- Joined
- Dec 21, 2011
I don't think this one's been posted here either: https://www.instagram.com/p/BAz31XKqBkX/?taken-by=blackswanei
As part of a lift this would be crazy...
Elena Ilinykh & Ruslan Zhiganshin
- Thread starter OrdinaryDreamer
- Start date
I don't think this one's been posted here either: https://www.instagram.com/p/BAz31XKqBkX/?taken-by=blackswanei
As part of a lift this would be crazy...
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2011
This wasn't addressed to me, but while I love Ruslan and think he's awesome, Elena is literally the best female ice dancer of our time IMO (I may be a little biased but not that much). Ruslan is excellent, and these two will rise or fall as a team, period, but I think VIETgrlTerif wasn't trying to take away from him or his excellence or say it's his fault they aren't on the World team, but just to highlight the sheer ridiculousness of Elena, at her truly extreme level of skill, not having already won all the medals in sight, much less being left off the World team.
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2014
I am not an American native, but I do live in Boston
. I am not Russian, but I am Croatian, and I can read and understand some Russian.
I simply adore Croatia. Have spent some of the most beautiful time there.
I agree it would be a bit crazy... I often see other teams practicing lifts like that as more of a general balance and lift practice than as an actual lift they will perform on ice. So, my guess is this is something like that.
I will also comment on Ruslan. I think Ruslan is very good. He probably doesn't get enough credit. There are things about him that I am not crazy about, but, overall, I think he is a very good ice dancer. Of course, Elena is better than him, at least for now, and so he gets overshadowed, disregarded and it is easier to blame him than her. But, IMO he has done very well.
As a team they have room for growth.
I guess this is where we are going to have to agree to disagree. While of course I love Elena, there are still areas that I would like her to improve in, and I think Ruslan IS better than her in some ways. I think that at this point they're overall roughly equal, but there are some areas where he shines more.
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2014
and don't LOL with me but I grew up watching Split festival each year in summer.
:luv17: I love your music too.I like his posture and I think it's better than Elena's. I also think he's more solid, mentaly.
The thing is that Elena has always been extremely talented and gifted. Tons of charisma which not everybody has, and also very beautiful. All these things helps to be noticed more. There is nothing wrong if people likes more one of the partners though. It doesn't alsways mean that one of them is better or weaker. It's just that sometimes you're more attracked to one of them. I absolutely adore Fedor, for example, and I wouldn't want any other partner for Ksenia but I have to admit that I am more attracked to her as a skater. Sometimes it also has to do with our own character the reason why you are more drawn to.
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I just wonder if they have the right coaching team to bring them up to scratch. I marvel at the work D/L have done with H/D on technique alone. That was a big step up, this coming season should tell.
If Ruslan & Elena do decide to move coaches, they probably wouldn't do it until the end of the season when the funding period is up. Technically, Russian skaters are only supposed to change coach in a window between around the end of April and the start of July, because of how the funding for them goes to their training centre rather than directly to the skaters. There have been some exceptions recently like Yulia, but maybe she could fund the move herself, and Artur, but his was still kept quiet for a while & he was moving to TAT so gets special treatment anyway, and with how they've been treated so far this season by the fed, I don't think they'd do that for Elena & Ruslan.
I don't think they necessarily need a whole new coaching team, the technique is more than fine, it's the attention to detail and making sure they are packaged in a way that is easy for the judges to appreciate.
I don't think they necessarily need a whole new coaching team, the technique is more than fine, it's the attention to detail and making sure they are packaged in a way that is easy for the judges to appreciate.
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2010
I agree to this. Their levels were pretty solid this year. Their packaging for their Carmen SD was actually very good. If their team could just improve on the points you mentioned, I think they could be successful even if they stay with Kustarova. What they could do, though, is maybe spending some of the summer months with one of the top coaches, but still having their base in Moscow.
I´ve watched their ex a few times and the choreo of their SD looks much better with the costumes they are wearing there. Ruslan`s suit was completely hiding his lines, which are actually rather good and Elena`s dress was ok, but I would have preferred the dress she was wearing during their ex.
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2014
Yulia's funds came from adidas indeed. They reached an agreement with the FED.
and be smart, strategically speaking. PR, plans, B plans etc.
Their SD costumes were dull, and I agree that Ruslan's suit was hiding his lines and looked cheap. I didn't like Lena's costume for Frida either. However, I do not think the ex. dress suited to the SD since it does look like a gypsy style. I'm not sure it suited to I put a spell on you either. :noshake:
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Its the fine details and polishing they need to work out, because they are no less than their team mates in terms of blade to ice. In fact, despite the growth that they need they IMHO, are the most compelling Russian ID pair. None of the SD' today did what I/Z and or for that matter P/C last season. I hope the guys see what's in front of them, draw the right conclusions and prepare smartly for next season.
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2015
Today after watching the EU Ice dance I went to a Carmen performance.
It was a modern interpretation, too modern for my taste. But the music really gives me chills. Its just that there are those pieces that took your attention from the very first note and there are those songs that just need to be listen over and over again in order to understand and feel them. I hope next season they chose the first one.
I missed them today.
It was a modern interpretation, too modern for my taste. But the music really gives me chills. Its just that there are those pieces that took your attention from the very first note and there are those songs that just need to be listen over and over again in order to understand and feel them. I hope next season they chose the first one.
I missed them today.
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2009
I agree. Elena and Ruslan were very much missed today. I was extremely disappointed in the dance, with the exception of the French. I feel like they were penalized a bit for not following the ultra traditional waltz. Most teams that didn't stick to the script were this season, hence all the hasty changes. Not only that I was left unimpressed in the performance of the patterns. After thinking about it, I am glad we have this time to work. And I really wanted Ruslena here. I like Kustrova for the technical side but I agree they need to add to the team. I would love to see what Peter T. could do with them choreography wise. I really like what he did with the Shibs. I would love this for a free dance: http://youtu.be/V4xPXlneCGs it could be sexy, sensual, while showing off some gorgeous skating!
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I feel like the judges and ISU said early on, "we want something modern", and all these teams totally misunderstood and went to extremes. Beatles - not a waltz. Queen - not a waltz. Elvis - not a waltz. Actually W/P's Elvis wasn't that bad, I kind of liked it, but it is not a waltz...sorry.
I think what the ISU meant was to bring a fresh look to the classical, like IZ did with Carmen last year, and instead all these teams thought you become modern just by picking modern music and forcing the waltz step to fit to it. Force is the operative word here, as I think it did look a bit forced...
So, for next season, I hope IZ come out with another "Carmen" - metaphorically...
As for the European Ice Dance competition, I did miss Ruslena, because, well, it is nice to have someone to really root for. But, honestly, don't kill me, with this year's programs, I don't think they would have added much to the field or made things more exciting.
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2009
Elena and Ruslan have presence thought. A presence that I don't get from any other team. I know Queen was not everyone's cup of tea but you could tell they loved it. I wish they would ditch the short dance and bring back the CD. But I get it we have to make skating more accessible to people...
I know we've had our different opinions about the SD, but Frida was thought to be extraordinary by most of the fans here. And respectfully the diversity at Europeans especially in the top 5 teams is woefully lacking now IMHO, with the exception of C/L. But most importantly why would you want to leave a comment like that in a fan thread? Not very positive I'd say.
I also miss them and I want them back stronger and more polished next season! I think they're very special together. I'm sure their team has already or is still analyzing what went wrong this season. I think they tried to do a very complex program too early in their career together and because of that didn't have both programs as polished as they should have been.
I'll keep my fingers crossed for them!
I'll keep my fingers crossed for them!
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2009
I still think Frida was extraordinary. Packed with difficulty. Looking at all dances the judges seem to be looking at simplistic and clean skating that can be rewarded with GOE. I feel like no other team is really challenging themselves in that respect. I'm glad Ruslena did though. We all forget that they have been together barely 2 years. And it's been crazy for them with not much rest. The more I have thought about it the more I am glad they are going to have this time to regroup and just skate. Now is the year for this to happen.
