Many thanks to Cerise for sending these scans from the official Ice Age magazine LED (March 2009 edition).

December 2008:

The December 2008 issue of Blades on Ice also included a calendar for the next year. For May 2009 they used the following photo of Ekaterina:

Many thanks to the person sending the scan.

source: Blades on Ice

Many thanks to Cerise for these amazing scans of Ekaterina from the Russian mag “Top Beauty” (September 2008):

Many thanks to Cerise for the English translation:

Ekaterina Gordeeva

Question: Lately there was no information about you in the press. What’s new in your life?

Ekaterina: I am busy with my children. Dasha is almost 16, Liza is 7. We live in California, not far from Los-Angeles. Last year Dasha gave up skating but Liza still enjoys it. I am invited in various shows that’s why I try to keep fit.

Question: Do you like living in the USA?

Ekaterina: I am used to living there. As I have already mentioned we now live in a beautiful state California. Before we were settled in Connecticut. There are a lot of ice rinks there and many of our friends live in this state. Liza has taken part in a Famili Show together with me, her dad and Dasha.

Question: So you are now rather a mum than a figure skater?

Ekaterina: Sure. But still I perform sometimes. For several times we took part at the show of Kristi Yamaguchi who gathers her friends with their kids. Viktor Petrenko, Scott Hamilton, Nancy Kerrigan come and perform with their kids on ice. This show is really great and very interesting that’s why it is so popular. We – Ilia Kulik, me, Daria and Liza – were involved in this event two or three times.

Question: They wrote a lot about you in the 90’s. After Sergei’s death another life has started – don’t you feel the same way? (An awkward, totally silly question!!! Sorry but I can’t control my emotions regarding this interviewer!!!)

Ekaterina: I do. Everything happened in the USA and there were lots of publications afterward. When something like this happens your life is split into “before” and “after”. We skated, competed together with Sergei…Now I continue skating alone. At first I couldn’t imagine skating again in a pair, it felt strange. Then I was invited alone in shows. Besides we had a wonderful dance together with Ilyusha.

Question: What helped you to survive the tragedy?

Ekaterina: First of all – my family. Mum, dad. I came to Russia and stayed with them for a month. After that American managers called me and offered to organize a show in Sergei’s honor. A lot of skaters performed in it. Our choreographer Marina Zueva suggested I should also take part in the show. That was the way I started skating again.

Question: So your job helped you to recover?

Ekaterina: Actually, yes. But also my family: my mum and dad always supported me and helped me a lot. The first project dedicated to Sergei was called “Celebration of life”. Then I was involved in the professional competitions.

Question: When you started dating Ilya Kulik the press reacted negatively, didn’t it?

Ekaterina: In fact I never felt negative reaction of my fans or the press. Probably I just didn’t mention it. Then Liza was born so I was busy at home and didn’t skate. A few years later they again invited me in shows. But it was not as often as before. We always took Dashka as she was a kid, though there were about 60 shows in a tour, but she was always with us. Later we decided to leave it out and I didn’t go touring any more. My first solo-performance in Russia was in St-Petersburg in 2002. First year it wasn’t devoted to anything and the second year it was associated with Igor Borisovitch Bobrin. I never took part in such a project like “Ice Age”, but always watched it with interest and wanted to be involved in it. Ilyusha has a job in the USA. And I want Liza to be with me in Moscow.

Question: Have you followed the previous “Ice Age” projects?

Ekaterina: I remember them by heart. But I don’t know what will be this time. It’s so cool that the skaters, coaches and actors generate a lot of ideas. They always try something new, something they have never experienced. Skaters are used to be responsible for themselves and do everything as perfectly as possible and here they have to invent something to deal with different situations…

Question: Who invents the plot of the dance?

Ekaterina: All together – skaters, coaches, actors. But most to coaches, I think. But I don’t know it for sure as I have never taken part in the project.

Question: What made you take part in it, after all?

Ekaterina: I wanted to try something new, to meet interesting people. I don’t have a lot of work in the USA. Last year I skated in 5 or 6 shows. I don’t know yet who will be in my team in the “Ice Age”.

Question: Are you anxious?

Ekaterina: Of course. I have to change the way of life. But I come to my country, to the comfortable mother’s flat, actually I come home. But my elder daughter stays in America – she has to finish her study. Ilya (Averbuch, the producer and choreographer of Ice Age) said we will have to tune our schedule to that of the actors. I don’t have any ideas so far, let’s see who will be my partner. I bet Ilya (Averbuch) knows it, he just doesn’t tell us. The other reason of my participation is that I want, so to say, pay tribute to our fans…Russians loved us…Of course I was totally supported – morally and financially – in the USA as well. I am used to that life, but Russia attracts me so much. But it’s scary to drive here…Still Moscow is my sweet home.

Question: Do you want Liza to become a professional figure skater?

Ekaterina: I see she succeeds in skating. But it’s difficult to predict. Now she will go in Moscow school, most likely to CSKA. I think Liza has everything to be a good skater. She is strong and struggling, she is always cheerful – even if something goes wrong, she feels music and has a good nature for sports.

Many thanks to babyoscar for sending these scans of G&G stamps:

This scan was provided by Rose. Many thanks!

(c) People Magazine

Feburary 2008:

The following scans were provided by Rose. Many thanks.

(c) International Figure Skating

Many thanks to BabyOscar for sending these scans of the Chinese version of “My Sergei”:

December 2007:

© Photos copyrighted to Blades on Ice