Yulia Lipnitskaya

[Alba]

My criticism towards him is the complete change in everything; it was all great when she was winning all the time, she did poorly this season and he starts criticizing her and in this last interview bringing up her mother now is :disapp: . And I feel that airing your dirty laundry with someone through the media is very tasteless and if I was a skater I would think twice about using him because of the way he has handled himself this season when speaking of another skater. From what I've read Yulia has been very classy about everything with regards to Averbukh, its a shame he couldn't do the same - the person handling the 'break-up' more responsibly is the 16 year old not the 41 year old.

I think people like myself who are inspired by Yulia and still believe deeply in her find it very hard to not when he says "Yulia may never win another competition" and then a few sentences later say how uncertain the ladies situation in Russia is only to a few paragraphs later say "Elena has a bright future....at least the Korean Olympics is in her future".

It's subtle digs and maybe even subconscious statements of this nature that are making me glad she left him.

PREACH!:thumbsup:


Besides, which program is he referring to when he says that Yulia's mother ( the "éminence grise" apparently ) didn't like it? The Perfect Sense, Yulia said that she couldn't stand the music and she ditched that option after 3 days? Mulan was presented to the FED officials in August and they didn't like it, and apparently the program was not completed. So?!

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

Sometimes I just wonder what color of hair she has. I swear I can see every single color in this photo.

http://cs543107.vk.me/v543107148/3992/UbzC6qLZ-VY.jpg

 

[lauravvv]

and so much of the style attributed to Yulia are actually things she learned from Averbukh.

Absolutely. And to be honest, watching Shindlers List & Megapolis and comparing it to R&J or the programs she had in 2011-13, she benefited a great deal from working with him

I agree with this. Before Averbukh's programs Yulia didn't even look like that "self-expressive" skater who "needs to express their personal message", as sjid wrote. It's possible that she was that skater inside, but it was not visible on the outside. Averbukh gave Yulia the means to express her "personal message". Actually, I have to say that until recently I still had the impression of her as a skater who is doing as she was told/taught (like "look up in this place", "move your arm this way here" etc.) instead of expressing some personal message while skating a program/choreography - both from her programs and her interviews. I have changed my opinion about her after reading the most recent interviews, though. Now I think that she is simply not a natural actress or performer which doesn't mean that she has no any personal messages that she would want to express.

 

[uhh]

I think people like myself who are inspired by Yulia and still believe deeply in her find it very hard to not when he says "Yulia may never win another competition".

??? You're reading massively selectively. He's saying even if she never won another competition it wouldn't tarnish the image that she created in Sochi, not she might never win another event, period. It's not trashing her, it's paying tribute to what she did at the Olympics.

You all are looking for a scapegoat for her bad season, for enemies who are trying to do her down when there's nothing there. This is turning into the worst of the V/M fans when they started losing to D/W. Julia's redeeming part of last season was her SP, that Ilia made with her.

 

[MalAssada]

Sometimes I just wonder what color of hair she has. I swear I can see every single color in this photo.

http://cs543107.vk.me/v543107148/3992/UbzC6qLZ-VY.jpg

I wonder more about her eyes. A few pages back you guys mentioned emeralds and I just scratched my head, wondering why saphires weren't mentioned. Brown hair, blue eyes for me. Simply beautiful

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

I agree with this. Before Averbukh's programs Yulia didn't even look like that "self-expressive" skater who "needs to express their personal message", as sjid wrote. It's possible that she was that skater inside, but it was not visible on the outside. Averbukh gave Yulia the means to express her "personal message".

Have you seen THIS?
http://youtu.be/JsO8AxKQnsE

This is one of my favorites programs by her. She just seemed free to be herself and convey her skating in a very powerful precise way. I've said it before but I'll say it again...this is one of my favorite 2a ever

I guess some of us just don't see Ilya as a hero the way he tends to portray himself but instead as a valuable asset. I think she was just as good for him as he was to her and that isn't the sense I get from him. I don't hold grudges and would love to not discuss him anymore but I think in order for that to happen he will have to stop talking about Yulia in such ways. I'm not holding my breath.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

??? You're reading massively selectively. He's saying even if she never won another competition it wouldn't tarnish the image that she created in Sochi, not she might never win another event, period. It's not trashing her, it's paying tribute to what she did at the Olympics.

You all are looking for a scapegoat for her bad season, for enemies who are trying to do her down when there's nothing there. This is turning into the worst of the V/M fans when they started losing to D/W. Julia's redeeming part of last season was her SP, that Ilia made with her.

Im not in the least bit blaming Ilya for anything and have maintained that his programs both Megapolis and R&J were great. I was one of the few here that actually defended the R&J program. I just don't like his commentary. That's fine that you do. Agree to disagree.

 

[solani]

I agree with this. Before Averbukh's programs Yulia didn't even look like that "self-expressive" skater who "needs to express their personal message", as sjid wrote. It's possible that she was that skater inside, but it was not visible on the outside. Averbukh gave Yulia the means to express her "personal message". Actually, I have to say that until recently I still had the impression of her as a skater who is doing as she was told/taught (like "look up in this place", "move your arm this way here" etc.) instead of expressing some personal message while skating a program/choreography - both from her programs and her interviews. I have changed my opinion about her after reading the most recent interviews, though. Now I think that she is simply not a natural actress or performer which doesn't mean that she has no any personal messages that she would want to express.

Yes.
Let's face it: Julia is, because she's so obviously introverted, very limited in her performance abilities, meaning that I don't think we'll ever see her giving a funny, sexy or dramatic performance. But she can paint a picture on ice like no other. That's what makes her so special.

And when you work with Averbukh you know that he'll be giving interviews, talking about his work etc.. It's not that he's suddenly changed his behaviour. I like this insight and I don't want to hear positive nonsense all the time. And for me this has nothing to do with betraying loyalty, you can criticize and be loyal at the same time. And what he says makes sense because we shouldn't forget what a difficult time this must have been for Julia.

 

[Alba]

You all are looking for a scapegoat for her bad season, for enemies who are trying to do her down when there's nothing there. This is turning into the worst of the V/M fans when they started losing to D/W.

What are you talking about? Most of us, myself in first place, loved her programs from last season. Even R&J for me, despite being an alternative program, was a ery good program and had a lot of potential. I've said many times that her bad seasons was not because of the programs but because of her, and I disagree with Vaytsekhovskaya saying that the programs were a flop. Also, those who didn't like R&J never accused Ilya for her bad season, just for his big mouth.
So no, we're not looking for a scapegoat. Maybe Ilya is looking for one? If I wanted to use Ilya as a scapegoat I would use his crappy FD for I&Z, not for the lovely programs he did for Yulia. Your accusation is completely false.

By the way, this is Yulia's fanfest and yet it has always been open to critisim towards her as well. But you seem to suffer a lot opinions which goes against Averbukh in particular. Each to their own, so spare me the V&M fans reference (they might've been right as well for what it counts) cause you ain't better. I don't even get why do you partecipate in this topic tbh. Yulia isn't your favorite skater anyway, why bother?

Julia's redeeming part of last season was her SP, that Ilia made with her.

Yulia's redeeming part of last season was ALSO skating without mistakes that SP. No program can save you, no matter how good it is, if you can't skate well.

 

[Imagine]

I appreciate what he has done for Yulia, but I too am glad that she is moving on to other choreographers...not necessarily because of all this "controversy" over how he may or may not be making backhanded comments about Yulia...but because I just want to see where a different choreographer can take her skating. She seemed to be very happy working in the US and I hope that resulted in great programs.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

I appreciate what he has done for Yulia, but I too am glad that she is moving on to other choreographers...not necessarily because of all this "controversy" over how he may or may not be making backhanded comments about Yulia...but because I just want to see where a different choreographer can take her skating. She seemed to be very happy working in the US and I hope that resulted in great programs.

This! Another choreographer is only going to increase her vocabulary.

 

[witcher]

http://tinyurl.com/q38ga3s

 

[Alba]

The interview reveals a fundamental mismatch between Ilya and Yulia. Ilya is autocratic ("Just that the skater is not always willing to take orders, just like Julia.")

I think he was speaking about Eteri and Yulia there, not about him and Yulia.

 

[sjid]

Have you seen THIS?
http://youtu.be/JsO8AxKQnsE

Thanks for this pre-Ilya demonstration. Her technique was already there, she is a prodigy. With time and mastery, technique and self-expression merge. Last year she said that her first R&J was only skating to the music, but this R&J was about the feelings of Juliet. She is aware of her technique merging with feeling. Marina will focus on this technique-expressiveness: "new programs Lipnitskaya we wanted to show her outstanding ability to reincarnate." As great as some of her previous programs were, we may soon be taken to places we have never imagined.

 

[sjid]

I think he was speaking about Eteri and Yulia there, not about him and Yulia.

It's not clear, it sounded to me as if he wanted Eteri to pressure Yulia to accept his work. So he wrote to please Eteri. The point is that for him the skater should take orders. Giving orders is a common thread in the way he characterizes relationships with skaters throughout the interview, he prefers a clear hierarchy based on function. Little collaboration, little empathy. In fact, Yulia and Eteri are collaborators, Eteri has been clear on that (such as the remark on Yulia doing her upper-body, Eteri her feet, and it is evident in the way they behave together). It seems that orders have no place in the work of Eteri and Yulia. In Ilya's opinion, Yulia should be more obedient. This may sometimes work with some, but never with Yulia. One can never order self-expression.

EDIT Your "ditched it after 3 days" was precious, keep up the good work.

 

[sjid]

Yes.
Let's face it: Julia is, because she's so obviously introverted, very limited in her performance abilities, meaning that I don't think we'll ever see her giving a funny, sexy or dramatic performance. But she can paint a picture on ice like no other. That's what makes her so special.

I am really impressed with this statement. Introverted is accurate, but personally I prefer introspective only because introverted is often confused with shy, defensive behavior. She doesn't hesitate to show the entire world her feelings every time she gets on the ice, Yulia isn't shy. It's just that she needs her own space and serenity in order to create that message. She takes us into her inner world when she paints the picture like no other. It takes courage to risk exposing oneself to the outside world. In Yulia I see a curious mixture of genuineness and extroversion that can emerge only from a solitary struggle, a quiet sincerity that is found in many artists.

 

[Alba]

About "not taking orders", I half agree with Ilya about that being a sign of the champion. It's good to have an opinion, even strong ones, and a point of view of how you see yourself, because it's very important to feel comfortable with what you do. However, skaters, especially those who are young and not yet mature, should also be compliant. They should trust their coaches and choreographers, or learn how to trust them. They know some things better than you do, and you could only learn from them.

 

[Spiral]

About "not taking orders", I half agree with Ilya about that being a sign of the champion. It's good to have an opinion, even strong ones, and a point of view of how you see yourself, because it's very important to feel comfortable with what you do. However, skaters, especially those who are young and not yet mature, should also be compliant. They should trust their coaches and choreographers, or learn how to trust them. They know some things better than you do, and you could only learn from them.

I think it depends on the situation. In this case, as I understood, Yulia didn't want to skate the program because she couldn't get any feeling for it. Since it's exactly the feeling her programs inspire in her that she then expresses on the ice so movingly that make her skating stand out, I don't see the point of forcing a program she can't relate to on her.

What did concern me back then was that apparently nobody she was working with could offer her any music choices that would speak to her. I think that professional choreographers at least should have a wide knowdledge of different kinds of music and be very versatile in this respect, and IMO it's the rink's or invited choreographer's job, first of all, to offer each skater they're working with plenty of options. And certainly a skater of Yulia's caliber shouldn't have to ask fans for ideas. So I'm very glad that this year things seem to be working out a lot better for her (touch the wood!).

 

[Alba]

I think it depends on the situation. In this case, as I understood, Yulia didn't want to skate the program because she couldn't get any feeling for it. Since it's exactly the feeling her programs inspire in her that she then expresses on the ice so movingly that make her skating stand out, I don't see the point of forcing a program she can't relate to on her.

I was speaking in general, not about Yulia in particular because tbh It's not clear to me what Ilya is referring to in this case. As I already mentioned, Mulan was ditched because the FED people didn't like it (during the close test in August). Yulia spoke little about it and from what she said it seemed she thought it was an interesting program. She even cut her hair for Mulan. If he is referring to Perfect Sense, the first choice, then it shouldn't even be counted since she hated that music from the start and I doubt there was even a choreo. In anycase, if it's for the choice of music he's talking about, then, good for her not taking orders. Music is very important, the first thing you choose (well, except for Zueva ) and the majority of the skaters choose their own music, no matter what. So, I was speaking more about the choreography per se, rather than what style or theme a skater might like, or not.

Anyway, last season was a bit particular for Yulia (for almost all Russian skaters who did partecipate in the Olympics tbh). I think there were many things involved, including lack of motivation, fatigue, nerves, not in good shape, a lot of fame and attention which she probably couldn't handle it. In the end, she wasn't "working". The programs were just fine, especially Megapolis but also R&J, IMO.

 

[sjid]

I think it depends on the situation. In this case, as I understood, Yulia didn't want to skate the program because she couldn't get any feeling for it. Since it's exactly the feeling her programs inspire in her that she then expresses on the ice so movingly that make her skating stand out, I don't see the point of forcing a program she can't relate to on her.

This is my issue with Ilya. The only orders Yulia takes are from inside herself. She has no choice. Everything from the outside is only a suggestion which has to be brought before her inner judge. It's thumbs up or thumbs down. As psusanne said, don't expect a funny, sexy or dramatic performance.