Alexei Zheleznyakov: “There are crazy trainings loads at the Tutberidze group, so it was quite challenging for Daniel Grassl. He encountered a completely different work pace.”
Alexei Zheleznyakov about his work with Daniel Grassl.
original source: Metaratings
Former choreographer of Eteri Tutberidze’s group, Alexei Zheleznyakov, spoke about his work with Italian figure skater Daniel Grassl.
Grassl trained under coach Eteri Tutberidze for six months before leaving the group in September 2023. In Dacember of 2023, the Italian Anti-Doping Prosecutor has requested a two-year suspension for Daniel Grassl for missing three doping tests.
“Q: In an interview, Daniel Grassl, an Italian skater, stated that the training sessions with you slightly differed from his previous practice, and it’s not his dance style. How difficult was it for a European skater to adapt to the Russian program?
Alexei Zheleznyakov: The complexity of my lessons lies in the fact that I provide quite a variety of different styles. Some people focus exclusively on contemporary and jazz styles, and I believe Daniel is one of them. My choreographies consist of many different stylistic techniques and nuances, all aimed at developing coordination and detail in movement. These skills are fundamentally hard to master quickly, so we’ve been working to master these abilities with the girls for years.
When Daniel first started attending the classes, I realized that he is a very talented and exceptional guy, but it took him a long time to adjust. It usually takes at least a couple of years for this because learning different styles is not easy. Especially when you have been taught something else all your life.
Q: What kind of difficulties did Daniel encounter during the adaptation process?
Alexei Zheleznyakov: I couldn’t say because I didn’t discuss these subjects with him. I didn’t go on the ice either, as I always trained in the dance class. In my opinion, he encountered a completely different work pace.
There are crazy trainings loads at the Tutberidze headquarters, so initially, it was quite challenging for Daniel. It’s just my personal opinion,” said Zheleznyakov.
Related topics: Alexei Zheleznyakov, Daniel Grassl
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