Daniil Gleikhengauz: “To avoid running out of inspiration, you need to continuously seek sources and develop ideas throughout the year. I watch an enormous number of films, musicals, performances, and listen to every new soundtrack.”
Interview with Daniil Gleikhengauz.
source: TASS dd. April 9th by Daria Kuznetsova
In an interview with TASS, Eteri Tutberidze’s group choreographer Daniil Gleikhengauz shared his thoughts on the admission of Russian figure skaters to Olympic qualification events and reflected on the past season. Here’s a translation of his comments.
“Q: The season has come to an end. What aspects were you satisfied or dissatisfied with?
Daniil Gleikhengauz: Overall, it was a decent season, but there have been better ones in our coaching career. Not everything went according to plan, but we understand what we need to work on and what needs to be corrected to address some of the shortcomings we faced this season. We hope that the next season will be even better or simply better.
Q: Where does the inspiration for program choreography usually come from?
Daniil Gleikhengauz: Inspiration is just that: unpredictable. You never know when it will strike or where it will come from. As I’ve said before, it can happen anywhere or in any way. Naturally, I put in a lot of effort to make it happen — I watch an enormous number of films, musicals, performances, and listen to every new soundtrack from seasonal movies each year. I go through everything related to the Oscars and TV series, as well as classic works. To find inspiration, you need to dedicate time to broadening your horizons.
Q: Do you often face a lack of inspiration?
Daniil Gleikhengauz: To avoid running out of inspiration, you need to continuously seek sources and develop ideas throughout the year. The only time a lack of inspiration might occur is when there’s intensive choreography work, like creating all the skaters’ programs for the season. During that period, physical fatigue accumulates. Trying to come up with new ideas during such moments is challenging, though it does happen. That’s why it’s important to build a yearlong “reservoir” of ideas — music, concepts — so that when the time comes for choreography, you already have a clear understanding of what you want to achieve.
Q: How do you handle criticism of your programs?
Daniil Gleikhengauz: Honestly, I approach criticism calmly, and I believe that’s the right way to handle it. Criticism is essential. If people critique programs constructively — sharing what worked and what didn’t, without personal hostility, insulting athletes, or demeaning anyone — it can actually be beneficial. Properly responding to such feedback helps you improve and grow.
Q: What was your experience working with Russian-language songs in routines, and do you plan to use Russian lyrics again?
Daniil Gleikhengauz: Adelia Petrosyan’s short program worked wonderfully for her and helped her mature throughout the season. As for Sofia Akatieva’s free skate, when she performed it cleanly, the program was effective as well. So yes, I enjoyed working with Russian-language lyrics — it went great. However, to be honest, if we return to international competitions, I don’t think I’ll use Russian lyrics in the programs, at least for now.
Q: Each year, ultra-C elements seem to be learned at younger ages. What’s your view on this trend?
Daniil Gleikhengauz: I don’t see a significant trend toward younger ages for learning quads. With Sasha Trusova, Anna Shcherbakova, Kamila Valieva, and other athletes in our group, we started training quads around the same age as today’s skaters, perhaps differing by just a year or so. With the raising of age limits, there may even be a shift where skaters learn these jumps later rather than sooner.
Q: Will preparation change during this offseason due to the hope of returning to international competitions?
Daniil Gleikhengauz: Not significantly, as international competitions will likely only involve a few athletes from Russia. Their preparation might differ from the rest, as they’ll need to be in peak form by September to deliver strong performances and earn Olympic quotas.
Q: Regarding Olympic qualification, do your thoughts lean more toward optimism or concern?
Daniil Gleikhengauz: I want to believe that all of our strongest athletes will be allowed to participate in the qualification and secure quotas for the Olympic Games.
Q: Were you initially surprised by the decision to give just one quota?
Daniil Gleikhengauz: No, it was clear that after missing several seasons, we couldn’t expect more than one quota in each discipline — it’s simply the way the rules work.
Q: How do you think international skaters and coaches will react to the return of Russian athletes?
Daniil Gleikhengauz: It’s hard for me to judge, but I think some will welcome it. Friends and those who view figure skating as a sport, art, and creativity will be glad to see strong competitors again. Of course, some countries will be displeased with our return, but that’s not the main concern. The priority is to return to the international stage — whether others are happy or unhappy doesn’t matter.
Q: After three domestic-only seasons, how well do you think Russian figure skating has held up?
Daniil Gleikhengauz: I think we’ve held up well and shown resilience. The federation and Channel One have done a lot to maintain interest in figure skating among both fans and athletes. It was a challenging period, but I believe it’s coming to an end, and things will improve moving forward.
Q: Has interest in figure skating diminished during this period?
Daniil Gleikhengauz: Based on packed venues at competitions and shows, it’s clear that interest hasn’t dropped. However, it can’t continue indefinitely. For the less engaged audience, international titles — like World and Olympic champions — are necessary to sustain excitement and fill arenas.
Q: Coaches are often asked about how skaters are coping with suspension, but how do you cope during this time?
Daniil Gleikhengauz: For me, it’s somewhat of a grueling process. This level of work would be hard to sustain indefinitely. You have to first motivate yourself, then the athlete, and expend a huge amount of energy to ensure the skater doesn’t lose motivation. It’s demanding both emotionally and physically. I believe it will get easier going forward.”
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