Fresh start for Sinitsina and Katsalapov

gsk8 · May 31, 2017

Ever since Russian ice dancers Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov teamed up in April 2014, they have been struggling with coaching changes and injury, and as a result, haven’t quite reached their potential. Many frowned upon their partnership from the very beginning as Katsalapov, now 25, left his former partner Elena Ilinykh to skate with Sinitsina (now 22). Ilinykh and Katsalapov had already won the 2014 Olympic gold medal in the team event and an Olympic bronze medalist in the individual event, and most observers predicted a bright future for them.

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What are your thoughts on the team working with Zhulin? What areas do they need the most work in?

LadyB · May 31, 2017

Good idea for a thread! Well done, gsk8 :thumbsup:

Here's the translation by @fs-gossips of Anatoli Samokvalov's interview with Alexander Zhulin:

http://fs-gossips.com/alexander-zhulin-its-a-difficult-process-to-coach-the-winner/

I think, Zhulin is taking quite a bit on. Initially, I was worried as I would like him to concentrate on B/S in the Olympic season. However, I understand that he wants to work with the talent in front of him, even if it was well hidden of late.
Another thought is, should B/S really retire after Worlds 2018, Zhulin would have his next high profile pair lined up. They're still young, I believe they've got what it takes and hope he'll succeed in unleashing the energy he sees in S/K.

gmyers · May 31, 2017

The word twizzle is never mentioned! No progress until they face head on that his incompetence in twizzles is totally destructive and makes everything else like music and choreo completely worthless in every way. Same thing with some lifts. His tendency to become totally incompetent in lifts and twizzles must be fixed! Otherwise retirement only option. They ever mention it. So terrible.

Bluediamonds09 · May 31, 2017

I love this team but WHY OH WHY WHY WHY are they choosing piano concerto no.2 ?????????? WHY????? Originality?! Not this tired old music! They're my favorite Russian ice dancers but I'm afraid they won't make it to the olympics.

dorispulaski · May 31, 2017

Perhaps there will be more Vocalise than Rach 2! I hope so.

I do think that having 2 top teams in the same rink is a good thing. It's just hard to know which team will benefit more

It was great to see a lot of quotes from both Viktoria and Nikita. Unusually Nikita's has tended to dominate interviews.

And your photo with the story was just stunning, particularly of Vika!

I wish them luck for the season.

MrsMcOups · May 31, 2017

Zhulin tentative about SK

After reading the original interview with Zhulin in Russian, I have few concerns since he is kind of tentative as regards to Sinitsyna-Katsalapov (SK): 1) Replying to a question about SK technical incompatibility, he says "now I that got this pair, I saw some nuances, and I am trying to help them. If I can." 2) Replying to a question about opening Vika up, he says that "Petukhov is one of the most experienced choreographers, who spends a lot of time story-telling about what we are skating. If they [SK] take it, or should I say, if they want to take it, they will appear in a new light." I understand that he just started working with SK, but this is not the words I would expect to hear about one of the Russian top teams coming from their coach. Marina Zoueva, their previous coach, said on a couple of occasions that SK had problems with work ethics - they "did not work enough" and she had to "teach them how to work" (also not the kind of words you would want to hear about people who aspire to become top world ice dances). Is Zhulin noticing the same things?

MrsMcOups · May 31, 2017

I have the same questions and the same fears - it is not their music that can "showcase" their technical shortcomings.

coldblueeyes · May 31, 2017

I think, until we see them, there's not much to do. I read both interviews, and it seems to me that Zhulin hopes to achieve good results in putting the two teams in the same group. And it could actually work, but it's experimental at best, for now. Also, it's not like bringing amazingly new things has given good results in the russian front these past seasons, maybe coming up with warhorses and well-known pieces might be a way to work with them.

Barb · May 31, 2017

gmyers said:
The word twizzle is never mentioned! No progress until they face head on that his incompetence in twizzles is totally destructive and makes everything else like music and choreo completely worthless in every way. Same thing with some lifts. His tendency to become totally incompetent in lifts and twizzles must be fixed! Otherwise retirement only option. They ever mention it. So terrible.

Exactly, that's why I'm so skeptical with this team. They make mistakes precisely in the elements that are easier to identify, if they continue in that way, nor the arrangements to elevate them of category can help them, because those errors are too obvious. Judges may try to convince us that B / S can get step sequences level 4, but how could they convince us that S / K deserve twizzles or lifts level 4?, impossible.

gmyers · May 31, 2017

chapis said:
Exactly, that's why I'm so skeptical with this team. They make mistakes precisely in the elements that are easier to identify, if they continue in that way, nor the arrangements to elevate them of category can help them, because those errors are too obvious. Judges may try to convince us that B / S can get step sequences level 4, but how could they convince us that S / K deserve twizzles or lifts level 4?, impossible.

It's so true! If they spent all their interviews talking about how they are training with lift and twizzle specialists and those specialist are teaching them control and unison and better technique how could that hurt? Instead it's music music music! All of that is worthless now if you don't have the technical side! They are talking about painting a car with no engine! Look at this amazing car! But it doesn't drive!! You can't use it! Looks great but not operable. Even if they became a rolls Royce it's a Rolls Royce with no engine.

WeakAnkles · May 31, 2017

coldblueeyes said:
I think, until we see them, there's not much to do. I read both interviews, and it seems to me that Zhulin hopes to achieve good results in putting the two teams in the same group. And it could actually work, but it's experimental at best, for now. Also, it's not like bringing amazingly new things has given good results in the russian front these past seasons, maybe coming up with warhorses and well-known pieces might be a way to work with them.

What "amazingly new thing"?

Make that ???????

I think the main problem with Russian ice dance for the last several years is that it is sticking with programs and styles that are woefully NOT amazingly new.

Now this can work, when they embrace it fully. B/S's Anastasia program is a marvelous example of the High Russian Style. But grafting elements of the new more modern dance style and more acrobatic lifts onto it hasn't helped teams like S/K. On the contrary, it has thrown a spotlight on their technical weaknesses.

And pretty music isn't going to help that.

Sweet Dream · May 31, 2017

Nikita is a very talented skater. Hopefully with the help of Zhulin he can finally fulfil his great potential with Vika on ice. Best of luck to them!

Eisfee · Jun 1, 2017

I wish them success and luck next season!!

coldblueeyes · Jun 1, 2017

WeakAnkles said:
What "amazingly new thing"?

Make that ???????

I think the main problem with Russian ice dance for the last several years is that it is sticking with programs and styles that are woefully NOT amazingly new.

Now this can work, when they embrace it fully. B/S's Anastasia program is a marvelous example of the High Russian Style. But grafting elements of the new more modern dance style and more acrobatic lifts onto it hasn't helped teams like S/K. On the contrary, it has thrown a spotlight on their technical weaknesses.

And pretty music isn't going to help that.

But it can't hurt? Otherwise what they can even choose to skate if people are going to doubt them either way?

And I mostly talked about Frida, skating to rock songs, and how that didn't help I/Z, for example. Why try to go a different way if they really don't need that? I don't think they have to bring something new right now, they need to get on with their technical content. Their more dramatic, but light and airy FD of the other season worked well for them.

nocturnalis · Jun 1, 2017

Sweet Dream said:
Nikita is a very talented skater. Hopefully with the help of Zhulin he can finally fulfil his great potential with Vika on ice. Best of luck to them!

Hopefully Zhulin will teach him twizzles.[SUP] Although I don't think it's good to have a spousal abuser teach someone that has been accused of it.[/SUP]

Bluediamonds09 · Jun 1, 2017

gmyers said:
It's so true! If they spent all their interviews talking about how they are training with lift and twizzle specialists and those specialist are teaching them control and unison and better technique how could that hurt? Instead it's music music music! All of that is worthless now if you don't have the technical side! They are talking about painting a car with no engine! Look at this amazing car! But it doesn't drive!! You can't use it! Looks great but not operable. Even if they became a rolls Royce it's a Rolls Royce with no engine.

LOL!!!! Thanks for that, I needed a laugh.
I LOVE this team. But I'm worried for them.

MrsMcOups · Jun 1, 2017

Very true! But it's not just music they talk about in their interviews - fashions and food in the US, Victoria's hair color, how happy and eager they are to train... All subjects very relevant to their technical mastery!

MrsMcOups · Jun 1, 2017

Zhulin actually said in the interview that he would not comment on the work of his colleagues (other coaches), so him saying that SK have problems with twizzles would mean telling Zoueva/Tchaikovskaya/Volkov that their coaching was not very effective. But you raise a great point - I myself have noticed that it is often more important and more interesting to observe what is NOT being said than what is!

skylark · Jun 2, 2017

The thing that leapt out at me in this interview were the remarks pertaining to stability. They talked about having plenty of ice time, having everything supporting their training in one location, a top team to train with and measure themselves against, and most importantly (it seemed to me) that every aspect of their training is planned out with a balanced routine. The way Victoria talked, it sounded like it was such a relief not to have so much uncertainty in their environment.

It's just an impression, but it was interesting to me. If that routine and stability is something they need (I'm only speculating, but it seems to me that might be the case), then it could make all the difference with addressing their technical issues. Great article, Gsk8!

uhh · Jun 2, 2017

They had plenty of routine and stability in Canton, until they managed to blow that situation up themselves.

I find Zhulin's interview very interesting, there's a lot that's only slightly voiced, about keeping emotions under control, keeping focus, Nikita having to start thinking properly about what he wants to achieve. I don't think he's really all that confident this will be a success.

Fresh start for Sinitsina and Katsalapov

gsk8

LadyB

gmyers

Bluediamonds09

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl

MrsMcOups

MrsMcOups

coldblueeyes

Barb

gmyers

WeakAnkles

Sweet Dream

Eisfee

coldblueeyes

nocturnalis

Bluediamonds09

MrsMcOups

MrsMcOups

skylark

Gazing at a Glorious Great Lakes sunset

uhh

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