Jana Khokhlova/Sergei Novitski

[florik2000]

ana Khokhlova and Sergei Novitski and their spectacular Night on Bald Mountain free dance were the talk of the 2007-08 season. The Russian team drew a lot of attention with this exciting program where Khokhlova portrayed a witch, while partner Novitski took on the role of a demon.

Not only did the clever routine win over many new fans, it also took the bronze medal at both the 2008 European and World Figure Skating Championships. Khokhlova and Novitski made it to the podium for the first time in an ISU Championship in what was their third season of competing internationally as a team. Overall, they have been skating together for seven years now.

They decided to give it a try in October 2001, in the middle of the Olympic season. "My partner (Natalia Lepetiukha) at this time had retired from skating," explained Novitski. "Jana traveled to one Cup of Russia (national) event with her previous partner (Andrei Maksimishin), but then to the next one with me." Although they both were young enough to compete one more year in juniors, they decided to go senior right away. Three months later they finished a respectable 7th at the 2002 Russian Nationals. That was not a bad result for such a new team.

Right away, Khokhlova impressed not only with her flexibility but also with her expressiveness out on the ice. Until she was 13 years old, Khokhlova performed in the famous Muscovite children's ice ballet "Aleko" that is well known for its colorful and creative shows. This experience is paying off. "Then I wanted to switch to pair skating because I was told that I would be suitable for pairs," recalled the skater. "So I started to practice jumps, but actually I was already too old for learning the jumps. One coach spotted me and suggested that I should try ice dancing." This coach was spot on!

Approximately two years earlier, Irina Zhuk and Alexander Svinin, two former competitive ice dancers who performed for many years in an ice show in England, decided to return home to Russia and to start coaching. They quickly built up a small group of ice dancers, and Khokhlova and Novitski joined them in 2003. Until then, the couple was coached by Larisa Filina, but they felt that they needed a new impact in order to progress. The ambitious husband-and-wife team with their extensive show experience was a good choice, albeit a bit risky as they just had started their coaching career. The practice and working conditions in the "Sokolniki" ice rink at that time were dismal. There was not enough ice time for the dancers, and the group had to move around from one rink to the next in order to find additional practice ice.

This situation has significantly improved since then. "We have two hours of ice in the morning and in the evening. We have a room for off-ice training and choreography and during our break, we can sleep on the benches in the dressing room," a happy Khokhlova said. "They even promised us to put a sofa in the judges' room and this would be real luxury," Novitski added with a grin.

The dance team progressed fast under Svinin and Zhuk, but they had to wait their turn. The judges in Russia were backing Tatiana Tarasova's students Svetlana Kulikova and Vitali Novikov, but in 2006 the road was free for Khokhlova and Novitski. They even qualified for the Olympic Games in Turin where they finished 12th.

"To be honest, even now I haven't fully realized what happened at the Olympic Games and that they take place only once in four years," said Khokhlova. "It's a once in a lifetime chance for many athletes to compete there, let alone winning a medal. When we got there as the third [Russian] couple, we were just happy. Just now we realize how great it was for us that we had the chance to be there and that we made it."

Khokhlova and Novitski's rise continued steadily. In 2007 they earned their first medals on the Grand Prix series, qualified for the Grand Prix Final, finished fourth at Europeans, and placed eighth at Worlds. At the start of this season, the team caused quite a stir when they beat France's Isabelle Delobel and Olivier Schoenfelder in the Free Dance at Trophée Eric Bompard. At the time, Delobel and Schoenfelder were the reigning European Champions.

"Our goal for the season was to change our style, to improve our technique and, as always, to think of something that sets us apart," revealed 22-year-old Khokhlova. "The idea for this free dance came from our coaches and we loved it right away. The music (Night on Bald Mountain and In the Hall of the Mountain King) is rather well known, but we picked an unusual arrangement. I think it was the right choice."

It definitely was. Everybody started to talk about this captivating, energetic program. Again, Khokhlova and Novitski also impressed with their trademark and seemingly acrobatic lifts that showed off her flexibility. "But we worked a lot on the steps, too," Khokhlova pointed out.

While Khokhlova is a talkative and lively person, full of animation, her partner is contrastingly calmer. However, Novitski isn't overshadowed by his partner and always has his own opinion. The Muscovites aren't a couple off the ice. "We are friends and our relationships is very close," Khokhlova explained. "We quarrel rarely and if so, only about professional aspects. In general we get along very well."

The relationship to the audience is very important for the two skaters. The Russians never forget to thank the crowd and their fans for their support at each press conference and interview. And they mean it. Thanks not only to their performances on the ice, but their friendly and open characters as well, Khokhlova and Novitski have found many fans all over the world. "We have a lot of fans and a grateful audience in all countries," said Khokhlova. "I was impressed with how many fans there were last year in Poland (in Warsaw at Europeans 2007). Many people came to us and encouraged us."

"In Japan, we have many fans as we skated several times at the NHK Trophy," added 26-year-old Novitski. "We receive a lot of presents, post cards and letters there." The most unusual present he got so far were colorful socks. "I'm wearing them!" he assured. Khokhlova, on the other hand, was impressed by a cake that a faithful Japanese fan made for them. The two are just regretting that they hardly have time to answer all the fan mail.

It was no surprise when Khokhlova and Novitski claimed the bronze medal at Europeans in Zagreb, but the crowd cheered for them as if they were the champions. In fact, they earned more applause for their free dance than the gold and silver medallists. The situation for them changed dramatically at Worlds when the leading Russian dance team, European and Grand Prix Champions Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin, withdrew from the event a few days before it started due to Shabalin's ongoing knee problems.

Khokhlova and Novitski then found themselves in a position to medal and were regarded as the only Russian team with a realistic chance to do so. With a bit of luck, they pulled it off. Their compulsory and original dances were excellent, and the Muscovites stood in second place heading into the free dance. The pressure, however, caught up to them. The team didn't skate their free dance with as much energy as in their previous competitions of the season, and Novitski even slipped briefly during the circular footwork. Khokhlova and Novitski were only ranked fifth in the free dance, but managed a third place finish overall to win the bronze. Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto beat them in the free dance, but the Americans were already behind due to an uncharacteristic fall in the compulsory dance.

As the Russians had skated first in the final flight for the free dance, they needed to wait until everyone else had performed before they knew the result. After talking to Russian TV and the Russian press in the mixed zone, Khokhlova and Novitski went to the dressing room area to await the results. Tears of happiness flowed when Khokhlova found out that they had medalled. They had hoped to for a medal but it was still a dream. When it became realistic, it pushed the team even harder.

Khokhlova recalled that while it wasn't difficult to skate the free dance, the situation was different in that they were medal contenders for the first time at worlds. "We were very happy with our scores and placement. It was definitely a big step forward for us," Novitski explained. "There was a lot of tension, especially in the last warm up group. When we got out on ice we were trying not to think about a medal. We just want to focus on skating as well as we can."

Khokhlova and Novitski have great respect their competitors, but they also realize that they are now part of an elite group of ice dancers. They regard the North American couples as strong rivals. "They got the highest levels for their footwork already last year," noted Khokhlova, "and they execute them really well. But we are putting a lot of emphasis on technique as well. If we skate clean, we can compete with them on the same level with our spins and lifts."

Though Khokhlova and Novitski earned high levels for their elements as well, they were sometimes held back in the component score area by the judges. The Russian team continues to work hard on their presentation with the aid of two additional choreographers (Tatiana Stepanova and Viatcheslav Kritchmarov) which came aboard early in 2008. "Tatiana challenges us," Khokhlova revealed. "We might say, 'No, we can't do this,' and she'll respond with, 'Yes, you can do that. Get out on the ice and do it.' She is very strict but that's for the better. Sometimes we need this."

After Worlds the couple got one week off but then resumed training. "The new free dance is almost finished except for the last 20 seconds," coach Alexander Svinin said at an exhibition gala in Moscow on May 14. But he wouldn't reveal the music yet. Khokhlova and Novitski presented a new fun exhibition program to the Russian song Not a Pair with Khokhlova dressed up and Novitski wearing an old sweater and baggy jeans.

Khokhlova has been busy since Worlds, and not just with skating. "I wrote my thesis for my coaching diploma," said the athlete. She wrote about "relationships in dance teams" and used herself and partner, as well as fellow skaters Ekaterina Rubleva and Ivan Shefer, as examples. The final exams will take place in June.

Thus far, Khokhlova and Novitski are the number two ice dancing team in Russia. It will be interesting to see what happens next season when Maxim Shabalin comes back to competition. One thing is for sure - with all of the top dance teams being so close, each of them will need excellent programs to challenge.

[florik2000]

Jana Khokhlova, Sergei Novitski: “WE’RE STEALING FROM OURSELVES”

Athletes’ summer preparations are usually beyond the attention of the press. However, it is now that the work is at its peak – the programs for the new seasons, normally secret until autumn, are now being created. I made it to the “Sokolniki” rink right when the 2008 bronze World medalists Yana Khokhlova and Sergei Novitski conducted their last ice practice before a brief summer break.

The previous season was tough for the team – in March, literally days before the most important championship of the season, it turned out they would be the main representatives of the country, as the European champions Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin were forced to withdraw due to injury. I was planning to discuss this new experience with the skaters, when Yana suddenly started talking about her dissertation.

“Can you imagine”, she laughed while taking her skates off, “we were recently tested by psychologists, and it turns out I have the lowest motivation of the whole group. Just a couple of years ago, it was the highest. I was first surprised by the results, but soon realized that it makes sense – while Sergei and I competed at a lower level, we wanted the impossible. We wanted to win. Now, we just set more realistic goals.”

“Such as?”

“Such as getting to a new level of interaction on the ice. Relationship in a team is the subject of my dissertation. It’s the subject that concerns me the most right now.”

“In your opinion, what is the most important think in those relationships?”

“First of all, being able to listen, to hear what he’s trying to tell you, to understand him. This has to happen at the level of intuition and the subconscious. This is a very sensitive interaction. I came to this realization quite recently. Demands upon athletes grow considerably upon getting to the elite level. To get the results, one needs something much greater than a perfect execution of dance elements. I have to sort of anticipate my partner’s thoughts, and to feel what he’ll do in the next moment.”

“In other words, you have to live his life as opposed to yours?”

“Basically, yes. It turns out it’s not so easy to find things in common. That’s what we’re learning right now.”

“Don’t you get tired of the constant need to respond to your partner’s expectations? It is, in some ways, rather unnatural.”

“It’s very tough, I agree.”

“Don’t you sometimes want to rebel, to do what you want and not what you have to? To just be spontaneous?”

“Of course I do. But I can wait in the name of getting the results.”

“When did you understand that this was what you needed to work on? Was there some special moment for that?”

“I got a feeling Sergei and I were missing something at the beginning of this season. We got a very memorable program; the fans took to it right away, and welcomed us with delight at every performance. However, when we competed at several events including the Worlds where we were up against the leading teams, most praise objections to our team centered on the lack of interaction. We sort of skate together, but a sense of togetherness is lacking.”

“Are you sure you would have felt this had you been the second and not the first Russian team at Worlds? If so much attention of coaches, leaders, fans, and the country weren’t so focused on you?”

“I personally got this feeling much earlier. I am glad my intuition hasn’t failed me.”

“Did it hurt to listen to all the criticism? It’s one thing to understand something yourself, and a totally different thing to hear it from strangers.”

“What’s hurtful about it? I came to a conclusion long ago that if I am to be an athlete and to strive to win, then I must strive to be head and shoulders above the competition. Constructive criticism is good. Why not work on it? We’re not invalids or anything…”

“Do you and Sergei need to practice more now?”

“I still have trouble with the amount of work ahead of us. We have just finished the choreography of the new free dance. It’s a difficult program, and we haven’t really started working on its execution yet.”

“You certainly know that you free dance from last season was very highly praised. I’d guess it’s incredibly hard to come up with a worthy program to follow that. You’d want it to be at least on the same level… Do you think you succeeded?”

“I think so.”

“How hard was the process for you?”

“I came up with the music early on. At first, I didn’t quite understand how the coaches see Sergei and me in this program, but once the dance came together I realized that they were right. The only serious problem we encountered has to do with lifts. The rules now greatly limit the elements allowed in the lifts. You then have to be creative to see how to combine moves to create visually exciting lifts. I think we managed this.”

“Are you tempted to borrow successful finds from other teams?”

“We see all kind of material while creating the program. This is not limited to the sport. Obviously, we could see something and basically pinch it. However, it is our lifts that many skaters now use as a model. We’d just be stealing from ourselves then.”

“Could you explain the reason for this incredible secrecy around new programs and music? I know figure skating has always been like that, but why?”

“It is rather a ritual and a mystery. A superstition, if you will, that you can’t reveal your program until a certain time. I fell more comfortable myself when I know that no one has yet seen our program, and can’t even guess what it will be.”

“Does this information sometimes leak?”

“In our sport, even the walls have ears. The rink we train at is full of little kids and their parents. Someone has heard or seen something, and it’s off into the great grapevine. Original information is immediately supplemented by guesses and rumors, so by then end, the very heart of the information changes beyond recognition. However, it has never been that we’d keep the program a secret, and suddenly everyone would know about it.”

“Having had time to ponder the past season, did you get a chance to see why you didn’t manage to show the best result in Göteborg?”

“The whole situation was quite unexpected for Sergei and me. Everyone got nervous the second it became known that Domnina and Shabalin won’t be at Göteborg. This especially concerned the leadership. Everyone kept discussing if we’d rise to the challenge. All those doubts were immediately relayed to us, together with a ton of advice of what we needed to change in the program. Now, what does it mean to change a program on the eve of a competition? You could break the well-practiced old now, and not get very far with the new. We chose a compromise – we agreed, nodded, tried something new, but deep down we knew we wouldn’t be changing anything. However, all this led to us being way too nervous before the free dance in Göteborg. I guess we then played it too safe…”

Once Novitski showed up in the changing room, I switched my attention to him. “Sergei, what happened with your leg?”

I got a confused look in response. “What leg?”

“The one you injured at Worlds. Or am I confusing something?”

“No, it’s t rue. I tore a knee joint on the last day of Worlds, during the exhibitions. It was a stupid injury, it happened on the low lift Yana and I haven’t practiced for a while, and the bent leg unfortunately got twisted. I got the diagnosis in Moscow, but they said I wouldn’t need a surgery, just 10 days of physical therapy. It was a great relief, because at first I was almost certain I injured the meniscus. It felt the same as when I injured the other leg two years ago and had to undergo a surgery.”

“Do you have to do a lot to safeguard your legs from possible injuries?”

“Yes. We are in a professional sport where feet, knees, and back are under great stress. You therefore have to constantly control what you do and how you do it. Before, I could play soccer a bit, for example. Now, though, I know it’s out of the question. The risk to the legs is too great. Every injury entails a long recovery period. Also, it’s a great fallacy that injuries heal for good. For example, the knee that was operated on sometimes still bothers me quite a bit. Also, old injuries have a tendency to come back at the most inopportune moments.”

“In your opinion, what changed in your team over the last year?”

“In short, we started judging ourselves and others differently. This changed our approach to work, as well as our attitude toward the work and ourselves.”

“Are you prepared to be relegated to number two again in the upcoming season?”

“I don’t think it will be a shock or a tragedy for us. In sport, you have to be ready for things like that. That same World championship showed that everything is possible in ice dance. Americans came to win, yet where did they end up?”

“Did you follow your competitors during the championships?”

“I actually never do, but I did accidentally see the Americans fall. Tanith and Ben drew one of the first numbers, and skated while we were just getting ready to leave the hotel. The TV was on, with figure skating being shown live…”

“So?”

“I even screamed of unexpectedness of it”, chimed in Yana. “My mind started racing like crazy. Sure there are falls, but not in the compulsories, right? Especially a team that clearly came to win! My first reaction, therefore, was just sock. Subconsciously, I understood that I shouldn’t go down that path. The very thought that you now have a chance can break both the mood and the concentration.”

“Me, I don’t think it’s right to think of competitors giving or not giving you a chance,” disagreed Novitski. “It’s much more important to do all you can out there, whatever is happening around you.”

“True. I can’t get out of my head the incident at the Sydney Games, when Svetlana Khorkina got stock with an improperly leveled apparatus. It got her so flustered, that she even fell in the next segment, on the bars! When the judges decided to let her redo the jump, it was quite meaningless…”

“Olympics are quite apart from all other competitions. The passions run really wild there. Especially if you’re fighting for medals.”

“How did you come to see that? You weren’t even contending for the top ten in Turin.”

“Nonetheless, during the whole competition I felt like touching the air would make it ring. Plus, Yana and I saw what was happening with those who did fight for the medals. We saw their state, and how they related to those around them.”

“In other words, you now know exactly what to expect at the Vancouver Games?”

“We know what to expect. As to how we’ll cope with it all…”

“Do you feel like stars already?”

“Well, following the Worlds we’ve just been torn to pieces. We go to some openings, we award someone, we attend events as guests… We even have our own tree at CSKA – a silver fir. It was planted for the club’s 85th anniversary. We’re constantly asked for interviews. A TV group even came to my home, and Yana cooked something along with a professional cook.

As to the athletic achievements, you must always remember that any victory is a result of many people’s labor. It’s silly to think you’ve achieved something on your own.”

As we were saying our goodbyes, I posed one more question to Khokhlova: “In sport, I’ve often seen yesterday’s friends become today’s worst enemies. Athletes are unwittingly in the middle of many people’s competing interests – coaches, choreographers, fans, etc. In addition, in figure skating the latter I think especially tend to deify their favorites and put down their competitors. Have you already started feeling that the closer to the summit you get, the rougher and tougher human relations become?”

“I’m getting that feeling”, admitted Yana.

“Does it get in the way of living your life?”

“Humans adapt to anything. This, too. Of course, it hurts at first. But what else am I to do?”

[madalina18]

pot sa spun....in sfarsiiiiiiit!
pt ei ma bucur cel mai tare!

[Iulya]

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/...pN5df/610x.jpg
http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/...Z41fs/340x.jpg
http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/...vt2cv/610x.jpg
http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/...Nsg22/610x.jpg

[madalina18]

Ms mult de poze....superbi la gala,ca de obicei!

[ricochet4]

Jana cu parul intins. Yummy. Cred ca o prinde cel mai bine.

[madalina18]

Da si mie mi-am placut....ii sta mai bine cu parul intins!

[irinaidu]

gala dupa fostul fd e superba !!!!

[Iulya]

Un vid de la antrenamente:
http://www.championat.tv/video/818.html

[mikeyy]

Multumesc Iulia...mi-a placut. Pare a fi o atmosfera ok in timpul antrenamentelor!

[Iulya]

Site-ul lor oficial:
http://khokhlova-novitski.com/
Din pacate e doar in rusa inca

[iris_for_daria]

Jana si Sergei din pacate s-au despartit la sfarsitul lunii aprilie, iar acum cica s-ar face un adevarat casting pentru ai gasi Janei un alt partener. Despartirea a survenit se pare ca in urma problemelor la genunchi ale lui Sergei pentru care acesta se retrage.
Am aflat asta mai in urma cu vreo saptamana dar am sperat sa nu fie adevarat, insa acum, am gasit si pe alt forum aceeasi veste, astfel ca m-am gandit ca nu mai e doar un zvon, ci e cat se poate de concret.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergei_Novitski
http://www.fsvids.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=5248

[andreeas]

am citit si eu asta pe alte forumuri, dar eu sper sa nu fie adevarat.
patinajul din europa in proba de dans este in pom in acest moment.

[iris_for_daria]

http://www.sport-express.ru/newspaper/2010-05-04/11_1/

Si traducerea de pe google: nu e ideala dar...decat nimic
http://translate.google.ro/translate...5-04%2F11_1%2F

[ice_girl]

http://translate.googleusercontent.c...4K26A4JNe-SBFA
http://translate.googleusercontent.c...NCeM33yxT2_IHg
http://translate.googleusercontent.c...fm99C_pDXm8gYg

[ricochet4]

patinajul din europa in proba de dans este in pom in acest moment.

Si pomul in aer.

[Tracoromana]

Frumosul Fedor Andreev si mandra mama.

http://i.fanpix.net/images/orig/b/c/...athnuccbkn.jpg


Fedor Andreev - Skater, Drifter, Model and Actor:
http://fedor-andreev.com/
http://www.fanpix.net/gallery/fedor-...v-pictures.htm

Am incredere in Zueva/Shpilband, dar Fedor se imparte intre prea multe preocupari. Si apoi el este patinator individual, o fi stapanind si tehnica de la Ice Dance? Sper ca totul sa fie inspre binele Janei Khokhlova. Nu ma omor eu dupa stilul ei, dar a muncit mult, are rezultate si merita sa mai aiba un viitor in dans; chiar n-as vrea sa se piarda.

[iris_for_daria]

Frumosul Fedor Andreev si mandra mama.

http://i.fanpix.net/images/orig/b/c/...athnuccbkn.jpg

Ca bine zici Flavia, cu adevarat frumos, mai ales in poza asta !

P.S. Imi place semnatura ta !

[SimonaB]

Frumos baiatul, nu am ce zice. Sa speram ca va face o branza. Apropo de semnatura si mie imi place, dar ar trebui sa scoti cine a zis-o, nu e nicio mandrie sa fii laudat de tipul ala, crede-ma!!!!

[Tracoromana]

Da, ma bucur ca va place semnatura mea, inseamna ca va place si subiectul; acuma eu am l-am scris pe cel care a facut afirmatia, sa nu se creada ca imi apartine mie; eu sunt doar 100% de acord cu ea si atat.

[mikeyy]

Jana va patina cu Andreev?
Si Zueva antrenoare?

Ce sa zic...interesant!
Mie imi placea perechea Jana/Sergei. Imi pare rau pt Sergei, dar ma bucur ca Jana s-a indreptat spre Zueva, dar...cu Andreev?
Sper sa fie bine pt Jana!