German Ice Skaters
I thought you might be interested in the German ice skaters that performed during the My Heart Will Go On number on the Schönbruun DVD
- Aljona Sawtschenko.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aljona_Sawtschenko
- Robin Szolkowy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Szolkowy
I don’t know about you, but I plan to keep track of this pair, to see how they do in upcoming competition.
Thanks so much for this info on Aljona and Robin. They were simply magnificent, I kept back tracking over and over to see them perform and it seemed I couldn't watch them enough.
Thanks Mr Bill, I love the Winter Olympics, just to watch the ice dancing.Did you see them in this year's Olympics? I would liked to have seen a longer segment in Andre's Vienna dvd, what i did see was beautiful.
Thanks for that info Bill. Will investigate on Monday...getting production finished for a connecticut show tomorrow...and we leave at 5 a.m.....ugh...
love iceskating also! my favorites were ekaterina gordeeva and sergei grinkov before he tragically died at 27...still love ekaterina...and also her new husband skater... his name escapes me at this very moment...you all know him...he won the olympic gold in the 80's men's figure skating and had on his lucky "giraffe" shirt his grandma gave him...so cute.
i have a beautiful ekaterina story....made her a brooch when her husband died...didn't know how to get it to her...but someone i know (upstairs) made a way. if i haven't bored you all to tears by now...monday i will tell it! Lorraine
I'd like very much to hear the Ekaterina story. I remember watching her skate; she has a world class smile.
Ok Lorraine, I'll be waiting like Bill for your story about Ekaterina. By the way, do you remember the skaters of the 70's. my favs back then were Protopopov & Belousova. Such beautiful ice dancing!
Gordeeva is now married to Ilia Kulik, who won the gold medal at the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, Japan.
Last week, the German pair won the Cup of Russia. Unfortunately, they didn't make it to the Grand Prix final. They skated really well and I really liked their program. I can't wait to receive my Vienna DVD and see them skate there.
he won the olympic gold in the 90's....ughhhh
I love all winter sports, so I watch Ice skating also, anytime I have the chance. Thanks Bill, for the great info. Kati
Ice Skating is my favorite sport. I love watching it always. There are so many favorites, and I enjoyed Aljona and Robin when they skated in the Vienna dvd. It was one beautiful moment as I watched Andre standing on the ice playing one of my all time favorite songs and also watching these two as they skated. The lighting was wonderful and I will certainly be watching it many times in the future.
Y'all have disappointed my faith in human nature...giggle
Notice the spelling of Aljona's last name. It's different from the spelling on the back of the Schönbruun DVD.
And no one called me on it.
Actually, they are both correct. I spelled her last name the Ukraine way (she was born in Ukraine) & Andre spelled it the German way since she is now a German citizen.
For Bill and Shirley…The Ekaterina Gordeeva story…I hope the others pardon my long posts. I want to preface it by saying I cannot remember if Sergei died at 27 or a bit earlier…the book is now not easily located on my shelves. But you all know that while he was practicing, he had a heart attack…the source of the problem was only found out later. He had suffered some strange back and leg problems but no doctors ever linked it to his heart. He and Ekaterina were in their prime having already won two gold medals for pairs/figure skating. In very short time, Ekaterina wrote the book “My Sergei” devoted to Sergei. It touched me very deeply.I loved them. Ekaterina was beautiful and had the smile that you described Bill. Sergei was probably the best looking man I had ever seen. Their talent went beyond words. Their teen years were spent together practicing under very extreme conditions in Russia. Sergei fell in love with his younger thin little skating partner (as Ekaterina described herself)…they married, had their daughter, Daria, and then he suddenly died. After reading her book I could not stop thinking about the heartbreak that Ekaterina must be going through. And every morning, I prayed for her. I would daily ask the Lord to relieve her from sadness, the likes of which I could only imagine. I also daily asked the Lord to send someone to tell her about Jesus and the hope that is found in him…the hope that can be found even in the midst of despair, sorrow and heartbreak. Everytime, I mean everytime I prayed for the Lord to send her someone to tell her about Jesus, I heard (in my heart and mind) “Lorraine, you tell her”it went on for many weeks. To myself I thought, I have a WILD imagination. But the voice did not go away. Finally one day I got very angry and said to the Lord, OK, if this is you than you will provide me the way to reach her and “I” will tell her otherwise, I will attribute this constant “you tell her” to my own imagination. I tried getting the number of the rink in Simsbury, Ct and her home address in Simsbury. No luck. AhHa IT IS MY IMAGINATION…and gave up the search. Weeks later, doing a fundraiser at a local hospital, a beautiful nurse was admiring my designs. She bought a few pieces and out of nowhere said “my son owns the rink in Simsbury Ct.”…what? bells went off. She said this in connection to nothing! I told her I wanted to make a special brooch for Daria (the daughter) and wanted to get a letter and the brooch to Ekaterina …could she give me an address of either the rink or Ekaterina’s home. Address, no way said she. If you can get me the package by this Thursday, I will personally hand it to her as I will see her on Friday and over the weekend when I visit my son. I almost fell down. I designed and crafted a brooch for daria, (continued below)
Address, "no way" said she. I WILL HAND DELIVER IT TO HER!!!! I'M SEEING HER OVER THE WEEKEND WHILE I VISIT MY SON! If you can get me the package by this Thursday, I will personally hand it to her as I will see her on Friday and over the weekend when I visit my son. I almost fell down. I designed and crafted a brooch for daria, including Sergeis birthstone, Ekaterina’s birthstone, and Daria’s birthstones on three hearts placed one atop another dangling from a little girl in pigtails set upon a fiilligree heart. IT WAS HAND DELIVERED TO EKATERINA. Sometime later, while I was in heavy production the phone rang. I asked my son to get it and to tell whoever it was to call later. When I asked him who it was he said…it sounded like E E E – Katerina or something…she had an accent (my son was maybe 6 or so). I had missed her call…tried everthing star 69 but could not get the call back number. The next two days I had shows…and so I had not gotten her call…but was thrilled knowing she received what the Lord had wanted me to tell her. She is now married toIlia, (Kuliakin…something like that). Ilia is the fellow who won the Olympic gold and had his grandmother’s lucky Giraffe Shirt on. They had a daughter together Elisaveta, lisa. It is clear, the Lord heard my prayers. She now wears a gold cross on her neck and although Sergei will always be her first love…and what a story of love that was…she is married to a wonderful iceskater, Ilia. Daria is now growing into a lovely young lady. God is good..
(hope no one is angry for my very long, of late, posts). here is a Jane Pauley interview...you can see the photos of her new husband, ilia...wearing his lucky giraffe shirt! love, L
Address, "no way" said she. I WILL HAND DELIVER IT TO HER!!!! I'M SEEING HER OVER THE WEEKEND WHILE I VISIT MY SON! If you can get me the package by this Thursday, I will personally hand it to her as I will see her on Friday and over the weekend when I visit my son. I almost fell down. I designed and crafted a brooch for daria, including Sergeis birthstone, Ekaterina’s birthstone, and Daria’s birthstones on three hearts placed one atop another dangling from a little girl in pigtails set upon a fiilligree heart. IT WAS HAND DELIVERED TO EKATERINA. Sometime later, while I was in heavy production the phone rang. I asked my son to get it and to tell whoever it was to call later. When I asked him who it was he said…it sounded like E E E – Katerina or something…she had an accent (my son was maybe 6 or so). I had missed her call…tried everthing star 69 but could not get the call back number. The next two days I had shows…and so I had not gotten her call…but was thrilled knowing she received what the Lord had wanted me to tell her. She is now married toIlia, (Kuliakin…something like that). Ilia is the fellow who won the Olympic gold and had his grandmother’s lucky Giraffe Shirt on. They had a daughter together Elisaveta, lisa. It is clear, the Lord heard my prayers. She now wears a gold cross on her neck and although Sergei will always be her first love…and what a story of love that was…she is married to a wonderful iceskater, Ilia. Daria is now growing into a lovely young lady. God is good..
(hope no one is angry for my very long, of late, posts). here is a Jane Pauley interview...you can see the photos of her new husband, ilia...wearing his lucky giraffe shirt! love, L http://www.gordeeva.com/chat/english/jane_show_2004.shtml
Thanks for taking the time & energy to tell such a beautiful & long story. You must have all sorts of emotions going through you when you watch the 2 German Ice Skaters.
the name Daria stuck out to me, in your story. I've been email corresponding with a lady in Ukraine for 6 years & her name is Daria (Darya).
I didn't say so before, but when I was doing the search for the 2 German ice skaters, I was curious to see how they did during the 2006 winter Olympics......they placed 7th in Figure skating. Perhaps they will do better in the next one. They haven't been skating together al long as some of the other ice skating pairs.
Bill
Seventh in the Olympics is not Shabby...it is very very good. If they are just beginning together...that would indicate an excellent chance for them to medal! Keep us posted on all your investigation discoveries! L
Darya is a beautiful name. How lovely to have been communicating for six years with Darya from the Ukraine. Written communication is wondeful and friendships like that add so much to life. Bill, are you familiar with David Oistrakh...most famous Russian violinist...also Mtslav Rostropovich...and Petagorsky (two wonderful and famous Russian Cellists). I bet Darya, from the Ukraine, would know them...she must be musical if she corresponds with you! I recommend you to see The Art of the Violin, a film by Bruno Montsangeon...if your Darya likes classical music. It is filled with violinists from Russia, and Eastern Europe who were legendary musicians. Much much food for discussion. Just an idea. L
I have a cello given by a Russian who played in the San Francisco Symphony to my father back in 1940 by someone of the same name, Petagorsky. Could this be the same famous Russian cellist?
The cello was given to my dad because he took lessons from Petagorsky, who saw him as a prodigy. The cello came from Russia. I am trying to track down information about this man and the cello, which I am trying to sell.
Can you be of any help?
Thank you,
Paul Wilson
Hello Paul:
I wish I could help, maybe someone else will see your post and assist you.
Have you contacted the SF Symphony to ask if they know about Petagorsky and this cello?
I wish you luck as you search for information and answers.
It sounds intriguing. Your father must have been a talented man.
Thank you for your courteous reply. I have sent several emails out to members of the SF Symphony in regards to this matter, and have found much information about one, Gregory Piatigorsky. I am trying to find out if these are one in the same man or two different Russian cellists. I believe I am on the right track however. Thank you for your help.
Paul Wilson
Lorraine, what a beautiful story about your gift to Ekaterina.And weren,t she & Sergi like magic on the ice. I think that they were one of the few pairs to do a quadruple twist.
What I remember most about them is how Sergi would smile at Ekaterina. That man ADORED his wife.
he sure did...and what a beautiful smile he had. daria looks just like him, btw!