br>
While local journalists in Chelyabinsk are looking for Olympic champion Anna Shcherbakova at the Russian Championship, she is busy with completely different things affairs in Moscow. Actually, like the Olympic champions in the team tournament, Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov. On Friday, the skaters took part in the premiere of Tatyana Navka’s ice show “Evenings on the Farm.” Why figure skaters should not be condemned for a pause in their career and active participation in the show, in the material Sport.
The post-Olympic season always results in the loss of one or even several leaders in figure skating. But the losses in the 2023/24 season turned out to be much larger than expected. Of course, the exclusion of Russian athletes from international tournaments also had a significant impact, but fans still continued to believe that an increase in the number of competitions within the country and increased fees could prolong the careers of figure skaters. However, neither for Shcherbakova, nor for Sinitsina and Katsalapov, nor for Alexandra Trusova, and even for Evgenia Morozova and Vladimir Tarasov, who lasted a little longer than others, this did not become a proper incentive. Therefore, now they can be seen actively participating in various projects.
But their decision can be treated with understanding. Whatever the athletes say, it is important for each of them to stand on the podium. Medals are material evidence that shows that daily hellish work is not in vain. But every athlete also wants to develop and at some point winning the Russian Championship for the fourth time becomes uninteresting. Especially when there are continuous temptations around in the form of various contracts, numerous projects and events, and ice shows will bring much more in material terms with less physical effort. At the same time, you should not treat ice shows as something secondary. Recently they have reached such a high level that you can’t even imagine what the creators will show you next.
«
Navka's shows occupy one of the fundamental places in this niche. And if anyone might think that the frequent number of performances affects attendance, they would be very mistaken. On Friday there was not a single empty seat in the Megasport arena. In terms of occupancy, this is comparable to the same Russian championship with which we started. Therefore, the phrase of the Honored Trainer of the USSR Tatyana Tarasova is suitable for both events: “The hall is full, only there are no people on the ceiling. Lord, thank you for loving us so much,” she said on Channel One.
The first thing that caught your eye upon entering the arena was the number of decorations that immediately immersed the audience in an atmosphere of magic. Indeed, a lot of attention was paid to the scenery and special effects in the show. Either the spectators are immersed in the atmosphere of the fair, then the devil crawls out of the magic mirror, then a living fire breaks out right on the ice and the fakirs skillfully play with it. Navka herself appeared before the audience from under the ceiling in the image of Catherine II. Together with Pyotr Chernyshev, they performed a joint dance, showing complex dance lifts. At some point, for convenience, Navka had to get rid of her voluminous skirt, remaining in just pantaloons. But soon the maids dressed her in a real imperial dress.
Navka, like a real fashionista, paid special attention to the costumes. They played one of the most important roles in the show, transporting viewers from one magical space to another. With the help of outfits, the images of Sinitsina in the role of Oksana and Shcherbakova in the role of Odarka were also enhanced. Sinitsina performed in a pale blue dress, which suited her color type very well and gave her a special tenderness. In Shcherbakova’s costume, on the contrary, brown color predominated, which added drama from unrequited love for Vakula.
But a fairy tale is meant to have a happy ending, so each of the heroines found her love. And let's assume that ice shows are the very happy ending for those who have already said everything they could in sports, and now continue to delight their fans, but in a slightly different way.