Interview with Nina Mozer (10th May 2016)

[cassiem]

So stupid and uncalled for. That thrown in comment about Javi and him being "latino" as if that's something special and helpful in figure skating too just to fit her invented and illogical agenda (all 8 WC are Caucasian Europeans) also is also cringeworthy.

Actually, they were all non-Caucasians with the exception of Medvedeva who's half-Armenian.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peoples_of_the_Caucasus

 

[Ares]

Well, it's incorrect is Russian That's why I asked in the first place.

Well that makes a difference as she comes across as ignorant. Either way trying to read any sense from that interview is pointless as most of it is based on stereotypes, hearsays or sketchy information that she found herself. I don't wanna bother to figure out what Nina Mozer meant. She's likely just bitter that her skaters or personal favourites did not deliver and looking for some excuse.

 

[Ares]

Actually, they were all non-Caucasian Europeans.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peoples_of_the_Caucasus

I meant Caucasian like Caucasoid / White race. I thought this is correct term. English is not my first language. Evgenia Medvedeva is though half-Caucasian fully Caucasoid, lol.

 

[Sydney Rose]

That fact that he's not even 'latino' is even more funny Or is he?

Unless the country of Spain is part of Latin America, Javi is not Latino.

 

[cassiem]

I meant Caucasian like Caucasoid / White race. I thought this is correct term. English is not my first language. Evgenia Medvedeva is though half-Caucasian fully Caucasoid, lol.

You're not wrong, people of white European descent particularly in North America have appropriated the term Caucasian for themselves. The point I was trying to make is that the only genuine Caucasians are people from the Caucasus.

 

[rosy14]

I meant Caucasian like Caucasoid / White race. I thought this is correct term. English is not my first language. Evgenia Medvedeva is though half-Caucasian fully Caucasoid, lol.

Armenian are Caucasian, or Indoeuropean, like the Russians or the Americans of European heritage. So Medvedeva is full Caucasian. And she shows that. Compare her with Tsurskaya ( some Siberian blood) or Tursinbayeva, kazakh.

 

[cassiem]

Armenian are Caucasian, or Indoeuropean, like the Russians or the Americans of European heritage. So Medvedeva is full Caucasian. And she shows that. Compare her with Tsurskaya ( some Siberian blood) or Tursinbayeva, kazakh.

While it's common in North America, some Europeans don't like to appropriate the term Caucasian, e.g. I've heard that most ethnic Russians don't like it because it most accurately refers to people from the Caucasus.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peoples_of_the_Caucasus

 

[Alexz]

"Latino" usually applies to Latin Americans so yes. The truth is though that in many languages like in my own (Polish) you can call Spanish man "latynos" as it has wider meaning so I doubt that she meant latino in English / American sense of this word as it's translated from Russian.

Yes. That's true.

 

[Alexz]

Well that makes a difference as she comes across as ignorant. Either way trying to read any sense from that interview is pointless as most of it is based on stereotypes, hearsays or sketchy information that she found herself. I don't wanna bother to figure out what Nina Mozer meant. She's likely just bitter that her skaters or personal favourites did not deliver and looking for some excuse.

Well, I agree with you. She should have use better wording. However, if you are from Poland, you probably know what there are no silly political correctness in Russia. They call it as they see it. Just like pretty much everywhere in Eastern Europe, just like in Poland too. I guess it's something they share together. I been in Russia many times, I drove through Poland several times too. It's a national special feature and local flavor of identity..

 

[Alexz]

Unless the country of Spain is part of Latin America, Javi is not Latino.

That's is how it is English. However in Russian it's totally ok to use this term, without purpose to offend and humiliate / discriminate. It's like stating the fact. You can point finger at any Russian and call him white, they can point their finger and call you Latino (if that's the case) - this is totally acceptable for them. They don't really mean anything bad by it. It's just their linguistics.

 

[withwings]

There is a certain point when an artist/figure skater transcends nationality, everything... and then a skating becomes an art. Watching such an figure skater we forgot about everything, and there is no boundaries neither in language or nationality-it is a SKATING.

Nina seems to be a product of soviet ideology ( though most of the Russians are). It is sad for her and for everyone.

 

[Alexz]

Ok, everyone take a chill pill. I actually went over to original publication in Russian. The English translation is not too accurate.

Russian:

Нас раньше учили не только профессиональным знаниям, но и человеческим тоже, умению понимать и реально оценивать ситуацию. Я понимаю, что есть виды спорта сложно-координационные: прыжки в воду, спортивная гимнастика, фигурноеqa катание. Туда сейчас приходят люди восточной генетики. Они очень скоростные по своей природе. Если смотреть на их мышцы, то у них скоростных волокон в два раза больше, чем у европейцев. Все, что связано с круткой, вращением, быстрой координацией, очень важно для таких видов спорта.

English, almost literally:
I was taught back then not only professional knowledge, but also earthbound (human/humane), the ability to understand and analyze the situation realistically. I understand that there are a sports of complex-coordination: diving, gymnastics, figure skating. People of Eastern genetics (that how she said, she did not use word "Asian" as a race, she meant genetics) emerging in these type of sports. They are very speedy (fast reaction) in nature. If we look at their muscles, their muscle  have twice more "high-speed" fibers (capable of fast muscle contraction). Everything, what is connected with a twisting, spinning, fast coordination, is very important for such sports.

 

[plushyfan]

There is a certain point when an artist/figure skater transcends nationality, everything... and then a skating becomes an art. Watching such an figure skater we forgot about everything, and there is no boundaries neither in language or nationality-it is a SKATING.

Nina seems to be a product of soviet ideology ( though most of the Russians are). It is sad for her and for everyone.

 

[mrrice]

I hope I'm missing something in this story. To quote my mother, I'm as "Black As The Night" and I never felt uncomfortable when I was in Russia. Granted, I spent a lot of time in Dance Studios and Ice Rinks. I got a lot of looks but, they were no different than the looks I got in Finland when I was there. It was the same way during our entire Scandinavian Tour.

I remember trying to teach a "Hip Hop" class in Sweden at an Amusement Park called "Liseberg" We had just performed and we asked the kids to come up and learn some of the moves from our dances. They didn't really catch on but, they were so much fun and they tried really hard. Well, we were at the park for 3 days and the kids from the first day returned and they had more than caught on....They were great.

My point....IMO, It's all about work ethic. Watch one of Misha Ge's cute Hip Hop videos sometime. That young man can work it. Just like Plushy!!!

 

[surimi]

Nina seems to be a product of soviet ideology ( though most of the Russians are).

I don't even know if your post is supposed to sound sympathetic or condemning toward Mozer, but the way you generalize about Russians sounds pretty offensive. Calling an entire nation or its part 'products'... not cool. :noshake:

 

[mrrice]

In my experience, I'd say we're talking about body types more than race. I saw kristi Yamaguchi and Tonya Harding basically skate back to back in 1991 and they were both big jumpers who spun fast and performed very well. Of course, Tonya did those things better than Kristi on this occasion and won the event.

 

[Alexz]

I hope I'm missing something in this story. To quote my mother, I'm as "Black As The Night" and I never felt uncomfortable when I was in Russia. Granted, I spent a lot of time in Dance Studios and Ice Rinks. I got a lot of looks but, they were no different than the looks I got in Finland when I was there. It was the same way during our entire Scandinavian Tour.

On a humorous note. I just discovered this guy's youtube vlog. He is from Zambia and apparently spent many years living and studying in Russia. Here is a video of him discussing Russia with another Mexican guy, who also spent some time in Russia. Not too informative, but cute. Right by the Kremlin's walls.
http://youtu.be/_eqIdGg19zw

He is such an adorable goofball, he posted few videos listening and commenting some mainstream Russian music and trying different Russian food.

Russians generally speaking just don't really have taboo topics. They can discuss pretty much anything. May be it's a good thing. Sometimes it's hard to speak about anything in modern society without fearing to offend anyone. We barely talk.

 

[Violet Bliss]

Without in depth research, it's my understanding that all muscles can be trained, slow twitch, fast twitch, core, even the heart. Depending on the sport, some muscles are trained and used more than others. Figure skating is such a difficult sport exactly because it involved almost all muscles, skating and gliding with the slow twitch muscles interspersed with explosive actions of fast twitch muscles. And as Patrick Chan has learned from his "not-a-real-coach", core muscles are extremely important in all aspects of figure skating, even the jumps.

Basically I don't believe it's a racial characteristic to have more of certain muscles. It's a matter of training. Besides, in figure skating, non fast twitch muscles too can be put to very advantageous uses.

 

[boskil]

Well, I agree with you. She should have use better wording. However, if you are from Poland, you probably know what there are no silly political correctness in Russia. They call it as they see it. Just like pretty much everywhere in Eastern Europe, just like in Poland too. I guess it's something they share together.

We also share very popular "Lipnicka/Lipnitskaya" surname. It's even more popular in Poland I think. Not that I'm suggesting any transfers or sth...

YOU BET I AM!!!

 

[mrrice]

On a humorous note. I just discovered this guy's youtube vlog. He is from Zambia and apparently spent many years living and studying in Russia. Here is a video of him discussing Russia with another Mexican guy, who also spent some time in Russia. Not too informative, but cute. Right by the Kremlin's walls.
http://youtu.be/_eqIdGg19zw

He is such an adorable goofball, he posted few videos listening and commenting some mainstream Russian music and trying different Russian food.

Russians generally speaking just don't really have taboo topics. They can discuss pretty much anything. May be it's a good thing. Sometimes it's hard to speak about anything in modern society without fearing to offend anyone. We barely talk.

Alexz.......Thanks for the link. That was great and it reminds me of my experience. Music is a universal language and I totally relate to those two.....