In the fall of 2022, Russian rhythmic gymnastics has a new face. The images of the beauties Dina and Arina Averin, Lala Kramarenko are perfect and thought out like those of Hollywood stars thanks to Natasha Dolotov. The stylist has been responsible for make-up and hairstyles for the best gymnasts of the Russian national team for more than six months. Previously, there was no such specialist in the team, although the need for him is very high.
In an interview with Sport, Dolotov told how in a short time she became “one of her own” in a closed gymnastics environment, why she became strongly attached to gymnasts, the idea of dyeing Lala Kramarenko’s hair with silver acrylic and the dangers of such a trend.
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—How did it all begin?
— I came myself (laughs). Once I wrote to the manager of Lala Kramarenko about a creative photo shoot with makeup. She replied that Lala was very busy, so it would not work. Soon our creative photo shoot with Yana Kudryavtseva came out. It was at the beginning of September. Just a few hours later, the manager wrote to me: “Could you collect Lala for the gala concert on September 9?” She liked my work with Yana so much that she decided to trust me. And somehow it all quickly spun: a concert, the Spartakiad. Irina Alexandrovna Viner, as a person who makes decisions quickly, immediately offered me a contract with the national team. Russian team in rhythmic gymnastics? I'm on the list of the national team.
—In your place, I think, many colleagues would dream of being. It's such an endless market.
— I never considered it a market. I hope I won't. Everything was and is safe for me, there is no shortage of work. I have been in ballroom dancing for many years. My native sphere, because only in 2016 I completed my career as an athlete. I worked as a makeup artist for 11 years to pay for training. There is no state funding at all in dancing, everything is on the shoulders of parents and athletes.
It’s just that my daughter has been doing rhythmic gymnastics for a year, she began to have competitions. Tournaments all intersect in time with my affairs. So the choice arose — either I'm at work, or with her.Gymnastics has always been interesting to me. One and a half minutes on the carpet, and what a performance! Rare beauty. But I have professional deformation turned on. I always give this example: imagine that you are looking at a gymnast through the eyes of a camera that goes up from below. Here are beautiful half-toes, slender legs of unreal beauty, a tan, a swimsuit as a separate art form. And the make-up… Well, it's a bit different from everything else in terms of level.
— It seems to me that the gymnasts didn't pay much attention to it before. They just tried to make it beautiful, as best they can.
“I never said it was inappropriate, by no means. It was usually nice and neat, just ill-conceived and the same for everyone. Stars shouldn't be like this. Indeed, it was simply ignored before. And I did.
— Irina Viner, I suppose, makes an indelible impression on the newcomers who work with her. What is it like for you?
— She is a person of unbending will, an example for me in relation to work. Well, just a great woman who made a brand like Russian ballet out of rhythmic gymnastics.
— Are you also responsible for Irina Alexandrovna's makeup and hairstyles?
br>- Girls are always a priority if this is some kind of national team event. Usually there is a lot of work at competitions and concerts. But we also collect Irina Alexandrovna whenever possible.
There was a funny incident recently. I was preparing the girls for the start, we are sitting with Dina Averina. We have already made up, we are braiding — we are finishing. Irina Alexandrovna calls and says: “Where are you?” I answer: «In Luzhniki». I tell you that there are still Lala, Anya Popova, Masha Borisova. “Well, let the girls go out for dinner, and you pick me up.” We all had time — and Irina Alexandrovna came out with makeup and combed, and girls. But for all the months this is the only such spontaneous case. Usually we plan everything in advance with her or her assistant. Do you as a professional have something to answer?
People can say what they want, it's their right. Sometimes criticism is justified. But in general, we must not forget that we practically have a theater. We will not make claims to the artist of the performance for the make-up and costume that the role requires.
The carpet is a stage with an abundance of light and spectators who sit far away. Makeup should be readable and visible. Yes, it can really be brighter than we used to paint for life. Today, for example, I came to you without a parade — I got up very early, plus I worked in the morning. But when she went out on the floor as a ballroom, she looked completely different. Dancing, rhythmic gymnastics, all such sports have their own aesthetics and perceptions. This must be taken into account. Two factors must be combined — relevance and individuality. Everyone can't look the same, so someone will stand out anyway. And it's not bad.
— You work with all the girls, but you are associated primarily with the new style of Lala Kramarenko. What is she like?- Lala is a fire-fire. She is a star in her own right. Maybe not in perfect shape and in a bad mood, but he will go and do it. And it will look amazing. I also really appreciate that she is not afraid of experiments. You know, I didn't believe in the signs of the zodiac before. But my daughter is a Sagittarius and Lala too. This is such a character when everything is needed now, without delay and compromise. In a good way. I'm not talking about selfishness, but about purposefulness.
— Tell us about Lala's “silver head” —the most talked about image of gymnasts in recent times. How did you come up with this?
— We then thought of one new image, but it did not fit on the first day. The ball in the program lay on the head, and the image was with volume on the crown.
Lale, apparently, was not bright enough. She writes to me in the evening of the first day: “Natasha, I want to surprise everyone.” Athletes have such a moral state when you just want to surprise.We start throwing ideas, one of which is to dye your hair. She says: «I want to be blonde, remember, you had a spray can?» I say: «You will not take on thick black hair.» One spray is not enough, you need twenty-one. She says: «And if in red?» I send her a site with professional paints. Office on Smolenskaya, they work from 9-10, so in theory they can send us paint by courier.
— You really were ready for all these finds with a courier and hasty hair dyeing?
— I'm also an athlete in fact. We continue to discuss. She says, «Have you ever dyed your hair with acrylics?» “No, never in my life. But, in theory, nothing should be bad, because there is a barrier in the form of a gel on the head.” On this note, at 11 pm we parted ways.The next day I arrived at the Palace before Lala. At 9 a.m., what I call a “puhan” comes to me — a man in a down jacket with such a (Natasha shows something very large with her hands — approx.) Hood. And with the words “Natasha, forgive me,” raises the hood. And there is a silver head!
She dyed her hair with acrylics. And since this is not professional paint, it does not lie flat everywhere. I planted her, glued her hair with stones, so that everything looked beautiful from the carpet.
— This is what I understand: a person has invested in his image.
< br>“Everything was styled with a specific swimsuit and looked cool. The problem is that on this day there was another program that probably didn't harmonize so much with the image.
— How justified are such experiments before the start?
— Realizing that this is an important competition, I still would not do that. You can experiment on the show. On the other hand, we had a goal to get attention and stand out — it worked out 100%. The only thing I still worry about is the followers of our experiment.
—Do you think that the image is replicated?
“Often, children, looking at idols on the carpet, fall in love with their images and then try to copy them for themselves. I wouldn't want this. Because few people in terms of energy, charisma, and even in terms of professionalism will be able to present it like Lala. I hope the image will not be promoted by the mothers of 5-6 year old gymnasts. They should sleep more peacefully before the competition, and not 3 hours before training, start doing their hair and paint over it with acrylic.
— Was the reaction among the fans mixed?
— There were a lot of discussions in publics and channels. My ears were on fire! (laughs) I even googled “why my ears are on fire”. Well, what can I say — I'm discovering a new audience. I love that they are all so active. I try to read as much as possible, I answer someone. It cannot be compared with ballroom dancing at all — there is still such, as I call it, “sports”. Thing in itself. People train, dance, win, but few outsiders are interested in it. In gymnastics, thousands of eyes are looking at our girls, following their fate. They are not indifferent to swimwear, hairstyles and many other sports-related things.
The view of a person from the outside, but still in the subject. It is very difficult to get into the closed world of gymnasts and it is even more difficult to become “one of your own” in it. They are not very willing to accept strangers. You've done it in a fairly short amount of time. Why do you think?
— I don’t know, maybe because I came with burning eyes. I have a passion for work. It's not enough just to love her, passion is needed here.For example, do you remember the curl of Lala from Sochi? Everyone discussed it, and this was the wish of Irina Alexandrovna. To make it flexible, it fell on some programs, removed it on some. And it is unrealistic to unwind the hair, and this is the final, eight athletes. I still need to get dressed and practice. Therefore, the solution is complex and was thought up in the evening. Perhaps this is also the reason for Irina Aleksandrovna's trust — whatever you say to me, I'll think of it and do it.
The girls and I can bring each other coffee not to “oh, look how good I am”, but because we became friends and treat each other warmly. They are having a hard time. Here, for example, on the «Hopes of Russia» start at 8 am. So, at 4 in the morning, someone should already come to get ready. And so for several days in a row.
Since I was on the other side, in the place of an athlete, I understand them well. I know what I would like to hear. And I know that the last thing you want to do at 4 in the morning is draw arrows for yourself (laughs). It's already up to the ears, but it still doesn't work, you're freaking out. And before the start, this is superfluous, you need to be in balance. At the same time, a failed arrow is normal, because drawing arrows evenly is not the profession of gymnasts, they are otherwise the best in the world. As a professional, I can give them beauty, self-confidence.
During the work, you recognize the gymnasts not from the side of a strong and strong-willed, but from the inside of the carpet, as it were. That there was an injury somewhere, that it was difficult, something hurts. And then you admire the fact that none of this is visible on the carpet.
We have such our own atmosphere. We do not just mechanically do the work. It seems to me that this is some new level of passion for my work and the people who surround me.