Elizaveta Tuktamysheva: “I love seeing athletes who skate with soul. Probably only in my recent competitive seasons have I really understood how to put my soul into the program.”
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva: Artistry, Performance, and the Evolution of Figure Skating
original source: Sports
In her column for Sport Express, World Champion Elizaveta Tuktamysheva discusses the importance of artistry in figure skating. Here’s a translation of her comments.
“Everyone understands that to become a champion, you need to rise head and shoulders above the rest. Take Ilia Malinin, for example – he’s the best when it comes to technique. But even he continues to refine all aspects of his skating year by year. You need technique, artistry, edge control, and great spins. When everything comes together, it creates a complete image – and that’s always a chance to earn higher components from the judges.
Sometimes technique falters, but components can maintain stability and bring decent scores. For example, Jason Brown – he doesn’t do difficult elements but executes everything at +5. He truly feels the music, immerses himself in the program, and interacts with the audience and judges. It brings results. Or take Alena Kostornaia – she went further, incorporating ultra-C jumps alongside phenomenal spins, step sequences, and skating skills that always impressed. When she competed in peak form, she could even outscore her rivals through her components.”
Tuktamysheva believes this is precisely why artistry shouldn’t need much explanation for young skaters. “You don’t need to spend much effort trying to convince a junior skater why being an actor on ice is important. If they want to become better, they’ll understand it themselves.”
She notes that a choreographer’s role is key when developing a program. “When starting work on a program, it’s crucial for a choreographer to convey the concept to the athlete so they can dive into the character and fulfill all tasks. There can even be multiple ideas to choose from in one program, and the skater picks the one closest to them.”
Tuktamysheva underscores the profound importance of fully comprehending one’s character on ice: “If a skater realizes their character and message on ice, they can transform a simple program into a mini performance. For example, why do many people admire Alexei Yagudin? In my opinion, he’s one of the few (if not the only) athletes who truly mastered theatrical artistry on ice, drawing audiences into the story he’s telling. It’s always captivating.”
Tuktamysheva also reflected on her admiration for skaters who perform with genuine feeling.
“I love seeing athletes who skate with soul – a performance like that brings a smile to your face immediately. It’s always nice to notice when a person truly feels their program and enjoys what they’re doing. In singles skating, there’s less acting compared to pairs or ice dance since there’s no interaction with a partner.”
She highlights the growing importance of artistry in modern figure skating, particularly with recent rule changes. “In figure skating, performing well on ice is becoming increasingly important, especially with new rules that seem to prioritize components such as presentation, musical interpretation, and edge control over difficulty. I think many skaters are now leaning toward emphasizing this side of skating.”
Tuktamysheva believes this shift will only lead to richer and more expressive programs without compromising technical excellence. “I think programs will become even more expressive, while technique remains at its current high level. Performances will be more layered, thoughtful, and engaging.”
Reflecting on her own career, Tuktamysheva shared how she learned to embrace artistry. “It wasn’t until my recent competitive seasons that I truly found my connection to performance. Probably only in the last few years have I really understood how to put my soul into the dance – not just showing movements but using them to speak. It opened my eyes to the difference between simply doing polished movements and imbuing them with meaning.”
She acknowledged the immense difficulty of combining artistry with technical precision: “It’s very challenging to master this approach in general, and combining it with technique is an incredibly tough task.”
The development of artistry, Tuktamysheva insists, comes with experience. “You can’t simply train for this aspect – it requires deeper understanding. A skater needs to introduce emotions into their program and truly grasp their essence.”
For her, the key is not “acting” but “living” the program: “You have to believe in what you’re showing on ice for others to believe you. It’s easier to convey a character when you’ve experienced similar emotions in real life to those expressed in the program. Although there are some who are naturally gifted with this ability.”
Related topics: Elizaveta Tuktamysheva
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