Attacks on Gleichengauz

In the outgoing week, a verbal skirmish ensued among experts over the work of Daniil Gleichengauz, the choreographer of the Eteri Tutberidze team.

After the Grand Prix stage in Grenoble, American blogger, musician Jonathan Bayer criticized the performance of the winner, Anna Shcherbakova, stating that her choreography had absolutely nothing to do with music.

At the French stage, the Russian woman performed with an updated short program - instead of the music of Kirill Richter, she skates to the composition of Inon Zur.

“Her short program has very interesting music, but they completely ignore it,” Bayer said on The Skating Lesson podcast.

- When the music dies down, tension appears - Anna waves her hands.

And there are, on the contrary, dramatic moments in which she just skates and that's it.

The pace is changing, but Shcherbakova is not.

I don't know if Gleichengauz doesn't care, or he doesn't understand music. "

Honored coach of Russia Tatiana Tarasova, responding to criticism, stressed that this is just Bayer's "own opinion", and "others may have a different opinion."

“Who has the choreography?

Of those who are now, ”she asked the American in return.

In response, Bayer praised Mikhail Kolyada's choreography in last year's White Crow program and paid tribute to Tatyana Anatolyevna herself.

“I don’t think good choreography is defined by complex transitions and jumbled movements.

Tarasova herself has always done magical emotional programs, her choreography has always followed the music.

I think she really understands and understands music! "

- quotes the words of the musician "Sport-Express".

Ilya Averbukh, the choreographer-director of "Ice Age" and the author of many of his own shows, responded to the criticism.

In his opinion, one should not pay attention to the statements of non-professionals.

“Some criticism is permissible only from people who represent something of themselves, from reputable choreographers.

And that is very correct, with an understanding of the issue.

And this is not criticism, this is an opportunity to declare yourself loved through our athletes, ”the 2002 Olympic medalist emphasized.

After Grenoble, Gleichengauz suffered not only from Bayer, but also from the latter's compatriot, the famous journalist Jackie Wong - this time about Alena Kostornaya.

“Kostornaya surpasses most skaters in terms of technique and fluency;

the free program was not composed in the best way - it did not have the interpretation of the musical accompaniment, which, as we know, Alena is more than capable of, "he wrote on his Twitter account.

This program of the European Champion 2020 is also new, in Grenoble the audience saw it for the first time - Kostornaya is skating to the song of Billie Eilish instead of Vivaldi's “Seasons of the Year”.

Tatyana Tarasova, in turn, said that "watching this program is very difficult."

Upgrade for Mishina and Gallyamov

Criticism in the Olympic season goes not only to Gleichengauz, but also to the legendary Tamara Moskvina.

The free program of her couple, Anastasia Mishina and Alexander Gallyamov, aroused many questions from specialists even after the September test skates.

It seemed that the two melodies used in the production - "Snowstorm" and "Time Forward" by the Soviet composer Georgy Sviridov - absolutely did not go together.

“Nice performance, but honestly I didn’t see the program.

Two outstanding pieces of music, no doubt about it.

But there is no logical transition, ”Ilya Averbukh said then on the air of Channel One.

And so the composer Alexander Goldstein said that for the stage of the Grand Prix in Sochi, which will be held on November 26-28, a new arrangement was made to the musical accompaniment of the duet.

In the composition, the volume of two excerpts was leveled and the beginning was completely rewritten, as there were extraneous noises.

"Although the skaters just stand still at this time, it is better not to spoil the mood with an indistinct introduction," said Goldstein.

“The middle part was more difficult work: I assigned additional parts of the piano, harp and double bass for a clear rhythm, and also included several different choirs.”

The music of the short program was also adjusted, which the coaches wanted to strengthen, but at the same time "not to lose its playful character."

“We decided to color the music with modern effects.

This added a certain surprise and organic hooliganism to the composition.

<…> We've added additional accents.

They accentuate the elements and create a more complete fusion of movement and music, ”said the specialist.

Youth versus experience

The debate about the need to increase the age limit for performing in women's skating is still ongoing.

In many ways, these disputes were fueled by the recent injuries of two figure skaters from the Tutberidze group - Alexandra Trusova and Daria Usacheva.

Experts and fans spoke with renewed vigor that performing at a high level at the age of 15-16 negatively affects the health of athletes.

So, the Belgian figure skater Luna Hendrix said that girls over 18 years old should perform at the adult level.

“From my own perspective, I can say that this is a really very good age.

You have already gone through puberty, through the phase of growing up ... I think that at the age of 18 you can already call yourself a real woman.

Well, at least in terms of the body, "- quotes the words of the sportswoman" Match TV ".

The ex-captain of the Russian national rugby team Vasily Artemiev, who does not like that the rate in women's figure skating is made on difficult jumps, and not on the beauty of performance, is of a similar opinion.

The athlete recalled that the sport is called "figure skating, not figure jumping", and also said that children up to 14-15 years old should engage in various sports for their pleasure.

“I am not happy with early specialization in sports from the point of view of the physical and psychological health of children,” stressed Artemyev.

- It can give good results in the moment, but it is not good for the children.

<…> I would not give my daughter to figure skating.

I don’t want her to jump on the ice every day. ”

Olympic champion in ice dancing Natalya Bestemyanova has no doubts that the age limit will be changed in order to deprive Russia of its leading positions.

“How can you compete with us then?

She asks.

- Only in our country so.

Yes, in America, Korea, Japan, girls began to appear who try quads and triple axels, but not in such numbers and not so early.

It will be exactly a tactical competition - to raise the age ”.

At the same time, Elizaveta Tuktamysheva is increasingly called the personification of women's figure skating.

The ex-world champion is 24 years old, and last season, having returned to the Russian national team, she became the silver medalist of the world championship.

Now she is fighting for getting into the Grand Prix finals and retains good chances to go to the Olympics.

“It's very cool when you have a long, eventful career.

Well, you know, like Liza Tuktamysheva.

I am very worried about her.

She's been skating for so many years and never gives up.

It's inspiring, ”admitted Luna Hendrix.

However, Tuktik herself, as fans affectionately call her, does not consider herself either a heroine or a symbol.

“I will not say that I have become some kind of symbol of women's skating, this is a very loud statement.

I always tried to override myself and go across the established rules.

For me, it was always interesting if there are young ones, and there are fewer and fewer older figure skaters.

This means that I have to skate, I will show that it is possible, I feel the strength in myself, ”said the skater.

Even the popular comedian Alexander Gudkov joined the discussion about the femininity of skating and the age qualification.

At the “Glamor.

Women of the Year 2021 ", he showed a parody of an experienced skater who is fighting" for the rights of middle-aged women in her sport "and is about to go to the Beijing Olympics.

Yesterday Alexander Gudkov put an end to the controversy about figure skating 😂 The



best video of the “Glamor.

Women of the Year 2021 "✨ pic.twitter.com/2cxDp1lLGM

- Vladas Lasitskas (@VladasLasitskas) November 23, 2021

“And these fifteen-year-olds, who are good for my daughters, let them choke on the wool of their plush toys.

And what?

Because the future belongs to strong grown women.

Lutz to everyone! ”- says the heroine of Gudkova.