Sisinka, I don't know if I can trust my own eyes, what do you see in S/K? But wow V/T came in just to see them and introduce them? Has the FED decided to back them and put I/Z out in the cold? All because of looks? Shame, shame
Well, my notes…this is the result of one and half months of work with Zueva. I think this was a great idea that couple showed what they had learnt, feedback is always important, even with more criticism because they skate together for short time. There is still plenty of time to improve, but if at least 20% of Nikita and Vika’s words are true, than they will work hard and improve.
To judge them properly it would be much better to show a part of competive program with some step sequence to see edges and close holds. In this program there was no step sequence, almost no skating in close holds, cross-overs looked to be be very often there also.
Only few couples on the world could skate on this melody without creating a boring program – somebody like V&M or Domnina & Shabalin – they would definitely do something interesting with it. I can imagine Zueva listening to this music while she looks at pictures of S&K, but use this music for their gala program – I don’t take it like a happy choice.
Why in the beginning Trankov announced S&K like the main and the most interesting debut here, I really don’t understand. He is Nikita’s great friend, but why to put down Larionov and Davankova & Enbert thanks to his friendship with Nikita…this was a faux pas.
If Trankov will be again invited to comment Dance Cathegory at Russian Nationals like he did this season (where he persuaded fans that Nikita had to be on the first place after the short program, completely ignoring the fact the Nikita made two mistakes in two elements there…), we will probably be shocked once again…
I liked lifts, first looked to be one of those which somebody – Meryl? did and second was a variation on Bobrova & Soloviev’s lift (taking into the position was problematic a little bit, but they manage it very well). Overall it looks like that lifts will be nice elements, only Nikita had to be careful in keeping balance because Victoria is taller, so the balance point will be a little bit different than with Lena. Spin was OK, in opposite direction it was slower but it is normal.
Overall speed was normal, Zueva probably talked about speed in cross-overs or in basic steps, but not here.
Knee action – it looks like Vika forgot to use knees, BUT there were almost no elements where you could properly watch knee action, most of turns they used are done by all skaters on not deep knees. You need step sequences to watch knee action. Please, please, don’t give toe steps and jumps to a skaters who are talk and normally (Vika) or more heavily (Nikita) built. It will never get the impression which it needs to – easiness or lightness. Meryl can use this and look lovely, but not tall skaters!
I came back to slow part of Norma FD and compared old Vika with new Vika, and Ruslan with Nikita to have better vision what I don’t agree with. Vika got million advises from everybody…the result is that her knees are less deep (watching step sequnces with Ruslan, she had deep knees enought and lovely edges), her expression is a little bit pale, her arms are less gracefull, suddenly she is not finishing all movements and she is overacting in mimics which she never done before. Maybe Zueva should re-think that not all specialists gave good advises. Victoria like Lena are not dynamic skaters with dynamic moves, it were always partners who gave dynamics into programs.
To Nikita – having the same partner, Ruslan presents Victoria like the queen and Nikita supported his words from interview – Victoria is there to help him get medals. I see it in their skating as well. While Victoria and Ruslan had a connection between themselves and Ruslan took her like an equal partner despite the fact that he was a leader, Nikita takes Vika inferior to himself and looks to skate for audience, not for his girl/muse, even when he looks at her, I have a feeling that he just tries to play some emotions. OK, Lena could present herself because like Nikita she is very self-confident person and single skater in mind, but Victoria is a pair skater in mind, she listens to her partner and she needs to be treated like that. And by the way Vika’s behaviour is the reason why Nikita chose her, so he wanted exactly a partner who will look at him like he is the only leader, but he doesn’t know to work with it yet. And comparing Nikita to Ruslan having the same partner and similar love story – Nikita overacts and sometimes he looks to skate with an affect, he is far to natural dancer (but the same problem I had with him at least last two seasons).
What I don’t agree with the most…THIS IS NOT RUSSIAN SKATING STYLE. Zueva, Nikita and Victoria said that a program shows the soul of their couple, OK, but then it is not Russian soul. And frankly I think that Zueva made a mistake if she really sees S&K in this style. Image of a couple must show what skaters have inside, what is close to them, not trying to learn them something what is not inside. Nikita “sugar“ skating is well known for long and we know that he loves Moir’s style, which was quite sugar as well, but you can notice that even Moir showed himself in “non sugar“ style like in Latin or Carmen programs and suddenly he was much more natural and for me much better dancer than ever before, because inside his personality is far from sugar, but much more “normal“ and even quite iron like. Nikita probably still doesn’t know what he is like as dancer and in moment when Victoria waits for him to lead her like Ruslan did, he is quite lost so far and whole impression goes down. But in my opinion he is not a “sugar“ skaters. Zueva should try to find another style for him. As to Victoria Zueva very well discovered that a girl can be tender in moves and romantic. Well, she can be also coquettish. But in this moment Zueva changed two traits in character – tender doesn’t mean sweet. Victoria is not sweet girl, but she can be tender and romantic.
This comes into explanation of Russian skating style. It is a style where big drama and tragic stories where you almost stop breathing playes the main role (Krylova, Domnina, Navka, also Annissina). It was hardly “sugar“. Russian skaters used big movements, strong expression –body movement’s expression first (what face had done was always on second or third place even behind costumes), Russian dancers were using strong melodies and were able to express it perfectly. What Zueva and Sphilband show, despite the fact that they are Russians, is American / Canadian style of skating and choreography. It doesn’t have a drama or expression of Russian skating style. (V&M are an exception, even they didn’t have Russian skating style‘s feeling, but their Carmen was strong enought and very expressive.) If Zueva wants to make an American couple from S&K, I don’t think that it is good idea, because they both have Russian school of skating and their presentation at least in Victoria’s case is much more close to Russian style then to American style.
Overall impression is good, but as to presentation quite pale, not WOW effect yet. But there is still time…
And now I would like to see Lena & Ruslan’s videos – 30 seconds of some choreographic part to any music (or SD or FD), elements – one lift, twizzles, spin, step sequence. If Russian Federation refuse to make a propaganda of both teams equal, then Lena & Ruslan & their coaches must take it into their hands.
It doesn't have a sense for Lena & Ruslan to hide when Vika & Nikita already showed their skating, the main competition for any places at Russian Nationals and Grand Prix will be between them, B&S and some other top international couples (W&P, C&L) will have their own plans and this season they will probably be untouchable. S&K and I&Z's work for this season will be an adaptation at most high places possible at Grand Prix, try to get into National Team and try to overtake each other. Once S&K showed together, I&Z should do the same step, Zueva is a tactical person, she may come to judges and people around skating world in private with an idea that S&K are great, looking at the fact that they skate together for 1,5 months, and because nobody saw I&Z - it must mean that that couple is afraid, so they certainly must be worse. Don't forget Zueva is a tactical person and off ice discussion tactitian. It is always better to show yourself to let people make own opinion that to allow your rival's coach to talk about you and create an opinion which works for them, not for you. There is nothing more easy for Zueva then to spread a non public rumour that I&Z were invited as well but they refused, because they were afraid of comparison with S&K and they were not ready even for gala number. And a silence from team Kustarova & Alexeeva and no videos of kids on the ice would only support this idea.
A
