Trusova's living gift, Shcherbakova's unusual dress and Valieva's experiments: what is being discussed in the world of figure skating

Trusova's pet

In the dog family of Alexandra Trusova replenishment: Chinese fans gave the figure skater a white Maltipoo puppy named Selma.

This is the sixth pet of the athlete.

She also has Tina the Chihuahua, Lana the poodle, Alita the basenji, Ella the tickap poodle and Jack the husky.

In addition, the silver medalist of the Beijing Olympics also has two cats. 

“Thank you for this miracle,” the athlete signed the photo with the animal.

The dog was brought to Alexandra directly to Novogorsk, where she was at the training camp with the group of Eteri Tutberidze.

Taking advantage of the fact that athletes were training at the base at the same time, Trusova again attended a pole vault training session with Elizaveta Bondarenko.

A few days later, the athlete paid a return visit and spent time on the ice with Alexandra.

“Thank you for mentoring, skating and the opportunity to try,” the girl wrote on social networks, referring to Trusova.

More recently, Alexandra complained that she was afraid of pole vaulting, but was subsequently able to cope with her emotions.

After that, she is in no hurry to call herself absolutely fearless: there are things that the skater is not ready to do.

For example, she admitted that she was afraid to ride the rides.

“Not at all, of course, but I will never sit on some in my life,” the athlete said.

Perhaps Mark Kondratyuk, who loves all kinds of extreme sports, will be able to convince his girlfriend.

Moreover, at the moment they are spending time together in Sochi, where there are many interesting attractions.

Improvisations by Kondratyuk

Choreographer Nikita Mikhailov spoke about his attitude to the improvisation of figure skaters during performances.

In his opinion, there are athletes who are hindered by this, but for some, on the contrary, it is beneficial.

As an example, the specialist cited Kondratyuk, who often adds his own elements to the program.

“It helps Mark.

He improvises in those pieces where he can afford.

Still, there is some basic canvas that is indestructible.

But he adds some moments from himself, he does this so that it is convenient to complete the rest of the program.

Therefore, in his case, I have a positive attitude towards improvisation.

He knows how to do it ... Sometimes people improvise, throwing something away, and he just replaces, ”Championship Mikhailov quotes.

He also noted how important it is not to destroy the idea of ​​the program and organically include unplanned elements.

In his opinion, not many athletes have such a quality.

“I can name Andrei Lutai, it was back in the days when we skated with Alexei Nikolaevich Mishin.

Ilya Yablokov stands out from the current guys.

He can do something like that,” added the choreographer.

Premiere Shcherbakova

Ilya Averbukh's ice show "Champions" took place in Sochi, in which Anna Shcherbakova presented a new demonstration number.

It was set to the song "Prayer" on the verses of Bulat Okudzhava performed by Regina Spektor.

Especially for him, a new dress was sewn - dark purple with closed shoulders, a cutout on the back and a long translucent skirt.

As the figure skater said, the outfit was made in record time, literally in a day.

“Loved riding here!

I was a little worried because this was my first performance after the rest.

I wanted to adequately cope with my part, to fulfill all the elements.

But already after the first show, I realized that there is a comfortable atmosphere, and I get used to the rentals, I begin to treat them more calmly.

I understand that the main task is to complete all the elements, but at the same time please the audience, ride for them, open up more, ”the Olympic champion shared her emotions.

The show takes place at the Iceberg Ice Palace, where the 2014 Olympic tournament took place.

As it turned out, Shcherbakova was present at the competition as a spectator.

Then she was only ten years old.

According to the athlete, the Games made an indelible impression on her, and then the arena seemed ten times larger than it actually was. 

“Of course, in my heart now I am proud of the fact that I skate at the same stadium.

And at that moment I was watching the Olympics and did not even think that I would ever be able to reach such heights.

I watched and admired, ”admitted the athlete.

After the show, Shcherbakova was asked if she was ready to try herself in pair skating, for example, in the Ice Age, but she refused to even think about it. 

“Honestly, I can’t imagine this at all, because I’m even afraid to look from the outside.

When they do lifts, I always get nervous and turn away.

But we are talking about professionals.

Therefore, if I decide to do it with a pro, I will be very worried.

And with those who are uncertain on skates ... I can’t even imagine.

It seems to me that you need to be an absolutely fearless person, ”Sport24 quotes Shcherbakova.

Pen test Valieva in pair skating

But Kamila Valieva, like Trusova before, was not afraid of such experiments.

The 16-year-old figure skater made her debut in the Scarlet Flower ice show staged by the team of Olympic champion Tatyana Navka.

As part of the show, Camila performs several paired elements with Dmitry Solovyov.

As the athlete admitted, this experience seemed rather unusual to her.

“Dima and I started skating slowly, doing lifts on the floor.

At first it was scary, but then, as with jumping, you get used to it, you feel the rest as if you had done it many times, ”Sport24 quotes Valieva.

The figure skater also noted that she does not have to make a choice between shows and competitions: she is preparing for the upcoming season, and participation in the performance helps to improve in the art of presentation.

“The show is different.

You try to work for the audience, convey emotions.

In sports, you follow the elements.

There is also an image, but more compressed.

The show is very useful, it seems to me, because you develop acting skills, you try to look at the audience more, ”the European champion emphasized.

Navka, in turn, also noted that the new experience will benefit Valieva.

“The fact that Camila enjoys riding with a man, with a member of the opposite sex, will help her in sports.

Next season, she will come out with new emotions, with a new ability to show herself in programs.

You look at Camila and your heart skips a beat.

She is so small, but already with great energy, ”said the Olympic champion.

Averbukh's grant and the prospects for the "Ice Age"

Recently it became known that Averbukh's shows received a grant from the Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives for 27.5 million rubles.

According to the director, this is a very important event for him.

“Grants are also allocated for projects in Moscow, and Sochi, and Essentuki.

I want to say that this money is targeted, it does not go to me, but immediately to pay off the rent, fees.

Of course, this removes a certain burden, helps us show all the shows in full, ”Sport24 quotes Averbukh.

According to him, support of this kind is now needed, because programs are quite expensive: for example, 30 performances in Sochi and Essentuki cost about 90 million rubles.

“We tried hard this year, toured a lot.

There have never been any grants during my twenty years of work in this field, but there was state assistance in projects.

It seems to me that this is really very important, because this support is not primarily for me personally, but for the guys who perform, ”said Averbukh.

In addition, the director said that so far there is no certainty about his other important brainchild, Ice Age.

He would very much like to keep the project, because he has always served for the benefit of this sport.

For example, after the Olympics in Vancouver, where the Russians took only two medals in figure skating, it was thanks to the TV show, according to Averbukh, that there was a huge influx of children in the section.

“Skaters treat the Ice Age with respect.

Of course, it cannot be compared with sports and draw some parallels.

These are completely different tasks and approaches, but that's why they are beautiful.

Here there is the possibility of the author's realization, and in sports - victory at the Olympics, ”said the silver medalist of the Games.

Controversy about music

The off-season is the time of work on new programs, the most important part of which is the choice of music.

Sometimes it turns out that skaters choose compositions that someone has already skated to before.

According to composer Alexander Goldstein, in such situations, athletes need to be sure that they can do a better performance.

“There is a huge risk that you will be compared, and not in your favor,” the composer explained.

He noted that there were times when two clients with the same music came to him, and he tried to dissuade them from such a choice.

But sometimes, according to Goldstein, coaches specifically choose well-known compositions.

“They think that the program of their pupils will be better.

It is very difficult to answer in such cases.

Everyone is confident.

My task is to bring all this to their attention, and the final decision will remain with the mentors, athletes, choreographers.

If they listen, it’s good,” said Goldstein.

In turn, Olympic champion Natalya Bestemyanova admitted that she was even annoyed by the desire of athletes to ride to the same music.

“Young athletes are often asked to put on a program for Yuzuru Hanyu, or Syoma Uno, or Anna Shcherbakova, or Alexandra Trusova, Alina Zagitova, Evgenia Medvedeva ... This limits them so much that it simply terrifies me.

But such promotion of well-known “brands” by television eventually limits the list of music in figure skating a little, ”the Championship coach quotes.