From Russia With Love [#38]: Fall/Winter 2020

[Tinami Amori]

It is hard to believe Anya would be back training full force if she really had pneumonia even if it was just walking pneumonia and not full pneumonia in both lungs. I had Walking Pneumonia many years ago and it took me over a month to recover. Or maybe when you're coached by EG you can overcome things faster.

Why don't you note that "when you're coached by Mishin you skate in a competition after having C19 symptoms"? this is far more serious.

 

[Tinami Amori]

I will not pretend that I am an epidemiologist, but .
This so called lung infection couldn't be caused by simply drinking something cold/eating snow or skating. It is still a rather serious (depending on a case, of course) lung inflammation that it usually caused by infections and bacterium, not a simple cold/flu

I guarantee you, with my own body, one can get lung infection/inflammation from the circumstances i've described ....

 

[Tinami Amori]

For fun, some one came up with this (scroll through the photo to the end)
"Every handsome man needs a cute blond by his side"

imgur.com

Discover the magic of the internet at Imgur, a community powered entertainment destination. Lift your spirits with funny jokes, trending memes, entertaining gifs, inspiring stories, viral videos, and so much more from users.

imgur.com

 

[Ananas Astra]

For fun, some one came up with this (scroll through the photo to the end)
"Every handsome man needs a cute blond by his side"

imgur.com

Discover the magic of the internet at Imgur, a community powered entertainment destination. Lift your spirits with funny jokes, trending memes, entertaining gifs, inspiring stories, viral videos, and so much more from users.

imgur.com

But who is that next to Pitkeev?

 

[rfisher]

But who is that next to Pitkeev?

Ivanova

 

[canbelto]

CV denialism is very strong in Russian culture. Famous opera diva Anna Netrebko had a very serious case and was hospitalized with pneumonia but came out saying it was no big deal, etc.

 

[twizzletoes76]

Huh? Valieva is the most balletic of any Russian female skater, past and present. That's a huge part of her appeal.

Depends on how you define balletic—if you think balletic just means high leg kicks and good flexibility, then sure.

 

[twizzletoes76]

As far as I know, pneumonia is a pneumonia everywhere, and even in Russian language it - пневмония/ pnevmoniya - is pronounced close to pneumonia.

Yes, of course—but it’s not like the Russians, who were steeped for years in a culture of Soviet secrecy, ever cover things up, right? No, Russian government officials and federations funded by the government there have always been—thank god—truthful and transparent about their practices... just ask Navka’s husband, I’m sure he’d tell you anything you wanted to know about what the Russian president is up to these days...

 

[Tinami Amori]

CV denialism is very strong in Russian culture. Famous opera diva Anna Netrebko had a very serious case and was hospitalized with pneumonia but came out saying it was no big deal, etc.

Netrobko had CV-related pneumonia. It was all over the news. She had to cancel a tour, lost lots of money, disappointed fans.... If she got over it quickly, then good for her, and she should be proud of it.

I have no idea what is the condition of St. Petersburg skaters who were diagnosed with CV, but certainly Anna Shcherbakova did not have anything too serious, or she would not be skating in 12 days after getting ill.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CIgiNGrppJ3/

Medvedeva is over whatever she had as well. She was just on the radio few days ago, with a rep. from Japanese cultural/tourism exchange organization.

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

www.youtube.com

 

[Bigbird]

Depends on how you define balletic—if you think balletic just means high leg kicks and good flexibility, then sure.

Thank you. I find Sophie S much more balletic. Valieva is a lovely skater and dilligent but once the Fed has decided that you are it unfortunately that's it for better or for worse.

 

[Perky Shae Lynn]

Yes, of course—but it’s not like the Russians, who were steeped for years in a culture of Soviet secrecy, ever cover things up, right? No, Russian government officials and federations funded by the government there have always been—thank god—truthful and transparent about their practices... just ask Navka’s husband, I’m sure he’d tell you anything you wanted to know about what the Russian president is up to these days...

Unless I am having a reading comprehension problem (which is very possible after a glass of wine), your comment has nothing to do with the post you quoted. Ka3sha was explaining what "pneumonia" means in Russian. It drives me batty when people quote an innocent post to push their agenda. Which may not be the case here, but you know what I mean.

 

[taz'smum]

The "light condition" is just a very heavy cold, when your lungs get filled up with mucousy liquid and you cough a lot, and it lasts 6-8 days. You get it from eating snow, sucking of icicles, and/or running around on a cold day, getting sweaty and then take your coat off to cool off. You can also get it if you skate or ski, get hot and remove your jacket and drink something cold.

Fact check

https://www.winchesterhospital.org/...ence that,from getting chilled or overheated.

Conclusion​

Being exposed to cold, wet weather, in and of itself, will not cause you to contract infections. But your chance of developing a cold or the flu does increase in the winter months (beginning in September and lasting until March or April in the US). So, that fashionable wool scarf your mom made you wear to school? No reason for it (except perhaps to annoy you).

 

[AxelAnnie]

Re: Valieva and Ballet
Yesterday Prima Ballerina or Royal Ballet, Natalia Osipova, sent Kamila Valieva her praises.

“You’re brilliant , we can see how the program is progressing according to your mood, plasticity, accents, presentation !!! Never look back !”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CIfZJIipunaDXCwQEiLV6ovf1cfFjCRojcY9l40/

Does Madame Osipova have a connection to skating?

 

[Ka3sha]

Nice interview with Anastasia Skoptsova/Kirill Aleshin

Ðак ÑигÑÑиÑÑÑ Ð¸ÑÑÑ Ð¿Ð°ÑÑнеÑов в инÑеÑнеÑе, дÑÑÐ¶Ð°Ñ Ñ ÑопеÑниками и ÑÑÑÑ Ð¿Ð»Ð°ÑÑе за Ð¾Ð´Ð½Ñ Ð½Ð¾ÑÑ. СкопÑова â ÐлеÑин обÑаÑÑÑÑ Ñ Â«ÐаÑÑ Ð¢Ð»

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matchtv.ru

 

[DobrinFan]

Sinitsina/Katsalapov do not train due to illness. Test C-19 negative per Zhulin.

Жулин: Синицина и Кацалапов не тренируются из-за болезни

Действующие чемпионы России и Европы в танцах на льду Виктория Синицина и Никита Кацалапов продолжают лечение дома, пара не тренируется, сообщил РИА Новости... РИА Новости Спорт, 08.12.2020

rsport.ria.ru

According to Zhukov, 3 negative c19 test but they still have a fever. Doctors can't make a diagnosis. They may miss Nationals.

Лапидарность

У Синициной и Кацалапова аж три отрицательных теста на коронавирус, но ребята по-прежнему температурят и не могут возобновить тренировки. Точный диагноз врачи поставить не готовы - говорят, "сильное ОРВИ". Участие в чемпионате России под серьёзным вопросом

t.me

 

[Natanielle825]

On the Juniors:
Osokina is obviously not the best jumper but her performance ability is better than most girls, you couldn't tell there was no audience because she's just that committed. A skater that's actually enjoyable to watch because she wants to be. Very rare now a days.
Zhilina is who she is, a mini Trusova, completely blank faced and emotionless but obviously very brave because those quad falls looked really hard.
Petrosyan's short was the worst of Danny G, mindless flailing and kicking with no regard for the music. And the free was the worst of Sergei D, the jump technique is very poor and she skates too fast to control them.
Samoldekina did ok on the 3As, she was so pitched forward on the combo in the short tho. Idk why they didn't show a replay of her 4S but it looked under in real time. To me, she's missing an X-factor, I was bored and she wasn't performing.

On Kamila: she may have balletic ability in her body but her skating is not. Ballet moves are deliberate and distinct, and there's a lot of brief pauses for the audience to appreciate a perfect line or position. Danny G could not choreograph something like that to save his life, even if she was capable of it. She hardly holds a position, or cares about the audience.

Does anyone know if Evgenia is planning to compete at nationals if there is one? I would really like to see her programs again.

 

[Frau Muller]

Re: Valieva and Ballet
Yesterday Prima Ballerina or Royal Ballet, Natalia Osipova, sent Kamila Valieva her praises.

“You’re brilliant , we can see how the program is progressing according to your mood, plasticity, accents, presentation !!! Never look back !”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CIfZJIipunaDXCwQEiLV6ovf1cfFjCRojcY9l40/

I have noticed Valieva’s turn-out in spirals & landings. Quite obvious.

 

[twizzletoes76]

Unless I am having a reading comprehension problem (which is very possible after a glass of wine), your comment has nothing to do with the post you quoted. Ka3sha was explaining what "pneumonia" means in Russian. It drives me batty when people quote an innocent post to push their agenda. Which may not be the case here, but you know what I mean.

Post was sarcastic: not trying to push an agenda at all. This is a skating forum—we’re all here because we love skating, end of story.

 

[Jeschke]

Cross posting from GER thread

Efimova/Blommaert are listed on entries for nationals (date is wrong)

122. Deutsche Meisterschaften im Eiskunstlaufen

www.deu-event.de

So she got released?

 

[Polaris]

On Kamila: she may have balletic ability in her body but her skating is not. Ballet moves are deliberate and distinct, and there's a lot of brief pauses for the audience to appreciate a perfect line or position. Danny G could not choreograph something like that to save his life, even if she was capable of it. She hardly holds a position, or cares about the audience.

Disagree. Valieva's skating is balletic but her choreography is not. It's amazing how one is able to see her balletic traits DESPITE having the baggage of Danny G's crammed choreography, which is testament to her ability. If you hit pause on her programs, her freeze frames are perfect.

 

[hanca]

Cross posting from GER thread

So she got released?

Not necessarily. Germany may try to bend the rules a bit. Strictly speaking she shouldn’t compete IF she wasn’t released, but considering that this is not an international competition, maybe they are hoping they will get away with it. Or maybe they will be competing, but then marked ‘out of competition’, to indicate that they were not competing (even though they were), they were just showing their programs. In the past there was a french pair (or were there ice dancers) who completed without release from Russia. I don’t remember if it was Popova, or Novoselov, or someone else...

 

[Natanielle825]

Disagree. Valieva's skating is balletic but her choreography is not. It's amazing how one is able to see her balletic traits DESPITE having the baggage of Danny G's crammed choreography, which is testament to her ability. If you hit pause on her programs, her freeze frames are perfect.

I hear your point and I'll meet you in the middle. She probably could do a more balletic program with a better choreographer, I've only ever seen her skate to Danny G, because her body is capable of it. But I'll still say a huge element of ballet, while it's extremely athletic, is that it's a performance first and foremost. A soloist must be expressive with their face, be able to portray characters, pose and smile for the audience, enjoy being watched, etc. Maybe Kamila would be a different, more joyful skater in a different camp. But the fact that she always looks like she's competing for life, never enjoying or performing, makes her skating unballetic to me.

 

[Ka3sha]

Nice interview with Anastasia Skoptsova/Kirill Aleshin

Ðак ÑигÑÑиÑÑÑ Ð¸ÑÑÑ Ð¿Ð°ÑÑнеÑов в инÑеÑнеÑе, дÑÑÐ¶Ð°Ñ Ñ ÑопеÑниками и ÑÑÑÑ Ð¿Ð»Ð°ÑÑе за Ð¾Ð´Ð½Ñ Ð½Ð¾ÑÑ. СкопÑова â ÐлеÑин обÑаÑÑÑÑ Ñ Â«ÐаÑÑ Ð¢Ð»

Ð Ñакже оÑвеÑаÑÑ ÐлÑе ÐвеÑбÑÑÑ, ÑÑиÑаÑÑемÑ, ÑÑо Ð¸Ñ Ð¿ÑоизволÑÐ½Ð°Ñ Ð¿ÑогÑамма «закаÑана».

matchtv.ru

- The history of your team, as far as I know, began with anonymous profiles on the partner search site.
Kirill: Yes, there is such a website 'Toelooop' with useful information for skaters. Skaters looking for a partner can put a profile there. In the questionnaire, you write your first and last name, height, weight, contacts, who you train with, what goals you set in sports and etc. But you can skip something, so I just did not put my name and coaches.
Anastasia: It was September 2012, I was left without a partner and decided to end up with sports. I just went to school and studied. Mom kept asking if everything was all right, if I miss the ice. I answered: "Yes, yes, yes, it's all right" And five days later I realized that I really miss the ice, I cried at night. Mom said: "Let's try again, find you a partner!" And by that moment I lost faith in myself, I thought that I was not good enough for sports. Mom helped a lot, both morally and organizationally: she opened 'Toeloop' and found Kirill's profile. She called his parents and arranged a try out. When I went to the skating rink, I didn't know who I was trying to skate with. Although I knew Kirill through some competitions, we communicated with each other's previous partners. Sometimes we even went on transfers together.
Kiril: - I was surprised to see Nastya, and asked why she was here. She replied that she had come for a try-out with her potential new partner. I said: "I'm also waiting for a partner." But we did not realize at once that the coincidence was not just an accident, because many of other skaters were warming up in the big hall. Only when everyone went out on the ice and starts skating in teams while we just stayed, we realized that we had come for a try-out with each other.
--
- You've been skating together for eight years. What is the secret of a couple's longevity?
Anastasia: The secret sits here (points to Kiril). I have a very difficult character... I don't know who else can stand it. I am very demanding of myself and people around me, I always want to polish everything. I start looking for something in detail: little things, some mistakes. I think that there're lot's of these mistakes, I throw tantrums, shout: "Let's do it again!"
Kiril: - And I turn everything into positive.
- Did you ever get terribly tired of each other?
Kirill: The most difficult season was in 2017/18. We fought a lot in the offseason: we were both very nervous and sometimes had conflicts. I was no longer so calm and could respond with great emotions. We understood that we had to take our gold - now or never. We are very grateful to the coaches that during that period they often reminded us to forget about small problems, to go together towards a common goal.
--
- How do you like the atmosphere in the waiting room (the one with the current leaders coach)?
Kirill: At the last event Nastya said: “So, I didn't like the exit after that lift, the speed was not good enough, twizzles could have been more paralleled, we will have to do something with our angular legs”. And until the camera was pointed at us and we had to wave, she did not calm down. In general, it was the flow of emotions (laughs).
- What are the most valuable competitions for you at the moment?
Kirill: Rostelecom Grand Prix that happened a couple of weeks ago. We won our first medal. Emotions after the performances ... Universal joy, emancipation, a kind of exhalation: "We did everything we could!" Feelings were similar to those when we stood on the podium of the junior worlds in 2018.
--
- Who are you friends among other skaters?
Kirill: Sergei Mozgov is my good friend, also Anatoly Belovodchenko, Denis Khodykin, Ruslan Zhiganshin, Andrey Nevsky.
Anastasia: My best friends are Stasya Konstantinova and Zhenya Medvedeva. I am also friends with Tiffany and Jon, Sasha Boikova and Dima Kozlovsky.
- Is friendship possible between direct rivals?
Anastasia: It's a kind of stereotype that athletes are not friends with the people they are competing. After all, ice is ice. You go out and take responsibility for yourself, only the coaches stand behind your back. And in your free time, why not to take a walk together, drink coffee, go to a play? My friends and I don't really discuss sports when we hang out together. Because there is enough of it in our lives.
- Nastya, how has your friendly trio formed with Stanislava and Evgenia, given that you lived far from each other?
- We started communicating with Zhenya back in 2014, at the Grand Prix in Barcelona. This was our first junior season with Kirill, and we qualified for the final. During the junior Grand prix event I talked with Polina Tsurskaya, we were roommates. And Polina was friends with Zhenya, and she often came to our room. We started talking about cosmetics. I also thought: “Wow, Zhenya Medvedeva! Such a sincere, simple and real person, without a drop of pathos. I don't know how you can be so open?" But she was already famous then. And then all these girlish conversations, then we kept in touch on social networks. Almost a year later, we met at our first Grand Prix event in Canada. We chatted, as it seemed as if we had not parted our ways at all.
We met with Stasya in March 2017 - at the Junior World Championships in Taipei. At the banquet, Stasya looked absolutely gorgeous, and I was really fond of cosmetics at that time, so I came up and asked how she managed to dress up so stylishly. We blabbed about cosmetics. Later Stasya said that she thought I looked too proud, unapproachable, I went everywhere only with my partner. In general, we both thought about each other in the same way, but in reality we turned out to be simple girls. And a couple of years ago we all came to the Russian Nationals in Saransk. And Zhenya and Stasya lived together at the Grand Prix stage in France before that. During the breakfast Zhenya said: "So, I need to visit Stasia, she invited me." I asked: "Are you friends with Stasia too?" - "Yes". So I thought that now we all were together.
- You were probably delighted last winter when Stanislava moved to Moscow. How did you support her during the difficult period ?
- Stasia had a very difficult period after the New Year until the beginning of the spring. She was left without a coach. She was thinking whether to go to Moscow or not, there were different options. She worked in a show where she was terribly tired: night rehearsals, then daytime performances ... I know what approach she needs, how to calm her down in stressful moments. Of course, I was very happy when she moved. But first of all, it was important for me that this decision could benefit her career, and not “cool! My friend is close now, and it is more convenient for me personally."
- Now you three live in the same city. How do you spend time together?
- We often see each other, we come to visit each other. We love to gather at Zhenya's home. Although I am terribly afraid of dogs, I always admire her Jerry. She's so cute! Very warm moments when the four of us sit down with Zhenya's mother and discuss something, joke, comment on tv series. It's so cozy and fun! Zhenya's mom is an amazing woman, I adore her.
- Kiril, do you remember some funny situations with your friends, for example, with Sergei Mozgov?
Kirill: - With this person every situation is positive and fun. I remember that the free program at the Russian Championship in Saransk ended very late, and we were super hungry. We went to look for a cafe, but everything was closed. Only "MacAuto" was still opened, but they sold meals only to people who were driving. So Sergei suggested that we went to the window and pretended to be sitting in the car. He struck everyone with his charm, and in the end we were well fed. It's not often that you see four guys acting like we were in the car.
--
- What are your hobbies?
Kirill: I like to eat well and sleep well. Recently I bought a car, so am learning autos. Something whistles under the hood - and it then becomes a short-term hobby. I also love to understand computer programs and read science fiction. The last book that impressed me was Stephen King's The Dark Tower.
Anastasia: Fashion, make-up, and I have been fond of psychology for two years. At the suggestion of a psychologist from our school, I went to classes, and now I read a lot about human relationships, inner harmony.

 

[Tinami Amori]

Soloist of the famous Igor Moiseev Ballet Company, and a choreographer, Ramil Mehdiev, comments on Calima Valieva's "Bolero".

Мехдиев: Валиева будет гипнотизировать зрителя исполнением "Болеро"

Действующая чемпионка мира среди юниоров по фигурному катанию россиянка Камила Валиева с развитием своей произвольной программы, поставленной на музыку "Болеро" РИА Новости Спорт, 08.12.2020

rsport.ria.ru

"What is" Bolero "? This is originally a national Spanish dance. I understand that" Bolero "by Maurice Ravel is not exactly a Spanish dance, but initially Ravel was impressed by this very action, view, music. (Choreographer) Maurice Bejart staged the famous "Bolero" for a man and a woman. A woman is passion and magic, a man is something else, but the impressions are incredible: body curves, hypnosis, softness, smoothness and at the same time severity and a frenzied inner component. That's what Bejart's "Bolero" requires "- said Mehdiev.

"But even Bezharov's work does not look like a Spanish dance," the specialist emphasized. "This is more of a ritual ceremony. Worship. And here there should be an inner element, fullness, sensuality, a gradual heat of passions, as in music from calm repetitive chords that gradually pour into crescendo. The image of Camila is a snake that waves expressively to the sound of a musical beat and gracefully shows the beauty of the body. "

According to Mehdiev, over time Valieva will be able to hypnotize the viewer with the performance of "Bolero", which is one of the ideas of this work in classical ballet.

“With each skate, she will be able to solve the riddle of female plastics, that special musical flexibility that would hypnotize the viewer,” the choreographer noted. “After all, not even every experienced ballerina is able to perform this work, this 20-minute pulse with her feet and a monotonous melody with her body and hands".

"Elements, jumps, spins - yes, this is important because this is figure skating. And I want to watch it every time. But Camila can make Bolero even closer to the truth. Her production is very interesting and memorable, I am sure that she will develop it and will be able to build up the inner heat, which will break out at the end of the program through her body" Mehdiev summed up.

 

[mjb52]

I love how everyone and their brother in Russia will give quotes on figure skating. It's awesome.

 

[Perky Shae Lynn]

I hear your point and I'll meet you in the middle. She probably could do a more balletic program with a better choreographer, I've only ever seen her skate to Danny G, because her body is capable of it. But I'll still say a huge element of ballet, while it's extremely athletic, is that it's a performance first and foremost. A soloist must be expressive with their face, be able to portray characters, pose and smile for the audience, enjoy being watched, etc. Maybe Kamila would be a different, more joyful skater in a different camp. But the fact that she always looks like she's competing for life, never enjoying or performing, makes her skating unballetic to me.

I am 100% with you. Ballet is about emotional connection with the audience. Kamila has clean lines and her body is capable of holding precise positions. But here is no connection to anything - no story, no freedom of movement, no joy, no facial expression, etc. Positioning the neck "just like this" is not balletic. Personally, I find her the least interesting of the young Russian skaters. Trusova has a lot of fire in her, Kostornaya is a diva in training, and Scherbakova is a little skating aristocrat. Valieva has nice positions, and skates/jumps to music.

 

[Bigbird]

I am 100% with you. Ballet is about emotional connection with the audience. Kamila has clean lines and her body is capable of holding precise positions. But here is no connection to anything - no story, no freedom of movement, no joy, no facial expression, etc. Positioning the neck "just like this" is not balletic. Personally, I find her the least interesting of the young Russian skaters. Trusova has a lot of fire in her, Kostornaya is a diva in training, and Scherbakova is a little skating aristocrat. Valieva has nice positions, and skates/jumps to music.

Precisely. Okay skater. Let's see how she develops.

 

[NAOTMAA]

Balanchine made many iconic ballets with no storyline whatsoever and was very specific about how he liked his dancers to carry themselves and move. There was very little freedom as far as he was concerned. His dancers expressed themselves through the body not the face. Svetlana Zakharova and Ulyana Lopatkina have been called throughout their careers cold and emotionless and mere technical machines with pretty lines and body positions but they are both easily considered by the ballet world as two of the greatest ballerina's of the last half century.

I swear the online skating fandoms definition of artistry keeps getting smaller and smaller, more and more limited and narrower with with every passing season. The idea that you need to tell a story, make big facial expressions and express "joy" to connect with an audience or to even be considered artistic is ridiculous. You don't give the general audience enough credit then. Ballet and dance are far more then that.

 

[Tinami Amori]

I swear the online skating fandoms definition of artistry keeps getting smaller and smaller, more and more limited and narrower with with every passing season. The idea that you need to tell a story, make big facial expressions and express "joy" to connect with an audience or to even be considered artistic is ridiculous.

Facial expressions are not wanted by some fans either, if the skater is one of Eteri's girls....

 

[AxelAnnie]

I swear the online skating fandoms definition of artistry keeps getting smaller and smaller, more and more limited and narrower with with every passing season. The idea that you need to tell a story, make big facial expressions and express "joy" to connect with an audience or to even be considered artistic is ridiculous. You don't give the general audience enough credit then. Ballet and dance are far more then that.

I agree with the first sentence.
IMO the pendulum has swung away from artistry toward trick-packed programs. And that is a loss.

I never thought that you need to tell a story, have big facial expressions, etc. Artistry comes from a mastery of the elements, but more importantly, an expressed connection to the music, theme, or story.

And obviously, skating is not ballet. But skaters can move balletically as defined as "In a balletic fashion - gracefully" - Collins Dictionary

Meaning each movement is nuanced and expressive of the music. Valiev, Cohen best examples I can think of at the moment.

Jason Brown in his 'Shindler's List" program brought me to tears.........and there was not a single smile or extraneous movement.