Interview with
Albena Denkova and Maxim Staviski
Part 2
Interview and photos © by Céline
Oreiller and Jacqueline Zibung
What
is your opinion of the Code of Points?
M: The Code of Points is not bad, but since it's
new there are some problems and I hope that they
will be corrected for next year. I always say that
you can find strengths in each system, but then
you have to know how to use it.
A: The rules are very restrictive which makes it
hard to do something different because then you
won't have a high enough level on the elements,
so basically everyone does the same lifts, the same
spins... We've done 5 competitions this season and
seen most of the dancers, and some couples just
have one element after another and hardly any choreography.
But who cares about choreography actually? Nobody
needs it if the lifts are level 4. I think this
is the thing that has to be improved with this new
system…
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Which compulsory
dance is your favorite?
M: We like the tango.
A: Tango romantica, Argentine tango… The golden waltz isn't
bad either.
M: Mmmh…
A: We will see at Europeans! *laughs*
Some people
want to do away with the compulsory dances, what do you think
about that?
M: No, the compulsory dances improve the skating skills.
A: … and they really show how good the couples are…
M: … and who can skate and who can't.
Dortmund
2004 - FD practice |
Which
is your own all time favorite program?
M: Last year's Händel.
A: And maybe also the baroque original dance and the
tango we skated to in the Olympic year.
M: We actually like each program. If there was a program
we didn't like, we wouldn't keep it. All programs
are different and we like them all.
And do you
have a special memory, like an event where you skated
really well and were very happy with?
A: Last year was a very good season for us and the
World Championships in Dortmund will always be a special
memory. We skated very well, and it was amazing to
see how the audience responded to our programs and
stood up after we skated. This is the kind of thing
that the competitors remember, not only the medals… |
Not only the medals… yet many skaters would trade whatever
world medals they have for an Olympic medal, is that the case
for you?
A: No, but of course we will try to be on the podium at the
Olympics next year. We understand that it will be very hard,
but we will do our best and hope that everything will be fine.
We cannot plan or expect anything now, because it will all
depend on the programs we and our competitors will have. Maybe
Navka and Kostomarov will come up with a wonderful program
– or any other top couple, it doesn't matter who. So you never
know, but we will train hard and we will fight for a medal,
and which color – well, we hope for the best! *laughs*
| Despite
your fame, you often skate at smaller exhibitions
and competitions, like here in Villars or at the Bofrost
Cup. Is there a special reason for this?
A: And we
also always do the Finlandia Trophy. It's very nice
to do such events. We know that we have a lot of fans
in Germany for example, that's why we decided to go
there. This is one of the competitions we've done,
I don't know, 3-4-5 times maybe?
M: Actually, the fact that we skate everywhere is
probably one of the reasons why we have a lot of fans. |
Exhibition
in Villars, Switzerland |
Did you ever
think that you would actually become so good and so famous?
A: No!
M: No, of course not. I think each sportsman, each man dreams
of becoming good and famous, but we never expected that it
would happen to us!
How many autograph
cards do you give out to your fans each year?
A: I don't know, I run out of cards all the time, it must
be thousands a year. But it's a pleasure for us and it's nice
to know that people want to have our cards and autographs.
We also have calendars and we will do a new one for 2005,
which we will hopefully bring to the Europeans!
Albena, you
are one of very few top skaters with a university degree –
in economics. How did you manage to study and keep up your
training routines?
A: It was not very hard, because I graduated from the university
after our first or second year together, and we didn't practice
that much at that time. I'm glad I did this; it's very helpful
to have this education.
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Would
you like to work in business someday?
A: Maybe, but I would not be something like an economist
or – how do you say? – the one who counts the money.
This is not my profession; I will do something more
artistic, more creative.
M: I don't know if she really studied economics actually,
because she can't count! You know, the twizzles are
just 4 turns, but she always does 3 or 5. Very difficult
– 1, 2, 3, 4…
But you
can count right…
M: Yeah, of course, I can count, I can count to 4! |
So apart from
the fact that he can count, Albena, how would you describe
Maxim?
A: CRAZY!
M: Who, me?... No, impossible!
A: Well, he's very funny, smiling all the time, very optimistic,
careless… On the ice we are both very serious but sometimes
he's more impatient, he wants everything to be perfect the
first time. He also talks too much and is always doing silly
things.
And the other
way around? What is Albena like?
M: Albena talks too much of course, always very serious...
A: Be careful what you say!
M: Sometimes she's very pessimistic, and sometimes… Mmmh,
no, she's a good girl!
A: Good? That's it?
M: Well, she's nice, she's very funny, talented…
A: Davay, davay! (Keep going!)
M: …
A: OK, no more compliments for him today! *laughs*
No more compliments maybe, but after such a nice chat with
this adorable couple, some gifts and - of course - all our
best wishes for the coming European and World Championships!
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