Berezhnaya-Sikharulidze uber thread

[lulu]

They are probably my favorite pair team ever. Their effortless and yet enormous speed and flow over the ice, their understated elegance, their big technical elements, their gorgeous positions and lines, their ability to interpret different types of music so beautifully.

I couldn't have said it any better.

They were an exquisite pair on the ice. I always loved how they were able to seamlessly combine elegance and rifinement with power and athleticism. I also thought they were a very balanced pair. One didn't outshine the other, he presented her beautifly, but they were equals in terms of presence on the ice.

They really were so well balanced as skaters. I'm enamored with their City Lights LP. Evidently, they watched Charlie Chaplin films-and it showed. I thought Anton did a great job getting Chaplin's mannerisms down pat for the opening sequence of the routine.

This is practically impossible to answer.

Lady Caliph is the best pairs SP ever IMO, and I was so thrilled for them, but I was very nervous also. I was both happy and relieved when they finished. I was able to enjoy the skate more when I watched it on tape later.

I think I really enjoyed 'Impossible dream' with COI, and 'Meditation' at the Valentine's day show.

One performance will always stand in my memory as totally mesmerizing, and that is (surprise!)- 'If I could' with SOI. As I recall, the whole arena was quiet during their skate, and it was so beautiful. I felt like I was on another plane. It was awesome.

It's great you got to see such a wide range of their performances over the years. I would have loved to have seen Lady Caliph in person.

Gods I love them. I think they're the most amazing pair ever (both they and M&D are better than G&G imo) and I can't imagine them ever being surpassed as my faves.

Lady Caliph is amazing, but I preferred Meadowland as far as their short programs go. Valse Sentimentale is my favorite pairs LP ever.

I really miss them. And I think Moskvina does too. I'm convinced that the programs she creates for K&S are envisioned with Elena & Anton in mind. That's how I explain away the fact that those programs never fit the type of skaters K&S are.

Thanks for mentioning Valse Sentimentale, that was a beautiful program. For those who haven't seen the program: http://youtu.be/DjTIf21db4o

I just wanted to give a to the M&D shout out as well.
I think Moskvina was and still is, fabulous. She has created some wonderful programs (and occasionally some not so wonderful programs) for all of her pairs, but I think overall, her programs for M&D and B&S were her best work. Food for thought about K&S, I never really thought about it that way.

[kittyjake5]

Thanks Vash for the video clips, lovely trip down memory lane. Elena and Antone's Olympic LP is the best pairs performance ever.
The way their elements were interwoven with their superb artistry and seamless flow across the ice was not only amazing but
technically very difficult. It was spellbinding then and even after all these years watching that performance it still is.

I love all of their programs, competitive and pro. It is hard for me to pick a favorite.

[shan]

I love this video of Elena skating with Steven Cousins. And their little guy is adorable!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMrmIWNx9KA

[lulu]

I love this video of Elena skating with Steven Cousins. And their little guy is adorable!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMrmIWNx9KA

Thanks for the clip. I don't think Anton is skating much these days, if at all, but I'm glad we occasionally get to see Elena skate.

ETA: Elena was also on CBC's "Battle of the Blades" Here are some of her programs with partner Curtis Leschyshyn:
"Animal" http://youtu.be/GHjEHAshao0
"Hello" http://youtu.be/z7xBkjoqews
"Give Me Everything" http://youtu.be/OT4QN1KZyeU

[Vash01]

Sorry, but I started the thread to talk about Elena & Anton, not about Elena and xxx. I don't care for that kind of skating, and I don't care to see Elena (or any top skater) in silly shows. I stay away from those. I am a purist when it comes to figure skating.

[Vash01]

I couldn't have said it any better.





Thanks for mentioning Valse Sentimentale, that was a beautiful program. For those who haven't seen the program: http://youtu.be/DjTIf21db4o

I just wanted to give a to the M&D shout out as well.
I think Moskvina was and still is, fabulous. She has created some wonderful programs (and occasionally some not so wonderful programs) for all of her pairs, but I think overall, her programs for M&D and B&S were her best work. Food for thought about K&S, I never really thought about it that way.

I too love Valse Sentimentale, with its continuous flow on the ice. They were ethereal. They never skated it to its full potential, although they came close at the 2001 GPF, although the judges placed them lower than S&P who had a fall. The politics really took over at that point. In 2000, I read that at the world championships they were skating really well in the practices and it looked like they were poised to win their third world championships, but they were informed of the disqualification.

I loved Concert for Coloratura also, although it took a while for me to get used to that music. Once I did, I started enjoying that music too. It became one of my favorite music. They started being more innovative, and adding more intricate moves at that point. Watch at about 1:50- I love this series of transition moves into a death spiral.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loU8JtFllqo

[Vash01]

Umbrellas of Cherbourg at 2000 GPF:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qq-D1w7GcIQ

Although it was not their best performance, it could have been beautiful had they skated it again, but I don't recall seeing them skate this before or after this competition. Did they?

[judgejudy27]

Umbrellas of Cherbourg at 2000 GPF:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qq-D1w7GcIQ

Although it was not their best performance, it could have been beautiful had they skated it again, but I don't recall seeing them skate this before or after this competition. Did they?

That was one of my favorite programs ever of theirs (picturing it skated to their potential which I can always see visions of even when they dont). I was sad they never used it again. It is so hard for me to choose between that, Meditation, and Charlie Chaplin, to which is my favorite LP of theirs. That is something I would need to take the time to ponder a bit more. I loved Valse Sentimentale so much too, but for me it is just barely 4th behind those other three, which is hard since I loved it so much as well.

[lulu]

Umbrellas of Cherbourg at 2000 GPF:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qq-D1w7GcIQ

Although it was not their best performance, it could have been beautiful had they skated it again, but I don't recall seeing them skate this before or after this competition. Did they?

AFAIK, they only skated it at the GPF.

[shine]

Ohhhh I LOVE Valse Sentimentale... I was so sad when their medal was stripped away at 2000 Euros. They really deserved that one for the beautiful performance. I could watch that program over and over.

I kinda wished that they used a normal version of Meditation in 2002. The blended in sound in the background always kind of bothered me as much as I loved that program.

[Vash01]

Ohhhh I LOVE Valse Sentimentale... I was so sad when their medal was stripped away at 2000 Euros. They really deserved that one for the beautiful performance. I could watch that program over and over.

I kinda wished that they used a normal version of Meditation in 2002. The blended in sound in the background always kind of bothered me as much as I loved that program.

At GPF they used the normal version, and I liked it better. However (from what I read) Tamara felt that it would not satisfy certain requirements in the competition, so she inserted the add-ons - I assume to create variation of pace (that's what I am thinking she tried to do). After the Olympics, they removed those additions and skated it as an exhibition many times to the original music (although technically not the original, since that would have meant skating to the harp music version of it).

[Vash01]

Just found the link to "If I could"- it's beautiful, particularly when seen live.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mD2l773fMDo

[martyross]

they were a dream pair, with their elegance and exquisite positions they always remind me of two classic statues in the garden of an ancient villa. there's something romantic and quietly melancholic about them that made their skating poetic. the epitome of artistry.

[martyross]

and i'm probably the only one to like the added sounds of Meditation (:

[vodkashot]

Umbrellas of Cherbourg at 2000 GPF:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qq-D1w7GcIQ

Although it was not their best performance, it could have been beautiful had they skated it again, but I don't recall seeing them skate this before or after this competition. Did they?

Thank you for the link; I've never seen their Umbrellas of Cherbourg program before. Just stunning!!