2002
From "Change", Russia:
EKATERINA GORDEEVA: “IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO SEPARATE ME FROM SERGEI”
THE OLYMPIC CHAMPION REMEMBERS THAT HER MEDALS ARE FROM PAIRS SKATING
by Boris Khodorovsky
translated by MoonlightElegie
Among the participants of Artur Dmitriev’s “Ice Olympus” show there was the two-time Olympic pairs figure skating champion Ekaterina Gordeeva. Her store is worthy of a novel. In her first 25 years the two-time Olympic champion lost her husband and partner Sergei Grinkov. Only little Dasha remained with her. Producers of the American show with whom the Russian figure skaters had a contract with began promoting an image of an inconsolable widow on the ice. But Katia lived as she should as a young beautiful woman. She worked, fell in love, married Olympic champion Ilia Kulik and have birth to their daughter Liza. Ekaterina Gordeeva now talks to the correspondent of "Change".
What do you remember from your previous visits to Saint Petersburg?
I associate your city with the national championships. In Leningrad, and then when called Saint Petersburg, I had to skate these competitions often. I was struck with the Ice Palace; I didn’t know that in Russia there were such sports facilities. Not to compare with the “Jubilee” where we were selected to go to the Olympics in Lillehammer.
There is an opinion about that at the games in 1994 you beat Natalia Mishkutenok and Artur Dmitriev because of the authority of judges and leaders of the domestic sports…
It is hard for me to answer this objectively. We performed in Lillehammer and we were ready for that moment. With Arthur and Natasha, the rivalry was not reflected in our attitudes at all. We were friends of Arthur then and we are friends now.
You accepted his invitation to skate in “Ice Olympus” without hesitation?
I wanted to come to Saint Petersburg last year, but for some reasons it was not possible. Certainly, it would be great to arrive with my husband Ilia Kulik. But, of course, this didn’t happen.
Do you have any pairs routine?
We have prepared one program which we performed in a show. Ilia has even mastered lifts. Certainly, we have not included throws and spins in the program but nevertheless the number was very similar to pair skating. Ilia represented a Spanish kabalero and I, naturally, was his beloved. It was very interesting the way it turned out. It was part of the ensemble.
Did you try pairs with someone else after Sergei’s death?
For me, pairs skating is my favorite of all skating disciplines. Sometimes, when I look performances of other pairs, I think of ideas. I skated with Vitia Petrenko when Disney filmed “Beauty and the Beast”. During other shootings I was assisted by Alexei Tikhonov, whom we trained with at TSKA. It was wonderful, but true pairs figure skating was impossible. Now I am a soloist in shows and the mother of two daughters.
After Sergey's death you wrote an open book about your life. Was it necessary for you to relive the loss of your husband?
Perhaps today I wouldn’t detail my life. But eight years ago my agents convinced me, that it is necessary to write a book. Then I understood: everything in the first months after his loss needed to be said. Even to the journalist who helped me with the book. For 25 years my life developed successfully and safely. Sergey's death was a strong impact which was survived due to the support of friends and family. There is the memory of Sergei, there is our daughter Dasha. I live today's pleasures.
Her surname Dasha Grinkova?
She has a double surname: Gordeeva-Grinkova. Traveling across borders was difficult when all the family members had different surnames.
Is it true that she trains with Ilia and has big dreams?
Dasha is now 11 years old. She skates and has expressed her desires to well known experts like Galina Zmievskaya. The blessing is that we now live close. When we lived in California, Ilia was training Dasha. I can’t say that she is extremely talented but she skates for pleasure and enjoys it.
What kind of relationship has she developed with Ilia?
They are friendly. Ilia is a very disciplined person and tries to teach this characteristic to Dasha.
Is there a feeling of jealousy between your older daughter towards her younger sister?
There is a little. But she is old enough to understand my life. I frequently regret that there is a big difference in the age between the two of them.
Many Russian figure skaters who have moved to America combine performing in shows with coaching. Do you?
I tried to coach and put together programs. But there is not enough time for everything. I enjoy performing in shows and then I have responsibilities at home. It is impossible to coach in between this.
Do you remember your beginnings in figure skating?
Probably very few people will believe me but I went to a sports school to prepare for dancing school. My father was a dancer in ensembles and dances of the Soviet Army and very much wanted to have his daughters follow in his steps.
And your mother, working at TASS, didn’t see you as a future journalist?
She was not a journalist. She worked as a teletypist. She simply wanted me to engage in something that I found enjoyable.
If it is not a secret, what did you want to be as a child?
A forester. But it was just a child‘s dream. When I was 11 years old there was a choice between dancing and figure skating. I was already a skater for the USSR team. Though since I was four years old at the TSKA school I had a solid ballet training it was on the ice where everything turned out better.
The best programs of you and Sergei were designed by Marina Zueva. Do you continue to work with her?
When we were at TSKA, Marina worked there as the choreographer and worked with us from the very beginning our career. She had an original technique. She brought photos from which we copied poses. Marina never said: “Do this”. She asked: “Show me birds, flowers, love, the sun”. She understood us and that cooperation makes for a successful experience. Now Marina lives with her husband in Canada. We rarely see each other. The majority of my programs are choreographed by Ilia.
What were the your and Sergei’s favorite programs by Zueva?
Marina made us different programs. She told us we should perform for the spectators, smile for the judges, show them ourselves, and she said: “In the end you should dance only for yourself. The spectators have felt your emotions“. When Marina understood that we are in love with each other she suggested we to perform to “Romeo and Juliet“. We could look at each other in a different way on the ice. And “Moonlight Sonata” by Beethoven is really the history of our love.
What is the most complex jump in a solo program for you?
A triple salchow. But I have mastered it as a pair. Now I seldom perform, only 10-15 shows in per year. With this type of schedule it is very difficult to keep in good shape and to perform complex elements. And I do not force myself to do this.
A popular American magazine included you in the 50 most beautiful women of the world. Who would you put first on this list?
I am skeptical about these competitions. How can you estimate female beauty? I would put my mom in first place but these competition organizers would not know her at all.
Are two Olympic gold medals representative of your achievements in sports?
Not of mine, but Sergei’s and mine. I am confused when someone announces “Olympic champion Ekaterina Gordeeva…” but fail to add “in pairs figure skating”.
Which of the two Olympics do you recall best?
Lillehammer. In 1988, I was still a little girl and simply didn’t take in the whole event. The only real memories about Calgary are being given lots of money, buying myself diamond earrings and, for the first time in my life, I had a perm. And the flight back to Moscow. It was February, 29th and everyone celebrated Raisa Smetanina's birthday. Only two people on the plane were probably sober: me and the pilot.
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