“Preparations for the show in Japan began well in advance. I wanted to present my program in the best possible light at my first major international show, Fantasy on Ice, and I think we succeeded.” Anna Shcherbakova on ice shows in Japan and China
Anna Shcherbakova reflects on preparing for ice shows in Japan and China
original source: Sport24
2022 Olympic champion Anna Shcherbakova shares insights into creating unique programs for her performances at Fantasy on Ice in Japan and an ice show in China, emphasizing her dedication to making these performances meaningful and culturally resonant. Here’s a translation of her comments.
In May of this year, Anna Shcherbakova and Alina Zagitova participated in Fantasy on Ice in Japan. In July, Shcherbakova also performed in a show in China, marking her ongoing commitment to international skating events.
“Preparations for the show in Japan began well in advance. Artem Fedorchenko choreographed my program. We planned it ahead of time, and he sent me various music options. One of them, which we nicknamed ‘Crocodiles,’ really resonated with us.
Artem had wanted to create a program to this music for a long time. To me, it felt completely fresh for figure skating – I’d never heard it used on the ice before – yet it sounded incredibly beautiful. I saw it as a piece of music with great potential for creativity and for showcasing a new side of myself.
We put a lot of work into this program. Artem was responsible for the choreography, and later he was deeply invested in how I performed it. I would send him short, imperfect video clips from far away in the stands, so he could watch, suggest adjustments, and refine details.
He completely immersed himself in the program, and I believe we created something truly special. I also poured a lot of effort into it, practicing for a long time. I wanted to present it in the best possible light at my first major international show, Fantasy on Ice, and I think we succeeded.”
On Preparing a Chinese-Culture-Themed Program
Shcherbakova explained that the time she had to prepare for the show in China was much shorter:
“There were some challenges with preparation for the Chinese show because I didn’t know about my participation far in advance. Still, it was my initiative to create a new program for it because I know how much fans in China love and support me.
I wanted to dedicate a program to their culture. Chen Lu, whom I’ve worked with before and visited several times in China, helped me greatly with this. I reached out to her for assistance in selecting the music and guiding me on the costume and choreography to make it culturally authentic and meaningful,” Shcherbakova said during a fan meeting at Moscow’s Night of Sports.
Related topics: Anna Scherbakova
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