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Olga Ermolina's interview with Anastasia Tarakanova `Am not looking for the easy ways' for fsrussia.ru
ОЕ: Anastasia, you are from Volgograd, which is known for it's swimming school. Why figure skating and not swimming.
AT: I was a very allergic kid and the doctors said I should do sports. Preferably skating or swimming. So first I did both. In Volgograd there is indeed a good swimming school, but I liked skating better. Though I still keep swimming even now. It's good for the back and for relaxing. Every weekend my dad and I go to a fitness club, where we swim and work out. But now it's something that helps my skating because I love the skating.
OE: Have you started skating in Volgograd as well?
AT: I did. My first coach was Ludmila Puchkova. She is a great coach and had the right approach for each skater. She was making our personal training plans on and off the ice.
I used to combine skating and swimming back then, and, since my father used to be a swimmer he saw more of a swimmer in me, so at some point he decided figure skating was not my thing and we left.
OE: But you wanted to come back.
AT: After a month I told my parents I wanted back on the ice because the swimming was fun till the coaches changed. The first one was a guy, who was fun, he would come up with the games for us, we were competing with each other. Then a female coach came and it became boring, tedious. You were just swimming from one border to the other and nothing else.
When I came back to the rink Ludmila Puchkova didn't take me back. I.e. she would have, but she was not sure such a thing would not repeat, and I can understand her. Hence I started skating in Irina Aksenova's group. It was with her that I won my first medal. Though my first competition was a disappointment.
OE: Why?
AT: I recall that the boys were preparing to that competition, but 4 days before the event I was told I'd compete. We prepared the programme off the ice where I repeated it several times, but the first time I skated it on the ice was in a competition. Since I have a memory of a fish I forgot to do an element. Instead of a salchow I did a 3turn. But I liked competing. I thought I did everything! I was called for the medals ceremony and thought I'd get a medal. But instead I had to stand near the podium and instead of a medal I was given a special price as a youngest competitor - they gave me a bag of sweets and toys. I was surprised and didn't understand what happened and kept asking where was my medal.
OE: How old were you?
AT: Probably 5. And imagine, something similar happened in a swimming competition. We were swimming outdoors and again I was the youngest competitor. I became 5th. Again I was called to the medals ceremony. And got a book and a toy. That's it. So I thought how come is it - a different sports, the same story. But everyone approached me, explained that I'm the smallest here yet I beat such good athletes.
There were attempts to get me to swimming, but I remained in the skating. I liked it better because I like dancing, listening to the music and I can hear and feel it. I like the movement and the gliding. When I was a kid when the music was on I'd start dancing and improvising.
OE: Did you parents move to Moscow so you could pursue the skating career?
AT: No. Dad got a nice job offer. First he moved to Moscow and a month after - once he settled mom and I moved to him. We first lived in Krylatskoe. I was skating in Irina Klimova's group. She brought me to a decent level - I learned the double jumps, the gliding became better. I used to skate as a kid, was quite wooden and now I had some power in my skating. I felt it was my coach, with the right approach to me. We are still in touch with Irina Mikhailovna, am friends with her daughter Katia. We meet up and keep in touch, even celebrated a new year's together. But that's now.
Back then Irina Mikhailovna had to leave. If she would have moved to a different rink we would have joined. But she went nowhere. Hence I ended up in Maria Butyrskaya's group. With her I did the juniors tests, learned the 2/2 combos and the 2A and 3T were on the way. That was the list of elements I had when moving to Svetlana Panova's group. Maria Butyrskaya is a good coach and knew how to set me for the competition, but I was lacking the skating skills. Guess you could say it went lost because the stress was on the jumps, the spins and the elements. It's understandable, because that's how they used to skate in the past. At the end of the day I was losing the 2nd mark and hence moved to Svetlana Panova.
I was coached by her for 4 years. Svetlana Vladimirovna is a person who gave me so much, put her soul in me. 4 years is a lot and in many ways thanks to her I made it to the JGP level. Am so grateful to her! But since there were no conditions for the practices in the school where she worked I had to look for another coach.
Today to be on the top of that sport the ice practices alone are not enough. Yet in that school we didn't have any classical, no off the ice, no gym. Once we were off the ice we were kicked out because the hockey needed the premises. At the end I realized I need to be where the conditions are better and the coach is strict. I liked Eteri Tutberidze the most. I saw how her skaters were on the ice. I felt it was what I needed.
OE: Is it hard training in a group where there are so many great athletes?
AT: The opposite. It's great to have someone to look up to. When Maria Sotskova left to TSKA I was left, pretty much, alone with the little kids. They were looking up to me, but I had no one to look up to. Here I have Zhenya Medvedeva, Alina Zagitova, Polina Tsurksaya... They all have something special, their advantages. I look at them, learn, try to take what I need from them. And then there is Sasha Trusova who kicks me. Anna Scherbakova trains with us. In such an atmosphere I know where to continue. So no, it's great when you have someone to look up to and follow.
On the other hand you have to remain true to yourself and not copy someone. But looking at the girls I know I have to work more and more. And learn new things. When Sasha Trusova landed a 4S in Australia I was so glad for her! She worked and achieved. I understood I had to work hard to skate clean. I have to add a power, to improve the gliding, everything. We don't only work for the immediate result. We create our own future. We work so when the time comes to be seniors we would we the Worlds like Zhenya Medvedeva does now. And it's great when there are skaters in the group who are an example ofr you. And the coaches who would always help.
OE: This season you participated the JGP for the first time. How would you sum up your skates?
AT: The GP in Austria was good, but the 2nd in Croatia went wrong. The mood was right. But I hit my head on the first jump. I landed it well, but I didn't keep my arms and fell. A fright. Stress. I missed up the spins. But it's an experience. I'll work so such mistakes will not happen again.
OE: You have very interesting programmes.
AT: I like them. I feel in my element in these programmes. I don't try to depict anything - I skate what happened to me, myself.
OE: For example?
AT: For example dad spends the whole day working and when he comes back he always asks me how did the practice go and what's new. Sometimes I tell him and he doesn't understand. That's my SP. I explain a 1000 time, but am not heard. I get nervous. My jump is a shout `how is it that you don't hear me?!'. Then I try to depict the feelings and at the end I wink - it worked! I'm understood! Einaudi's music suits that programme really well.
As for the LP - that's the `Sarabanda' by Globus. A church music. Every Sunday my parents and I go to the church. It's the feeling being in the church and praying - I try to depict it in my programme. That's the first part and the steps. Then the music become stronger and I put all my worries, tears, happiness and emotions there. I recall all the good and the bad. And project it.
OE: You know what, it feels. When you skate a clean programme there is an energy coming out. But do the emotions take you away?
AT: I try to control myself. Though indeed the emotions are strong and the skating becomes more powerful, hence it's hard to control the jumps. But I try to hold it.
OE: You speak really well. Where is that from?
AT: When I was still skating in Panova's group my headmaster in the school once said `Look, Nastia, how the other kids express themselves'. And I wanted to be able to do that as well. I started writing short stories. Just for myself. About a picture or some theme. I would do my homework and then write a story. I liked it because it developed my imagination and my speech became better.
OE: Do you study in 'Sambo70'?
AT: No. In a regular school close to home. I need my teachers to be demanding. In my school there are no discounts because am an athlete. And it motivates me to study.
OE: I.e. you are not looking for the easy way?
AT: No.
OE: Who do you take after with such a character?
AT: My dad. He always dreamed to be a combat pilot and became one. He is a retired lieutenant colonel. Thanks to his determination he reached his goal. Mom used to be an athlete - she was a runner. But then she retired and once I was born she became a housekeeper.
OE: Are you the only child?
AT: I have an older brother Slava. He is 17 years older. He and his family live in Volgograd. We talk almost every day. He is interested in figure skating, follows all the competition. He supports me and helps me. I miss him a lot, it's a shame we dont' get to see each other much.
He has a son Andrey. My nephew. Brother sends the videos and I see how Andrey grows up and changes. He is so big now. In 3 years I've only seen him a couple of times. The trainings and competitions leave no time.
OE: You said your parents are stubborn. And you?
AT: I'm stubborn as well. If I make a mistake in the practice I will not skate around and think but will run and fix it. I don't want for the coach to tell me, I try to do things myself. I don't just redo a jump, but the steps into or the whole programme with no music. I like it.
On the other hand when something doesn't work I get very upset. Cry. I need to work on that. When you cry it as if becomes better, but you waste so much energy, your muscles become soft. Besides, I shouldn't do that in front of the other athletes. I try to control myself. When I feel it's too much and it's going to burst I approach the coaches and ask for a permission to go out. I go out, rethink, regroup. I hope it will go with the age.
OE: Of course it will. What do you like doing besides the sport?
AT: Handcrafts. I like knitting, embroidering, coming up with my things. The glue, stones and threads are always near by. I like making toys and stuff. I knitted scarfs and shoes for my nephew. It calms me down.
OE: You made it to the JGPF. What does it mean to you?
AT: My goal this season was to make it to the JGPF and the Junior worlds. I fulfilled one of the goals. I have to keep working, showing that I can do everything, skate clean and confident. In the JGPF there will be a lot of good skaters. I have to do my job. Go out and skate. The rest will be up to the judges.
ОЕ: Anastasia, you are from Volgograd, which is known for it's swimming school. Why figure skating and not swimming.
AT: I was a very allergic kid and the doctors said I should do sports. Preferably skating or swimming. So first I did both. In Volgograd there is indeed a good swimming school, but I liked skating better. Though I still keep swimming even now. It's good for the back and for relaxing. Every weekend my dad and I go to a fitness club, where we swim and work out. But now it's something that helps my skating because I love the skating.
OE: Have you started skating in Volgograd as well?
AT: I did. My first coach was Ludmila Puchkova. She is a great coach and had the right approach for each skater. She was making our personal training plans on and off the ice.
I used to combine skating and swimming back then, and, since my father used to be a swimmer he saw more of a swimmer in me, so at some point he decided figure skating was not my thing and we left.
OE: But you wanted to come back.
AT: After a month I told my parents I wanted back on the ice because the swimming was fun till the coaches changed. The first one was a guy, who was fun, he would come up with the games for us, we were competing with each other. Then a female coach came and it became boring, tedious. You were just swimming from one border to the other and nothing else.
When I came back to the rink Ludmila Puchkova didn't take me back. I.e. she would have, but she was not sure such a thing would not repeat, and I can understand her. Hence I started skating in Irina Aksenova's group. It was with her that I won my first medal. Though my first competition was a disappointment.
OE: Why?
AT: I recall that the boys were preparing to that competition, but 4 days before the event I was told I'd compete. We prepared the programme off the ice where I repeated it several times, but the first time I skated it on the ice was in a competition. Since I have a memory of a fish I forgot to do an element. Instead of a salchow I did a 3turn. But I liked competing. I thought I did everything! I was called for the medals ceremony and thought I'd get a medal. But instead I had to stand near the podium and instead of a medal I was given a special price as a youngest competitor - they gave me a bag of sweets and toys. I was surprised and didn't understand what happened and kept asking where was my medal.
OE: How old were you?
AT: Probably 5. And imagine, something similar happened in a swimming competition. We were swimming outdoors and again I was the youngest competitor. I became 5th. Again I was called to the medals ceremony. And got a book and a toy. That's it. So I thought how come is it - a different sports, the same story. But everyone approached me, explained that I'm the smallest here yet I beat such good athletes.
There were attempts to get me to swimming, but I remained in the skating. I liked it better because I like dancing, listening to the music and I can hear and feel it. I like the movement and the gliding. When I was a kid when the music was on I'd start dancing and improvising.
OE: Did you parents move to Moscow so you could pursue the skating career?
AT: No. Dad got a nice job offer. First he moved to Moscow and a month after - once he settled mom and I moved to him. We first lived in Krylatskoe. I was skating in Irina Klimova's group. She brought me to a decent level - I learned the double jumps, the gliding became better. I used to skate as a kid, was quite wooden and now I had some power in my skating. I felt it was my coach, with the right approach to me. We are still in touch with Irina Mikhailovna, am friends with her daughter Katia. We meet up and keep in touch, even celebrated a new year's together. But that's now.
Back then Irina Mikhailovna had to leave. If she would have moved to a different rink we would have joined. But she went nowhere. Hence I ended up in Maria Butyrskaya's group. With her I did the juniors tests, learned the 2/2 combos and the 2A and 3T were on the way. That was the list of elements I had when moving to Svetlana Panova's group. Maria Butyrskaya is a good coach and knew how to set me for the competition, but I was lacking the skating skills. Guess you could say it went lost because the stress was on the jumps, the spins and the elements. It's understandable, because that's how they used to skate in the past. At the end of the day I was losing the 2nd mark and hence moved to Svetlana Panova.
I was coached by her for 4 years. Svetlana Vladimirovna is a person who gave me so much, put her soul in me. 4 years is a lot and in many ways thanks to her I made it to the JGP level. Am so grateful to her! But since there were no conditions for the practices in the school where she worked I had to look for another coach.
Today to be on the top of that sport the ice practices alone are not enough. Yet in that school we didn't have any classical, no off the ice, no gym. Once we were off the ice we were kicked out because the hockey needed the premises. At the end I realized I need to be where the conditions are better and the coach is strict. I liked Eteri Tutberidze the most. I saw how her skaters were on the ice. I felt it was what I needed.
OE: Is it hard training in a group where there are so many great athletes?
AT: The opposite. It's great to have someone to look up to. When Maria Sotskova left to TSKA I was left, pretty much, alone with the little kids. They were looking up to me, but I had no one to look up to. Here I have Zhenya Medvedeva, Alina Zagitova, Polina Tsurksaya... They all have something special, their advantages. I look at them, learn, try to take what I need from them. And then there is Sasha Trusova who kicks me. Anna Scherbakova trains with us. In such an atmosphere I know where to continue. So no, it's great when you have someone to look up to and follow.
On the other hand you have to remain true to yourself and not copy someone. But looking at the girls I know I have to work more and more. And learn new things. When Sasha Trusova landed a 4S in Australia I was so glad for her! She worked and achieved. I understood I had to work hard to skate clean. I have to add a power, to improve the gliding, everything. We don't only work for the immediate result. We create our own future. We work so when the time comes to be seniors we would we the Worlds like Zhenya Medvedeva does now. And it's great when there are skaters in the group who are an example ofr you. And the coaches who would always help.
OE: This season you participated the JGP for the first time. How would you sum up your skates?
AT: The GP in Austria was good, but the 2nd in Croatia went wrong. The mood was right. But I hit my head on the first jump. I landed it well, but I didn't keep my arms and fell. A fright. Stress. I missed up the spins. But it's an experience. I'll work so such mistakes will not happen again.
OE: You have very interesting programmes.
AT: I like them. I feel in my element in these programmes. I don't try to depict anything - I skate what happened to me, myself.
OE: For example?
AT: For example dad spends the whole day working and when he comes back he always asks me how did the practice go and what's new. Sometimes I tell him and he doesn't understand. That's my SP. I explain a 1000 time, but am not heard. I get nervous. My jump is a shout `how is it that you don't hear me?!'. Then I try to depict the feelings and at the end I wink - it worked! I'm understood! Einaudi's music suits that programme really well.
As for the LP - that's the `Sarabanda' by Globus. A church music. Every Sunday my parents and I go to the church. It's the feeling being in the church and praying - I try to depict it in my programme. That's the first part and the steps. Then the music become stronger and I put all my worries, tears, happiness and emotions there. I recall all the good and the bad. And project it.
OE: You know what, it feels. When you skate a clean programme there is an energy coming out. But do the emotions take you away?
AT: I try to control myself. Though indeed the emotions are strong and the skating becomes more powerful, hence it's hard to control the jumps. But I try to hold it.
OE: You speak really well. Where is that from?
AT: When I was still skating in Panova's group my headmaster in the school once said `Look, Nastia, how the other kids express themselves'. And I wanted to be able to do that as well. I started writing short stories. Just for myself. About a picture or some theme. I would do my homework and then write a story. I liked it because it developed my imagination and my speech became better.
OE: Do you study in 'Sambo70'?
AT: No. In a regular school close to home. I need my teachers to be demanding. In my school there are no discounts because am an athlete. And it motivates me to study.
OE: I.e. you are not looking for the easy way?
AT: No.
OE: Who do you take after with such a character?
AT: My dad. He always dreamed to be a combat pilot and became one. He is a retired lieutenant colonel. Thanks to his determination he reached his goal. Mom used to be an athlete - she was a runner. But then she retired and once I was born she became a housekeeper.
OE: Are you the only child?
AT: I have an older brother Slava. He is 17 years older. He and his family live in Volgograd. We talk almost every day. He is interested in figure skating, follows all the competition. He supports me and helps me. I miss him a lot, it's a shame we dont' get to see each other much.
He has a son Andrey. My nephew. Brother sends the videos and I see how Andrey grows up and changes. He is so big now. In 3 years I've only seen him a couple of times. The trainings and competitions leave no time.
OE: You said your parents are stubborn. And you?
AT: I'm stubborn as well. If I make a mistake in the practice I will not skate around and think but will run and fix it. I don't want for the coach to tell me, I try to do things myself. I don't just redo a jump, but the steps into or the whole programme with no music. I like it.
On the other hand when something doesn't work I get very upset. Cry. I need to work on that. When you cry it as if becomes better, but you waste so much energy, your muscles become soft. Besides, I shouldn't do that in front of the other athletes. I try to control myself. When I feel it's too much and it's going to burst I approach the coaches and ask for a permission to go out. I go out, rethink, regroup. I hope it will go with the age.
OE: Of course it will. What do you like doing besides the sport?
AT: Handcrafts. I like knitting, embroidering, coming up with my things. The glue, stones and threads are always near by. I like making toys and stuff. I knitted scarfs and shoes for my nephew. It calms me down.
OE: You made it to the JGPF. What does it mean to you?
AT: My goal this season was to make it to the JGPF and the Junior worlds. I fulfilled one of the goals. I have to keep working, showing that I can do everything, skate clean and confident. In the JGPF there will be a lot of good skaters. I have to do my job. Go out and skate. The rest will be up to the judges.
