Stepanova & Bukin: “If Others Will Be Forgiven, We Won’t Be”
The beginning of the season has been very difficult for you. Can we say now that you have already reached a hundred percent level?
Alexandra: In principle, I think only an athlete at the peak of his career, who is about to leave the sport, can reach the absolute level. We are still very, very far from such readiness. If we talk about this season, we can definitely perform the free dance better so there is no talk about reaching 100% level yet.
Alexandra, before the start of the season you got a back injury. Did it happen suddenly, or were there any signs?
Alexandra: I can’t say that something like this has bothered me before. This was the first time, and we were all shocked by it. There were different injuries, at competitions sometimes, but I could endure them, take painkillers, and skate. But I suddenly couldn’t move anymore, and the worst part was that we did not understand what and how to treat. I went to Germany, fortunately. They quickly helped me there, and everything ended well. Thank you very much to our federation for the help in organizing this treatment.
Many people notice the amazing level of chemistry you guys have on the ice. Not only do you look like a couple on the ice, but also in life.
Alexandra: Actually, this is a huge compliment for us. In what we do on the ice, people really see something real. As for what is happening between us in life, we have a very close relationship, and I can never explain what kind of relationship it is. It is impossible to simply explain. Vanya and I have been together for 13 years since childhood, and we are very lucky that we understand each other at this level.
Even before the start of the warm-up, everyone looks at the stands, and you look at each other. Is it real?
Alexandra: This is real. When you look into the eyes of a person with whom you have been walking hand-in-hand for so many years, you see a lot of things. You see confidence and calm. If you are very nervous, it can help you relax.
In Turin, you even shared a moment before the rhythm dance.
Alexandra: We always skate in the final group, and here we are, skating first. I remember saying to Van: "We will finally skate on clean ice."
There is a lot of positive feedback on your free dance this season. What is this program about?
Ivan: The story is in the music itself. It is a story about a relationship between a man and a woman. She goes to his friend, then wants to return to him. He loves her very much but cannot forgive her. The emotions in it are heavy but vivid. You can feel it, and this is probably the coolest part of this program. We understand what we skate.
Alexandra: At the beginning of this program is tenderness, love, but when the music changes, the story changes too. Vanya is there to support me, but something changes in me. He suspects something, and the fight begins...
Has this program already taken its final form or are there any details to be finalized?
Alexandra: I think some details may change.
Can you call this dance your favorite?
Alexandra: Yes, I can. This is my favorite program. I really like the music, and I am very pleased that the coaches agreed to the first part I proposed. I really like what they proposed - the Timberlake piece. The music is just bomb for me. At first, I doubted and did not understand how we would skate to this music, but it turned out cool. Now, we just have to work.
At the end of last season, you had a disappointment: you were close to the podium of the World Championships, but did not get on it. Now, in the Grand Prix Final, although you placed higher than the other Russian pair, you received incomprehensible marks. How will you overcome these negative aspects and motivate yourself?
Ivan: We were not disappointed with the results at the World Championships. We skated very well, and were pleased with ourselves. It was a very competitive field, and we were able to compete with the couples that we couldn’t fight before.
Alexandra: A little disappointment was felt in the sense that after the rhythm dance, we managed to stand on the podium. Not that we were competing with the idea of getting into the top three, but we managed to feel what it was like, and then dropped to fourth place. It felt like they gave us candy, and then took it away. Overall, we were happy with the season, happy with the way we skated. As for this season, there is more to come. Only the first half of the season has been completed. We have a national championship ahead, then, God forbid, European and World championships. After this Grand Prix Final, we once again realized that we really need to do everything perfectly. If others will be forgiven, we won’t be.