Elena Ilinykh & Ruslan Zhiganshin
- Thread starter OrdinaryDreamer
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- Feb 8, 2015
Actually according to protocols the judges like the composition the most 
For me the FD is OK. I like most of it. It is different and they actually have the energy to go through. I think with some more time they will be very good. Of course I am always a fan of Carmina Burana but the A/P Carmina Burana is one of my all time favorites so I don't want to see something different, but something equally dramatic is OK.
Now they have to work on the TES.
I just want to comment on Judge number 6 the USA judge Mr. John MILLIER which gave the lowest marks on everything I mean really low compared to every other judge on everything.
For me the FD is OK. I like most of it. It is different and they actually have the energy to go through. I think with some more time they will be very good. Of course I am always a fan of Carmina Burana but the A/P Carmina Burana is one of my all time favorites so I don't want to see something different, but something equally dramatic is OK.
Now they have to work on the TES.
I just want to comment on Judge number 6 the USA judge Mr. John MILLIER which gave the lowest marks on everything I mean really low compared to every other judge on everything.
I can understand them not being sharp on the TES if Lena only just got back from injury, but it is SO frustrating. This was a very friendly panel of judges for them, it's the best PCS they've had, but it almost feels like they've thrown away the opportunity to get back in the conversation. They have to consistently get over 50 in TES, and even when they haven't been disrupted by injury they can't do it.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
Congrats for the small silver medal for the FD! :clapper: It was the first time I saw their SD, and really liked it. And IMO, this is the way they should go, at least for the present. Like Marta25, I feel the judges are ready to embrace them again, if RusLena only submit the right material. Am I the only one who sees a pattern there? If they attempt something out of the box, their marks and TES just aren't that high, and they tend to make mistakes. If they do something safe, classic or retro, they get rewarded and at the same time, even if the music is a warhorse, their dance is memorable, not generic at all. I am thinking this is what they should start doing now, until they safely get their reputation back.
The first thing they should change is the coaching and choreo situation, they should try someone new. Pity it didn't work out with Shpilband, but there has to be someone good and eligible, right? Someone here suggested Platov, and I'm all for giving it a try.
The Indian dance isn't working for me either, it definitely stands out, but that's it for me.
I'd like them to show more speed and coverage, more lifts and impressive elements, and more lightness. JMO of course.
The first thing they should change is the coaching and choreo situation, they should try someone new. Pity it didn't work out with Shpilband, but there has to be someone good and eligible, right? Someone here suggested Platov, and I'm all for giving it a try.
The Indian dance isn't working for me either, it definitely stands out, but that's it for me.
I'd like them to show more speed and coverage, more lifts and impressive elements, and more lightness. JMO of course.
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- Joined
- Feb 17, 2010
I feel the same. I know that the last few weeks must be really hard for them, Ruslan`s injury, Elena`s cold after test skates and then another injury after Skate America must be really hard to take, but at this point they need to find a way to work on their consistency. Judges like them, but they have to find a way to come into the season with polished programs. I still believe in them and think there is so much untapped potential in them, but getting on the Euros team is going to be tough now.
I love Ruslena, and always have, even before I saw them skate ever. But this is getting to ridiculous levels now. It's almost equal to Yulia's rate of success with the SP and then disaster FP. I cant even watch their FD(s) anymore i'm always terrified. Something needs to change, try a sports psychologist, doing more small competitions till you cant mess up anymore, reduce transitions to make their FD's easier to skate, get a different coach.... just SOMETHING. Because at this point, their amazing skating skills cant help if they cannot even break 50 in TES. If S/K do remotely okay in their gps, ruslena aren't getting that Euro spot, which is frankly ridiculous, but i dont even know if i can blame the Rus Fed anymore at this point. It'd be nice if a team can stop falling first of all. Arghhhh im just so heartbroken, frustrated, and sad, idek anymore
Yes. They'd improved a lot since I last saw them live in Stockholm. More speed, I wasn't scared for the lifts and they are more in sync. But the FD seemed uncertain throughout, not just after the fall. It was a nice change of pace compared to everyone else though.
It might just be a case of needing more mileage, but they are running out of time. The most important thing right now is to skate really well at their CS event so they get higher on the SB list for GP assignments next season. They can't count on being at worlds to qualify for them that way.
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2014
I feel you. :sad46:
@sunn1: Yeah, I know they got high PCS and that would suggest judges like their FD - although I agree with uhh that this was a very friendly panle - but maybe they can't yet be both sharp and full of energy, which the programs require, at this point? I don't know. I personally don't like it, but that's my personal taste.
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2006
My expectations pertaining to their growth and development from last year to this point were high and lofty; I didn’t factor in the coaching change wouldn’t work and that there would be injury/illness setbacks, but still I think they should be further developed than they are now. I’m still a big fan and supporter of theirs, but man I’m getting a little frustrated. One of thing, I wanted to see was cooler, more unique lifts that leave the audience gasping. That one split straight-line lift was interesting but it wasn’t a wow lift, because you could see her grip his coat for dear life, the entrance and exit were ok, and the speed wasn’t there. If they need some inspiration for cools lifts they should look at programs from Kriengkrairut & Logan Giulietti-Schmitt.
The British Eurosport guys provided some good constructive criticism in their commentary regarding Elena and Ruslan’s SD and FD. Elena projects to the audience/judges with her facial expressions and body language, but she needs to channel that energy and connect more with Ruslan. He has improved with emoting and making better facial expressions, but I sometimes feel like he is holding back a little especially trying to connect with Elena. To me, their connection this season isn’t as strong as it was in the other two seasons. With the Ang Laga De part, their expressions don’t fit the lyrics of this song. That song, if they looked up the lyrics (and watched the movie) would see that it’s a seductive and romantic song (i.e. “touch me with your body…”). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TLg1-5ZieM This happened too with their Frida FD where Elena was smiling but it didn’t fit with the music.
If they haven’t called Platov (which they should be dialing right now) yet, maybe they can look at Carol Lane; her team of Gilles/Poirier always have interesting programs and choreography, they always seem to be pushing themselves to try new things, and are well trained. I thought last year coming in 4th in Russian Nationals would ignite this fire in them, but I don’t’ feel it has. At this moment, I wish we all could have a sit down, come-to-Jesus power meeting with them about how we need to address their technical components, trying new lifts, motivation, connecting with one another when performing, their styling and packaging for the program, etc.
Hopefully, they will be performing at the gala tomorrow. They have a little over a week to regroup and then the Tallinn Trophy. They are definitely making good improvements from competition to competition and with a bit of luck their biggest improvements will be right at Nationals.
The British Eurosport guys provided some good constructive criticism in their commentary regarding Elena and Ruslan’s SD and FD. Elena projects to the audience/judges with her facial expressions and body language, but she needs to channel that energy and connect more with Ruslan. He has improved with emoting and making better facial expressions, but I sometimes feel like he is holding back a little especially trying to connect with Elena. To me, their connection this season isn’t as strong as it was in the other two seasons. With the Ang Laga De part, their expressions don’t fit the lyrics of this song. That song, if they looked up the lyrics (and watched the movie) would see that it’s a seductive and romantic song (i.e. “touch me with your body…”). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TLg1-5ZieM This happened too with their Frida FD where Elena was smiling but it didn’t fit with the music.
If they haven’t called Platov (which they should be dialing right now) yet, maybe they can look at Carol Lane; her team of Gilles/Poirier always have interesting programs and choreography, they always seem to be pushing themselves to try new things, and are well trained. I thought last year coming in 4th in Russian Nationals would ignite this fire in them, but I don’t’ feel it has. At this moment, I wish we all could have a sit down, come-to-Jesus power meeting with them about how we need to address their technical components, trying new lifts, motivation, connecting with one another when performing, their styling and packaging for the program, etc.
Hopefully, they will be performing at the gala tomorrow. They have a little over a week to regroup and then the Tallinn Trophy. They are definitely making good improvements from competition to competition and with a bit of luck their biggest improvements will be right at Nationals.
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- Joined
- Feb 27, 2014
Pity for that fall 
But, to be honest, when I got to know about that injury, I was apprehensive that they won't be able to show their full potential here... It's really hard to be fit when there was an injury only a week ago.
As for the FD itself, I'm ok with it, and I like it. It's energetic and can be brilliant if performed properly.
I hope that RusLena would be able to go to any B series competition, and to come to the Nationals in a good shape.
But, to be honest, when I got to know about that injury, I was apprehensive that they won't be able to show their full potential here... It's really hard to be fit when there was an injury only a week ago.As for the FD itself, I'm ok with it, and I like it. It's energetic and can be brilliant if performed properly.
I hope that RusLena would be able to go to any B series competition, and to come to the Nationals in a good shape.
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- Joined
- Feb 8, 2015
Uhh thanks for sharing your live impressions.
For me they are on the right track. Their speed is supersonic. They are dressing more colorful. They had experience with Igor and maybe more with Fabian, which influenced quite nicely Ruslan. I was really scared how many high level couples Igor has. I expected more new elements to come from their cooperation. Maybe Igor wanted to take them to competitions like he did with CB and add new elements and clean them based on the feedback. Unfortunately IZ dont have the time and the fed support for experiments. They also changed the music of the short dance at some point. Taking in account illness injuries I am happy we saw them in Paris.
For sure they have to work with sport psychologist. These random falls happen mostly on competitions where they are leading or under pressure. And fighting for spot at the RU team means pressure and having complex draining energy programs is not helping to keep it clean. They had the chance of silver here, but just a second of loosing concentration and they lost it. The second thing they have to do is clear the things technically. Hope they are comfortable with elements they are doing or change them so they become. Like changing the straight line lift which I dont know why and who chose it on first place.
The BG commentator was nicely surprised by their SD and even fell sorry for their FD and he is not a fan of them.
Alba you are really right that keeping both full of energy and sharp are not things that get along. But these are the programs that they have and they have to find a way to keep their stamina, energy, concentration, presence till end. How I dont know. If I was their coach I would make them do n number of whole programs every day until they are flawless.
I dont want to see any more injury, falls, illness, low levels, bad luck, non sparkle and non colorful clothes from them ever again. I hope they address their weekness with specialists and just be happy and enjoy the chance of doing what they are loving.
For me they are on the right track. Their speed is supersonic.
They are dressing more colorful. They had experience with Igor and maybe more with Fabian, which influenced quite nicely Ruslan. I was really scared how many high level couples Igor has. I expected more new elements to come from their cooperation. Maybe Igor wanted to take them to competitions like he did with CB and add new elements and clean them based on the feedback. Unfortunately IZ dont have the time and the fed support for experiments. They also changed the music of the short dance at some point. Taking in account illness injuries I am happy we saw them in Paris.For sure they have to work with sport psychologist. These random falls happen mostly on competitions where they are leading or under pressure. And fighting for spot at the RU team means pressure and having complex draining energy programs is not helping to keep it clean. They had the chance of silver here, but just a second of loosing concentration and they lost it. The second thing they have to do is clear the things technically. Hope they are comfortable with elements they are doing or change them so they become. Like changing the straight line lift which I dont know why and who chose it on first place.
The BG commentator was nicely surprised by their SD and even fell sorry for their FD and he is not a fan of them.
Alba you are really right that keeping both full of energy and sharp are not things that get along. But these are the programs that they have and they have to find a way to keep their stamina, energy, concentration, presence till end. How I dont know. If I was their coach I would make them do n number of whole programs every day until they are flawless.
I dont want to see any more injury, falls, illness, low levels, bad luck, non sparkle and non colorful clothes from them ever again. I hope they address their weekness with specialists and just be happy and enjoy the chance of doing what they are loving.
She absolutely is not as all the level 2's showed. They need to get out! When you are with kustarova you are only coached to level 1 or 2 step sequences and other elements most of the time. It's not injuries or anything like that.
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2014
Why not? They were doing well enough with Kustarova in their first season.
That was a part of kustarova's skill as a coach with new teams but now it hasn't worked for 2 seasons now. In their first season you still see several level 1 elements but they had a drive and a coach for new teams.
I've just read that IZ won't take part in the gala - because of the suture disruption (on Lena's leg, where the wound had been stitched)
Nooo, I really hope that they aren't out of Tallinn as well, they need to keep competing.
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2011
This is a hard day to be a Ruslena fan, but to list some positive things I thought they did bring more energy and spark to the free dance today than at Skate America. I actually think now that with some tweaking they could really light up an arena with this but the question is unfortunately if they have time to do the tweaking that would be needed. I do not think that at this point it would be a good move to get a new free dance. Even though this hasn't worked out the best so far it would be a huge risk and there just really isn't enough time before Nationals. Maybe they could work with a professional Bollywood dancer or instructor at bringing out the character of the dance more?
Most important honestly though is that they need to get the TES up and stop stop stop the stupid mistakes. I love these two so I hate to sound negative but it is so frustrating at this point and this is the main thing that's holding them back, not their programs. They need to give the judges and fed reason to think they can be trusted to deliver.
Most important honestly though is that they need to get the TES up and stop stop stop the stupid mistakes. I love these two so I hate to sound negative but it is so frustrating at this point and this is the main thing that's holding them back, not their programs. They need to give the judges and fed reason to think they can be trusted to deliver.
- Joined
- May 4, 2015
I’ve just watched their FD. It looked great till she caught his blade with hers, and then it was just a fraction of a second interruption, and on they went again, like nothing had happened. I loved their speed, their expression and their connection with each other. It would have been a winning program, except for that one bubble. But the truth is that other teams make mistakes too, repeatedly, and nobody says that they need to change their programs, their coaches, etc. I agree with Sunn1ly that the pressure to make the team doesn’t help them, and I think the knowledge that their fed has other favorites makes it harder for them than for the other teams. And here, of course, they were also competing after two injuries one after another which has robbed them of lots of valuable training time. Frankly, given everything they’ve had to contend with this past year, I’m impressed they’re holding up as well as they do. That one commentary by Tarasova was worth an eternity in hell IMO, and she’s been telling the fed that they’re rubbish ever since she visited them in Novi in the summer. What kind of a psychologist would be able to insulate them against that?
But, yes, it’ll be sad if the most talented ID team in Russia – in the entire world IMO – can’t go to Euros and Worlds.
Below is a link to another article about TEF that has this to say about IZ’s SD: “Lack of realistic chances to get into the GPF didn’t prevent Ilinykh and Zhiganshin from skating brilliantly in the SD and getting quite decent scores. Of course, the lady was especially impressive. It was the Elena we all know – expressive, genuine, exciting. And al this, while she was skating with a barely healed leg injury – actually, a wound, as one can call a cut of a calf muscle by a skate.”
http://www.sovsport.ru/gazeta/article-item/939178
Does this mean he accidentally cut her leg in practice??? Because I doubt she could have cut her own leg by her other skate, could she?
God, how can so much misfortune happen to a team?
She must have returned to ice too early, poor thing. Wishing her all the best.
A Russian sports journalist who writes a blog titled “48 Cups of Tea” and has often written in support of IZ wrote on her Instagram, among other things: “I’d like to remind everybody that IZ’s participation in this competition was under question practically till the day before the flight. The only person who didn’t hesitate at all whether to go or not was Lena herself, for which [she deserves] a big athletic thank you.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BMuJE8YgnKk/?taken-by=48cupsoftea
And in the next post she adds: “I wanted to say separately about the commentary on the federal sports channel, but respect for the age and achievements of the person in question don’t allow me to do this. [People] just need to understand that ID is a bright shiny cover, a mask, powdered with smiles and hugs, a façade painted for special occasions, behind which is dirt, intrigues, use of any means to destroy one’s rivals and throwing of knives into the back.” Underneath are comments from various people who don’t hesitate to address Tarasova by name and express disgust with her unethical behavior. Above the picture above it says “Ice Dance,” over the first picture, “Expectations” and over the second “Reality.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BMuJWAjgnjA/?taken-by=48cupsoftea
ht tp://www.sovsport. ru/gazeta/article-item/939178
ht tps://www.instagram. com/p/BMuJE8YgnKk/?taken-by=48cupsoftea
ht tps://www.instagram. com/p/BMuJWAjgnjA/?taken-by=48cupsoftea
But, yes, it’ll be sad if the most talented ID team in Russia – in the entire world IMO – can’t go to Euros and Worlds.
Yes, she said about their SD: “It’s a good fit for us, we really enjoy it. At first we used a different music for the blues, but at some point I realized that we’re a bit bored with it. And when I heard the song we’re using now… I realized that it’s right for us. It stirs us up. And it has really jazzy-bluesish voices.”
Below is a link to another article about TEF that has this to say about IZ’s SD: “Lack of realistic chances to get into the GPF didn’t prevent Ilinykh and Zhiganshin from skating brilliantly in the SD and getting quite decent scores. Of course, the lady was especially impressive. It was the Elena we all know – expressive, genuine, exciting. And al this, while she was skating with a barely healed leg injury – actually, a wound, as one can call a cut of a calf muscle by a skate.”
http://www.sovsport.ru/gazeta/article-item/939178
Does this mean he accidentally cut her leg in practice??? Because I doubt she could have cut her own leg by her other skate, could she?
Is this what happened during the FD that caused her to lose her concentration momentarily?I've just read that IZ won't take part in the gala - because of the suture disruption (on Lena's leg, where the wound had been stitched)
God, how can so much misfortune happen to a team?
She must have returned to ice too early, poor thing. Wishing her all the best.
A Russian sports journalist who writes a blog titled “48 Cups of Tea” and has often written in support of IZ wrote on her Instagram, among other things: “I’d like to remind everybody that IZ’s participation in this competition was under question practically till the day before the flight. The only person who didn’t hesitate at all whether to go or not was Lena herself, for which [she deserves] a big athletic thank you.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BMuJE8YgnKk/?taken-by=48cupsoftea
And in the next post she adds: “I wanted to say separately about the commentary on the federal sports channel, but respect for the age and achievements of the person in question don’t allow me to do this. [People] just need to understand that ID is a bright shiny cover, a mask, powdered with smiles and hugs, a façade painted for special occasions, behind which is dirt, intrigues, use of any means to destroy one’s rivals and throwing of knives into the back.” Underneath are comments from various people who don’t hesitate to address Tarasova by name and express disgust with her unethical behavior. Above the picture above it says “Ice Dance,” over the first picture, “Expectations” and over the second “Reality.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BMuJWAjgnjA/?taken-by=48cupsoftea
ht tp://www.sovsport. ru/gazeta/article-item/939178
ht tps://www.instagram. com/p/BMuJE8YgnKk/?taken-by=48cupsoftea
ht tps://www.instagram. com/p/BMuJWAjgnjA/?taken-by=48cupsoftea
