- Joined
- Jul 28, 2003
http://www.itogi.ru/Paper2007.nsf/Article/Itogi_2007_02_11_00_4113.html
Tatiana the first
Andrei Vandenko
“Dad raised me to believe that second place was shameful. I can’t even remember how many silver and bronze medals my students have won. Then again, I never really counted the gold ones either. My only goal was winning”, admitted to “Itogi” the famed coach of Russian skaters Tatiana Tarasova.
About six years ago, Tatiana Tarasova published a book of her memoirs, “Beauty and the Beast”, where she talked about her father the legendary hockey coach, and about raising world and Olympic figure skating champions. It’s not the usual memoirs of the “Who, when, with whom” series, but a unique description of characters, a portrait of the era set against the background of human lives. First edition of the book sold out immediately; unfortunately, nobody thought to publish a new edition to the sixtieth birthday of Tatiana Anatolievna.
“Tatiana Anatolievna, please explain, why is it like that in life – if not a beauty, then necessarily a beast?”
“I was speaking of the ice that took all of my life. Dad brought me to the rink when I was five. There I met the future Olympic champion Lyudmila Pakhomova. At first, we were both considered not-too promising, and became fast friends over it. Later on, I brought Mila to my coach Elena Tchaikovskaya, who raised her into a real champion who knew no setbacks at the biggest championships. As for me, I got to win the world Universiad, but got seriously injured at eighteen – customary dislocation of the arm, which put an end to my athletic career.”
“Why customary?”
“That’s what the surgeons call those injuries. From then on, my arms can’t go above shoulders. See? It must have been God’s will; otherwise I would have still be skating. Instead, I had to decide how to live my life, what to do. I dreamed of studying at the choreography school of GITIS, but dad said there won’t be no artists in our family, so I went to the physical culture institute instead.”
"To become a distinguished coach of USSR[ii] by 28. That’s quite a record!”
“Whatever I didn’t get to do on the ice myself, I made happen later with my students. I am lucky to have spent forty years in the big sport. On it’s very peak. Now, honestly, I am in some weird state. Feels like a crossroad.”
“Because of the anniversary?”
“Birthday is a good excuse to see friends and loved ones. There will be a big show, and many of my students will be there. That’s the best present. Holiday will pass; I’ll fix up my health a bit, and then plug back into work. I can’t sit idle; I’m too used to working up to twelve hours a day. Of course, there came the time when I couldn’t train in Russia, as there was no ice for me here. For a long time, over a whole decade, I would only come to the homeland to visit. Essentially, I was forced to leave with my students as I was chased from one rink to the other, than yet to another one… Of course, I’d have rather stayed at home, but here my knowledge and experience weren’t needed. Therefore I prepared Russian Olympic champions in the USA – meaning Ilusha Kulik, Oksana Gritshuk and Evgeny Platov, Lesha Yagudin. This didn’t cost our country a penny. Literally! Americans gave me ice, and I didn’t earn anything, since Moscow did not fell it was necessary to award me any salary at all. Dad like to say, “Tanya, you and I are lucky people. Our profession is our love, and one doesn’t take money for that. That’s why we don’t require a salary, we can work for naught.” However, life has changed since then. Now, they pay for one’s knowledge and skills.”
“But not everyone and not in Russia?”
"In America, the athletes I trained paid for my labor. Today in Moscow, I still don’t have my school or my rink. I came back to the same thing I left. Apparently, there are no perspectives either. Yes, I am loved and valued, my contribution to the national sport is acknowledged, people seem to remember who raised the most figure skating Olympic champions, but when it actually comes to putting the money where the mouth is… After Yagudin won our only clean gold medal in this sport at the Salt Lake City Games, I didn’t get any awards, and they even “forgot” to invite Lesha or me to the Olympic banquet with Vladimir Putin in Kremlin.”
“How could that happen?”
“Specific sports federations are responsible for the invitations. Alexei and I got our plane tickets for the very day when the country’s president was hosting all the champions and medalists. We were flying to America to prepare for the World championships, but of course we would have delayed for such an occasion. If only someone told us. Later at the New York airport, I bumped into Tamara Moskvina, who was going to Moscow for the banquet. That’s how I found out. In theory, Lesha and I could have turned around, but then we would have looked like un-invited guests at the Kremlin. If we could even get in…”
“Did it hurt you?”
“Who likes being humiliated; having them openly and cynically spit in your face? That’s why I decided to remain in the States, coaching anyone who wanted to. There were many of those, but I couldn’t stand it, and did return to Russia two years later.”
“Show path did you cross here, Tatiana Anatolievna?”
“I don’t want to go back there, it would be like wining. I never expected awards, never asked anything for myself personally. I knew that if I work honestly and conscientiously, success will come. Later on, they passed on to me the president’s gratitude for the 2002 Olympics… Dad raised me to believe that second place was shameful. I can’t even remember how many silver and bronze medals my students have won. Then again, I never really counted the gold ones either. My only goal was winning. It’s a high plank, it hard to hold it all the time; may be that’s why my health suffered. After the Calgary Games, where Natasha Bestemianova and Andrei Bukin won, I was down with a micro-infarction, but I still haven’t learned to spare myself.”
“Nevertheless, Anatoly Vladimirovich didn’t consider you his colleague for a long time.”
“He was right. I’m not in his league.”
“To this day?”
“Absolutely. There are no more coaches like Tarasov. He was unique! For dad, there were no secrets in the profession, he approached it with utmost responsibility, and demanded the same form others. One episode is rather indicative. Dad never came to my practices, but then one time… That day I was slightly late for a lesson with Ira Rodnina, so I ran out onto the rink without my skates. I am walking across the ice in my boots, but then suddenly see dad in the stands. I went weak-kneed. Anatoly Vladimirovich silently came down, walked right past me, and closed the door behind him. He didn’t even turn his head, didn’t say “hi” or “bye”. He gave a silent treatment for a long time after that. For him, my actions were the height of unprofessional behavior.”
“When did it turn around?”
“At the 92 Olympics in Albertville, where my students Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko became champions. Victory didn’t come easily, since they competed against Frenchmen in France, but the won cleanly, beautifully, unequivocally. I came back to Moscow, and immediately went to my parents. We often had such celebratory dinners. Dad met me at the door with “Hello, colleague!” I felt so happy, and I also remember those words.”
“By then, Anatoly Vladimirovich was already unemployed?”
“Yes, after 75, following nine victories at hockey world championships and three Olympic victories, nobody needed him. He remained such for the next twenty years, up until his death.”
“Why is it always like that in Russia – not because of, but despite?”
“We don’t like geniuses. We never did. We much prefer easy-going people who know how to talk to the higher-ups, whereas dad never compromised, things couldn’t be handled quietly with him. Honor for him was always first, that wasn’t even discussed.”
“Tatiana Anatolievna, are you as tough as your father?”
“I am as demanding and principled as he. That’s doesn’t just apply to students. I always judge by Hamburg system[iii]. I measure myself the way. Independence and unwillingness to bend over irritates some. When I was essentially squeezed out of the country, I went where I was wanted and could receive normal work. Despite the spin some put on it, I don’t consider myself a traitor to my homeland just because I trained Sasha Cohen, Michelle Kwan, and the Japanese and Italian skaters. Nobody knows how I lived abroad, what I had to suffer through. It’s an alien culture, alien people… The languages didn’t stick to me. Sure, I can explain something in English, but I still think in Russian. I’d watch our TV via satellite, and call Moscow twice a day – in the morning and in the evening. I’d want to hear the dear voices. I’d cry a lot in America, even bowl sometimes. Then I’d bite down and go to work. I truly enjoyed working with such distinguished athletes, but don’t forget the seven Olympic gold medals that my students have won for Russia.”
“What about Shizuka Arakawa? You raised her to our chagrin…”
“Yes, I worked with that girl. Ira Slutskaya had to skate better to have defeated the Japanese at the Turin Games. She could not expect the first place with the mistakes she made.”
“Speaking of, do you think Slutskaya and Plushenko will return to the eligible sport?”
“The question is misaddressed, but if you want my opinion, then I’ll say – it’s a definite no for Ira, as to Zhenya… Yes, he is very talented person, but it’s extremely hard to come back after the life he’s currently leading. If this does happen, I will welcome Zhenya at competitions with standing ovation and delight, no matter where he places.”
“Does that mean we can only expect losses at the big competitions in the upcoming years? At least for the singles that is.”
“We’re now paying for the mistakes from a decade ago. We lost a whole generation for the sport. There would be one new child a year at the rink. From whom were we supposed to raise champions? They don’t come out of air. Then again, let’s not be overdramatic – we have some very good kids in singles, pair, and dance. There are around fourteen and fifteen now. So we won’t fall into the abyss, we will shoot. Even prior to the Vancouver Olympics. We’ll live.”
"Especially now, after the ‘Stars on Ice’”.
Yes, children’s sports schools haven’t experienced such a boom in a long time.
“If there is an extension of the show, will be take part?”
“Absolutely. Not because of any thirst for fame, I’ve never had that. I’ve realized the power of television. I’m now recognized wherever I come. They even ask me why I wasn’t a judge at the last European championships in Warsaw. I guess people decided I will become a permanent judge. Seriously, it’s not my increased recognizability. “Stars” is a very successful project, literally getting the country back to figure skating. It used to be the number one sport, after all, along with soccer and hockey. Then we were pushed out of TV, moved to the outskirts, but now people suddenly remembered that in the winter, provided of course that it’s the real one, with cold and snow, one can ski and skate. It’s so awesome!”
“Did you go to the Red Square [rink]?”
“Many times. Together with Lena Vodorezova, Sasha Zhulin, Tanya Navka, Roma Kostomarov… I’ve really enjoyed skating there every time. The surrounding creates an appropriate mood. It always feels like a holiday. I felt younger, forgot about the pain in the legs, and didn’t want to leave the ice. I am happy that not only at the New York Rockefeller Center, but also in the historical center of Moscow, one can relax in both body and soul by skating. It’s strange that the Red Square idea didn’t come to anyone before this.”
“One has to have guts for such an experiment.”
“Everything that’s new and undiscovered interests me. I’ve managed the “All Stars” theater for fourteen years, I was the first to do plays on ice, skates did not hinder dramaturgy and creation of artistic characters. Right now, my best friend Galina Volchek entrusted me with doing dance and everything related to movement for the new “Sovremennik” project that includes Valentin Gaft and Nina Doroshina[iv]. It’s very interesting work. We have already started rehearsing.”
"Is this your first experience with drama?”
“Second. I one asked Galina Borisovna with Valery Fokin’s interpretation of “Who’s afraid of Virginia Wolf?” On principle, I only work with Volchek.
“You don’t plan an even bigger stage?”
“You think “Sovremennik” has a small stage? Sure, I’d like to experiment with a young ballet troupe, may be try a one-act play. At one point, Bolshoi asked me to work with them, but I was busy preparing for yet another Olympics, and then the Bolshoi leadership changed, and the offers stops. Means it wasn’t meant to be. I don’t fret over it, because have realized my potential in life, I’ve achieved everything I wanted, and I’m happy.”
“That’s impossible”.
“Look – I’m here.”
“So where is the beast?”
“You know, ice is alive. Sometimes we kiss it. That’s what Leshka Yagudin always did.”
“No. Not the practices, and not the competitions. I don’t see dreams in general. I daydream. Of my own theater…”
------------------------------------------
Endnotes:
National Institute of Theater Arts
[ii] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified_Sports_Classification_System_of_the_USSR
[iii] This appears to be a Russian urban myth likely invented by Schklovsky. The myth stated that in late 19th and early 20th century, all boxing matches were fixed; however, once a year the boxers would gather in Hamburg in Germany, away from audiences and entrepreneurs, and there have an honest competition to determine who was the best.
[iv] Very famous Russian actors.
Tatiana the first
Andrei Vandenko
“Dad raised me to believe that second place was shameful. I can’t even remember how many silver and bronze medals my students have won. Then again, I never really counted the gold ones either. My only goal was winning”, admitted to “Itogi” the famed coach of Russian skaters Tatiana Tarasova.
About six years ago, Tatiana Tarasova published a book of her memoirs, “Beauty and the Beast”, where she talked about her father the legendary hockey coach, and about raising world and Olympic figure skating champions. It’s not the usual memoirs of the “Who, when, with whom” series, but a unique description of characters, a portrait of the era set against the background of human lives. First edition of the book sold out immediately; unfortunately, nobody thought to publish a new edition to the sixtieth birthday of Tatiana Anatolievna.
“Tatiana Anatolievna, please explain, why is it like that in life – if not a beauty, then necessarily a beast?”
“I was speaking of the ice that took all of my life. Dad brought me to the rink when I was five. There I met the future Olympic champion Lyudmila Pakhomova. At first, we were both considered not-too promising, and became fast friends over it. Later on, I brought Mila to my coach Elena Tchaikovskaya, who raised her into a real champion who knew no setbacks at the biggest championships. As for me, I got to win the world Universiad, but got seriously injured at eighteen – customary dislocation of the arm, which put an end to my athletic career.”
“Why customary?”
“That’s what the surgeons call those injuries. From then on, my arms can’t go above shoulders. See? It must have been God’s will; otherwise I would have still be skating. Instead, I had to decide how to live my life, what to do. I dreamed of studying at the choreography school of GITIS, but dad said there won’t be no artists in our family, so I went to the physical culture institute instead.”
"To become a distinguished coach of USSR[ii] by 28. That’s quite a record!”
“Whatever I didn’t get to do on the ice myself, I made happen later with my students. I am lucky to have spent forty years in the big sport. On it’s very peak. Now, honestly, I am in some weird state. Feels like a crossroad.”
“Because of the anniversary?”
“Birthday is a good excuse to see friends and loved ones. There will be a big show, and many of my students will be there. That’s the best present. Holiday will pass; I’ll fix up my health a bit, and then plug back into work. I can’t sit idle; I’m too used to working up to twelve hours a day. Of course, there came the time when I couldn’t train in Russia, as there was no ice for me here. For a long time, over a whole decade, I would only come to the homeland to visit. Essentially, I was forced to leave with my students as I was chased from one rink to the other, than yet to another one… Of course, I’d have rather stayed at home, but here my knowledge and experience weren’t needed. Therefore I prepared Russian Olympic champions in the USA – meaning Ilusha Kulik, Oksana Gritshuk and Evgeny Platov, Lesha Yagudin. This didn’t cost our country a penny. Literally! Americans gave me ice, and I didn’t earn anything, since Moscow did not fell it was necessary to award me any salary at all. Dad like to say, “Tanya, you and I are lucky people. Our profession is our love, and one doesn’t take money for that. That’s why we don’t require a salary, we can work for naught.” However, life has changed since then. Now, they pay for one’s knowledge and skills.”
“But not everyone and not in Russia?”
"In America, the athletes I trained paid for my labor. Today in Moscow, I still don’t have my school or my rink. I came back to the same thing I left. Apparently, there are no perspectives either. Yes, I am loved and valued, my contribution to the national sport is acknowledged, people seem to remember who raised the most figure skating Olympic champions, but when it actually comes to putting the money where the mouth is… After Yagudin won our only clean gold medal in this sport at the Salt Lake City Games, I didn’t get any awards, and they even “forgot” to invite Lesha or me to the Olympic banquet with Vladimir Putin in Kremlin.”
“How could that happen?”
“Specific sports federations are responsible for the invitations. Alexei and I got our plane tickets for the very day when the country’s president was hosting all the champions and medalists. We were flying to America to prepare for the World championships, but of course we would have delayed for such an occasion. If only someone told us. Later at the New York airport, I bumped into Tamara Moskvina, who was going to Moscow for the banquet. That’s how I found out. In theory, Lesha and I could have turned around, but then we would have looked like un-invited guests at the Kremlin. If we could even get in…”
“Did it hurt you?”
“Who likes being humiliated; having them openly and cynically spit in your face? That’s why I decided to remain in the States, coaching anyone who wanted to. There were many of those, but I couldn’t stand it, and did return to Russia two years later.”
“Show path did you cross here, Tatiana Anatolievna?”
“I don’t want to go back there, it would be like wining. I never expected awards, never asked anything for myself personally. I knew that if I work honestly and conscientiously, success will come. Later on, they passed on to me the president’s gratitude for the 2002 Olympics… Dad raised me to believe that second place was shameful. I can’t even remember how many silver and bronze medals my students have won. Then again, I never really counted the gold ones either. My only goal was winning. It’s a high plank, it hard to hold it all the time; may be that’s why my health suffered. After the Calgary Games, where Natasha Bestemianova and Andrei Bukin won, I was down with a micro-infarction, but I still haven’t learned to spare myself.”
“Nevertheless, Anatoly Vladimirovich didn’t consider you his colleague for a long time.”
“He was right. I’m not in his league.”
“To this day?”
“Absolutely. There are no more coaches like Tarasov. He was unique! For dad, there were no secrets in the profession, he approached it with utmost responsibility, and demanded the same form others. One episode is rather indicative. Dad never came to my practices, but then one time… That day I was slightly late for a lesson with Ira Rodnina, so I ran out onto the rink without my skates. I am walking across the ice in my boots, but then suddenly see dad in the stands. I went weak-kneed. Anatoly Vladimirovich silently came down, walked right past me, and closed the door behind him. He didn’t even turn his head, didn’t say “hi” or “bye”. He gave a silent treatment for a long time after that. For him, my actions were the height of unprofessional behavior.”
“When did it turn around?”
“At the 92 Olympics in Albertville, where my students Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko became champions. Victory didn’t come easily, since they competed against Frenchmen in France, but the won cleanly, beautifully, unequivocally. I came back to Moscow, and immediately went to my parents. We often had such celebratory dinners. Dad met me at the door with “Hello, colleague!” I felt so happy, and I also remember those words.”
“By then, Anatoly Vladimirovich was already unemployed?”
“Yes, after 75, following nine victories at hockey world championships and three Olympic victories, nobody needed him. He remained such for the next twenty years, up until his death.”
“Why is it always like that in Russia – not because of, but despite?”
“We don’t like geniuses. We never did. We much prefer easy-going people who know how to talk to the higher-ups, whereas dad never compromised, things couldn’t be handled quietly with him. Honor for him was always first, that wasn’t even discussed.”
“Tatiana Anatolievna, are you as tough as your father?”
“I am as demanding and principled as he. That’s doesn’t just apply to students. I always judge by Hamburg system[iii]. I measure myself the way. Independence and unwillingness to bend over irritates some. When I was essentially squeezed out of the country, I went where I was wanted and could receive normal work. Despite the spin some put on it, I don’t consider myself a traitor to my homeland just because I trained Sasha Cohen, Michelle Kwan, and the Japanese and Italian skaters. Nobody knows how I lived abroad, what I had to suffer through. It’s an alien culture, alien people… The languages didn’t stick to me. Sure, I can explain something in English, but I still think in Russian. I’d watch our TV via satellite, and call Moscow twice a day – in the morning and in the evening. I’d want to hear the dear voices. I’d cry a lot in America, even bowl sometimes. Then I’d bite down and go to work. I truly enjoyed working with such distinguished athletes, but don’t forget the seven Olympic gold medals that my students have won for Russia.”
“What about Shizuka Arakawa? You raised her to our chagrin…”
“Yes, I worked with that girl. Ira Slutskaya had to skate better to have defeated the Japanese at the Turin Games. She could not expect the first place with the mistakes she made.”
“Speaking of, do you think Slutskaya and Plushenko will return to the eligible sport?”
“The question is misaddressed, but if you want my opinion, then I’ll say – it’s a definite no for Ira, as to Zhenya… Yes, he is very talented person, but it’s extremely hard to come back after the life he’s currently leading. If this does happen, I will welcome Zhenya at competitions with standing ovation and delight, no matter where he places.”
“Does that mean we can only expect losses at the big competitions in the upcoming years? At least for the singles that is.”
“We’re now paying for the mistakes from a decade ago. We lost a whole generation for the sport. There would be one new child a year at the rink. From whom were we supposed to raise champions? They don’t come out of air. Then again, let’s not be overdramatic – we have some very good kids in singles, pair, and dance. There are around fourteen and fifteen now. So we won’t fall into the abyss, we will shoot. Even prior to the Vancouver Olympics. We’ll live.”
"Especially now, after the ‘Stars on Ice’”.
Yes, children’s sports schools haven’t experienced such a boom in a long time.
“If there is an extension of the show, will be take part?”
“Absolutely. Not because of any thirst for fame, I’ve never had that. I’ve realized the power of television. I’m now recognized wherever I come. They even ask me why I wasn’t a judge at the last European championships in Warsaw. I guess people decided I will become a permanent judge. Seriously, it’s not my increased recognizability. “Stars” is a very successful project, literally getting the country back to figure skating. It used to be the number one sport, after all, along with soccer and hockey. Then we were pushed out of TV, moved to the outskirts, but now people suddenly remembered that in the winter, provided of course that it’s the real one, with cold and snow, one can ski and skate. It’s so awesome!”
“Did you go to the Red Square [rink]?”
“Many times. Together with Lena Vodorezova, Sasha Zhulin, Tanya Navka, Roma Kostomarov… I’ve really enjoyed skating there every time. The surrounding creates an appropriate mood. It always feels like a holiday. I felt younger, forgot about the pain in the legs, and didn’t want to leave the ice. I am happy that not only at the New York Rockefeller Center, but also in the historical center of Moscow, one can relax in both body and soul by skating. It’s strange that the Red Square idea didn’t come to anyone before this.”
“One has to have guts for such an experiment.”
“Everything that’s new and undiscovered interests me. I’ve managed the “All Stars” theater for fourteen years, I was the first to do plays on ice, skates did not hinder dramaturgy and creation of artistic characters. Right now, my best friend Galina Volchek entrusted me with doing dance and everything related to movement for the new “Sovremennik” project that includes Valentin Gaft and Nina Doroshina[iv]. It’s very interesting work. We have already started rehearsing.”
"Is this your first experience with drama?”
“Second. I one asked Galina Borisovna with Valery Fokin’s interpretation of “Who’s afraid of Virginia Wolf?” On principle, I only work with Volchek.
“You don’t plan an even bigger stage?”
“You think “Sovremennik” has a small stage? Sure, I’d like to experiment with a young ballet troupe, may be try a one-act play. At one point, Bolshoi asked me to work with them, but I was busy preparing for yet another Olympics, and then the Bolshoi leadership changed, and the offers stops. Means it wasn’t meant to be. I don’t fret over it, because have realized my potential in life, I’ve achieved everything I wanted, and I’m happy.”
“That’s impossible”.
“Look – I’m here.”
“So where is the beast?”
“You know, ice is alive. Sometimes we kiss it. That’s what Leshka Yagudin always did.”
“No. Not the practices, and not the competitions. I don’t see dreams in general. I daydream. Of my own theater…”
------------------------------------------
Endnotes:
National Institute of Theater Arts
[ii] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified_Sports_Classification_System_of_the_USSR
[iii] This appears to be a Russian urban myth likely invented by Schklovsky. The myth stated that in late 19th and early 20th century, all boxing matches were fixed; however, once a year the boxers would gather in Hamburg in Germany, away from audiences and entrepreneurs, and there have an honest competition to determine who was the best.
[iv] Very famous Russian actors.
