From Russia with Love [#31]: Winter to Spring 2019

[lala]

the russians are so lucky! So many fantastic ice shows!

 

[Eislauffan]

"Bright fugure ahead for Russia's Anastasia Mishina/Aleksandr Galliamov" - new article at Golden Skate.

 

[zebraswan]

the russians are so lucky! So many fantastic ice shows!

It's nice that they have a lot of shows and the production values on some of them are amazing, but I would prefer to see more ice shows that aren't based on cheesy fairy tales, with more variety of performances and better music. I would never have the patience to sit through any of these.

 

[Perky Shae Lynn]

It's nice that they have a lot of shows and the production values on some of them are amazing, but I would prefer to see more ice shows that aren't based on cheesy fairy tales, with more variety of performances and better music. I would never have the patience to sit through any of these.

Who's the target audience for these shows? Families with kids. The Russian culture places great importance of fairy tales and history. I highly doubt the Russian audiences perceive them as "cheesy."

Ultimately, this is a business that needs to be profitable in order to exist. To attract wide audiences, the shows need to be accessible, musically and culturally. Or they will not sell enough tickets to exist. Averbukh and others found the right formula for Russia: high production values, excellent skating and familiar music and story lines. It works.

 

[kwanfan1818]

The storylines and fairy tales are also cross-generational, and can be episodic and very complex: they don't explain every detail or have music 30 seconds before something happens how you should feel or what you should think. You can see an ice show or a ballet, like Little Humpbacked Horse, where a Russian audience is delighted, and a Western audience unfamiliar with the tale is completely confused about the plot line, because everyone who was brought up with it and watching knows how to fill in the blanks. It reminds me of when I was a kid and my grandmother would take me to a show or movie depicting the fables she had read to me.

 

[lala]

It's nice that they have a lot of shows and the production values on some of them are amazing, but I would prefer to see more ice shows that aren't based on cheesy fairy tales, with more variety of performances and better music. I would never have the patience to sit through any of these.

I love the tales and I love every ice show. If I would have chance I watch every show live! I can't judge the other great shows of the Russians( Navka, Averbukh, Tchernyshev, etc) because I watched only some parts of them but I know Plush's shows. There are many innovations, he used famous costume designers, directors, the Snow King has original music ( but I don't get tired of Tchaikovsky ), and original effects, in the Nutcracker they used very unique technical equipment ( if anybody interested in it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVS1qlXLXkY ) , they created the first ballet and ice show together, live music from symphonic orchestra, and so on. His shows had hundreds of thousands viewers and many of them were children. They have patient to sit through them.
Interesting thing from the Russian "ice show market" in 2016 Rudkovskaya announced the Nutcracker show in January for that year and Averbukh same show in April!!! Can you imagine that? That was a little scandal( Plush and Yags again) and many Russians waited the shows and they wanted to compare them.
#щелкунчикплющенко -official hashtag
https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/щелкунчикплющенко/ - 30 940 posts

#щелкунчикавербуха https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/щелкунчикавербуха/ - Averbukh used this hashtag, probably this is the official - 779 posts

I was on Plush's Kings on ice shows many times in several countries and years. You believe me those were very professional my husband who aren't fs fan adored them!! Those were spectacular, varied, exciting. I was happy because I know my hubby will come with me in other shows. I have seen Joubert, Weir, Lambiel, Verner, Korpi, Sotnikova, Ge, Righini,Hendrickx, Suguri,Candeloro, etc, not to mention the pairs who are always breathtaking, acrobats from Ukraina, France, England, Russia! And some talented unknown ( for me) show skaters who were really good! For example Ksenia Korobkova who is really pretty and her/ their numbers fun to watch!! I recommend these shows for everybody !

So, I read many times about him "like him or not but" Plushenko is very professional, creative, he invests money and makes quality.

 

[Tinami Amori]

Better quality video of the last show. The Frog Princess

Ha... the main number, with Ilynikh/Soloviev (princess/Ivan), uses music from another story-plot, an old soviet-times comedy film "Ivan Vasielevich Changes Profession". I am not a fan of "plot/story crossing", but the music itself works well this time.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuLLYZTaIys

I love the tales and I love every ice show.

I too love myths and tales, but not inclined to watch those ice shows that are "more for children". Of the recent ones, Frog Princess, Plush's "Swan Lake fantasy with Gnom-Gnomych", and few earlier ones, not my taste. But the ones for adults, with more "symbolism" and conforming to the story line, i do like a lot.

Ideally, i would love to see, set in Verona Arena, a full production of a musical on ice, which includes both, skaters (for dancers) and singers, in Romeo et Juliette musical. Singers can be on stage, and dancers can be skaters. This musical has the best music score of many news ones... This on ice would look and sound great!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITP9UzLSYIU

My hope for next seasons, is that one of these guys/girls (Plush, Navka, Aver) put on either "Notre Dame" with centre-piece "Belle" and/or "Anastasia musical" with "In December" and "Land of Yesterday"...

 

[Rina RUS]

Ha... the main number, with Ilynikh/Soloviev (princess/Ivan), uses music from another story-plot, an old soviet-times comedy film "Ivan Vasielevich Changes Profession". I am not a fan of "plot/story crossing", but the music itself works well this time.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuLLYZTaIys

It will be a warhorse soon, won't it?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1otjkGCoGTk&t=2m37s

 

[lala]

Ha... the main number, with Ilynikh/Soloviev (princess/Ivan), uses music from another story-plot, an old soviet-times comedy film "Ivan Vasielevich Changes Profession". I am not a fan of "plot/story crossing", but the music itself works well this time.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuLLYZTaIys


I too love myths and tales, but not inclined to watch those ice shows that are "more for children". Of the recent ones, Frog Princess, Plush's "Swan Lake fantasy with Gnom-Gnomych", and few earlier ones, not my taste. But the ones for adults, with more "symbolism" and conforming to the story line, i do like a lot.

Ideally, i would love to see, set in Verona Arena, a full production of a musical on ice, which includes both, skaters (for dancers) and singers, in Romeo et Juliette musical. Singers can be on stage, and dancers can be skaters. This musical has the best music score of many news ones... This on ice would look and sound great!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITP9UzLSYIU

My hope for next seasons, is that one of these guys/girls (Plush, Navka, Aver) put on either "Notre Dame" with centre-piece "Belle" and/or "Anastasia musical" with "In December" and "Land of Yesterday"...

Matter of taste. Your wish would be liked Plush announced the new show that will be the Cinderella. They always said their shows for the whole family.

This is AWESOME! I would buy the ticket for only this sight https://www.instagram.com/p/BsVqDNBhglb/ and https://www.instagram.com/p/Br2QacmhvxB/

 

[Rina RUS]

Ideally, i would love to see, set in Verona Arena, a full production of a musical on ice, which includes both, skaters (for dancers) and singers, in Romeo et Juliette musical. Singers can be on stage, and dancers can be skaters. This musical has the best music score of many news ones... This on ice would look and sound great!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITP9UzLSYIU

Actually, Averbukh has done it. They even have skated it in Verona - on an outdoor arena - even though it was raining.
I don't mean you should love his version. Maybe you expected another music to be used. Yet this is his own version of R&J, music was written or rearranged especially for Averbukh's theatrical.
Skaters, singers, dancers. (what else?)

part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElMnANZtQdA
part2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKsOiBxTFyg

 

[Eislauffan]

These shows are amazing productions. I'm usually not a fan of shows, but Averbukh and Plushenko have taken it to another level.

 

[Tinami Amori]

Actually, Averbukh has done it. They even have skated it in Verona - on an outdoor arena - even though in was raining.
I don't mean you should love his version. Maybe you expected another music to be used. Yet this is his own version of R&J, music was written or rearranged especially for Averbukh's theatrical.
Skaters, singers, dancers. (what else?)

part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElMnANZtQdA
part2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKsOiBxTFyg

Thanks! this was a great show. I do like his version, although he mixed a lot of different R/J productions' music, from classical to various stage and film shows.

He has all the right costumes and settings for what i would love to see, which would be an EXACT replica of the "Romeo et Juliette" musical with ALL great songs they have, same dynamics and placements. Full musical, with all the songs and dance parts moved to the ice.

I want to see specific pieces from that musical put on ice, like this...
Khoklova playing Nurse and dancing to "Les Beaux, Les Laids... Ha..Ha.. Ha.."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJRzVMiMf5c

and also "La Haine" by Signora Capulet & Signora Montaigu...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mb480mlPgRA

etc... I meant they should do the Musical's full score..

 

[mjb52]

What on earth happened to Totmyanina's leg? The pics on Yagudin's instagram are really dramatic!

 

[Rina RUS]

What on earth happened to Totmyanina's leg? The pics on Yagudin's instagram are really dramatic!

The text is better than the pics. He says she is going to Dubai, he and their daughters are waiting for her there.

This injury is not new. She broke her leg (or foot?) a year ago, when they started to skate "The Nutcracker". She had surgeries, they skated again: R&J, "The Nutcracker"... Now Tatiana had to have one more surgery, because her leg had merged wrongly.

They were saying Tatiana wanted to start skating, when they didn't expect her to.

We can hope it will be OK now.

 

[Tinami Amori]

The text is better than the pics. He says she is going to Dubai, he and their daughters are waiting for her there.

This injury is not new. She broke her leg (or foot?) a year ago, when they started to skate "The Nutcracker". She had surgeries, they skated again: R&J, "The Nutcracker"... Now Tatiana had to have one more surgery, because her leg had merged wrongly.

They were saying Tatiana wanted to start skating, when they didn't expect her to.

We can hope it will be OK now.

She broke her leg last time also on December 30th, just before new year. Now she posted "New Year - New leg. hashtag: I hate my job"....
«Новый год. Новая нога. Здоровья всем! Ненавижу свою работу»

 

[Rina RUS]

She broke her leg last time also on December 30th, just before new year. Now she posted "New Year - New leg. hashtag: I hate my job"....

Yes. A year ago. This is not a new injury. Her leg had merged wrongly, so they needed to correct it.

Usually Yagudin and Totmianina use a tag "I love my work". Maybe Tatiana decided, that "I love my work" would be too weird in this case.

 

[Rina RUS]

and also "La Haine" by Signora Capulet & Signora Montaigu...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mb480mlPgRA

They've done it.

La Haine - 2011
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4MVZinw7fI

Plushenko is not the first skater who started to dance.

That's what Averbukh has: Yagudin who is on fire when he performs, and Totmianina who is ready to skate on one foot.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BomjAKSgdzZ/

 

[Tinami Amori]

Yes. A year ago. This is not a new injury. Her leg had merged wrongly, so they needed to correct it.

Usually Yagudin and Totmianina use a tag "I love my work". Maybe Tatiana decided, that "I love my work" would be too weird in this case.

If i am not mistaking with the timeline, that time, Dec. 30th, 2017, when she broke her leg, she had 1 surgery that night, but then 2 follow up surgeries, in the next few weeks. Then, by end of February 2018 less than 2 months later, due to contracts with several shows, she RETURNED on the ice to perform, as she felt obligated to do so, even with a broken leg, after 3 surgeries.

Marinin changed their show number to accommodate for her injury, and this is what/how they performed with respect to her injury.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BfjIynqAg-v/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again

 

[Perky Shae Lynn]

Just looked at Yagudin's insta. Yikes. I hope Totmianina takes her time and doesn't rush back. It's not worth it. The injury looks awful.

 

[Rina RUS]

Then, by end of February 2018 less than 2 months later, due to contracts with several shows, she RETURNED on the ice to perform, as she felt obligated to do so, even with a broken leg, after 3 surgeries.

Yes, she returned. In April Tatiana had the 4th surgery...
https://www.instagram.com/p/BhHUma6AGCT/

Not long ago they were saying her leg had merged wrongly.

It was an injury at work. So I think Averbukh's "contracts" could wait. Maybe "she felt obligated", but I remember they were saying it was Tatiana's decision.

I also remember Totmianina and Yagudin saying they worried about Marinin even when they wanted to have the second baby. Yes, maybe "she felt obligated". Maybe it is because she knew they were going to Verona.

Marinin changed their show number to accommodate for her injury, and this is what/how they performed with respect to her injury.

I don't think Marinin was the choreographer of their number

I hope Totmianina takes her time and doesn't rush back. It's not worth it. The injury looks awful.

It seems there are no more "Juliets" in their plan. As for ordinary shows, it is not difficult to skate without Tatiana. They want to have one more baby, by the way. I mean they speak about a baby in recent interviews. This is the way they live...

 

[Eislauffan]

We now published the (full) Russian and English version of the interview with Mikhail Kolyada about his experience at Nationals.

 

[Tinami Amori]

We now published the (full) Russian and English version of the interview with Mikhail Kolyada about his experience at Nationals.

thanks! i needed someone to put this in writing....

Mikhail Kolyada:
“When the snowball crushes you, then you get the shovel and start digging”

Q: So some of the problems in your other competitions … Many are saying, Misha does everything in practice but he cannot pull himself together in competition, he is not ready psychologically and so on. Maybe the main reason was after all in problems with your physical condition due to the not completely healed sinusits.

A: Maybe, I didn’t think about that yet, but maybe. Because it is like a snowball: at first a little bit, it is still okay, tolerable. Then – it becomes more and more, you realize that it is hard for you, but you still manage somehow, you forget about it ‘oh, it’s working, great’. And then, when this snowball crushes you and you realize that’s it, you can’t get out, then you take the shovel and start digging.

 

[Rina RUS]

Totmianina has joined her family. They are used to be happy - and it is really beautiful.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bsp1OhklbKH/

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

MAXIM KOVTUN: UNFINISHED BUSINESS

Quite a good read regrading Kovtun.....

“My life was hell. Bad things were going on in my life. My head was in a muddle, I didn’t know what to do. My weight … There were many problems,” said Kovtun, unwilling to share any further details.

The then 22-year-old was forced to make a choice: continue competitive skating or retire. “One day I sat down and realized that I cannot accept that my life goes nowhere,” he recalled.

https://www.ifsmagazine.com/maxim-kovtun-unfinished-business/

 

[Perky Shae Lynn]

I hope Yags fans don't take it the wrong way, but I never thought him & Totmiana would last. He seemed too self-centered, and she too reserved. But hey, look at them now.

 

[Tinami Amori]

Quite a good read regrading Kovtun.....

“My life was hell. Bad things were going on in my life. My head was in a muddle, I didn’t know what to do. My weight … There were many problems,” said Kovtun, unwilling to share any further details.
The then 22-year-old was forced to make a choice: continue competitive skating or retire. “One day I sat down and realized that I cannot accept that my life goes nowhere,” he recalled.
https://www.ifsmagazine.com/maxim-kovtun-unfinished-business/

He recalled Plushenko’s advice when he first began training at his academy. “At the first practice, Zhenia told me that, ‘from this moment, you’re nobody. You don’t have titles; you are just a skater who came from a village — just Maxim.′ And we started everything from scratch. Zhenia pushed me a lot during practices and convinced me that I should not look back, just ahead. Everything became easier for me. I really felt the huge desire to train.”

If that happened in North Am., Zhenia would be called "insensitive"…

“I also realized that I should not talk much or make promises. I just have to switch on my head and prove it on the ice. Maybe I had to go through all that because understanding comes from making mistakes. Better late than never.”

I am starting to like Kovtun more and more this season…

I hope Yags fans don't take it the wrong way, but I never thought him & Totmiana would last. He seemed too self-centered, and she too reserved. But hey, look at them now.

You're absolutely right, imo. Their marriage works because of Totmianina's great love, patience, and strong personality.

 

[lala]

If that happened in North Am., Zhenia would be called "insensitive"…


I am starting to like Kovtun more and more this season…

Evgeni Plushenko is one of the greatest persons. He proves it day to day you just need to follow him. Who is lucky and knows him perfectly understands this( Fernandez, Voronov, Hanyu, Weir, Verner, Ge, Sandhu, Nemov, etc). He doesn't want to convince everybody how great he is just lives his life..... and the mediocre people hate him.

I agree with your sentence on Kovtun.

 

[Lovemyvike]

MAXIM KOVTUN: UNFINISHED BUSINESS

Quite a good read regrading Kovtun.....

“My life was hell. Bad things were going on in my life. My head was in a muddle, I didn’t know what to do. My weight … There were many problems,” said Kovtun, unwilling to share any further details.

The then 22-year-old was forced to make a choice: continue competitive skating or retire. “One day I sat down and realized that I cannot accept that my life goes nowhere,” he recalled.

https://www.ifsmagazine.com/maxim-kovtun-unfinished-business/

Thanks for the link. That’s a great read! I have a soft spot for that guy and I’d love to see him pull it all together!

 

[Tinami Amori]

Evgeni Plushenko is one of the greatest persons. He proves it day to day you just need to follow him. Who is lucky and knows him perfectly understands this( Fernandez, Voronov, Hanyu, Weir, Verner, Ge, Sandhu, Nemov, etc). He doesn't want to convince everybody how great he is just lives his life..... and the mediocre people hate him.

My observation on "Plushenko fans and anti-fans" include two moments. UN-PC warning..

When it was Plush vs. Yag, and Yag left Mishin and went to USA to train with TAT, russian fans were more pro-Plushenko, and "western fans" were more pro-Yag, in some cases strictly because "he broke out of the cage into freedom", and he wore a "Canadian Team Jacket" during SLC Olympics pairs scandal, and said that S/P should be first. Some did like Yag's skating better and he did win that time.

Then when Yag left skating, and Plush kept on winning, russian fans were supporting him overall... until he became more famous and wealthy, and later married Yana, who is a millionairess and a controversial celebrity figure, who is not afraid to speak out and to show her luxury. Then all hell broke lose, because too many russians fit the phrase "misery loves company" and Evgeniy and Yana were quite opposite of "miserable"..

 

[Tinami Amori]

Part of video interview with Medvedeva, several clips one after another, in Russian.
2nd clip about her schedule daily routine in Canada.
She can't start practicing too early in the AM, only about at 11:45 am.
When she wakes up she drinks coffee in the morning, and does not eat any breakfast.
She can't skate with much food in her stomach. She'll go jogging or do gymnastics on empty stomach. Then wake up her mom, put on cosmetics and go to the rink.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BsqEofXhHug/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
(Orser is staving her?... )