Yulia Lipnitskaya

[Eclair]

The comfort women survivors themselves, though, aren't happy with the recent agreement and apology.

I don't necessarily see a problem with a Japanese themed program at the Olympics, but doing a geisha one could definitely be seen as insensitive. I'm all for her doing one next season, though. If it's something she loves I think it will only help increase her motivation to improve.

I think the reason for Yulia to do an asian themed programm is because it fits well with the audiences and host country's taste - such as Schindlers List in europe, the mulan programm in china and the elvis programm in boston. But doing a japanese themed programm to in korea, is like doing a french programm in germany - they are DIFFERENT countries. Just because they both lie in asia or europe doesn't mean they like the same things.
Therefore I don't think doing Memoirs of a Geisha in korea is a particulary good idea, especially not with the issue of comfort women.
But if Yulia just likes the music, then she should just do this programm some other season

 

[sjid]

The music of Elvis is meant to entertain. In Yulia's hands it is fun, like a favorite toy. Leningrad occupies a different emotional space. It is composed to touch ones heart. Yulia's performance leaves no emotion untouched. She is like a matchmaker presiding over the wedding of her favorite couple. Here are a few ideas about the music, the performance, and the union between them.

When we think about the music of Leningrad as emotion, there is no better place to start than the beginning. Taken together, the first two notes rise by a half-step, called a semi-tone. Semi-tone intervals create emotions ranging from sadness to anguish to pain, depending on the harmony. These two notes are immediately repeated for emphasis, fair warning that Leningrad is going to be a real downer. This pair sets the mood for the entire 25 second melody that follows.

The three notes at the end of that melody are equally important. Taken together, these notes have a very specific musical character. They are three notes in search of an ending. Under happier circumstances they would lead our ears to a fourth note that completes the progression, letting us relax. But here the fourth note is missing, there is no resolution. We are left hanging emotionally.

So the first section (the 25 second melody) of Leningrad takes place between two sets of notes, the pair of deep sadness that begins the section and the triplet of suspension that ends the section. Emotionally, these are the two demons of Leningrad (Leningrad has 2 demons, Elvis has just one). Suspended sadness describes Leningrad. But the musical journey is more diverse, the drama more complex.

Just as with the opening semi-tones, the first two notes of every melody set the emotional stage for that entire melody. This is an important structural pattern of the composition. Here are two examples from Yulia's step sequence: 1. The first two notes of the step sequence sound like a warm, gentle smile. The full melody is a graceful waltz. 2. A few seconds later another melody appears (where Yulia does the little hop). The first two notes sound like someone drifting off into a fantasy. The melody floats like a daydream.

The music of Yulia's step sequence is a joyful refuge within the mostly depressing Leningrad. This musical reprieve comes in two parts. First we hear a waltz. Yulia takes us to a ballroom, we see a dancer swirling grandly with her invisible partner, alluring, elegant.

Suddenly this happy scene is interrupted by a new melody. The musical construction of that melody is remarkable. When Yulia does the little jump we hear a pair of notes that lift us into a world of pure fantasy. This pair sets the stage for a reverie. Then we hear three notes floating freely. Remember, three notes ended the first melody of Leningrad with a feeling of suspension. William Joseph has transformed that suspension into a feeling of free-floating weightlessness. This pair and triplet combination is the entire melody, a 5-note melody that seems to float across the sky. But we should not forget that the 5 notes relate to the pair and triplet that summarize the grim emotional core of the opening 25 seconds. Suspended sadness has become soaring bliss, but can all end well when the escape is the two demons in disguise?

Yulia makes the most of this opportunity. With a hop she leaves the earth. Much of the choreo here relates to her movements in the opening 25 seconds. As does William Joseph, she transforms sadness into joy. For example, the lovely cradling motion relates to the "hand drawing into the body" gesture and "hands behind the back" of the opening section. The 5 note melody is repeated, slightly altered (sixth note added) and on a higher pitch, and Yulia intensifies her soaring display. So much happiness can be exhausting, she stops to catch her breath, then enthusiastically hop-jumps back into motion as the music rises in pitch. Like a somersaulting bird in a clear blue sky, she mirrors the emotional intensity of the music. Then we hear an extension of the melody. Two sets of three notes drift down like falling leaves, then 4 sets of triplets rise with the promise of a great climax. Yulia speeds across the rink, eager to enter the next level. Nirvana is next?

Next comes a musical shock-wave..... after the big build-up of rising triplets we hear a violently jarring note. Instead of the note that we expect, we hear a note so out of place that it is like being plunged into ice water on a warm summer afternoon. The one thing worse than not completing a progression is to complete it wrong. In this case, wrong as in annihlation. The rising melody is shattered as the foreign note joins another to form a semi-tone pair. The semi-tones have the last laugh. Back to the desolate future.

Watch Yulia interpret this shock-wave. She speeds back across the rink (undoing her daydream), while twice thrusting her left arm forward. The left arm extended, that pose from the very beginning where she stood alone and silent, now a symbol of defeat. We see other poses from the first 25 seconds as the opening melody unfolds, poses altered to express heart-rending fatalism--a Bauer that is a crushing embrace, it ties together past, present and future with a symbol of irrevocable loss (Yulia gets A+ for this one); reaching down to a high note during the spiral, a gesture of hopelessness (before she reached upward to high notes). Yulia is merciless in undoing the waltz and daydream, she is profound in portraying the tragedy of this shattering anti-climax. (Some of this was lost in choreo changes for the nationals, you will need to go to America to see this sequence as I have described it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jr-oHQmZlYE ) Just as William Joseph transforms a few notes into a musical drama, Yulia transforms a few movements into a visual drama.

Yulia's Leningrad is an astonishing union of passion and structure, always faithful to the music. She would have done more had she not been dragged down with technical issues and a destructive environment that is only now being revealed. Mere jumps and small minds should never again be allowed to cloud her vision or ours.

 

[Barb]

The music of Elvis is meant to entertain. In Yulia's hands it is fun, like a favorite toy. Leningrad occupies a different emotional space. It is composed to touch ones heart. Yulia's performance leaves no emotion untouched. She is like a matchmaker presiding over the wedding of her favorite couple. Here are a few ideas about the music, the performance, and the union between them.

When we think about the music of Leningrad as emotion, there is no better place to start than the beginning. Taken together, the first two notes rise by a half-step, called a semi-tone. Semi-tone intervals create emotions ranging from sadness to anguish to pain, depending on the harmony. These two notes are immediately repeated for emphasis, fair warning that Leningrad is going to be a real downer. This pair sets the mood for the entire 25 second melody that follows.

The three notes at the end of that melody are equally important. Taken together, these notes have a very specific musical character. They are three notes in search of an ending. Under happier circumstances they would lead our ears to a fourth note that completes the progression, letting us relax. But here the fourth note is missing, there is no resolution. We are left hanging emotionally.

So the first section (the 25 second melody) of Leningrad takes place between two sets of notes, the pair of deep sadness that begins the section and the triplet of suspension that ends the section. Emotionally, these are the two demons of Leningrad (Leningrad has 2 demons, Elvis has just one). Suspended sadness describes Leningrad. But the musical journey is more diverse, the drama more complex.

Just as with the opening semi-tones, the first two notes of every melody set the emotional stage for that entire melody. This is an important structural pattern of the composition. Here are two examples from Yulia's step sequence: 1. The first two notes of the step sequence sound like a warm, gentle smile. The full melody is a graceful waltz. 2. A few seconds later another melody appears (where Yulia does the little hop). The first two notes sound like someone drifting off into a fantasy. The melody floats like a daydream.

The music of Yulia's step sequence is a joyful refuge within the mostly depressing Leningrad. This musical reprieve comes in two parts. First we hear a waltz. Yulia takes us to a ballroom, we see a dancer swirling grandly with her invisible partner, alluring, elegant.

Suddenly this happy scene is interrupted by a new melody. The musical construction of that melody is remarkable. When Yulia does the little jump we hear a pair of notes that lift us into a world of pure fantasy. This pair sets the stage for a reverie. Then we hear three notes floating freely. Remember, three notes ended the first melody of Leningrad with a feeling of suspension. William Joseph has transformed that suspension into a feeling of free-floating weightlessness. This pair and triplet combination is the entire melody, a 5-note melody that seems to float across the sky. But we should not forget that the 5 notes relate to the pair and triplet that summarize the grim emotional core of the opening 25 seconds. Suspended sadness has become soaring bliss, but can all end well when the escape is the two demons in disguise?

Yulia makes the most of this opportunity. With a hop she leaves the earth. Much of the choreo here relates to her movements in the opening 25 seconds. As does William Joseph, she transforms sadness into joy. For example, the lovely cradling motion relates to the "hand drawing into the body" gesture and "hands behind the back" of the opening section. The 5 note melody is repeated, slightly altered (sixth note added) and on a higher pitch, and Yulia intensifies her soaring display. So much happiness can be exhausting, she stops to catch her breath, then enthusiastically hop-jumps back into motion as the music rises in pitch. Like a somersaulting bird in a clear blue sky, she mirrors the emotional intensity of the music. Then we hear an extension of the melody. Two sets of three notes drift down like falling leaves, then 4 sets of triplets rise with the promise of a great climax. Yulia speeds across the rink, eager to enter the next level. Nirvana is next?

Next comes a musical shock-wave..... after the big build-up of rising triplets we hear a violently jarring note. Instead of the note that we expect, we hear a note so out of place that it is like being plunged into ice water on a warm summer afternoon. The one thing worse than not completing a progression is to complete it wrong. In this case, wrong as in annihlation. The rising melody is shattered as the foreign note joins another to form a semi-tone pair. The semi-tones have the last laugh. Back to the desolate future.

Watch Yulia interpret this shock-wave. She speeds back across the rink (undoing her daydream), while twice thrusting her left arm forward. The left arm extended, that pose from the very beginning where she stood alone and silent, now a symbol of defeat. We see other poses from the first 25 seconds as the opening melody unfolds, poses altered to express heart-rending fatalism--a Bauer that is a crushing embrace, it ties together past, present and future with a symbol of irrevocable loss (Yulia gets A+ for this one); reaching down to a high note during the spiral, a gesture of hopelessness (before she reached upward to high notes). Yulia is merciless in undoing the waltz and daydream, she is profound in portraying the tragedy of this shattering anti-climax. (Some of this was lost in choreo changes for the nationals, you will need to go to America to see this sequence as I have described it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jr-oHQmZlYE ) Just as William Joseph transforms a few notes into a musical drama, Yulia transforms a few movements into a visual drama.

Yulia's Leningrad is an astonishing union of passion and structure, always faithful to the music. She would have done more had she not been dragged down with technical issues and a destructive environment that is only now being revealed. Mere jumps and small minds should never again be allowed to cloud her vision or ours.

I don´t understand a word but agree Leningrad is a great program.

 

[sjid]

I don´t understand a word but agree Leningrad is a great program.

This was difficult to write because it is complicated. Yulia has matured artistically, she is incredibly gifted. That's what is important. I supplied details for anyone interested.

 

[boybelow]

I wish she can recover her lutz-toe combination soon. All the best Yulia!

 

[dada16]

Happy new year everybody !! I Hope you will all have a wonderful and perfect year !! And of course I hope the best for our dear Yulia, a lot of pleasure, good moments on the ice and so many victories !!!

 

[FIREBIRD]

Happy new year everybody !! I Hope you will all have a wonderful and perfect year !! And of course I hope the best for our dear Yulia, a lot of pleasure, good moments on the ice and so many victories !!!

Yes, Happy New Year May this new year bring Yulia and everyone else more happiness than the last! It's great that she has such a wonderful group of people supporting her through thick & thin :clapper:

 

[borzaya]

Looks like Yulia had a flight on a helicopter - https://pp.vk.me/c7002/v7002182/121cf/ryGXkeoS3dk.jpg
http://cs7004.vk.me/v7004042/16834/HB21OAjg8ec.jpg
http://cs630331.vk.me/v630331213/9f09/Bw2Ygllp4w4.jpg

Happy New Year to everybody! :yay:

 

[geiger]

The latest interview after CoR FS, as usual, I tried to be true to the nuance.

Taken from: http://www.fsrussia.ru/news/1696-yu...oj-i-ispytyvayu-silnuyu-ustalost-sejchas.html

Q: Yulia, you've skated the short program better than the free because...

A: Because in the short I did all that I could and all that I couldn't too.

Q: There wasn't enough time to perfect the free to the automatism?

A: Time, too, and also because for the last several seasons I've been having problems with the second half of the free program, until we stripped it to two double axels and one toe loop. Today I was supposed to do a double axel, toe, tano lutz plus toe, toe loop again, loop, salchow. But I exhausted myself really hard, and also because of the mental problems everything went a bit wrong. Nevertheless, after I botched a lutz, I decided to try to fight for the double axel/triple toe loop cascade, but being tired I've made a technical mistake and only did a double.

Q: Was this kind of free program performance expected today?

A: Honestly, I expected that I wouldn't be able to do anything at all today, because I wasn't ready, not mentally, not at all. I was sitting in the hotel room before the free, and all I wanted to do was to cry and to run away from here. I must do something with the mental background of the free, because I develop such an anxiety that it's like I really don't know what to do and how. I don't even know myself what I'm scared of. I really can't understand it. Like, I am afraid of not doing it right, or letting everybody down. All of it at once.

Q: When did this develop?

A: It developed slowly. It first appeared during the olympic season, and since then I am struggling with it. Since I first started to compete after the olympic season, and then competition after competition - bad, bad, bad, more-or-less, bad, bad. Then I miss the second half of the season, and it starts all over again.

Q: Perhaps, you didn't do enough of the full practice skates for the free?

A: You know, when I skated in Moscow with Eteri Georgievna's group, we had the program skates every other day. A six minutes for the short, then the free... Everybody does this. So it's more of a psychological problem. But, there is a positive development too: that season and a half, I wasn't even close to skating both programs cleanly during the practice skates. No clean skates at all. All lacking two, three, five elements. Always. Every time. Of course, I couldn't expect a clean skate now. But during this season, during my time with Alexei Evgenievich, I managed to do two clean skates out of four. The first two were really hard because of all the readjustments of the elements in the programs. But the fact that I do clean practice skates now, really makes me happy.

Q: Tell me, how is the work going in Sochi? What is better now?

A: I cannot yet say what is better now or what is worse. But I feel better about it in my soul, that's for sure. I am really comfortable, I really want to do things. For the first time since the longest period, I actually fell in love with skating. Not only with watching it, but with doing it, with the work. I really can sit there, tired, in the weekend. Then mom calls: "well, what are you going to do?" And I like: "mom, I want to go practice". When did that happen last time?

Q: Did your mom come for the Nationals?

A: No, after the olympic season mom hasn't been involved with my skating. She helps to choose the music, the hairdo and the costumes. She is not involved with the rest of it.

Q: Who amoung your friends come to support you here?

A: To be honest, I don't know who came. Relatives didn't come for sure, because they are as anxious about it as my mom. I gather that some people from Yekaterinburg came to support me. I know that many fans from other cities came as well, especially to cheer for me. They met me, gave me gifts. I am insanely grateful for them. Yesterday they gave me a big holy icon as a gift, I'm especially thankful for that. It even has a whole instruction set with it. I didn't completely unpack it yet. There was an anointing oil, too, the myrrh. I was strongly touched by it all.

Q: Are you disappointed to not make it to the podium this time?

A: Honestly? After the last two seasons my goal was to be in the top ten, so I was incredibly happy after the short, and even more incredibly tired after today.

Q: What's next for you?

A: To rest a bit. After that, it's up to the coaches. I don't control the training process. I follow it.

Q: Where are you going to meet the New Year?

A: I had a childhood dream to go somewhere with the mountains for the New Year. To experience a Happy New Year mood.

Q: How about Krasnaya Polyana?

A: No, I get to go there every weekend. What's wonderful about Sochi, I learned how to walk. I moved mostly by car my entire life. And there, the sea and the mountains are within a five minute walk from you. I once said in an interview that I'd like to have a vacation in such a place. And now I get to actually live in one.

Q: Do you miss your friends?

A: I practically had no friends. As to the people I talked to, we write to each other on the internet. We keep in touch.

Q: Can you just walk around in Sochi, or do they recognize you like in Moscow?

A: A lot of people do. I can go to the store, and everybody will recognize me - people, cashiers, staff, on the rink, on the street. But it's great in Sochi. If you walk to the rink without hurry, it takes 30-40 minutes. So I can really walk around there. Anyway, it's just great here!

 

[Alba]

Looks like Yulia had a flight on a helicopter - https://pp.vk.me/c7002/v7002182/121cf/ryGXkeoS3dk.jpg
http://cs7004.vk.me/v7004042/16834/HB21OAjg8ec.jpg
http://cs630331.vk.me/v630331213/9f09/Bw2Ygllp4w4.jpg

Happy New Year to everybody! :yay:

Happy New Year To You My Dear and All Yulia's Fans!

 

[geiger]

Happy New Year to everybody and to our darling Yulia!

 

[Alba]

Thank you so much geiger for the translation. I love her honest answers and I'm very positive about her this new year.
All the best to Yulia, to her family, her new team and her lovely pets. :luv17:

 

[Alba]

I think the reason for Yulia to do an asian themed programm is because it fits well with the audiences and host country's taste - such as Schindlers List in europe, the mulan programm in china and the elvis programm in boston. But doing a japanese themed programm to in korea, is like doing a french programm in germany - they are DIFFERENT countries. Just because they both lie in asia or europe doesn't mean they like the same things.
Therefore I don't think doing Memoirs of a Geisha in korea is a particulary good idea, especially not with the issue of comfort women.
But if Yulia just likes the music, then she should just do this programm some other season

Yeah I can understand why this might be a problem but just to be fair and correct there is no problem, whatsoever, doing a French program in Germany or viceversa. That's not a problem in Europe since ages anymore. Unless of course you don't skate to an SS song.

 

[Yamita]

This was difficult to write because it is complicated. Yulia has matured artistically, she is incredibly gifted. That's what is important. I supplied details for anyone interested.

Thank you. It would be nice if sjid's words can be CC'd into Yulia's video.

Happy New Year to all my friends.

 

[Lindacrow]

Hearing the talk about Yulia wanting to skate to oriental music makes me happy I really feel like she could pull it off, put an interesting twist on the music! Let the girl skate to what she wants, maybe that would help her get more comfortable with her programs.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

Talk about strutting around with a purpose. She owned that walk :agree:
https://instagram.com/p/_uO1w3K2wc/

She's like one of a a select few who do nice illusion spins.

Happy Mew Year to everyone.

 

[turquoiseblue]

The latest interview after CoR FS, as usual, I tried to be true to the nuance.

Taken from: http://www.fsrussia.ru/news/1696-yu...oj-i-ispytyvayu-silnuyu-ustalost-sejchas.html
......

Q: Tell me, how is the work going in Sochi? What is better now?

A: I cannot yet say what is better now or what is worse. But I feel better about it in my soul, that's for sure. I am really comfortable, I really want to do things. For the first time since the longest period, I actually fell in love with skating. Not only with watching it, but with doing it, with the work. I really can sit there, tired, in the weekend. Then mom calls: "well, what are you going to do?" And I like: "mom, I want to go practice". When did that happen last time?

Thank you, geiger, for the translation!

I love what she says here I also love her attitude. I never doubt her talent, ability or potential and I will always root for her

 

[Yamita]

A big thank you to geiger.

The latest interview after CoR FS, as usual, I tried to be true to the nuance.

Taken from: http://www.fsrussia.ru/news/1696-yu...oj-i-ispytyvayu-silnuyu-ustalost-sejchas.html

Q: Yulia, you've skated the short program better than the free because...
A: Because in the short I did all that I could and all that I couldn't too.

That's the 200% she was talking about after the SP of RN.

Q: Was this kind of free program performance expected today?
A: Honestly, I expected that I wouldn't be able to do anything at all today, because I wasn't ready, not mentally, not at all. I was sitting in the hotel room before the free, and all I wanted to do was to cry and to run away from here. I must do something with the mental background of the free, because I develop such an anxiety that it's like I really don't know what to do and how. I don't even know myself what I'm scared of. I really can't understand it. Like, I am afraid of not doing it right, or letting everybody down. All of it at once.

Q: When did this develop?
A: It developed slowly. It first appeared during the olympic season, and since then I am struggling with it. Since I first started to compete after the olympic season, and then competition after competition - bad, bad, bad, more-or-less, bad, bad. Then I miss the second half of the season, and it starts all over again.

Q: Perhaps, you didn't do enough of the full practice skates for the free?
A: You know, when I skated in Moscow with Eteri Georgievna's group, we had the program skates every other day. A six minutes for the short, then the free... Everybody does this. So it's more of a psychological problem. But, there is a positive development too: that season and a half, I wasn't even close to skating both programs cleanly during the practice skates. No clean skates at all. All lacking two, three, five elements. Always. Every time. Of course, I couldn't expect a clean skate now. But during this season, during my time with Alexei Evgenievich, I managed to do two clean skates out of four. The first two were really hard because of all the readjustments of the elements in the programs. But the fact that I do clean practice skates now, really makes me happy.

Poor Yulia. It's so hard to deal with such an enormous pressure for anybody, letting alone she is very young. I often think, if I had a daughter, I would not send her to competitive figure skating. (Please don't throw stones at me. :shock2::scard8:)

Fortunately she is leaving this difficult period of time soon.

Q: Tell me, how is the work going in Sochi? What is better now?
A: I cannot yet say what is better now or what is worse. But I feel better about it in my soul, that's for sure. I am really comfortable, I really want to do things. For the first time since the longest period, I actually fell in love with skating. Not only with watching it, but with doing it, with the work. I really can sit there, tired, in the weekend. Then mom calls: "well, what are you going to do?" And I like: "mom, I want to go practice". When did that happen last time?

Wow

Q: Did your mom come for the Nationals?
A: No, after the olympic season mom hasn't been involved with my skating. She helps to choose the music, the hairdo and the costumes. She is not involved with the rest of it.

I think that is a very wise arrangement. Yulia would be able to get away from (and feel less judged by) her skating when she is with mom.

Q: How about Krasnaya Polyana?
A: No, I get to go there every weekend. What's wonderful about Sochi, I learned how to walk. I moved mostly by car my entire life. And there, the sea and the mountains are within a five minute walk from you. I once said in an interview that I'd like to have a vacation in such a place. And now I get to actually live in one.

I envy her. Most importantly, she is happy, hopeful, and in good hands. As her fan, I cannot ask for more.

 

[UnNamed]

So sad she still doesn't have close friends.

 

[Amei]

So sad she still doesn't have close friends.

Its probably very difficult to have close friends with how much she trains - the only people that she's around are her fellow skaters and there is (or at least was) probably an issue of you're competing against each other daily, that has to make being 'close friends' with each other difficult.