- Joined
- Jan 12, 2014
Alena Kostornaia
- Thread starter vesperalvioletta
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2014
So I was showing Alyona's SP to my sister, she said she's so smooth and everything is so light multiple times during her program 
))
I love Alyona to the moon and back. She's just special. I hope she wins a lot (her and Rika). I'm just a fan of skaters who can balance the technical and artistic side of figure skating.
That being said, I agree that her Twilight program could have been better especially the music cuts so it transitions better from slow to fast music. I love the GALA version because it's one theme, one music all through out..
It's Alyona's performance and skating skills that makes this program good for me.
))I love Alyona to the moon and back. She's just special. I hope she wins a lot (her and Rika). I'm just a fan of skaters who can balance the technical and artistic side of figure skating.
That being said, I agree that her Twilight program could have been better especially the music cuts so it transitions better from slow to fast music. I love the GALA version because it's one theme, one music all through out..
It's Alyona's performance and skating skills that makes this program good for me.
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2019
Finally Aliona is going to make her Grand Prix debut this week!!
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2010
Finally Aliona is going to make her Grand Prix debut this week!!
I’m so excited! We haven’t heard anything since Finlandia so I hope all is well in training!
I wonder which coaches will go since both Alina and Aliona will be there...I assume Eteri will go plus at least 1 other coach since there will be 2 of them plus Moris in the men’s event...
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2019
It will probably be the most tense and heartbreaking GP stage, a direct Ace to Ace confrontation, two of the very best current skaters from the same rink. It won't be like the other stages, where there is a 'battle of generations' going on, Alina and Alyona aren't that far apart in age, and Alyona is the most 'mature' of the former Terrific Trio. So they are well matched in every aspect apart from decoration, even in reputation.
Yes, there will be two coaches, too much is at stake to be economical, and much depends on draw and starting order so having two coaches with the skaters is a must, IMO.
And we want to see them both on top. Will two Silvers suffice to make it into GPF? A Gold and Silver each is perfectly possible and won't make anybody unhappy.
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2017
With the way other top contenders are performing, I think two silvers should be enough. Since it could go either way for Alyona and Alina, I think Sasha and Anna could be the only two ladies skaters who end up with two golds each.
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2019
I really hope that Alena does well at her Grand Prix. I know I shouldn’t be nervous because she rarely makes a mistake, but I am. Hopefully her triple axel has gotten more consistent and she is more comfortable with it now. 
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2018
I think we all are, don't worry..
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2010
No, I misread your original message but also disagree with what you said so I chose not to respond. This is Aliona’s fan fest and I like to keep it positive here.
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2019
On the other hand... the poster might be right.
You can't improve the perfection
:agree:
You can't improve the perfection
:agree:- Joined
- Feb 17, 2010
On the other hand... the poster might be right.
You can't improve the perfection
I like the way you think.
I will offer one area of improvement - in the 2017-18 season she would often rush in her step sequence a bit, causing her to miss turns (specifically loops) and lose levels. In the 2018/19 and current season, I see her waiting for the edge to come around so she can properly execute the turns in her step sequence and received many more level 4s.
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2019
I think the main change for me is that Aliona seems more engaged in her programs this year, talking about both sp and fs.
I have a feeling that sometimes athletes are 'made' to skate to a certain music and they might perform as they told, however, not feel anything on the inside.
And when that happens, it kind of shows itself somewhere, there's a lack of spark in their eyes or that X factor.
Certainly, I feel like with angel+vampire programs Aliona's performing and REALLY enjoying what she's doing. She's having so much fun, it's right there in her eyes, the joy, the energy, the spark. I think judges feel that too, that she isn't just skating, she's putting on a show!
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2019
She probably loves the duplicity of this image, human by day, vampire by night, Angel vs Demon etc. And she has the power of conviction to pull it off.
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2017
Fingers crossed for a victory and clean 3As in France
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2018
Fingers crossed for a victory and clean 3As in France
All fingers crossed for this!!
I'm equal parts :hap57: and 
for Aliona's GP debut!
Since Anna and Sasha won both their GP events, I'm sure she'll want to win hers as well, but Alina will be a formidable opponent.
I wonder if Aliona will add the 3A to the SP at IDF. I think she'll eventually need to do it (at GPF, or Nationals or Worlds) if she wants to beat Sasha, but I think she would score pretty close to Alina in the SP even with the 2A. :yes: And I would be sad if there was no Ina Bauer -> 2A -> falling leaf sequence, because it's just so perfect.
Honestly, this could just be my wishful thinking, but I think it might even be possible for Aliona to beat Sasha's current World Record total with just two 3As. Maybe not at IDF, but eventually. With a little PCS growth, to say, ~36, she could score around 79 in the short, and with two clean 3As (adding about 4 points) and a little PCS growth she could score around 163 in the free for a total of ~242. Of course, Sasha's scores will undoubtedly be much higher if she skates her program cleanly, but if Aliona can keep her total scores in the top 2 as she is currently, I feel like it will be very hard for the Russian Fed to leave her off the World team. Or at least I hope!
Going back to Finlandia -- lovely comments about Aliona on the beginning of the podcast here:
https://soundcloud.com/flutzesandwaxels/finlandia-2019-ladies-and-ice-dance#t=1:09
It makes me so happy to hear how she has so many fans around the world! :luv17:
And I hope to see big smiles like she had here
https://twitter.com/AkaiXStarXCon/status/1183645373019185152
https://twitter.com/AkaiXStarXCon/status/1183982109993717760
Also, I can't remember if someone posted Adam Rippon's comments about Aliona, but in case you missed them, here they are again:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXG9HJkr1Vs&t=81s
And it seems that Apollinaria Panfilova, a Russian pair skater, also loves Aliona!
https://vk.com/figureskating_love?z=photo-64888695_457356908/wall-64888695_955244
Well, at the very least I'm looking forward to seeing Aliona's Channel 1 introduction video. :yes:
And I'm looking forward to Aliona & Dasha having fun together in France--I'm glad Aliona gets to go to a competition with her bestie! :agree:
for Aliona's GP debut!Since Anna and Sasha won both their GP events, I'm sure she'll want to win hers as well, but Alina will be a formidable opponent.
I wonder if Aliona will add the 3A to the SP at IDF. I think she'll eventually need to do it (at GPF, or Nationals or Worlds) if she wants to beat Sasha, but I think she would score pretty close to Alina in the SP even with the 2A. :yes: And I would be sad if there was no Ina Bauer -> 2A -> falling leaf sequence, because it's just so perfect.
Honestly, this could just be my wishful thinking, but I think it might even be possible for Aliona to beat Sasha's current World Record total with just two 3As. Maybe not at IDF, but eventually. With a little PCS growth, to say, ~36, she could score around 79 in the short, and with two clean 3As (adding about 4 points) and a little PCS growth she could score around 163 in the free for a total of ~242. Of course, Sasha's scores will undoubtedly be much higher if she skates her program cleanly, but if Aliona can keep her total scores in the top 2 as she is currently, I feel like it will be very hard for the Russian Fed to leave her off the World team. Or at least I hope!
Going back to Finlandia -- lovely comments about Aliona on the beginning of the podcast here:
https://soundcloud.com/flutzesandwaxels/finlandia-2019-ladies-and-ice-dance#t=1:09
It makes me so happy to hear how she has so many fans around the world! :luv17:
And I hope to see big smiles like she had here
https://twitter.com/AkaiXStarXCon/status/1183645373019185152
https://twitter.com/AkaiXStarXCon/status/1183982109993717760
Also, I can't remember if someone posted Adam Rippon's comments about Aliona, but in case you missed them, here they are again:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXG9HJkr1Vs&t=81s
And it seems that Apollinaria Panfilova, a Russian pair skater, also loves Aliona!
https://vk.com/figureskating_love?z=photo-64888695_457356908/wall-64888695_955244
Well, at the very least I'm looking forward to seeing Aliona's Channel 1 introduction video. :yes:
And I'm looking forward to Aliona & Dasha having fun together in France--I'm glad Aliona gets to go to a competition with her bestie! :agree:
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2019
"Twilight" by Alyona Kostornaya
In figure skating (as in any sport and art), it is important to do everything on time. Time to reach the peak of your form, make strategic decisions on time, and, of course, choose the right images in time to match. Let us recall, for example, how last year’s free dance by the American couple Madison Hubble - Zachary Donohue caused bewilderment and a lot of wit exercises regarding the mismatch of the partners in the roles of young Romeo and Juliett - and it’s not even because they are much older than their heroes, they just both are too old, both externally and internally, but the Shakespearean story is still about how "the children of the leaders" love each other. This was especially striking at the same Grand Prix finals, where there was another appearance of the image of Juliet by Alyona Kostornaya (still a junior them), to whom the role fitted like a glove.
In general, Eteri Georgiyevna Tutberidze and her staff, whose student is Alyona, has been proving for many seasons in a row that “junior skating” is no flaw at all, and “yesterday’s junior” isn't a derogatory term if you choose the right image that matches the age of the performer. “Girl in a Red Coat”, “Girl on a Balloon”, “Girl with a Kite” - all these are roles specially created for young skaters that no one but them could have embodied on ice with such touching childlike spontaneity.
This year's choice of image for Alyona, in my opinion, is due to the same considerations. If you must skate to the music from the film adaptation of these “teenagers for teenagers” novels, then do it when you are 16, you are pretty, believe in love and miracles, and you yourself like such novels. That is why, no matter how the audience is related to the selected material, many like this program - because Alyona herself enjoys this role, this music and choreography.
This program, as you know, grew out of a performance that Alyona first presented at the end of last season on Eteri Tutberidze's show “Champions on Ice”. This isn't the first time that Daniil Gleikhengauz has staged such successful show productions that are turned into competitive programs: Anna Karenina, was staged in the Olympic season for Yevgeniya Medvyedeva, had the same fate. Alyona herself noted that she portrays the role of the protagonist of the “Twilight Saga”: Bella Swan, although to me personally, in makeup and costume she looked more like this young lady from the movies:
link to pictures
After the transformation of the demonstration number into an arbitrary program, its structure began to resemble the history of the selected character. The first part, added under the lyric piano theme “New moon”, composed by one of the most famous contemporary film composers Alexandre Desplat, is dedicated to the story of the “forbidden love” of the young heroine. For Alyona, this topic is already well known, and she copes with it perfectly, playing every gesture:
links to pictures and clips
The first part ends with the rotation of the “ring”, after which the characteristic guitar riff comes from the second sound track: the song “Eyes on Fire” by the Danish electronic rock band Blue Foundation. Personally, I like this part of the program the most: the soloist Kirstine Stubbe Teglberg has very interesting vocals, the song has strong accents, especially on the chorus, where the Flip-Toeloop cascade fits in perfectly - here it is so musically justified that it looks almost like an element of choreography :
links to pictures and clips
I also like how the song lyrics are choreographically accented, for example, here on the word “gaze”:
links to pictures and clips
In general, Alyona goes very gloomy trip-hop sound, her plasticity, apparent lightness, ease of movement, characteristic of most areas of modern dance, allows her to express the music in the best way possible.
links to pictures and clips
In the last part of the program, the transformed heroine dances, enjoying her newfound abilities, to one of the most famous compositions of the entire series of films - “Supermassive Black Hole” by Muse, so beloved by skaters. According to lead singer Matthew Bellamy, to create this dance and rock track, he mixed several different musical styles, including R&B, alternative and funk rock. In this part it is best seen how vampire Alyona is very much different from the main character of the “Twilight Saga” - a quiet, inconspicuous girl, typical “girl next door”. The image conceived by the director is more suitable for the character and appearance of the skater: bright, bold (without vulgarity), perky. At the end of the program, Alyona shows dynamic deformation and ligaments at high speed without a shadow of fatigue, energizing the entire room:
links to pictures and clips
The dress for this program does not refer to the heroine’s outfits from the movies (which, in my opinion, is good as her clothes in 80% of cases are only so-so), but it fits well with all three musical passages. After the premiere of transforming dresses by Anna Shcherbakova and Aleksandra Trusova, many expected that Alyona’s costume would also be “with a surprise”, but Team Tutberidze did not repeat themselves three times. With the exhibition's red and black image, the new outfit also has nothing in common (except, perhaps, the open back). The designer (apparently, it was Olga Ryabenko) came up with a Gothic style dress with bare shoulders, black lace trim on the bodice, a “torn” skirt and an explicit hint of “vampirism” in the form of blood drops. Most often, black is used in clothes of this style, but combinations of black with rich shades of purple and lilac are often found.
links to pictures
Of course, the strong point in the program, because of which Alyona’s performance in Finland had the effect of an “exploding bomb,” was the premiere of two triple Axels.
links to clips
Nobody knows what happened in Alyona’s soul after the Open Test Skates of the Russian team, when she was the only one of all her friends from the coaching group who skated without ultra-C elements, even without the “younger” ultra-C - Rittberger cascades. We can’t know, other than suspect that it was something unimaginable. In any case, Alyona managed (thanks to her trainers) to direct this whole thermonuclear cocktail of emotions in the right direction. It should be noted that the insidious Axel appeared, as in the song “Eyes on Fire” - “just in time, in the right place”, at the moment when Alyona needed it most, in her most critical season of advance into seniors.
With such weapons, she is ready to fight for a place on the team under its permanent fiercely competitive conditions, and now the outcome of this struggle is completely impossible to predict. Yes and why would we? We need to wish everyone to perform at the maximum of their capabilities, to receive well-deserved marks, and let the strongest win.
Read also:
Overview of the short program of Aleksandra Trusova
Overview of the free program of Aleksandra Trusova
Overview of the short program of Alyona Kostornaya
Overview of the free program of Alina Zagitova
Overview of the short program of Anna Shcherbakova
Overview of the free program of Anna Shcherbakova
-----
All taken from this really great blog: https://www.sports.ru/tribuna/blogs/artinsport/
Do the critics of Gleikhengauz' choreography and staging really think those commercial choreographers could do a much better job with the same source material? Esp the 'developing the skater through staging of challenging images'? I don't think so. All the postings in this blog prove to me that you really need to know your skaters as only #TeamTutberidzeForProgress knows them and is capable of giving them the full package, the compete treatment in all aspects of figure skating, including art and athleticism, worthy of champions.
In figure skating (as in any sport and art), it is important to do everything on time. Time to reach the peak of your form, make strategic decisions on time, and, of course, choose the right images in time to match. Let us recall, for example, how last year’s free dance by the American couple Madison Hubble - Zachary Donohue caused bewilderment and a lot of wit exercises regarding the mismatch of the partners in the roles of young Romeo and Juliett - and it’s not even because they are much older than their heroes, they just both are too old, both externally and internally, but the Shakespearean story is still about how "the children of the leaders" love each other. This was especially striking at the same Grand Prix finals, where there was another appearance of the image of Juliet by Alyona Kostornaya (still a junior them), to whom the role fitted like a glove.
In general, Eteri Georgiyevna Tutberidze and her staff, whose student is Alyona, has been proving for many seasons in a row that “junior skating” is no flaw at all, and “yesterday’s junior” isn't a derogatory term if you choose the right image that matches the age of the performer. “Girl in a Red Coat”, “Girl on a Balloon”, “Girl with a Kite” - all these are roles specially created for young skaters that no one but them could have embodied on ice with such touching childlike spontaneity.
This year's choice of image for Alyona, in my opinion, is due to the same considerations. If you must skate to the music from the film adaptation of these “teenagers for teenagers” novels, then do it when you are 16, you are pretty, believe in love and miracles, and you yourself like such novels. That is why, no matter how the audience is related to the selected material, many like this program - because Alyona herself enjoys this role, this music and choreography.
This program, as you know, grew out of a performance that Alyona first presented at the end of last season on Eteri Tutberidze's show “Champions on Ice”. This isn't the first time that Daniil Gleikhengauz has staged such successful show productions that are turned into competitive programs: Anna Karenina, was staged in the Olympic season for Yevgeniya Medvyedeva, had the same fate. Alyona herself noted that she portrays the role of the protagonist of the “Twilight Saga”: Bella Swan, although to me personally, in makeup and costume she looked more like this young lady from the movies:
link to pictures
After the transformation of the demonstration number into an arbitrary program, its structure began to resemble the history of the selected character. The first part, added under the lyric piano theme “New moon”, composed by one of the most famous contemporary film composers Alexandre Desplat, is dedicated to the story of the “forbidden love” of the young heroine. For Alyona, this topic is already well known, and she copes with it perfectly, playing every gesture:
links to pictures and clips
The first part ends with the rotation of the “ring”, after which the characteristic guitar riff comes from the second sound track: the song “Eyes on Fire” by the Danish electronic rock band Blue Foundation. Personally, I like this part of the program the most: the soloist Kirstine Stubbe Teglberg has very interesting vocals, the song has strong accents, especially on the chorus, where the Flip-Toeloop cascade fits in perfectly - here it is so musically justified that it looks almost like an element of choreography :
links to pictures and clips
I also like how the song lyrics are choreographically accented, for example, here on the word “gaze”:
links to pictures and clips
In general, Alyona goes very gloomy trip-hop sound, her plasticity, apparent lightness, ease of movement, characteristic of most areas of modern dance, allows her to express the music in the best way possible.
links to pictures and clips
In the last part of the program, the transformed heroine dances, enjoying her newfound abilities, to one of the most famous compositions of the entire series of films - “Supermassive Black Hole” by Muse, so beloved by skaters. According to lead singer Matthew Bellamy, to create this dance and rock track, he mixed several different musical styles, including R&B, alternative and funk rock. In this part it is best seen how vampire Alyona is very much different from the main character of the “Twilight Saga” - a quiet, inconspicuous girl, typical “girl next door”. The image conceived by the director is more suitable for the character and appearance of the skater: bright, bold (without vulgarity), perky. At the end of the program, Alyona shows dynamic deformation and ligaments at high speed without a shadow of fatigue, energizing the entire room:
links to pictures and clips
The dress for this program does not refer to the heroine’s outfits from the movies (which, in my opinion, is good as her clothes in 80% of cases are only so-so), but it fits well with all three musical passages. After the premiere of transforming dresses by Anna Shcherbakova and Aleksandra Trusova, many expected that Alyona’s costume would also be “with a surprise”, but Team Tutberidze did not repeat themselves three times. With the exhibition's red and black image, the new outfit also has nothing in common (except, perhaps, the open back). The designer (apparently, it was Olga Ryabenko) came up with a Gothic style dress with bare shoulders, black lace trim on the bodice, a “torn” skirt and an explicit hint of “vampirism” in the form of blood drops. Most often, black is used in clothes of this style, but combinations of black with rich shades of purple and lilac are often found.
links to pictures
Of course, the strong point in the program, because of which Alyona’s performance in Finland had the effect of an “exploding bomb,” was the premiere of two triple Axels.
links to clips
Nobody knows what happened in Alyona’s soul after the Open Test Skates of the Russian team, when she was the only one of all her friends from the coaching group who skated without ultra-C elements, even without the “younger” ultra-C - Rittberger cascades. We can’t know, other than suspect that it was something unimaginable. In any case, Alyona managed (thanks to her trainers) to direct this whole thermonuclear cocktail of emotions in the right direction. It should be noted that the insidious Axel appeared, as in the song “Eyes on Fire” - “just in time, in the right place”, at the moment when Alyona needed it most, in her most critical season of advance into seniors.
With such weapons, she is ready to fight for a place on the team under its permanent fiercely competitive conditions, and now the outcome of this struggle is completely impossible to predict. Yes and why would we? We need to wish everyone to perform at the maximum of their capabilities, to receive well-deserved marks, and let the strongest win.
Read also:
Overview of the short program of Aleksandra Trusova
Overview of the free program of Aleksandra Trusova
Overview of the short program of Alyona Kostornaya
Overview of the free program of Alina Zagitova
Overview of the short program of Anna Shcherbakova
Overview of the free program of Anna Shcherbakova
-----
All taken from this really great blog: https://www.sports.ru/tribuna/blogs/artinsport/
Do the critics of Gleikhengauz' choreography and staging really think those commercial choreographers could do a much better job with the same source material? Esp the 'developing the skater through staging of challenging images'? I don't think so. All the postings in this blog prove to me that you really need to know your skaters as only #TeamTutberidzeForProgress knows them and is capable of giving them the full package, the compete treatment in all aspects of figure skating, including art and athleticism, worthy of champions.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2011
i wish they would have switched Alina and Zhenya, or Liza and Zhenya. Alina and Alena are going to be neck and neck very much more so than the other pairs.
Also, i am surprised this hasn't been discussed here yet- the weird guy from Finlandia will be at IDF, according to an Aliona fan account on instagram. it sounds as if her parents and coaches have been notified and seems like quite a few fans are aware, and will report him if seen.
i really, really hope he stays FAR away from her and the other competitors and it doesn't distract her from training or competing. i can't imagine how scary that is.
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2018
In whatever combination there would have been Eteri girl vs. Eteri girl. It could also have been Alina herself who would be granted with the benefit to skate without direct competitor, if people who claim she has some OGM protectionism were right. Still, with the highest probability Alina and Aliona will be 1st and 2nd here and in NHK as well, which will be enough for the final. There the true bloodbath will start.
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