualities between Lena and top world skaters of past, it is impossible to prove you. And I don’t force you. I reacted to something what I don’t agree with Bramweld, that is all. Nothing to offend Bramweld, nothing to offend you.

Please don’t bother me with such silly words like “haters“, and your “toilet things“. I am not in figure skating for the first year to notice some things which are connected with skating and dancing.

To react at your words that Lena is not expressive – I didn’t wrote about Lena not being seen on the ice, she is - in a very sexy way, I wrote that she is not good dancer in meaning that she is not able to express what is music or story about, she is not changing her style of dance with changement in music and story – this is necessary in dancing – watch Tessa, she is different every year. And every component mark touches the ability to express what is music or story about. And it is the same in ballroom dancing, in every kind of dancing – you have to express the music or story in it. It was always like that.
And how about exhibition numbers with completely different music in different rhythm and different story line…but skated to the same choreo from free dance…it is another big question about Lena and Nikita feeling what is expressing the music about and that you can’t dance every piece of music in the same style.

So, you think that anyone who says that Lena and Nikita are not a perfect couple is a hater…OK, so both Tarasova and Zhulin pointing that couple was not working (in 2010/11 and 2011/12 season) are haters…Morozov who said at the beginning of this season that the couple was hard to coach in past…is a hater…all journalists who wrote that Lena and Nikita had a disaster at Nationals…are haters…Piseev and Gorshkov who told about unsuccessful competition…are haters…and Tarasova pointing that Morozov doesn’t work well with the couple in the beginning of this season…is hater again…and all members from different forums who noticed that Lena and Nikita are out of the rhythm (and looking at level of those posts – they are ballroom ex-dancers or ballroom coaches)…are haters…and all people who noticed that the story in free dance is not portrayed well…are haters…a technical specialist who put levels 2 at NHK…is a hater…and judges who prefer other couples more than Lena and Nikita…are haters…and Nikita Katsalapov who was complaining in the middle of November that they need a choreographer because he doesn’t know what with hands and how to feel the story….is hater also….

I love dancing, not performing elements, not playing something what is not in music or story content…how is it possible that women like Tessa, Pechalat, Weaver and Bobrova are able to pass my strict rules about being good or great dancer and Lena is not? How is it possible that those women have difficult choreography and interpret the music well and Lena not, did I forced Lena not to do it? And people who are making some “looking at rules“ criticism of women mentioned above are also haters or just people who don’t agree with Lena being dancing queen are haters?

I like watching skating on the ice, I know that all skaters work (many of them work hard) to get as much as possible. I respect everybody who learns whole compositions and goes on the ice to show the public and fight with his/her nerves. Who does it successfully then even bigger respect. While other skaters are able to have great programs in both technical side and presentation side, I don’t understand why Lena and Nikita doesn’t have. It is possible to have difficult programs, to skate it clean, to express the music or story…other dancers are proving it every season, so why not Lena and Nikita? But if a couple comes to competition with simple choreography, doesn’t express the music or story and doesn’t keep the rhythm…sorry. I can’t agree that the couple or girl from the couple are great…but they can still be beautifully looking, entertaining and elegant, nothing against it…but except elegancy these are not dancing and skating criterias.

Sisinka, I am really not going to bother to engage with you in long discussions on how bad I/K is. Take notice how much you have written on this page and how long are contributions of other posters. It seems that you feel very strongly about the topics, otherwise you wouldn't be writing such essays, but that still doesn't make you right! Maybe less attacking style would achieve more. Your writing style shows sort of desperation!

sisinka, you are great, I absolutely agree with you.
talking about IK's "Swan Lake": it have NO story, at all first time I saw it, I was like "wow, great!" and then, there were just so many questions, so many confuse part in it.
Like, say, "ok, so according to their costume, she is Odyle, and him Rothbath, and they... fall in love?" "the first pose is nice, but she is Black Swan, why she looks so fragile and scare?" "what are those gestures about? what is the meaning behind them?" and it upset me to no end how those commentators talked about them "lovely, it's ballet training" (the same thing he talked about Bobrova Soloviev's Chess short dance 3 years ago) - no, it's nothing close to ballet training. In Navka's fanforum (written in Russian), people claimed (a lot) about Lena's hands "are vain". And then she just kind of answered my question : "just 2 strong character feeling love and passion" -> so yes, no meaning in those nearly 5 minutes (just like thought). Also, so far, only Virtue/Moir, Davis/White, Cappellini/Lanotte (my second most favorite fd), Bobrova/Soloviev (my most favorite fd, actually), Pechalat/Bourzat are really telling a story by staking their free dance. Others? just gliding on ice & being beautiful, nothing else -_-

hanca said:

Sisinka, I am really not going to bother to engage with you in long discussions on how bad I/K is. Take notice how much you have written on this page and how long are contributions of other posters. It seems that you feel very strongly about the topics, otherwise you wouldn't be writing such essays, but that still doesn't make you right! Maybe less attacking style would achieve more. Your writing style shows sort of desperation!

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Dear Hanca, firstly I started this topic to give an opportunity for non-Russian fans to find something about their favourite skaters, to translate just a little bit about their Russian world, I also posted an address to Tanka who translated some interviews (thanks a lot, great job!). I know that many people are not satisfied that Russian language is so “different“ from English and that they can’t find anything about their favourites. Yes, in that moment I didn’t realised that most of interviews are made with Ilinykh only (since Russian Nationals she has more articles and interviews than Volosozhar & Trankov and Sotnikova together), so it looks like that other dancers, pair skaters and solo skaters are not existing for Russian media. Sorry for not expecting it.

If you are so attentive to count all my words and maybe even letters written here, you should go for more…and ask why are my posts so long…because when I write something and somebody other says: “No, you are wrong!“ or starts to be even so aggressive like you, I start to prove why I think it so. And videos, new judging system rules and comparison with other skaters are great helpers. I don’t know what is your job or if you are still a student, but if you were working and came to your job and started to say: “I think this because I think it, I think it, and it must be so because I think it and I am sure of it and I am right.“ I am not sure if you would be able to keep the job repeating such words without saying WHY you think so…but that is exactly the way you are talking to me. You are so sure of everything but you prove nothing…

I am not writing posts because I would love to create a “topic of a year“ and sincerely if people are not writing here much there are few possibilities – doesn’t know some reasoning, doesn’t want to discuss (like you, for example), or doesn’t want to write anything. It is everybody’s decision, I respect it.

If you were Russian and read some Russian boards probably you would be very surprised with the posts there. There are positive and negative criticisms in those posts and some of them are even longer then mine. And everybody who proves his or her opinions to fans who are very offensive like you is writing long posts…An example…somebody says (ballroom dance teacher looking at way he speaks) that I&K are out of the rhythm…suddenly there are some answers trying to offend and destroy the author of the first post (like you try to do, no, they are worse)…then author tries to explain what is quickstep or waltz about, how to count it, using video, proving everything what is possible…but another few posts are so offensive to him again because he wrote not positive words about I&K…but you know, everybody can see at every video that the couple is really out of the rhythm…but to everybody’s good sleep, some fans (who can’t believe that top world couple contender could be out of the rhythm) ask some relatives studing musical school or having musical education to look at them…people with musical education confirms that the couple is really out of the rhythm both in short and free dance…and what happens then…a few people continue to offend that author must be jealous to Lena and Nikita for sure…

At Russian Forum there is also a nice reasoning to prove that free dance is about nothing. Some of I&K protector says that the story of Swan Lake is beautiful, somebody answers that there is no Swan and no ballet in their dance pointing to body position. I&K protector says that it never minds because the couple is fantastic and by the way the dance is also about love and strong characters… somebody answers that she has swan costume but there is nothing for love and fight, there is no story, just few swan moves. Then I&K protector says that it never minds, that the couple is so beautiful that they don’t need a story, that it is enough to have elements only, that it is an abstraction. Somebody answers that if you have story of two characters, it can’t be abstraction and abstraction is about movements and Tchaikovski is not suitable for this – it is too strong music for just an abstraction. I&K protector answers that those people are jealous and make another offensive notes. Do you understand? It is funny. Anything what is not connected with I&K being perfect is punished hardly and in a very offensive way by few members of Russian forum.

Everybody who notices that the couple is not perfect is being punished for those opinions…but those people are not using any reasoning, they come with words you use (toilet, desperation etc). There not many people who would be protecting I&K like this at Russian Forum, maybe about 7, but everybody of them use such offensive and aggressive words that one starts to think whether they came from criminal or what…

I am for fans who support their favourite couples. It is nice thing and it helps I know. Let’s continue on supporting I&K. But if you like the couple it doesn’t mean that they are the best on the world. Coomes & Buckland and Tobias & Stagniunas have fans also, I am sure of it. But those fans never tried to make a Worlds Champions from them saying that they are perfect and wonderful and those fans never came with offensive words to everybody who would say that the couple needs to improve. I wrote many positive things about I&K (you probably didn’t notice), but as to rhythm, expression of music, connection to story, difficult choreo, dance holdings – those couple is loosing to other couples who make at least top world 6 right now...I refuse to admit those abilities mentioned above to couple who doesn’t have them.

Could you answer me why Weaver, Pechalat, Bobrova, Cappellini and of course Tessa and Meryl (and many others – all top 6 at Russian Nationals for example) are able to keep the rhythm and Lena and Nikita are not? Could you answer me why Lena has the most simple choreo this year from all GP medalists (and even many skaters who didn’t medal)? Why other dance ladies have more difficult choreo? Why choreo from 1986 program (Klimova & Ponomarenko free dance) is more difficult than Lena’s choreo? Is it normal for at least European medal contender to have such performance, especially when you can compare her to other ladies both from today and past? Let’s love Lena and Nikita, it is OK, but why you try to make a super team from them in all aspects when they don’t have those qualities right now?

I don’t understand why so many I&K protectors are so full of hate and tries to attack everybody who is not saying that the couple is not the best. This year I saw some discussions between Tessa and Meryl fans and most of them are not offensive to other people‘s opinion. No, they are writing what they think and why they think so. There are so many people who discuss their favourite couples…yes, they discuss, not offend. I told at GPF that Andrew Poje is not making his free leg straight especially in step sequences, I told that free dance of Tessa and Scott reminds me a second Mahler, and I wrote that Meryl has many jumping in their dances. Nobody from those skater’s fans came to offend me, why? If their fans are able to accept different opinions and let people with another opinions leave in peace, why you can’t do that? All those long essays starts with I&K protectors who desperately hates and offends all people who are not glamorizing I&K.

If you really love the couple, you should love them how they are, not how you would like them to be. But for this couple there is still a long way to go to achieve a level of a great Russian dancers of the past. They are still young, they can still improve a lot, it is just in their hands (but permanent repetition made by their fans that they are fantastic is not going to make their skating and dancing qualities better, I am sure).

TheGothicEme said:

...it upset me to no end how those commentators talked about them "lovely, it's ballet training" (the same thing he talked about Bobrova Soloviev's Chess short dance 3 years ago) - no, it's nothing close to ballet training. In Navka's fanforum (written in Russian), people claimed (a lot) about Lena's hands "are vain"...

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Hi TheGothicEme, yes, commentators are sometimes quite funny, I even heard that one of Eurosport commentators made an Olympic champions 1984 from the couple Towler & Dean (mixes Torvill & Dean and Towler & Ford couples)...

What I don’t like on new judging system is the fact that it allows to get high points for performing elements only without dancing to the music. I think that it is a duty for ice dancers to express music or story, that it shouldn’t be allowed to just skate to some sort of music. Ice dancing is still dancing and for example in ballroom dancing if the couple is not able to express a certain kind of dance and catch the rhythm – they can’t get high marks even with good basics and nice smiles.

sisinka said:

And it was you, Frenchie, who made me think about a sort of experiment to prove myself if I am really so strict and want to much from such young baby or not. Frenchie wanted me to say my opinion about Drobiazko&Vanagas

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Sisinka, thank you for your take on Drobiazko/Vanagas, and as always for your interesting analysis! Interesting idea, I'm flattered that you say I made you think about "how were others at her age"!

I'd like to point out a regrettable misunderstanding that's caused by the language barrier:

hanca said:

If sisinka finds them so bad, I suggest that she use them as toilet or snack break and does not bother to watch them.

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sisinka said:

Please don’t bother me with such silly words like “haters“, and your “toilet things“.

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sisinka said:

Everybody who notices that the couple is not perfect is being punished for those opinions…but those people are not using any reasoning, they come with words you use (toilet, desperation etc).

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Hanca suggested that you should use the 5-7 minutes when I/K are on TV to "do something else", like go to the toilet or make coffee... No insult there.
Also, this whole chapter you wrote about haters could have been stopped after its first sentence: "So, you think that anyone who says that Lena and Nikita are not a perfect couple is a hater" Answer: No. Hanca never said that. That makes the rest of this very long chapter regrettable.

sisinka said:

So, you think that anyone who says that Lena and Nikita are not a perfect couple is a hater…OK, so both Tarasova and Zhulin pointing that couple was not working (in 2010/11 and 2011/12 season) are haters…Morozov who said at the beginning of this season that the couple was hard to coach in past…is a hater…all journalists who wrote that Lena and Nikita had a disaster at Nationals…are haters…Piseev and Gorshkov who told about unsuccessful competition…are haters…and Tarasova pointing that Morozov doesn’t work well with the couple in the beginning of this season…is hater again…and all members from different forums who noticed that Lena and Nikita are out of the rhythm (and looking at level of those posts – they are ballroom ex-dancers or ballroom coaches)…are haters…and all people who noticed that the story in free dance is not portrayed well…are haters…a technical specialist who put levels 2 at NHK…is a hater…and judges who prefer other couples more than Lena and Nikita…are haters…and Nikita Katsalapov who was complaining in the middle of November that they need a choreographer because he doesn’t know what with hands and how to feel the story….is hater also….

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Sisinka, we have discussed B/S vs I/K in the past, and we sometimes agreed to disagree. But I have to admit that I had to smile when I read

sisinka said:

I know that I am very strict and ancompromising as to quality of ice dancers. But I am like this to everybody, including Ilinykh.

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You have been writing pages and pages about why I/K were inferior (and why B/S were superior), and when within those pages and pages you would say something positive about them, it would be a sandwich of "they're so bad here and here" then "but they're pretty" then "let's get back to just how bad they are".

sisinka said:

I wrote many positive things about I&K (you probably didn’t notice), but (...)

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-

I just want to say that I really appreciate all the information you're providing anyone who's interested, and that I agree with most of the points you make. I just don't feel that intense and intransigent about them as you do. At least, that's the impression I get from your posts.
You obviously have deep knowledge about Ice Dance, and that's why I'm so curious about you: I somehow picture a dance teacher, acting coach or figure skating teacher, who would be absolutely passionate about art, which leads to such emotional opinions when they think what they see isn't good enough and people are not seeing it...
If you ever feel like sharing, I'd love to hear your story

hanca said:

I also disagree with sisinka. My first reaction was to post a bunch of links (just like sisinka did) to 'prove' that Elena is actually very expressive, but then I decided not to bother. A bunch of links will not prove to sisinka that Elena is expressive, the same way as sisinka's links did not prove to me that she isn't expressive. The thing is, if someone WANTS to believe something, no matter what I post will persuade them otherwise. There seem to be 'a war' against I/K, which may or may not have something to do with their coach and his relationship with Elena, so whatever I/K do will be wrong. But that doesn't matter. Haters luckily can't influence their skating results, so as long as I/K get on with it, they will be fine! If sisinka finds them so bad, I suggest that she use them as toilet or snack break and does not bother to watch them.

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Finally someone who sees this pile of mud slinging for what it is!! Can we reign in these extreme posts? Sisinka's attitude toward the pair is clearly toxic but is it really necessary to go to such lengths to convince others of this? It just comes across as vindictive and cruel. It just doesn't feel right. This is a media thread right? Why don't we get back to that? Case in point; http://news.sportbox.ru/Vidy_sporta/Events/Sochi2014/spbnews_NI428288_Elena-Iliinih-V-Sochi-pomogut-rodnie-bolelischiki

Sisinka only talked about skating, about what is giong on on the ice (with NO thing to do with Lena's personal life or what she is doing with Morozov, thank you very much -_- ) it's all about what is going on the ice, and it did make sense, unlike something like "it's fabulous, they look wonderful, what the heck is all the technique elements you're talking about, they are pleasure to watch, that's enough, let's crown them European Champions". Why on earth do you think she has "toxic attitude"? Many other people don't like and can point out mistakes in others' skating, too. She didn't just said something like "they are vain", this is disaster, or the fd is a mess... She also didn't just left it there, she pointed out the strong & weaknesses of them (along with giving us A LOT of information).
So, I will say this "hater's gonna hate", keep on sisinka, I thank you for what you did.
Also, do you have any information at all about Volosozhar/Trankov? Is there a P&G about them?

Keep a respectful opinion and all is fine i think.

Nobody should hate a skater or talk bad about one, i personally saw most ice dancers now and have my favs.

Since ice dance is very complex its not always free of confusion and discussions. We debate often in germany as well.

TheGothicEme said:

Also, do you have any information at all about Volosozhar/Trankov? Is there a P&G about them?

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I was looking for news even today, but I didn't find any new interview with them just that video which I already posted.
No, they don't have P&G contract, as I know.

Frenchie said:

I'd like to point out a regrettable misunderstanding that's caused by the language barrier:

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Thanks for precise translation, your English is much better than mine, I see it in every your post. As to aggressive notes to my person it is nice to know that not everything was meant how I understood and felt it. Please, could you continue in translating things precisely and prove me that those peaple are not offending me with this kind of words…

Your writing style shows sort of desperation (by hanca)
this pile of mud slinging for what it is…
Sisinka's attitude toward the pair is clearly toxic…
It just comes across as vindictive and cruel… (everything by Bramweld)

Frenchie said:

Also, this whole chapter you wrote about haters...Hanca never said that.

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As to haters question – probably Hanca should confirm herself that she didn’t think that I would be a hater. And sure she will if you are right.

Frenchie said:

You obviously have deep knowledge about Ice Dance, and that's why I'm so curious about you:

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I am a person connected to figure skating and music for a long time, but I am also connected to some other things…

So why stop here? Tell us everything, clearly you had every intention of doing so, am I not correct? Why go to such lengths about ONLY one pair. No one looks that good up close. They are a developing pair like many others. How long did it take B/S to achieve the notoriety they achieved last season? Wasn't it not after working together for some 14 years?

All we're saying is if you're going to target one pair to expose all their perceived failings, while brushing aside anything positive as insignificant, this creates a negative atmosphere around them ONLY needlessly. Why have you not done the same for B/S, S/Z, S/B and R/T? Can I take a guess as to your motivation? Is it because the inordinate amount of praise that they've received this year is unsettling? So they are not your cup of tea, why not discuss those pairs who are? Why do you need to provide this much perspective? Why can't we just be allowed to like each pair as we'd like? Why this need to throw cold water on them at every opportunity?

You are connected so I'm sure you can do a similar expose on all our Russian pairs. But is it that this is not your agenda for reasons only you understand. Why not talk about the fact that B/S didn't exit the EC to work on their programs but to rather get last years FD ready for the Olympics? This was recently posted in the media today right? Why aren't we talking about that?

Sisinka did not talk about Bobrova/Soloviev because this is a threat of Pre ECh Media, and BS won't go to ECh. And other things also concerns BS she said are in other the thread, like the Russsian Nationals. And the amout of IK information is bigger than other skaters, that's why she got into it. I said this before, and I said this again, reread her posts, I saw none of personal hate toward IK, she only translated the Russian media, and throw in her analyses - which are logic and right. If you don't agree, prove them wrong (like why is the choreo makes sense to you, or why their step sequences and edges are better than sisinka thought, or how their footwork are good? Such thing) don't just jump in and call her hater or pile of mud or insult her like that. The one behaved wrong is not sisinka, she create this thread to talk about Pre ECh Media, she did good job to share her point of view, in a polite way. But you, bramweld, are the one who did not.
and this is off topic, but if BS reuse their last year's fd, what's wrong about it? If they skate it good, it is good.

bramweld said:

Sisinka's attitude toward the pair is clearly toxic but is it really necessary to go to such lengths to convince others of this?

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You are not catching the point, Bramweld. I have my opinions and if someone tries to say that it is not true (or starts to be offensive), then I simply explain why I have these opinions – this is a sense of all discussions. And once you start to prove something and give an examples – the post is longer then when you just say: “I know it!“ or “It is exactly like that!“ Hanca and Bramweld try to put me into position of someone who has some personal problems with the couple or with Morozov, completely ignoring that many of my opinions can be supported with objective things (what you see at videos, what is written in rules). Usually technical ability and choreo’s difficulty can be judged quite objectively by viewer. Good dancer / not good dancer is a little more difficult question and probably less objective but even there you can work with dynamics of movements (comparing it to dynamics of music), keeping the rhythm, body posture / hands position…and some other helping criteria to see what dancing qualities are.

While I was writing about skating and dancing and when I doubted about some of your opinions about I&K…you started to write about me, not about skating.

Try to understand it, first you said something what I didn’t agree with, secondly I started to say why I don’t agree and why I think something else, thirdly you started to write offensive or impolite things about my person, fourthly I again proved why I think those things and that I can really support it with some facts (in contrast to you who didn’t come with anything objective, just Frenchiecame with marks, but from different competitions), fifthly you again started to be impolite (like Bramweld’s and Hanca’s words above), sixthly I again wrote why I think so…it is like neverending story…but on the beginning there were your words making I&K a perfect dance couple – perfect in both skating and dancing, and long posts were made because of your permanent attempt to achieve that goal, but I didn’t agree that they would have such qualities. I also wrote to GPF thread about other skaters…and nobody started pushing me like you did.

I agree with Alex D on 100%, I am not against discussions but I would love to see a respect to all people no matter if they have the same or different opinions. I am not against I&K (which I start to be tired of you as well when you are so much pushing me to a position of someone who doesn’t like them), I am not against anyone who support this couple, but I don’t agree with your opinions about their qualities which they don’t have yet.
If I took I&K like average couple who are happy to make top 10 at European Championships I would say OK, let’s skate how you can. But as I know the couple wants to reach the highest goals in their career. So in this case they should show much more than what they are showing now. There should be a technical difficulty (which can reach at least top world 5 couples, if they want to medal at World Championships as well), great edges (they have), great presentation where it is obvious that they express the music or story, keeping the rhythm and the dances should be without mistakes (at least without big mistakes), and if the couple would fight to the end of program without giving up after first problem it would be appreciated also – it is champion’s character never to give up.

You confirm my point. I was not the one to call her a hater. You were the one that implied that I did. I did say her (I don't know if I am correct here) comments seemed prejudiced. Now its up to her to balance her approach. And I reiterate there is currently loads of press on many athletes not just I/K. Why are they the only ones being discussed with such fervour? That is and remains my question. Also if sisinka has discussed other pairs similarly in previous threads just add the links here. I have no problems with eating crow if someone can back up their words.

I just have a problem with so many persons seeming preoccupation to paint them in as worst a light as possible without valid reason. Or at least it baffles me as to why persons need to do this. This in essence is my point. Why create a thread, in fact one of many on different boards, with the sole purpose of pointing out their deficiencies? Why the need to single them out for all this attention and there are so many other equally good if not better teams out there that could be admired? This is where I'm at in a nutshell.

And sisinka, could u please give your thought on Cappellini/Lanotte? I love their fd, well, first time saw a Rosina on ice, Anna is so good at portraying and interpreting classical pieces (just like last year with Carmen), I really love Rossini's opera, especially Rossina. But Lanotte is somehow... weird (?), well, maybe because of his innjuries. Care to enlighten me, sisinka?

Because they are what you all assume that will be next ECh Champion, (with PB and BS out), she think that it is wrong, they are not there yet. Like she said, if IK is just trying to just stay on top 10, then she thinks they are quite good, but if they try to win a medal (especially silver or gold), then no, that's the point, that's what makes her analyses about them more detail.

My dear as Charlie White said some time ago, dance ceased to be a bout dance a long time ago. This has become a technical sport. It may be best to rename it ice figures because it is all about edges and obtaining levels. In fact being too artistic is actually a disadvantage. It is better that you be more technically gifted. Artistry is seemingly closely knit with how well you achieve these objectives within the COP, as well as just the composition of the dance itself. I/K would have done well in the 6.0 system. So though I would be happy for them if they won, trust me it is not a forgone conclusion. They have great difficulty in merging these too aspects of the COP system (TES and PCS) and Nikita is a nervous competitor. Zhulin refered to them as these "artistic types" quite unflattteringly because of it. It would be easier to say that C/L have this one. The only problem is though their dances are good they are not as impactful as their latin short dance and their la strada FD two seasons ago. IMHO, the FD just seems too one note. But in the end it will not matter if their edges and levels are good. This is what makes it exciting for me. Which of the two pairs will pull it together.

Also I am excited to see the C/P, S/Z, C/B, C/J, R/T match up. It looks to be tight to me.

bramweld said:

This is a media thread right? Why don't we get back to that? Case in point; http://news.sportbox.ru/Vidy_sporta/Events/Sochi2014/spbnews_NI428288_Elena-Iliinih-V-Sochi-pomogut-rodnie-bolelischiki

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Elena Ilinykh's article (13th of January):

To free dance at World Championships: “We analyse all mistakes, which we made, we changed a systém of preparation and we came to Olympic season in different way.“

To a reason for that unsuccessful skate in past years: “I think that we missed many things – a little bit of time, good specialists and physical conditioning also. With Nikita we are a young couple, it was not easy for us to make, for example, a difficult lifts. We worked seriously on lifts this summer and now everybody it telling us that we improved a lot in it.“

To mistake before lift at Russian Nationals: “A technical vacillation – it is a rarity. I promise that we will not repeat it. But we were rejoice that a program was emotional. “

To a program of Swan Lake which is almost called the best program of this season internationally: “Morozov kept that program for us, we agree immediately – we fell with the program on 100%. It is totally “our“ music. I like all – idea, images..We were successful to feel this dance fully. And because of it, this program is liked by both spectators and specialists.“

If she ever skated to same music which she didn’t like: “No. Even I can call last years free dance a successful experiment. We didn’t get high place at World Championships, but we revealed that image and tell a story. We are both with Nikita – a very universal people, we want to try everything.“

The most favourite programs: “I like a lot both short and free dance in this season. And of course The Schindler List“

How many years do you skate with Nikita?: “Nikita’s mom offered to skate with Nikita. In the beginning I was cold to it – I thought that without jumps it is not serious. But I liked Nikita and it played a role. To him – to the end of world (smiling). The beginning was hard…“

If they support each other: “Of yourse. It is important to have a support of close people. My mom sends me such message before a competition, that I simply fly. And I have a ritual (if I have time before a start) to sleep and to wash my hair, then I feel more sure. “
To TEB: “In Paris there was everything in one: a good preparation and good mood and a success. I reached to control all technical nuances, even those which are not seen by spectators. But there is still work in front of us. Mainly in choreography.“

To ballet dancer: “Because of training schedule we didn’t work with Diana Visnevska. But a person from Bolshoi Teatr came to us and concerned about our choreography. I think that thanks to it we improved.“

If Olympics in home-country will help: “I think that fans will support. I feel the support of public very much. If a spectators take support warmly, than you want to disillusionize him, to make everything on 100% to show what were you working on for so long. But it is hard to say – I never skated at Olympics and all people around says that there is another atmosphere and another mood there.“

About rivals: “I am watching attentively all performances and I can say that this season all couples in top 10 are ready greatly. But the most important that they all have their unrepeatable style which you can’t forget. The fight will be serious.“

To Pantene, if it take away from preparation: “On the contrary. I am proud of being the ambassador of beauty, firstly I use these products in life. I understand that hair – it is a daily treatment. Beside, haircut – it is inseparable part of image in figure skating. Secondly, it is interesting and useful for me – I meet new people, I learn to work in front of camera, I learn nuances for making haircut and I take advises of Pantene stylist.“

About being actress after skating: “Yes. When you skate, you touch theatrical world closely. We are going to theatre, we watch many musicals. And it is always interesting. When you dance on the ice, we have many technical limits, and no every image can be revealed fully. On the screen it is different. Because of it I would like to be actress. Yet it is a dream only, in close future time my life is connected to sport“