ildah said:One of the most interesting threads I've read in a long time, mainly because of the intelligent discussion around the issue - (other than the totally childish speculation about who were the mean, snarky skaters)
You guys make a lot of good points about Alexei re: biting the hand that feeds him, his possible loneliness, the two faced comments first about "dinosaur" Americans and then about those awful people who made Sarah feel bad. ( On a CNN clip about the SOI buses, Jamie said that Alexei is the "solitary one", he's his own man - something like that.)
SOI is definitely a BUSINESS, as someone said - not a ballet company or opera company supported by the state. The NA skaters know this. It is their bread and butter for 4-8 years max. It is likely the most money they will ever make per year in their working lives, and they have a short time to do this. The tour HAS to survive for this to happen. And Sarah was, by all comments, not only NOT prepared for the rigours of the tour, (which must be killing), but an embarrassment to the show as well. A lot of the other skaters must have been sweating over this, and I'll bet there were PLENTY of private discussions about it. (espec the pairs guys I might imagine - who lifted her in Mr. Blue Skies - and who are used to lifting tiny girls)
I do feel sorry for Sarah and it's really sweet that the Russian skaters made her feel welcome. HOWEVER, remember that Alexei reported to an interviewer what he surmised or gathered from Sarah. Then the interview was translated.
Has anyone thought of THIS spin on what might have happened:
Sarah gets on the bus after the show many different nights and says "Oh my God I'm so exhausted.... I had no idea.... Does it get any easier as the tour goes on?.....How do you guys do it year after year.......blah, blah, blah....." You guys get the idea. Make up your own scenario. And then, having been given the opening, the other skaters at various times take the bait and tell her "Yes, it's not a vacation, it's really demanding, nothing can prepare you for it ...blah, blah"
I seriously do not think that anybody ever made fun of her or criticized her the way the interview seems to indicate. (But.... how do I know? Just my opinion).
That, plus the talking about skating all the time (I'm sure the skaters analyse how things could have been better, how they were mad at themselves for missing something that night, or how they almost tripped in such and such....). That would have made the unfit Sarah feel even more self conscious. Remember also that both Kyoko and Jamie had fairly serious injuries one right after the other in the early part of the tour, so if I were in their shoes I could imagine talking about healing, therapy, feeling stronger, working on the injured part, worrying that it might not heal quickly.. etc. etc.
It must have been a very, very stressful tour for Sarah - increasingly as everybody on the tour got more tired and grouchy and her weight increased she must have felt very bad. However, sitting here with a perfectly good job, I can't imagine a person coming into my office - albeit very sweet and nice - who tries her best, but whose performance starts to influence in a very real way what might be my future in my job, because it might contribute to my company going under. I had never thought of it in those terms, but that would scare me silly AND make me resentful at the same time.
Sorry for rambling. I enjoy your discussions!
edited: Jamie Sale and weigh problems? Am I missing something or thinking of the wrong skater?
I have said in the past that he is a very complex individual with alot of unresolved issues. too senstitive and blunt for his own good. that kind of person will often get in trouble,cause like said in an interivew,he pretty much says what comes to mind,not a smart thing to do but that's alexei.