I’ve just read the interview and loved it! I’m so happy that Frieda is something Elena has lived with for so long, and that the team’s and Najarro’s vision of it coincided: he loved their music cut, and Elena was thrilled with his choreography, and Ruslan is very comfortable working with him and says that Najarro offers such versions that everything seems to happen by itself. Like everyone else, I’m greatly looking forward to seeing their programs, and I’m very glad that they think that in a month they’ll be ready to share them with the public. So things are moving along smoothly!
Not on his instagram others persons involved in the team.
Could you, please, post a link (if it’s not too much trouble to find now)?
God can I love these 2 anymore than I do? The answer is YES!!!!
I love the connection they share and the strength of their partnership. I feel Elena finally has her partner in Ruslan.
I feel exactly the same way. She has the temperament, the tremendous inborn artistic gift and the technical excellence, and he’s come a long way, both technically and artistically, since they’ve teamed up. She truly inspires him. He may never have realized his full potential, if the partner switch hadn’t happened. And he, for his part, gives her unconditional psychological support. I’m so impressed that at his young age he’s already such a gentleman: instead of reacting in kind when she loses her temper, he calms her down. (Heck, even the fact that he knows how to do it is impressive.) And that he’s the person she comes to for sympathy and that he fully supports her on everything… I’ll say this: if anybody deserves to have a partner like Elena – the best in the business – it’s Ruslan. And it’s clear in every interview how much they appreciate each other. I’ve always thought that part of the reason the SD suited them so well was because the main theme of that dance is that Carmen and Escamillo find their perfect partners in each other – something IZ could very well relate to!
They make no innuendos about the season either, they know what has to be done.
Yes, I also very much liked how Elena said that their result would depend on how they themselves skate. And she’s such a workaholic: after training, when any normal person would have fallen on the sofa, she goes to study modern dance! They are the perfect fs package: their technical and artistic talents are matched by their dedication and enthusiasm for their work (also something they have in common!), and they have such a wonderful relationship too! I bet if somebody written a novel about an ice dance team like that, many readers would have thought it idealistic and unrealistic.
I think with I/Z the coaching team has finally a couple that has it all. Their former couples were good too, but there always seemed to miss something to make it to the top. Besides, with Elena it’s the first time they have a female ice dancer with star quality, usually the male ice dancers in the training group were considered to be more talented.
Yes, indeed. Now we’ll see what Kustarova and Alexeeva’s technical expertise can accomplish with the right material.
And she gets artistic freedom there, I think that's really what she needs. I think her ideas for next season are great, so I'm happy that they can do what they want and work with the people that they want. Najarro must really like them a lot, he wouldn't want to see their SP and suggesting some changes if he didn't. I know that I will most certainly like their FS and I'm really curious about their SP. Ah, I predict that it's going to be fantastic!
I’m also so happy that now Elena gets artistic freedom and an opportunity to work with different people she admires. It’s lucky that her new partner and coaches fully appreciate what she can contribute and where it can take them, instead of dissolving into petty ego squabbles. And as for IZ’s work with both choreographers, I think they were probably feeding off each other. I’m sure not only their coaches, but Najarro and Arapov have never worked with a team like IZ either.
I think if Kustarova and Alexeeva don't like something they would say so. My idea is that sometimes even the most experienced people in the field needs new and fresh ideas. Working with new and different people - including choreographers - which offers you a new perspective helps a lot. Maybe they didn't have many chances before to explore themselves in that respect. Skaters who come up with ideas can help coaches as well. It's a collaboration and it's a creative work, not a school. Not every idea can be good but skater should never be afraid of coming up and proposing new ideas. You try something new and if it doesn't work, Amen. You go and try something else. Never stop or wait for others.
Exactly. This partner switch was such a windfall for all of them who hadn’t chosen it: Elena, Ruslan and Kustarova and Alexeeva. Among other things, Elena will get to create, and the everybody will benefit hugely from it. K & A have long been known for their technical expertise, but they lacked exactly what Elena has brought: sophistication of music choices, choreography and costumes. I can’t express how excitedly I anticipate the result!
I/Z strike me as the perfect pairing. She's the creative mind, he's the one that makes things happen and gladly their coaches listen to their ideas. I agree that Kustarova never had such a gifted couple, technically and artistically. It's refreshing for a coach, it can give him/her a different working approach.
Yes, it looks like Elena is bursting with creativity, and Ruslan gives her the much needed emotional stability, besides working like crazy to be a true partner to her, technically and artistically. And they probably have a partner-ish, give-and-take relationship with their coaches as well.
I'm really interested to see their programs. I love how supportive they are of each other and how warm their relationship is. I hope they have a really successful season.
Same here! TBH, I can’t think of another such relationship between partners in ice dance or pairs, aside from happily married couples.