Why Bukin? He is very good technician, but not as good like Ruslan is. But Ivan has completely lack of any sense for music and dance, he is great performer of elements but nothing connected with real dance. Just look at Stepanova & Bukin's programs without music and you will have absolutely no idea, what kind of Balroom they are dancing to. And how about lifts? Bukin is not bad lifter at all, but he still complains to Stepanova...while Alexandra had much better habits in lifts than Lena and until this moment her weight is also a little bit smaller...how will Ivan lift Lena who has no lift habits while he is already complaining to Alexandra? :think:
Do you remember last Junior World Champs with bad performed lift from S&B? And this season Skate Canada with fall on lift from S&B? I am not sure that those mistakes went to direction of Alexandra...
By the way last two seasons the leader is Stepanova, not Bukin, she started to be more expressive than him and her edges improved as well, I have no idea where the opinions about her having bad technique came from. Yes, she is tall and this could be a problem.