Zhulin interview (new)
- Thread starter maureend
- Start date
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2003
Obviously he has no 'it' skater at present There are some very talented young Russian boys I saw at the Russian Nats. I suppose he's not going to finance any of them for a trip to Montclair, and he wouldn't work on talent alone.
Joe
Joe
Zhulin left Montclair last summer when his wife - and later he - were asked to be a part of the skating-with-celebrities show in Moscow.
Due to that success (I think they finished #1 and #2/#3 between them) AND wife Tatiana's big financial success (appearances, tours, etc.) in Russia, they have decided to stay living in Russia.
Evgeni Platov has essentially taken over the elite skating program at Montclair - not sure if he is being assisted by anyone else, etc.
Due to that success (I think they finished #1 and #2/#3 between them) AND wife Tatiana's big financial success (appearances, tours, etc.) in Russia, they have decided to stay living in Russia.
Evgeni Platov has essentially taken over the elite skating program at Montclair - not sure if he is being assisted by anyone else, etc.
Fair enough! Be encouraged to finish
Thanks, Maureen. It would be a lot easier if instead of every skater saying, "Um...don't put that part in" and "Um...better skip that too"....LOL.
Sometimes in frustration I think the title will have to be: Read Between the Lines.
Interesting . Does Sasha Abt think he has “it” ?
(Imagine if Sasha Abt, with his looks, talent and musicality , had Yagudin/Plushenko confidence and spark.)
Yes. Once asked him a long, long time ago who he thought was the best male figure skater on the planet...of course expecting his answer to be Plushenko or Yagudin. He said, "I am". I smiled, thinking he was kidding of course due to his comrades much more numerous major victories, and asked the question again.
His face became even more serious as he repeated, "I am".
Probably you could not make it to his high level in that exhausting environment of having to constantly battle the two best skaters in the world, who are also your team mates and are always scored higher than you, without having immense internal confidence.
There is a fascinating video someone once sent to me that illustrtes this. It was from the men's practice session at Euros 2002, just before the Olympics. Abt, Yagudin, and Joubert are all sharing - in addition to others - the practice ice. It was quite a serious session - not much joking around. But Abt owned that ice and you can see him refusing to yield to Yagudin as he'd come in at high speed around the turns. He was really mentally on his game, and not intimidated by the man that he knew was probably going to win in SLC, but he was not going to give in to him that day. At one point, Alexei actually stumbled and fell during his SLSS, which is very rare.
His face became even more serious as he repeated, "I am".
Probably you could not make it to his high level in that exhausting environment of having to constantly battle the two best skaters in the world, who are also your team mates and are always scored higher than you, without having immense internal confidence.
There is a fascinating video someone once sent to me that illustrtes this. It was from the men's practice session at Euros 2002, just before the Olympics. Abt, Yagudin, and Joubert are all sharing - in addition to others - the practice ice. It was quite a serious session - not much joking around. But Abt owned that ice and you can see him refusing to yield to Yagudin as he'd come in at high speed around the turns. He was really mentally on his game, and not intimidated by the man that he knew was probably going to win in SLC, but he was not going to give in to him that day. At one point, Alexei actually stumbled and fell during his SLSS, which is very rare.
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Fascinating Abt story. (Really, really be encouraged to finish the book!!) Of course, 2002 Europeans are the championship that in fairness could have been awarded to Abt. I wouldn't say it was a joke to give it to Yagudin, but defiinitely a "decision" - not a KO for Yagudin.
You wonder then how a person feels about believing himself or herself to be the best skater in the world without ever getting a world medal - of any color. Of course, he's had his share and 10 other skaters' share of injuries, but it makes me *curious* about how do you approach training and competing with this mindset.
He's hardly the only skater with greatness written all over him, who never had it all come together - whether it was because of lack of discipline, not knowing how to compete properly, not finding the right coach, injuries at critical times in a career, skating in the "wrong generation". Or the combination of all of the above. But he's one of the skaters I have a "special place" for - like Kadavy (though she has that world bronze), Lautova, Soldatova and Rechnio in women's, Annenko/Sretenski, Romanova/Yaroshenko in dance and Sokolov in pairs. Perhaps Landry as well. And I would have liked to have seen more in men's from Mitchell, Barna (though European champ and Olympic bronze medalist - never fully appreciated/never fully rocked out the house in both programs at a major competition) and Honda (again world bronze medalist - but not skating his best to get it).
You wonder then how a person feels about believing himself or herself to be the best skater in the world without ever getting a world medal - of any color. Of course, he's had his share and 10 other skaters' share of injuries, but it makes me *curious* about how do you approach training and competing with this mindset.
He's hardly the only skater with greatness written all over him, who never had it all come together - whether it was because of lack of discipline, not knowing how to compete properly, not finding the right coach, injuries at critical times in a career, skating in the "wrong generation". Or the combination of all of the above. But he's one of the skaters I have a "special place" for - like Kadavy (though she has that world bronze), Lautova, Soldatova and Rechnio in women's, Annenko/Sretenski, Romanova/Yaroshenko in dance and Sokolov in pairs. Perhaps Landry as well. And I would have liked to have seen more in men's from Mitchell, Barna (though European champ and Olympic bronze medalist - never fully appreciated/never fully rocked out the house in both programs at a major competition) and Honda (again world bronze medalist - but not skating his best to get it).
Oh, don't get started on Rohene Ward, LOL!!
I love Rohene - and his abilities are singular. He can move better than any of not just the US guys, but practically the top tier around the globe. It's heartbreaking that the season before last he came in last at Nationals after such a big build-up on TV...then last season failed to make Nationals. He's telling me, his people are telling me, yadda-yadda...that he's more ready, more motivated and more determined than ever for this upcoming season...and I truly hope he is because at about age 24 he doesn't have much time left to try to get onto the world stage.
And a lot of the attention that would have been focused on him for this Nationals, as it is being held in his hometown (Twin Cities), is now going to the young and local Eliot Halvorson who also has a good "story" hook for journalists, and at only age 16, may be more promising than Rohene in their eyes.
What an enormous talent is Rohene Ward.
I love Rohene - and his abilities are singular. He can move better than any of not just the US guys, but practically the top tier around the globe. It's heartbreaking that the season before last he came in last at Nationals after such a big build-up on TV...then last season failed to make Nationals. He's telling me, his people are telling me, yadda-yadda...that he's more ready, more motivated and more determined than ever for this upcoming season...and I truly hope he is because at about age 24 he doesn't have much time left to try to get onto the world stage.
And a lot of the attention that would have been focused on him for this Nationals, as it is being held in his hometown (Twin Cities), is now going to the young and local Eliot Halvorson who also has a good "story" hook for journalists, and at only age 16, may be more promising than Rohene in their eyes.
What an enormous talent is Rohene Ward.
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(Sigh...) - I too hope that Rohene Ward has a great season. You said it great, Zanzibar - he moves like no one else, I could just watch him endlessly.
I understand why you have to succeed competively to make the big bucks in shows and the like, but it makes me sad in a case like Ward. I have noooooooooo idea what he would like to do, but I personally wish him to do well competively not just for the sake of comps, but for the shows and possible coaching/choreography jobs that might come out of it - he is just so, so talented. However, the two might be totally unrelated - and just as a fan, it would be awesome to see him on the elite competitive circuit.
I understand why you have to succeed competively to make the big bucks in shows and the like, but it makes me sad in a case like Ward. I have noooooooooo idea what he would like to do, but I personally wish him to do well competively not just for the sake of comps, but for the shows and possible coaching/choreography jobs that might come out of it - he is just so, so talented. However, the two might be totally unrelated - and just as a fan, it would be awesome to see him on the elite competitive circuit.
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2003
There's nothing like body language (rhythm) and so few skaters have it. I could name: Kwan, Stephane, Rohene, (maybe Rachael - I have to look seriously at her this year. also Brandon Overett who, imo, is the closest skater to a Premiere Danseur. Then there is Johnny and Adam. Great skating is not just about Quads. However, Jumps win competitions no matter how stiff the performance.
Joe
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2006
Joe:
We had the chance to see Rippon's SP and LP and Flatt's LP at Liberty this past weekend, and saw some of the flow/rhythm that you are talking about. Adam just "oozes" in his programs. And Rachael was really beginning to get into her LP music (a great piano concerto we must add) when unfortunately, there was a problem with the CD, and she had to go grab another copy of her music and wait for music player to restart her music at the point it skipped. With that said, she immediately got right back into the music with a headless back entry into a 3Lz.... and just kept on building to the end. Anxious to watch both her SP and LP continue to develop this season.
Rythm to us not only includes the body language but also the effortlessness of including jumping passes within the context of the music...seemingly connecting each element so that you are drawn not only into the program but drawn along with the skater, feeling what they feel as they skate IN the music, not just TO the music.
We were around until late Sat evening when the Jr men's event finally ended and snuck into Rink 3 to watch some of the assessment sessions that were going on for the kids who had already rec'd fall international assignments. Sylvia was there as well and she may have more notes on which she observed, but Joe Inman, Wendy Enzman was there, Cathy Casey, Mitch Moyer and several USFS judges giving feedback to each skater and their coaches as they went through sections of both their SP and LP. And we saw some great moments from many skaters as they worked through their programs, despite the fact that many of these kids had just skated their LP earlier in the day or that evening. Might want to have Sylvia post her thoughts here on what she observed.
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2003
emma - It's that (phonetic) jints say kwoi, the French talk about. The way I was taught, it is not the timing beats of the music, it is the time inside those beats which make a pattern of additional movements to the regular timing.
In Dance and Skating, I see much of it in body language (how a skater can move out of an element, or from one element to another (Rohene is sooo good at this). Also nuances such as simply turning the neck a certain way, or lifting an arm which you know was not choreographed.. None of these examples change the timing of the music but, imo, add lustre to the music.
Nigel - Yes, effortless flow to jumping passes are a good example as well within the framework of the music. Long preprarations, although legal do take away from the rhythm of the program.
Joe
In Dance and Skating, I see much of it in body language (how a skater can move out of an element, or from one element to another (Rohene is sooo good at this). Also nuances such as simply turning the neck a certain way, or lifting an arm which you know was not choreographed.. None of these examples change the timing of the music but, imo, add lustre to the music.
Nigel - Yes, effortless flow to jumping passes are a good example as well within the framework of the music. Long preprarations, although legal do take away from the rhythm of the program.
Joe
