NATALIA DUBOVA
NATALJA DUBOVA (ND) HOPED TO BRING UP THE KAZAKH PAIR
Interview by Nuraj MUKADES (NM) a correspondent of the Russian Language Newspaper "Karavan', printed on April 8, 2005.
My colleagues/journalists stated that to take an interview from Natalia Dubova was very difficult. That means that we managed to achieve the impossible. Our conversation started just by itself, easy. We talked about the work of a trainer outside Russia and the development of Kazakh figure skating.
During the training session by Dubova of her Chinese duet Fang Young and Chongbo Gao - we approached Natalia Dubova and her pupils and simply wished them good luck. She glanced at our accreditations and, seeing a flag of Kazakhstan, begun the conversation herself:
ND - It is a pity that this year nobody was representing Kazakhstan at the world championship. The problem was that your Federation of figure skating and the Olympic committee decided to present only Kazakh sportsmen. It is insulting, because we prepared a wonderful pair which we hoped to present in Moscow, but they did not skate. And before that, for many years, we had the talented pair of Elizabeta Stekolnikova and Dmitry Kazarlyga, who represented your country. They actively participated in the worlds and Asian championships and won gold medals. We hoped that we would have a new Kazakh pair, but - alas, it was not to be.
NM- Do you consider it a normal phenomenon when representatives of other countries compete for this or that country?
ND - Yes, it is normal. In the past many leading trainers tried to help the development of figure skating in other republics of the former USSR. There were cases when Russians who did not get on the Russian national team, performed for this or that republic. It served as a good stimulus to develop national sports and to bring other figure skaters up to the level of leaders. It helps not only federations, but also the Asian competitions. In fact, seeing significant growth of the general condition of sports, the ISU granted some subsidies.
NM- If earlier Asian sportsmen seemed on ice as inharmonious, now they compete as equals with the European stars. Does the Chinese pair feel the influence of the Russian school?
ND - Yes, it is quite possible. Russian speaking trainers are present practically in all the world teams. Our Chinese pair took much from the Soviet-Russian school. They look perfect!
NM- Tell me, do you train foreigners and Russians with the same spirit?
ND- Yes. I absolutely do not have this division, because for a long time I have been engaged with figure skaters from foreign countries. Let's remember a doctor when a patient comes to him, is he interested in the patient’s nationality for establishing diagnosis? Same here, professionals should always be professionals. It is another question if it seriously disturbs you. Then it is not necessary to undertake to work with foreign sportsmen. But if you started it, be kind and finish the work.
NM- How fast have you and your family managed to learn the English language?
ND- We have lived in America for 12 years now, learning the language came slowly. Our son studied English when was still just a small child. Therefore to him it was easier in the new environment. He studied English in a special school in Moscow. Then simply life forced us to speak English.
NM- How fast was your adaptation in America?
ND- What does the concept of "adaptation" mean? We learn to live, we pass through mistakes. But every year the number of these mistakes becomes lesser and lesser. Recently there was a very curious exhibition in New York’s Central Park under the name "The Gates" where two designers exposed (hundreds of orange) flags and called it art. But the essence was something else. Being among people, I realized, that after September 11th, it was the first day of consolidation of people. I came back home and understood, that it probably was an adaptation - when the ups and downs of a country are perceived by you as your own.
Translated by G. Sivorinovsky
Web Translations in Real Time
GSivorinov@aol.com
Interview by Nuraj MUKADES (NM) a correspondent of the Russian Language Newspaper "Karavan', printed on April 8, 2005.
My colleagues/journalists stated that to take an interview from Natalia Dubova was very difficult. That means that we managed to achieve the impossible. Our conversation started just by itself, easy. We talked about the work of a trainer outside Russia and the development of Kazakh figure skating.
During the training session by Dubova of her Chinese duet Fang Young and Chongbo Gao - we approached Natalia Dubova and her pupils and simply wished them good luck. She glanced at our accreditations and, seeing a flag of Kazakhstan, begun the conversation herself:
ND - It is a pity that this year nobody was representing Kazakhstan at the world championship. The problem was that your Federation of figure skating and the Olympic committee decided to present only Kazakh sportsmen. It is insulting, because we prepared a wonderful pair which we hoped to present in Moscow, but they did not skate. And before that, for many years, we had the talented pair of Elizabeta Stekolnikova and Dmitry Kazarlyga, who represented your country. They actively participated in the worlds and Asian championships and won gold medals. We hoped that we would have a new Kazakh pair, but - alas, it was not to be.
NM- Do you consider it a normal phenomenon when representatives of other countries compete for this or that country?
ND - Yes, it is normal. In the past many leading trainers tried to help the development of figure skating in other republics of the former USSR. There were cases when Russians who did not get on the Russian national team, performed for this or that republic. It served as a good stimulus to develop national sports and to bring other figure skaters up to the level of leaders. It helps not only federations, but also the Asian competitions. In fact, seeing significant growth of the general condition of sports, the ISU granted some subsidies.
NM- If earlier Asian sportsmen seemed on ice as inharmonious, now they compete as equals with the European stars. Does the Chinese pair feel the influence of the Russian school?
ND - Yes, it is quite possible. Russian speaking trainers are present practically in all the world teams. Our Chinese pair took much from the Soviet-Russian school. They look perfect!
NM- Tell me, do you train foreigners and Russians with the same spirit?
ND- Yes. I absolutely do not have this division, because for a long time I have been engaged with figure skaters from foreign countries. Let's remember a doctor when a patient comes to him, is he interested in the patient’s nationality for establishing diagnosis? Same here, professionals should always be professionals. It is another question if it seriously disturbs you. Then it is not necessary to undertake to work with foreign sportsmen. But if you started it, be kind and finish the work.
NM- How fast have you and your family managed to learn the English language?
ND- We have lived in America for 12 years now, learning the language came slowly. Our son studied English when was still just a small child. Therefore to him it was easier in the new environment. He studied English in a special school in Moscow. Then simply life forced us to speak English.
NM- How fast was your adaptation in America?
ND- What does the concept of "adaptation" mean? We learn to live, we pass through mistakes. But every year the number of these mistakes becomes lesser and lesser. Recently there was a very curious exhibition in New York’s Central Park under the name "The Gates" where two designers exposed (hundreds of orange) flags and called it art. But the essence was something else. Being among people, I realized, that after September 11th, it was the first day of consolidation of people. I came back home and understood, that it probably was an adaptation - when the ups and downs of a country are perceived by you as your own.
Translated by G. Sivorinovsky
Web Translations in Real Time
GSivorinov@aol.com
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