October 14, 2003
From Sport Express, Moscow
IF WE ARE TO KNOW THAT OUR THIRD CHILD WILL BE A BOY
by Elena Vaitsekhovskaia
translated by Julia Khmelevskaya (click here for an alternative
translation)
In Russia, after the death of her husband - Sergei Grinkov - two time Olympic
medallist, Ekaterina Gordeeva never skated, although since 1996 she had quite successful
career as a single skater in professional championships in USA.
Perhaps, this is why the information about Gordeeva's participation in the show
"Ledovyii Olymp" in St.Petersburg, until the last day was considered as pretty
much unreal. Despite that, two time Olympic medallist Arthur Dmitriev, who was personally
in charge of inviting skaters to St. Petersburg show, the day before his own arrival from
US, confirmed over the phone: Katia for sure will come.
LITTLE HISTORY
The last time we saw each other was in March of this year, in Washington. Gordeeva flew
over there with her husband, Olympic champion of Nagano, Ilia Kulik. Just for two days, to
watch the World Championship. She looked tired and it seemed to me she was a little
guarded. As if she is not used to show herself to the wide public in the new for herself,
and very unaccustomed for the public, role of the happy wife of the famous, in the near
past, figure skater.
Well, it's very explainable. Too many years narrow-minded America sort of deprived
Gordeeva in her right to have normal, woman's happiness. Dramatic destiny of the figure
skater, who lost her first husband - Sergei Grinkov - in 1995 and was left alone with a
little daughter on her hands, was viewed by many, and first of all by those who directed
Katia's professional career in USA - as very lucrative, as cynic as it sounds,
merchandise. Exploitation of which, whenever Gordeeva appeared in public with any man, led
to unconscious and some times conscious protest of the fans: "How could she? What
for?
[The phrase "narrow-minded America" was the item of some controversal discussions. Here's a note from the author, Elena Vaitsekhovskaia:
Dear friends!
Sorry for the late explanation - a friend of mine just informed me about the discussion. First of all - it's quite useless to discuss the translation, isn't it? The item, that was translated as "narrow-minded" had nothing to do with it. The actual meaning was - people, that newer were connected with figure skating or some other sport or athletes personally, but have some ophinion upon it according what they read in newspapers/internet, or hear from tv or some other sources. Common people, better to say.
Sorry for my English, but I hope I made the subject a little bit clearer ))
Elena Vaitsekhovskaia]
Perhaps, this also happened because public's excess love that surrounded Sergei and
Katia during their skating years and after Grinkov's death, re-directed to Katia and
Dasha, turned out to be overly possessive. Even amongst figure skaters sometimes it was
impossible not to feel very perceptible notes of blame.
A lot was said then. In particular: Because of Gordeev'a romance, owners of Stars on Ice -
the most prestigious ice show in USA, where Katia performed, - didn't extend Kulic's
contract. That - thoughtless behavior of the figure skater herself, who didn't want to
hide her love from the public can cost her future career: that's how show business is:
demand on star's suffering is always higher then on his/her wellbeing.
That's why the news about Katia's moving from the East coast of the country - some sort of
the American center of the figure skating- to California and awaiting her second baby, I
took as final leave of the figure skater from the ice. Justly, as Katia mentioned this
herself, system of professional sport in USA offers to its athletes not so much room for
personal decision. And makes it almost impossible to try to plan and build personal life.
Too thick is the schedule and there is a lot of money on the lot.
In the last season I was surprised to learn that Katia is skating in the show again.
And last Friday, me and Gordeeva - as happened many times before during our acquaintance -
drove together to the rink. To the rehearsal of her first Russian show.
I SKATE BECAUSE I LOVE
-In 1992 after I gave birth to Dasha and returned to sport I started to think very normal
about the fact of the possibility to return to sport after giving birth, - Katia said. - I
am still surprised when people think that if a woman has a child she shouldn't make big
plans concerning her life. It all depends on what you want. If you want to continue to
skate, swim, run, or do something else - I don't see anything abnormal about it. It's the
easiest - to say that you don't have the time and explain by that your own inertness.
Of course, I didn't make big career plans after Liza's birth, I didn't have to hurry to
some tour or show. I love to skate and I like to feel fit, that's why I get satisfaction
from training. It's really a pleasure to do something not because you owe it to someone,
but because you want to do it.
-How long did it take to get back in condition?
-A little bit longer than after I had Dasha. I was 10 years younger then. And we were in
the rush to get ready for the Olympics in Lillerhamar, we had to start feeding Dasha from
the bottle. I brest-feeded Liza for eight months - and was very happy that I have the
opportunity to be with my baby as much as needed. My daughter was born in the middle of
June and after three months - in the middle of September - I started to come to the
ice-rink.
-How did the birth of the second child effected your skating schedule?
-I don't think that IMG managers (I have a contract with them) were thrilled. More they
were concerned when I announced that I am pregnant and will not be able to perform in the
show Stars on Ice, as planned. On the other hand, there weren't any big problems. At least
I don't know about them. We discussed the possibility of my return to skating after the
birth, to the extent of my return to Stars on Ice tour. But I didn't want this: the tour
lasts 5 months a year and I couldn't imagine myself without my children for so long. So
they found a possibility for me to go on the tour for two-three days and then return home.
MOVEMENT BACK TO THE EAST
-What was the reaction of the public, when you first appeared on the ice after Liza's
birth?
-It was a very big surprise for everyone. The organizers of the Stars on Ice, who invited
me last year for several shows, planned to have me in the same way. I was not
participating in the opening number, and when they were announcing my name the public was
in some shock. But they received me very well - more active then ever. It was very
pleasant for me. Overall, it's not very surprising for the American public when one or the
other skater returns on the ice after a big break. Many skaters take breaks for one or the
other reasons.
-What was the reason for your move from California to Connecticut?
-Two years ago I relocated to Ilyusha (soft for Ilia). He had a home overthere. I like it
there very much. The only problem - we didn't spend much time together, especially when
Ilyusha went on to perform. Mostly, skaters try to live near New York. The other problem
was ice. We didn't always have the opportunity to come to the ice when it was comfortable
for us. And most of the time we had to skate with someone else on the ice. The distances
were also tiring. On the West Coast they are much more noticeable then on the East Coast.
So we thought that the relocating back would be comfortable in every way.
-So it looks like you are returning to the place, where you started you American life with
Sergei and Dasha?
-Almost. Now we live not in Simsbury, but near - in Newington. We train on the same
ice-rink, where Galina Zmeevskaya works. She even volunteered to help to train Dasha. Now
our life is well adjusted: in the morning I take Dasha to school and go to the ice-rink.
Then I come home and substitute Ilyusha, he goes to practice and Liza and me go to take
Dasha from school. And of course it's much easier that my parents live near by, they can
always help if we need anything. Ilia's parents also come often to visit, although they
don't live in US all the time, like mine do.
-Is it difficult to carry such a big household?
-Never thought of it. I like it. Big and happy family - is the happiness, which many are
deprived of. I am very happy that my life is happening in such a way. Although I sometimes
think that it would be better that the age difference between Dasha and Liza was not so
big. On one hand it's good - Dasha helps me a lot with little daughter. On the other hand
I would like for Liza to have a brother of sister close to her in age.
-So what's stopping you from having another baby?
-If we are to know for sure that we'll have a boy, I would not even hesitate. We'll
see… in time.
To perform in Stars on Ice is a dream.
-How many performances do you plan for this year?
-As in last year I am invited as a guest. Owners of the show already feel that with each
year there are less figure skaters, which are able to perform in every show of the tour.
So they broke down part of the performances - 10-15 shows- between myself, Kristi
Yamaguchi, Scott Hamilto, and Kurt Browning. Besides us, as I know, Oksana Bayul will also
participate in the show. But the main list of skaters remain, some of them are Alexei
Yagudin, Lena Berezhnaya and Anton Scheharulidze, Canadians - Jemi Sale and David
Pelletier.., Yuko Sato.
-Is it more pleasant to be a guest on the tour or be on it constantly?
-Stars on Ice - is the group, to join which is a dream. Many group numbers are some sort
of the trademark of the show. Not by accident, these numbers are planned well ahead, and
skaters practice every detail of the number for three weeks. In each new production there
is an idea that passes throughout the show.
But the idea of inviting to the tour different skaters and therefore diverse to the
maximum the show seems to me the right one. I think people will be happy to see someone
who didn't appear in public for a long time. Americans treat their own athletes with a
special tremble of joy. Even in case when the athlete is no longer able to jump the way he
could. To understand that you need to see how public receives Scott Hamilton and Kurt
Browning. No matter how many titles young skaters have, they have to skate and skate in
order to be accepted in such a way as old masters of skating.
On the other hand there is a risk. To invite so many new skaters like in this season,
owners of the tour took a big risk for the first time. So they'll understand later whether
they made the right choice from the financial point of view.
MONEY DICTATE EVERYTHING
During the rehearsal in St. Petersburg, I asked Tamara Moskvina (she was one of the
organizers of the show), why did they only invite Katia and not Ilia. "It's not that
easy to get everyone you want" - little evasively answered coach, - even in America,
Olympic champions are very expensive. During the time when stars worked off their fee,
(rehearsal lasted from 11 am until 6 pm with one hour break for lunch), my memory went
back to our conversation with Gordeeva.
-Why did Ilia Kulik left Stars on Ice?
-He didn't leave by himself. His contract has ended. About at that same time Alexei
Yagudin was invited and for the owners it was not profitable to have two Russian Olympic
champions in the same discipline. For the same reason, as I know, Tara Lipinsky left the
show. In Russia this kind of situation possible, when people are ready to perform in
company, but in States this is unacceptable.
-How is Ilia's career going?
-There are a lot of exhibitions, although, it's possible, that Ilia would rather to
perform more. He has his agent, who is responsible for organizing his performances. Ilia,
himself, is "twisting", like everyone in America.
- Do you sense the total loss of interest to figure skating?
-Absolutely. That crazy boom, which started after 1994 has gone. Public is oversaturated
by us. It can be noticed by the amount of` people coming to the show. Stars on Ice never
had this kind of problem, but now, sometimes the stadiums are half-empty. And selling
tickets is one of the major income items. Perhaps the reason for this is that people
started to spend money more carefully, because of the bad economy in the country. To go to
see show is a family deal, therefore you need to buy 4 tickets, which cost at least 50$,
plus parking, food, beverages, souvenirs. Not everyone can spend more then 200$ in one
evening.
The second problem - loosing interest to figure skating from sponsor companies - therefore
from television. That's why many ice shows break down before they can start.
-I've heard that Ilia is doing a little coaching?
-In L.A. he mostly worked with Dasha. In the summer, when there was more free time he
helped other figure skaters. He likes to coach - you can see this at once. And mostly - he
knows how to coach. Some time back, he really helped me with my jumps.
-Who do you work with now? As always, with Marina Zueva?
-No. We didn't work together for 3 years. It's difficult to come to each other just for
staging, too far. And I am too attached to my home. This summer - before relocation to
Newngton I found choreographers in LA. For example I worked with a women who had a wide
experience for producing circus shows, then I worked with a jazz dancer. Thought of
something myself.
-What about asking your husband to help you with choreography? I am still amazed by his
break dance, which Ilia choreographed himself and his program for professional world
championship.
-He is really great - sets all the programs himself. He keeps promising me to help.
"Someday…." But this does not hurt me. Perhaps, he is not feeling confident
to choreograph the program for someone else.
IN ST.PETERSBURG - A GUEST, IN MOSCOW - AT HOME
As soon as the show started and all the skaters left the ice, Gordeeva came by the
official bench:
-I'll watch a little from here. Me performance is at the end of the second act. I wish it
would be sooner. Very uncomfortable. Never imagined that in Russia so many people can show
up for the figure skating show. And the Ice-rink is so luxurious.
-How often do you come to Russia?
-I come each summer. Dasha, together with my parents spends summer vacation at datcha.
Liza also has visited Moscow last summer, when she was 1 years old. I love to come here.
And it's very pleasant that people still recognize me on the streets. I am not sure that I
can live In Russia all the time - too much of my life is connected to America, but Moscow
will always be a special city for me. Here, In St. Petersburg I feel as a guest, and when
I arrive in Sheremetievo (Moscow) - it's like putting on your house shoes.
-Have you thought about opening your own skating school in USA?
-It's not that easy. You can't come to the ice-rink with an announcement. You have to sign
a contract, reach the agreement with many people. Often, the ice-rink belongs to one
person or a group of people, but the manager can be another person, and he can have very
little interest in figure skating. All has to do with the financial side. If to have a
hockey team on the ice is more profitable then there will be no figure skating at all.
I don't know one person who has such school, even Tamara Moskvina couldn't do it.
Zmievskaya is sort of lucky, she works on the rink that was build for her and Oksana
Bayul, and many skaters still come to her to train. But that doesn't mean that the
ice-rink in Simsbury is her school.
And there is another problem. In our time, we had a special system of training, which
started with a children's group. In US the word "group" itself scaring parents.
They think it's better to come to a certain coach and pay him the money for a private
lesson. And they are sure that it's possible to teach something in 45 minutes.
Having your own school is in a way means imposing your own ideas, methods, and views on
people. We have a different meaning to the word "coach". I for example, feel
ashamed to take money from a person, while knowing that I can't teach him in one lesson.
But you have to take the money; otherwise you bring problems to other coaches. Of course,
sooner or later, Ilia, and me, we'll have to work as coaches and make money that way, but
now I have very vague idea how it will look.
-Have you had the opportunity to try yourself as a coach?
-In the summer, I worked a little with one American pair. And, you know, I liked it. You
get all these ideas, which you want to work on.
-When you watch pair skating do you feel nostalgic?
-Not anymore. Besides, I had a chance to continue skating in pairs. I rejected the
possibility.
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