Hi there,

Just wanted to say a quick “hello”! I’m all well, but extremely busy. Sorry for no current updates. However, I hope everyone is doing fine and that you all enjoy the news which are being shared in the Forum!

Have a great day!
Su-jan.

According to the web-site of Czech singer Helena Vondráčková, Ekaterina (and Ilia Kulik) are scheduled to appear in the skating show show with the singer on the following dates:

September 20, 2009: Bratislava
September 21, 2009: Kosice

http://www.vondrackova.net/index-cz.php

Discuss this topic in the forum: http://www.gg-corner.de/GGboard/viewtopic.php?t=3861

Update: June 27, 2009: The shows have been cancelled.

On May 28, 2009 Ekaterina celebrates her 38th birthday. Congratulations!

In the May 2009 issue of LED – the official Ice Age magazine, Ekaterina talks about the trip to Israel. Tel Aviv was a stop of the Ice Age tour (March 28, 2009).

translated by NatS.

THE TRIP TO THE HOLY LAND
From January until May the Ice Show finalists not only participate in shooting of new episodes but also go on tour around cities in the home country and free of. With such an intense schedule there is no time off at all. But upon the arrival to Israel all the participants have been nicely surprised – they got a day off. Katia Gordeeva talked how the figure skaters spent the day off.

Page 102
As I have never been to Israel, I had been interested in beforehand. However, I was coming here on business trip; I hadn’t planned any excursions and walks in the city. I was planning to work.
The airplane took off at midnight; we got in the hotel in Tel-Aviv only at 6 a.m. Everybody was tired and wanted to sleep. That’s why I hadn’t any thought how I was going to spend my day off. The single thing I remember I had on that day – the smell of the sea. I felt it right upon disembarking from the airplane and in contrast with Moscow’s air, the freshness literally intoxicated me. The next morning, when I opened the window, I saw the sea. It was a big surprise! Under the bright rays of sun the sea was very beautiful and of the deep emerald colour. From the window I could see the coastline and breaking waves. I wanted immediately to go for a walk along the coastline. When I went downstairs in the hall, all the guys were there and it was time to go for a brunch. The restaurant was located near the sea. We wanted eating outside but because of the wind we decided to stay inside. The food and the service were just perfect. When we sit down, the pitta bread with a sauce was served. We aren’t used to eat the bread like that but it’s traditional Arab cuisine. Israeli cuisine has large elements of Arab cuisine. As for people, on the contrary, they look like European. Honestly, I was under the impression that everybody was Russian. In the day, we were going shopping and everywhere I got the same: when I started speaking English to a vendor and then asked someone of our group in Russian… “May I help you?” – I heard the vendor asking me in Russian at once and we continued speaking Russian. By and large, the people were very friendly and all over, the environment was calm and comfortable.

Page 102
In the afternoon, we went to the sea and looked at waves breaking. On the spot, on the embankment, we drunk a cup of coffee prepared on the Arabic recipe and after that, everyone went in different directions. The most of our group were with children, someone had come here one day earlier in order to have one day more for a rest. Tania Navka went to the Dead Sea, someone else – to Jerusalem, and the Director Katia Tsanava and I went walking in the city. And everywhere we went, we met our colleagues – in shops, in cafés, around the hotel. .. Here is Alena Babenko, there is Roma Kostomarov, and here are two Maksims –Marinin and Staviysky… It seemed that we fulfilled the entire town! And everything seemed to be spiritual and clear, like the Holy Land didn’t let us be others.
Nobody had expected such a wonderful gift – the whole day off in the Tour’s schedule. We all were after Moscow as happy as a pig in muck and taking this advantage we walked, got a rest and relaxed. In the night those who visited Jerusalem were sharing their emotions with us and Katia and I, we decided to go there the next day.
The day of our show, we hadn’t enough time for the sightseeing tour. In spite of this we went, walked two and half – or three hours…. I was afraid of getting too tired to perform or of being inspired too much by Jerusalem and forgetting about everything, and of being late to the show. As the last thought didn’t let me in peace, we come back early and missed a lot to see.

Page 103
The biggest impression was the view of Jerusalem from the top point of hill. The town is like the white brick temple surrounded by the wall – like a book illustration. And later when we went down the hill and walked through the central gate, we found ourselves in the book.
…..

Page 104
The Wall of Crying, the Holiest Place to the Jewish people, since hundred years ago has been the Symbol of Faith and Hope for many generations. The people from all countries around the world come here to pray and leave a wish on a small piece of paper. Before the trip Ira Slutskaja’s mom had explained me how to do it: write a wish on the paper, fold the paper and place it between bricks on the Wall. The wish one day will come true. I said that to Katia Tsanava and her daughter Liza and we decided to write before we come to the Wall.
When I took a small piece of paper and wrote down my wish, I saw how Liza prepared a big sheet of paper and began to write in uppercase letters. I was teasing: “This paper will be too big for a small space between bricks “. She became confused: “I just wanted everybody to understand it…” Of course, nobody will read it; we address a wish to God. That’s why we shouldn’t tell anyone about the wish, otherwise it won’t come true. Even when the papers fall on the earth, the keeper collects them and without reading earths them on the spot.
…

Page 105: the two last paragraphs
I can’t say that I’m very religious – I don’t go Church or commit myself to the Lenten. I think the faith isn’t in observing the fasts and feasts of the church but it is inside of each of us. It is easier to live when you believe in something. I, for example, in every difficult situation go to church and pray not to help me but to direct me the way how I can help myself. Even in those circumstances it isn’t necessary to go to church. Sometime I feel just exhausted for skating while being in tour I have to skate. What I do, I pray in the Spirit to help me and I get the help!
If you want something very much, it comes true absolutely! When I was competing, I always wished myself to win. That wish made me work hardly and I won. On the other side, I believe in miracles as well. One New Year’s night I made a wish to win at the Olympic Games and I become the Champion. Is it a miracle? May be. Or I wished it very much. Wishes coming from the heart tend to come true.

Ekaterina and Egor skated at the following Ice Age tour stops:

February 16, 2009 – Cherepovets
February 17, 2009 – Yaroslavl’
February 19, 2009 – Balashikha
February 20, 2009 – Podolskiy
February 21, 2009 – Mytishchi
February 22, 2009 – Nizhniy Novgorod
March 14, 2009 – Tyumen
March 15, 2009 – Perm
March 28, 2009 – Tel Aviv
March 30, 2009 – Minsk
April 5, 2009 – Kolomna
April 18, 2009 – Kazan
April 29, 2009 – Rostov
May 1, 2009 – Mannheim
May 2, 2009 – Hamburg
May 3, 2009 – Dusseldorf

These photos were taken at the Ice Age show on May 3, 2009 in Dusseldorf, Germany.

by Su-jan

Here’s my review of the Ice Age show in Dusseldorf, Germany on May 3, 2009.

Again, just some random thoughts:

1. I think the hall was more filled in Mannheim (May 1, 2009) than in Dusseldorf. But there were still lots of people attending. Again, many, many Russians who seemed to enjoy the show. Nice atmosphere again!

2. For the opening number I was, of course, looking for Ekaterina’s famous ponytail again. Well, she had a hair hair down – just like in “Sex Bomb”. No ponytail, but still Ekaterina. Yeah! I was able to tape the opening – my camera was cooperating, but security was strict – so I couldn’t tape the other numbers. The security lady was really, really strict. It was bordering on rudeness, but she just did her job. And she did it well. She said that videos are not allowed, but photos are okay. Therefore, I mainly took pictures.

3. Egor was watching Ksenia and Povilas’ first number (”Fair”), but left when they took their bows / did their encore. I didn’t see him for their second number. Povilas was waiting for Rita. And Albena D. was pretty much watching everyone skate, especially in the second half.

4. I think I saw Maria Gordeeva again. Took a photo of her.

5. “Slow Star” – curious event of the evening: Ekaterina and Egor both fell. It was near the end. Don’t know why but suddenly Ekaterina fell and next Egor, too. It was so sudden. It wasn’t during a lift or throw. Just normal skating. Both got up quickly. At the end of this number Ekaterina usually takes Egor’s shirt. Well, this time she took it also but burried her head in shame… It was a cute moment. It looked like as Ekaterina hurt herself a little because during the bows she held her back a little. I just hope she’s okay! Because of the fall and a little shaky landing on the throw I think the Mannheim performance was a little better. Still it’s a gorgeous number! Oh, and she shrugged at the bows – as if she was saying “I have no idea how THAT happened!” As an encore they did the Reverie lift again and that other element. Afterwards, Egor kissed Ekaterina on her cheek.

6. “Love Story” – lovely performance! Really, really beautiful. I was lucky to sit close to the ice. Well, what can I say? Ekaterina has silent blades. She flies over the ice without making a sound. It’s sooo amazing. I think, she two-footed her second jump, but no fall. The rest was simply breath-taking. Wonderful.

7. “Vocalise” – well, Egor came out during Maria P. / Alexei T.’s performance. Shirtless. Yep, I got bare-chested Egor! He stretched himself (upper body, arms) and then laced up his boots. It took quite a long time before he put his shirt on. He started to button it up when Maria and Alexei were doing their encore. Gosh, Ekaterina and Egor skated the number beautifully again. It’s really a piece of art. I could watch “Vocalise” over and over. I’ve got a lump in my throat again. For their encore they played “Silver” again, they did a throw. Afterwards Ilia handed over the microphone to Egor, he said some short words, then Ekaterina made a speech. No idea what she was saying but I did hear the audience doing an “ohhhhh” somewhere. I’ve asked my seat neighbour and she said that Ekaterina declared that this is her last tour. I think – I hope – that the lady meant last stop of this Ice Age tour!!! If someone was there – does anyone know what Ekaterina was saying???

8. For the finale Ekaterina and Egor did the chair lift again with Maria and Alexei at their side. As it was the final show of the German tour leg, they did something special – they did a second chair lift and switched partners. Yep, Egor lifted Maria and Ekaterina was lifted by Alexei. Very cool! Once they got in line, Egor gentlemanlike hugged Maria and kissed her on her cheek, Ksenia left her place to hug Egor. Oh, I forgot – Navka and Roman K. closed the show – during their encore all the others were waiting at the side for the final number. In the dark I saw Ekaterina being lifted twice. At that time I thought it was Egor who wanted to practice the chair lift again, but it could have been Alexei (or both). The two guys were wearing dark shirts – so it was hard to tell. Anyhow, Ekaterina seemed really happy when Alexei lifted her in the finale.

9. Looking at the photos from the finale: In the last ones it looks like as if Ekaterina is fighting tears. Sniff… Oh, and did you notice her “bracelett” on her left wrist? Never seen that before. She was just wearing it for the finale. Looks like a hair band to me – I’ve noticed because I do the same, using hair bands as braceletts if I cannot store it anywhere else… Oh, for the finale, the cast skated around the rink and made “high” five (it wasn’t that high with the audience. I got several skaters, including Ekaterina and Egor. Yeah!

I had a great evening again!

These photos were taken at the Ice Age show in Mannheim, Germany on May 1, 2009: