Andrei Bagin: “There’s this overall vibe of sloppiness. Dancers show up in stretched-out tracksuits, cheap leggings, or socks with cartoon ducks. Nikolai Morozov once told me ‘You don’t look like a skater – you look like a alcoholic.'”
Andrei Bagin shares thoughts on ice dance: creativity, challenges, and room for improvement.
original source: RSport dd. June 11th by Sergei Astakhov
In an insightful discussion, former ice dancer Andrei Bagin, who previously skated with Annabelle Morozov, reflects on the state of ice dance both in Russia and globally. Candidly addressing his preferences, frustrations, and hopes for the discipline, Bagin emphasizes the need for originality and higher quality performances. Here’s a translation.
On Following Leaders vs. Embracing Individuality
“We all tend to chase after the leaders, trying to reach their level or imitate them. I’ve done it too,” Bagin admitted. “Whether consciously or not, skaters like Egor Bazin, myself, and others often looked up to the top pairs. I used to watch Nikita [Katsalapov] every evening, analyzing his movements and attempting to replicate them. But about a year and a half ago, I realized I should’ve been doing something uniquely my own instead. Sure, take inspiration from the best, but adapt it to suit yourself.”
One such regret for Bagin was skating to Rachmaninoff with his another partner Sofia Tyutyunina: “In hindsight, I don’t think we should’ve done that.”
On Quality in Ice Dance
Bagin praised certain programs that stood out to him, such as Irina Khavronina and David Narizhny’s free dance: “People criticize it, calling it boring, but I don’t see why. I actually prefer slower programs. Sure, faster programs demand more versatility from the skater, but let’s be honest — when some average pairs come out and skate to generic music like Michael Jackson or some other upbeat, flashy track, it feels forgettable, like empty calories. What I want is a quality product.”
When asked why there seems to be less high-quality choreography in ice dance recently, Bagin suggested it’s partially a systemic issue: “Maybe it’s because everyone is bogged down by rules. Those key points and technical nuances take so much time. People get lost in it. In my last season with Annabelle [Morozov], we spent so much energy breaking things down with our coach, Nikolai, who was even calling a British judge on Skype to refine everything.”
Bagin expressed that while rules are necessary, they’ve taken some of the joy and creativity out of the sport: “People are afraid to move freely — afraid to make the slightest mistake, even on something like a mohawk. And yes, it’s important to skate at a level ten times higher, but all these restrictions have stifled freedom.”
Is Ice Dance Still Engaging to Watch?
When asked if he enjoys watching ice dance now, Bagin was honest: “Not really. Neither in Russia nor abroad.” He acknowledged some exceptions, such as Olivia Smart and Tim Dieck, and Lilah Fear with Lewis Gibson: “Fear and Gibson have been captivating for years.” He also praised Madison Chock and Evan Bates, regardless of what he sees as an imbalance in their performances: “I often focus more on Chock. In their 2019/20 free dance with the snake theme, she completely steals the spotlight. Bates, in comparison, looks like a supporting figure. Still, they’re fantastic skaters.”
On Presentation and Professionalism
Bagin voiced his frustration about what he sees as a lack of professionalism in skaters’ appearance: “There’s this overall vibe of sloppiness. Dancers show up in stretched-out tracksuits, cheap leggings, or socks with cartoon ducks. It looks like they’ve been pulled off the street and plopped onto the ice. And I used to be like that too!”
He recounted his coach Nikolai telling him: “You don’t look like a skater — you look like a alcoholic.” Bagin admitted it took him a while to understand this criticism, but now he believes: “There has to be order and style in everything.”
Related topics: Annabelle Morozov Andrei Bagin
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