Hi everyone, with *that* video of Alex Shibutani floating around the internet, I wanted to provide people with a text transcript both as an archive in case that video getes removed from the internet, and for anyone that may be hard of hearing or just struggle to understand what's being said. There were parts of the audio that I couldn't quite transcribe due to being inaudible and/or indecipherable, but I hope this is helpful to inform people about what was said during that video. Please be warned that this post contains uncensored mature language & sensitive content.
Dave Lease: *behind camera* OK, so I know that this is cultural, but it feels so deeply misogynistic to me that Maia stands back.
Dave: As he figures out everything.
Alex: [inaudible] 2005, 2006, 2007, Michigan 2008. We spent years talking about this. Itās not just weāre standing on two feet in front of a mirror, itās real skating.
Alex: [inaudible] point out every time I demonstrate it. But Iām just trying to frickinā help you, and Iām not doing it the right way. Yeah, focus on that. Sure. [inaudible], Maia.
Alex: Stupid. *skates away*
Alex: *while skating back* If you donāt wanna be here, and you donāt like the way Iām talking to you, leave. If you didnāt want to skate today, then donāt come. But if youāre here, donāt be a jackass. I donāt need to see you- watching you do the rocker, and then you *gestures neck & claps* -like that. Be a fucking champion.
Alex: Maia! I have- I have-
Alex: I have no patience anymore, Maia. I canāt kindly talk to you and game plan in the car, and then talk to you about this stuff in preparation, and then as soon as you have to do it, you decide not to.
Alex: Iām doing everything I fucking can *pause* to explain to you how you can do it right. How we can be in sync and get through a runthrough. Because why should I compromise and just try to match how youāre skating, so that I also donāt get the level? So that I also struggle? Iām gonna be the reason why weāre gonna be able to get through it. Iām not hurt. Yet.
Alex: *to Marina* I donāt just get like this though. You see the progression. Sheās not listening. And then she questions every single thing I say.
Alex: *to Maia* You don't have the right to question- You don't know. Weāve been talking about the same shit for weeks, for months.
Maia: Oh, so the rocker technique is the same?
Alex: Maia, itās always-
Maia: [inaudible] -just change in the corner. Fucking one to four to which way-
Alex: Maia, you are an idiot. It has nothing to do with corners. Itās basic textbook technique.
Maia: We could do the same every time. Fine. Yeah, thereās no variation.
Maia: You told me on the twizzle, to go diagonal, to go here, then you do it and itās horizontal and here. And OK fine.
Alex: Maia, if thatās how you think skating works, if you think itās like following and building out an Ikea piece of furniture, youāre wrong.
Maia: Itās textbook technique. Thatās what you just fucking said.
Alex: Yes, itās textbook technique. Textbook technique is different from instructions that go one, two, three, four.
Maia: Oh? Because Iām pretty sure youāre the only fucking person in the world that never even learned one, two, three, four.
Alex: Because Iām training to be [inaudible]. You donāt- You have no awareness, Maia. You donāt know how to pick up a section, in the same spot, at the same speed. You never know. So Iām trying to say, āHey this corner, general direction, and it continues [inaudible] unlimited surface of ice. That when youāre here facing this way, twelve oāclock, that corner one is this way. Not necessarily the corner, the literal corner.ā Thatās called textbook, thatās theory. Then you apply the theory. And yes, I am changing the rocker because we changed from here- [inaudible] the rocker. You keep messing up the rocker and being far away at the end of the [inaudible] swing into the partial step, which wouldāve fucked us over for the partial step, the choreo step, and the fucking lift. I changed it to make it easier for you so that we could be more on time. Iām doing this, Iām doing this, and Iām doing that. *while skating*
Alex: Because Iām- Because Maia I explained this to you yesterday. I-
Alex: Yes, yesterday I explained that when you have more speed, your body has to do things differently. When Iām [inaudible] because I have no speed. So it takes very little effort and energy because Iām not developing any type of force. If I just go to here, I can only turn my head because Iām not pushing into the rocker. [inaudible] more speed. Drive a frickinā car. If youāre driving at 70 miles per hour and you have to make a turn, are you going to have to turn illegally and [inaudible]. Yes.
Alex: Math. Textbook. Formulas. Physics. 3 variables. If you change one of the variables, something else has to change also if you want the correct answer. There is a correct answer. This is math.
Marina: I donāt understand [inaudible].
Alex: *to Marina* Because sheād be fucked if she has to do it with speed.
Marina: OK but she would not [inaudible].
Alex: But she has no control.
Marina: But sheās not that bad. You know, if sheās such a poor skater, why you so [inaudible]? [Note: With just the text, this may sound like Marina is insulting Maia. I want to clarify that when listening to the tone in the audio, it actually sounds like Marina's arguing with Alex to defend Maia, as if she's saying "If she's such a poor skater, why are you skating with her?" but this is not audible enough for me to confirm.]
Alex: *to Marina* It has nothing to do with being a poor skater. Itās a weak mind. Itās a weak mind. If you understand what Iām saying, why canāt she?
Alex: You donāt understand? You- you donāt understand why I donāt have to turn my head when Iām here?
Alex: [Note: This part is partially indecipherable. It sounds like Alex is either saying āNew Kids right hereā as if heās quoting a song lyric that goes with the choreo heās showing, or saying "You can't [inaudible] here.]
Alex: Itās so simple. If Iām here and Iām trying to do it quickly to show, and youāre-. And I go like this. Youāre already in the right direction. The rocker is so shallow. Is it KP, yes? Then Iām here, then Iām here, and a bit bigger. It has to be a little bit bigger ācause itās the same force. If itās the same little bit of force that the arms [inaudible] going like this. Thatās when Iām going like this, and itās gonna look like that. More speed requires more force to drag and slow your body down so that you donāt just step flat and move back. [inaudible].
Marina: You know what? I- I donāt know [inaudible].
Maia: Why- What are- Why are you explaining it to her? What are you- You say that you donāt have time to explain every step, and then you go ahead and you break it down step by step. Alex: OK Maia, you win. You win. [inaudible].
Alex: Weāre gonna continue. Weāre gonna move on to something else. And then youāre gonna complain again. You watched the video. Iām [inaudible] you watched the video before I give my comments. Did you not see that [inaudible]?
Maia: Oh OK so the step that we changed a day and a half ago?
Alex: Maia, it doesnāt matter. [inaudible]. If you understand the music, and the music [inaudible]. And you know that this has to be on the right axis. [inaudible] -five minutes ago [inaudible]. If you know the mohawk has to be here, and the exit edge has to be here. And you are over here, with X amount of time to get from point A to point B, and youāre finishing here, and youāre deciding to go like this knowing that you need to end up here. [inaudible].
Maia: Um Iām pretty sure that way youāre marking itāācause youāre marking it on the left so that you can transfer.
Marina: Sheās such a smart skater, she can [inaudible]. [Note: It sounds like Marina's still arguing with Alex to defend Maia, like earlier. However, this is not audible to confirm the words said.]
Alex: Fine, fine. Run it again! Run it again, you fucking bitch. Run it again.
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