OKSANA GRISHUK

WE ARE THE BEST LOOKING PAIR

Interview with Oxana Grischuk by a correspondent of Russian Language publication “Utro.Ru” Alexander Shestopalov (AS) published on September 4, 2007.

Introduction: An outstanding Russian sportswoman Oxana Grishchuk (OG), the only figure skater in history to win two Olympic Games in Ice Dancing (Ed. note: Oksana obviously did not win alone, Evgeny Platov also has two Olympic Gold medals in ice dancing), lives and works in the USA and participates in the Russian Ice Show “ Ice Dancing, the Velvet Season”.

We asked her about the show, about her work in the States and about her future.

AS – Last year you, in pair with an actor Peter Krasilov in the Ice Dancing Show, were voted number one by the spectators. How difficult will it be in the new season to defend that title and how strong is your competition?

OG – I did not come here to win. Of course winning in any competition is nice, but it is not the main reason. The main reason for me to participate in this show is to meet new interesting people. I like very much the creative process itself. I am an artist. I know that many fans of figure skating are waiting for me and my partner to come out on the ice. It will be a happy occasion for them to see us on ice. I also feel nice that our fans will see us on the ice and we all will be happy together.

AS – In the new season of Ice Dancing you will skate again with a Peter, but this time not Krasiliov, but with Peter Dranga. It seems that your pair is prone to falls, and even you, two time Olympic Champion, are having troubles on this devious ice. Could you tell us more about that?

OG – I would not say that we are prone to falls. We are practicing, and when we are performing complex elements, we naturally sometimes fall down, but at the actual performance we are not planning to fall down. Although, once I really became dizzy and fell down when I saw a terrible picture of myself in a magazine.

AS – Really?

OG – I was kidding.

AS – The admirers of Ice Dancing in different forums call your pair with Dranga the best looking pair. Do you mind this “label”?

OG – I do not mind it at all. I heard about it and I liked it. We are really a very good looking pair. More over, we have very good relations.

AS – In October of 2006 during the Gala of Ice Dancing Show you came out on ice with Evgeny Platov. Will the spectators see again this greatest duet in the history of figure skating?

OG – Actually they saw us already. A month after that concert we taped the New Year Eve show and a week ago we danced together at the Gala opening of this season of Ice Dancing. We hope that we made our spectators happy, and we were happy ourselves.

AS – You are acting as a choreographer and a coach of the pair from California – Rena Inoue and John Baldwin, who were number eight in the last World’s Championship. What can you tell us about the perspectives of this pair, and did you think of coming back to Russia from the USA and to prepare a Russian couple for the 2014 Olympics in Sochi.

OG – How did you find out that I coached that pair?

AS – From the official site of the International Skaters Union.

OG – Unbelievable.

AS – Is this information wrong?

OG – I did work with them this season. I produced their program, but it was after the season of competitions. There were some talks about continuing to work with me, because they liked my work, and now they went on the tour of US with that program, but I do not know yet if I am ready to be their coach. It is too early to talk about becoming a coach. I have more of my own projects.

AS – Which ones?

OG – Ice Dancing. The others are still secret. I do not want to talk about them as not to jinx them.

AS – And what about coaching in Russia?

OG – To be honest with you – I do not want to become a coach. I can help, but I do not want to be on ice from dawn to dusk and to be away from family.

AS – The World Championship of 2008 will be in Geteborg. Would you think that it will be better for the Russians than the last one in Japan? And how do you see the Russian figure skating these days?

OG – To be honest I did not see much of the last World’s Championship. And in general, the last few years I was not really following figure skating as to make any statement. I see it as a plus – I can take care of my family. My child is the most important thing in my life. In my professional career I reached everything and even more, that is why I am doing now what I am interested in, including the projects that require travel.

AS – Is your daughter Skyler-Grace a figure skater? Do you plan for her a future as a sportswoman?

OG – My daughter does a bit of everything. She skates, swims, plays tennis, dances and even participates in equestrian sport. We both love horses and we often ride them. We live in California and there are stables nearby that we often visit. It is too early to say what she will be doing, but it seems that she will have to forget about figure skating. It looks like she will be too tall for skating. She likes more to sing and to dance and it is possible that she will become a model.