Lausanne, Switzerland

#UpAgain

The COVID-19 pandemic forced everyone to try new and different things. Skaters trained online and at home, choreographers were building programs using video conference techniques. 2015 ISU World Figure Skating Champion Elizaveta Tuktamysheva (RUS) and her choreographer Juri Smekalov, a dancer and choreographer from the world famous Mariinski Theater in St. Petersburg, took it a step further and built a new program live on Instagram in several sessions for everyone to watch, follow and participate.

 
 
 
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Готовы к премьере произвольной программы, которую мы создали вместе с вами? ⠀ За 7 дней мы прошли самые важные этапы работы: от выбора музыки до создания хореографии. Программа полностью готова, осталось лишь перенести ее на лед. Обещаю, что и этот процесс мы вам покажем. ⠀ Я очень рада отклику, который вызвал проект MAD Lab. ❤️ ⠀ Это был по-настоящему большой эксперимент: благодаря идее MAD Company, мы впервые открыли зрителям процесс создания программы. ⠀ Я хочу сказать спасибо хореографу Юрию Смекалову @smekalove за то, что предложил необычную для меня японскую тему. Я лишь однажды делала программу «Мемуары гейши», но новая позволила гораздо глубже погрузиться в японскую культуру и философию. ⠀ Спасибо композитору Бхиме Юнусову @bhima_u, который написал музыку, раскрывающую два противоположных образа. ⠀ Полное видео проекта с момента первых обсуждений до финальной съёмки смотрите в аккаунте @madcompany_smekalove ⠀ Надеюсь, вам понравится результат нашей работы. Обязательно делитесь впечатлениями в комментариях! ⠀ Отдельное спасибо за то, что вместе с нами разучивали танцевальные комбинации👏🏻 Уже завтра, назову трех исполнителей, которые получат подарки от нас. ⠀ * Are you ready for the premiere of the program that we created in collaboration with you? ⠀ During the past seven days, we went through all the main stages of the process: from music to choreography. The routine is complete, the only thing left to do is to bring it on ice. I promise to show you that as well. ⠀ I am very happy to see the positive reaction to the MAD Lab project. Thank you to the MAD Company team @madcompany_smekalove, who proposed this idea. ⠀ It truly was a massive experiment, as it was the first time we showed the process of designing a program. ⠀ I want to thank choreographer Yuri Smekalove @smekalove. He suggested an unusual for me Japanese theme. I once performed a routine called “Memoirs of a Geisha”, but this new program allowed me to dive deeper into the culture and philosophy of Japan. ⠀ Thanks Bhima Yunusov @bhima_u for composing musical theme for program. ⠀ I hope you enjoy the end product. Share your thoughts and impressions in the comments!

A post shared by Elizaveta Tuktamysheva (@liza_tuktik) on

Smekalov suggested the idea to the skater. “He is a very creative person,” Tuktamysheva said. “First of all, it was very nice for me that I was the first he suggested to create something online together with him. Then, my second feeling was that in Figure Skating I am not used to making the process of building a program, the music public so early. It was end of March, beginning of April, which is very early. So there were some doubts, maybe not doing it,” she continued.

Tuktamysheva Choreography 1 (1)

But curiosity and the desire to do something new and different won over the doubts and Tuktamysheva agreed to the project. “I thought, there is nothing to fear, it is very interesting, very creative, it hasn’t been done before and so I should go for it and not be afraid,” Lisa shared. Her long-time coach Alexei Mishin, who is always open for new things, agreed as well.

“I think Alexei Nikolaevitch is a groundbreaker, re-inventor, it is important to him to go with time, that’s why he is a great coach and doesn’t fall behind. That’s why he understood that this is a step towards the future,” the athlete said. “Figure Skating is developing very fast now and I don’t think there is anything bad about showing some of your cards before the season starts.”

 
 
 
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Вам интересно наблюдать за бэкстейджами? Если будет много желающих, то будем показывать ещё больше🤩 ⠀ А пока делюсь небольшой частью нашего разговора с Юрием Смекаловым @smekalove ⠀ Обсудили концепцию будущего номера. Каким он будет? Вот подсказки: Харуки Мураками, театр кабуки, самураи и сакура. ⠀ Что еще обсудили? - Тренировки в сложившейся ситуации; - Возможность соединения контемпорари и классики фигурного катания; - И многое другое. ⠀ Полная версия интервью завтра MAD Lab @madcompany_smekalove

A post shared by Elizaveta Tuktamysheva (@liza_tuktik) on

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, Tuktamysheva and Smekalov were not able to meet in person and set up a video conference. She was at home, he was in his private dance studio. The choreographer had suggested a Japanese theme for the Free Skating and his friend, composer Bkhima Iunusov, wrote a piece he titled “Chronicles of a Mischievous Bird”. Juri and Lisa discussed the choreography and the program, he demonstrated his ideas and moves live in front of the camera, she repeated them, added her own ideas and fans were able to comment, to give their opinion and make suggestions.

Tuktamysheva Choreography2

“We saw each other very well and created the movement online and together. While we were working on the program, the spectators could write to us which moves we should include and how they feel about it. We took some moves from what the spectators suggested, they had really good ideas. Everybody took part in our free program,” Lisa said. Among the ideas coming from the viewers they included were a typical Japanese bow and a gesture with a dagger.

 
 
 
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Хотите вместе со мной заниматься подготовкой нового номера для следующего сезона? ⛸ ⠀ Творческое объединение MAD Company и хореограф Юрий Смекалов @smekalove с ним мы работали над короткой программой «Болеро», с которой я выиграла Чемпионат мира в 2015 году) предложили вместе сделать необычный проект. ⠀ 🔹Мы попробуем, соблюдая все правила безопасности и не выходя из дома, создать хореографию для моей произвольной программы, которую, вероятно, вы увидите уже в новом сезоне. ⠀ Это будет Insta-сериал, героями которого станете и вы, потому что сможете участвовать в наших обсуждениях и влиять на результат работы над номером. ⠀ Что нужно, чтобы присоединиться? Все просто: быть подписчиком моей страницы @liza_tuktik и объединения MAD Company @madcompany_smekalove а с завтрашнего дня подключаться к прямым эфирам. ⠀ 🗓 Вот их расписание: ⠀ 2 апреля (чт), 19:00 — открытое интервью со мной и Юрием, вы сможете задать нам собственные вопросы. ⠀ 3 апреля (пт), 19:00 — прямой эфир с композитором Бхимой Юнусовым @bhima_u, голосуем за музыкальный образ будущего номера. ⠀ 4 апреля (сб), 19:00 — стрим нашей с Юрием репетиции, разучим вместе фрагмент новой хореографии. ⠀ 6 апреля (пн), 19:00 — онлайн-ПРЕМЬЕРА номера, созданного вместе с вами. ⠀ Подключайтесь к творчеству! ⠀ Do you want to work with me to prepare the new next season program? ⛸ ⠀ The creative association MAD Company and choreographer Yuri Smekalov proposed an unusual project: ⠀ 🔹 We will create a new program without leaving home. ⠀ This is will be Insta-series, where you can be involved in our discussions and you can influence the result of our work. ⠀ What do you need to join? You have to be my subscriber and subscribe on @madcompany_smekalove. We will start our live broadcasts from tomorrow. ⠀ 🗓 schedule: ⠀ April 2, 19:00 - an open interview will be done with me and Yuri where you can put questions. ⠀ April 3, 19:00 - live broadcast with the composer Bhima Yunusov, we will vote and will choose the music for my program. ⠀ April 4, 19:00 - we'll stream our repetition. We will learn a fragment of the new choreography together ⠀ April 6, 19:00 - online PREMIERE of my program ⠀ Get involved in creativity!

A post shared by Elizaveta Tuktamysheva (@liza_tuktik) on

 

Obviously, it was not so easy to work under these unusual circumstances – at home, using a video. “It’s not possible to put all the emotions, your whole soul into the movements. If you do, you’ll hit your television set, because the movement becomes bigger and you can break something,” Lisa said, laughing. However, she received the key of the private dance studio and in the end was able to do the whole program on the floor and film it. “There, I was able to let go of my emotions and dance the whole program.”

Tuktamysheva Choreography 6

The process worked well for her. “Juri is a professional and I have worked a lot with choreographers. It is engraved in my body and in my head how to perceive movement in general. It is probably important for children that the choreographer stands next to them and corrects them. We had no problems to understand each other,” Tuktamysheva explained. Coaches Alexei Mishin and Tatiana Prokofieva were pleased with the result.

However, Lisa is looking forward to continue to work on the program on the ice with Smekalov. “We’ll polish the program on the ice. In any case I really want to put it all out and see how it looks on the ice,” she said.