Elena Ilinykh & Nikita Katsalapov Split

[DianaSelene]

Whether you like Averbukh as a skater of the past or a choreographer of the present, you cannot deny that his collaboration with Julia this season has officially made her programs and choreography one of the most talked about of the year. It also made him even more popular as a choreographer, of course just because of those lifeless, childlike, 4-year-old programs, right????

No, Averbukh's choreo was so successful that Spielberg wrote a letter to Lipnitskaya thanking her for doing that skate. Also, Lipitskaya's program has already become both her signature program as a skater and his as a choreographer. How's that for a first full season of a girl who was just a junior a few years ago?

In many years, when people remember this Olympic cycle and the Sochi Olympics, one of the major moments that will be remembered will be Lipnitskaya and her skate to Averbukh's choreo. Some people will remember it as their favorite performance, others will say that they did not like it much. But most importantly, EVERYONE will remember it. I think at least that already makes it a success.

About whether Averbukh will continue being successful will depend on the type of work he will produce in the upcoming years. But I would be lying if I did not enjoy all the hearts that Julia drew and the chilling stares that she gave in her performances. It was definitely special.

 

[Isabel_O'Reilly]

Is it possible to agree 10000%. That is how much I agree with the above post.

 

[DianaSelene]

Anything is possible

 

[YLFan]

I think it had to do with Yulias talent though. That same program with another girl wouldn't have the same impact.

 

[bramweld]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srqBo5xjLbU I/K (1)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZf0xg_YnjA I/K (2)

Their earlier work with Ilia. I really liked it, the first especially. I get the impression that Lena loved working with him. Nikita while competent doesn't seem to like the style that much. I'm beginning to see that these two new pairs are going to be just fine. But they will represent very different styles. Let the skating begin

 

[Alba]

I think it had to do with Yulias talent though. That same program with another girl wouldn't have the same impact.

All programs depends on the talent and the bravura of the skaters, but let's give him full credit when credit is due. He gave Yulia 2 wonderful vehicles IMO.
Now, he still at his early stages as choreographer and certainly not all his programs will be great, but I think he does have talent and it's a very intelligent guy.
Anyway, let's see what he can do in the future but I'm very optimistic.

 

[BusyMom]

There are also fine line in any arguments. But anything beyond insanity is a bit too much. You can't put your own imagination version to other people's words. It wasn't even misinterpretation. I have the right to defend myself with my own words.

Anyway, I didn't compare his choreographer to children ballet but the fact that some of Julia's SP moves are the moves in Ballet class. Kite dance just happen to contains some of the moves. Drawing hearts and Picking Flowers are very the ones they actually teach your kids. Julia move might has different meaning but it is the same actual move of Picking Flowers in Ballet. I also didn't say anything else about the rest of the program. I also didn't say that he copied them from child ballet. they were universal moves. Nothing wrong even he got them from somewhere. Some of the legend like Andy Warhol got inspirations from children arts. It didn't demean his works at all. Most important things Ballet curriculums from RAD, RB or Vaganova even in the beginners are all design by great choreographers (a lot of them are Russians BTW).

I definitely didn't involve Julia personally in my post at all apart from maybe 15 seconds of her SP choreograph.

 

[Abraxis12345]

Elena also wrote on the instagram of Alexander Legkov (Olympic Champ in Cross Country) that she's soon headed to Latvia for training camps, which is where Kustarova usually takes her skaters for the summer. Between that and Averbukh putting together the free dance, sounds like they are proceeding as if they are approved. When the split went down, one of Kustarova's complaints about S/K delaying their announcement was that she couldn't arrange all this, camps and choreographers, without confirmation that Sinitsina, excuse the pun, had flown the coop.

 

[bramweld]

Elena also wrote on the instagram of Alexander Legkov (Olympic Champ in Cross Country) that she's soon headed to Latvia for training camps, which is where Kustarova usually takes her skaters for the summer. Between that and Averbukh putting together the free dance, sounds like they are proceeding as if they are approved. When the split went down, one of Kustarova's complaints about S/K delaying their announcement was that she couldn't arrange all this, camps and choreographers, without confirmation that Sinitsina, excuse the pun, had flown the coop.

Yes! This means that these two have been squared away

 

[sisinka]

Anyway, I didn't compare his choreographer to children ballet but the fact that some of Julia's SP moves are the moves in Ballet class. Kite dance just happen to contains some of the moves. Drawing hearts and Picking Flowers are very the ones they actually teach your kids. Julia move might has different meaning but it is the same actual move of Picking Flowers in Ballet. I also didn't say anything else about the rest of the program. I also didn't say that he copied them from child ballet. they were universal moves. Nothing wrong even he got them from somewhere. Some of the legend like Andy Warhol got inspirations from children arts. It didn't demean his works at all. Most important things Ballet curriculums from RAD, RB or Vaganova even in the beginners are all design by great choreographers (a lot of them are Russians BTW).

I don’t think that you said anything too bad, but I would add that…
As to choreography, it must be taken like whole piece. First two and last two seconds of Julia’s sp contain easy done moves (also a skater-beginner would be able to do it), that is true. But it is also true that you can find some easy moves (with no real coordination needed) which would be able to do even 4 years old children in every skater‘s program, especially in the beginning or at the end of the program, where many skaters move one arm only just standing on one place very often.

Averbukh choreographed Norma for S&Z, but also their Tango FD last season. Like there was noted above he also did programs for Zhiganshina & Gazsi last two seasons. Plus Ksenia Makarova in her last two seasons of skating, now for Lena Radionova and Julia Lipnitskaya.
What I like is variability of all choroegraphies, comparing all three girls and two dance couples, I don’t find any similarities in choreographic moves. If I didn’t know that they all had the same choreographer, I wouldn’t notice it probably (only Makarova and Radionova’s straight jump up on the feet are the same http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqD9hk6LuXw&feature=player_detailpage#t=42 , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ksc9872Jsxw&feature=player_detailpage#t=137 ).
Those are not much examples of his work yet, only future will tell how good is Averbukh like choreographer and whether he is able to follow all rules in judging system. But until now all his pieces have different choreography comparing them – it looks like that he is looking for own style of each skater individually, which is great. And it probably means that Lena & Ruslan will have a different choreography than Viki & Ruslan, because Lena is different type of skater than Viki, so Lena & Ruslan will creat a couple with different image than Viki & Ruslan did.

One interesting note – Averbukh as one of those who told the press one month ago that he is not sure whether Lena & Ruslan would be compatible. Now he sees a potencial in them after watching and working with them on the ice. This is good news for them, when one of past top skaters (who was not enthusiastic about a new couple of I&Z) changed his mind and find them perspective even in such short time of skating together.

 

[BusyMom]

^^ Thank you.

 

[bramweld]

Does anyone else find it curious that the Shibs are "seemingly" not training yet? Do you think they will make a coaching change if S/K comes to Canton? Or is it still really early in the season, because let's face it, in terms of the Paso Doble this is going to be a very, very hard sell for them. I thought they would be working on ideas already. Just a thought.. I think Marina knows the plans of her top pairs already, she's just being coy about it.

 

[snowflakebeautiful]

Does anyone else find it curious that the Shibs are "seemingly" not training yet? Do you think they will make a coaching change if S/K comes to Canton? Or is it still really early in the season, because let's face it, in terms of the Paso Doble this is going to be a very, very hard sell for them. I thought they would be working on ideas already. Just a thought.. I think Marina knows the plans of her top pairs already, she's just being coy about it.

I know that Alex posted on twitter that they were on a "#workcation" in California - so maybe they're doing some training there now? I have no idea, but I figured that they were doing something with their skating - I guess it could be for shows later this summer though...?

 

[bramweld]

As I thought. Marina is putting her all into S/K? I feel for the Shibs. None of the other big pairs are there right? I have a feeling they should have gone with Igor when they had the chance.

 

[ice coverage]

Does anyone else find it curious that the Shibs are "seemingly" not training yet? ...

I know that Alex posted on twitter that they were on a "#workcation" in California - so maybe they're doing some training there now? I have no idea, but I figured that they were doing something with their skating - I guess it could be for shows later this summer though...?

Have not been following this thread, but where is the notion coming from that "the Shibs are 'seemingly" not training yet"???
Just because they have not been making public comments about their training does not mean that they are not actively training.

AFAIK, after Maia and Alex returned to the U.S. from SOI Japan, their schedule has included some time back home in Ann Arbor as well as some traveling here and there -- e.g., they were in Toronto recently. I don't know what their agenda there was, but maybe at least part of it was working on new choreo.

 

[uhh]

And unlike S/K, the Shibs don't have to get used to new partners as well as getting their programs sorted So it's not surprising they aren't in full training mode yet. Marina is also coaching the Reeds now, but Cathy posted they won't be properly starting with her for another 3 weeks.

 

[bramweld]

Glad to be proven wrong. She has the Reeds too? I thought they were doing very well with Chait and Igor? The school will be buzzing next season.

 

[rosacotton]

I did a double take when I read about the Reeds. Really? I wonder where they'll fall in the ranking of her teams..

 

[fleeting]

Marina's in California as well. Here's a picture of her accepting the award for Coach of the Year in Palm Springs yesterday
https://twitter.com/ProfSk8rsAssoc/status/470073812759760896/photo/1

Perhaps she and the Shibs are there to discuss something training wise.

I have no clue what to think of her and the Reeds... Them, the Shibs, S/K, and possibly others? I feel bad for Alex and Maia if it's true. Getting thrown under the bus again, even though they've had more success than the other two (mainly on the virtue of S/K being a new team, though the point still stands).

 

[azcalder]

In the past, the Shibs have gone to Corky Ballas for choreography. Perhaps that's what they're doing out in California. If not with him, perhaps a Latin dance choreographer.