Yelena Berezhnaya
Encyclopedia
Elena Viktorovna Berezhnaya ' onMouseout='HidePop("59516")' href="/topics/Nevinnomyssk">Nevinnomyssk
, Russian SFSR) is a Russia
n pair skater
. With partner Anton Sikharulidze
, she is the 1998 and 1999 World champion
, 1998 Olympic silver medalist
and 2002 Olympic champion
.
Berezhnaya first competed with Oleg Shliakhov
for Latvia
and won gold at the 1995 Trophée de France
. While training together in January 1996, she suffered a serious injury, leaving her partly paralyzed and unable to speak. She recovered rapidly and began competing again in November 1996 with new partner, Anton Sikharulidze
.
Within two years of the accident, Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze had established themselves as one of the best pair teams in the world. They were noted for their lyrical, flowing and elegant style, which they combined with strong athleticism, including outstanding speed, unison, and big elements. During their career together, they were coached by Tamara Moskvina
at the Yubileyny Sports Palace
in Saint Petersburg
, Russia, and the Ice House in Hackensack, New Jersey
. Their Olympic gold medals are shared with Canadian pair Jamie Salé
and David Pelletier
.
in southern Russia. She has two brothers, Alexei and Ivan. Her parents divorced when she was five due to her father's alcoholism and her mother remarried. The family also included three cousins after their parents' deaths.
Berezhnaya began skating at the age of four in Nevinnomyssk. At the age of 8, she began to be coached by Nina Ruchkina, who had arrived from Moscow. When Berezhnaya was 13, Ruchkina decided that her son, Alexander Ruchkin, should be a pair skater despite his poor upper body strength, and she asked Berezhnaya, as the smallest girl, to be his partner. Berezhnaya was skeptical of the idea but Ruchkina convinced her mother that the pair would get a chance at CSKA Moscow's skating school. Berezhnaya moved to Moscow
, 791 miles to the north, and lived in a dormitory as her mother could not move with her. Ruchkin continued to struggle to lift her and they made little progress.
, who had been dumped by his seventh partner. The partnership went well at first, however, over time he started to become physically and verbally abusive, hitting Berezhnaya and dropping her from lifts. He decided to move to Riga
, Latvia
, saying they would have better and cheaper training conditions. Seeing no alternative partner, she went with him. Although not violent outside the rink, he became abusive again in training. Berezhnaya kept quiet and did not tell her mother, worrying it would worsen her poor health. She continued for her mother's sake, "I knew that she would watch me skate on TV and that it gave her strength. She was the only reason for me to continue." They trained on their own for a year as no coach wanted to take the pair but eventually found a coach unaware of Shliakhov's reputation. They had a strong showing at the 1994 Winter Olympics
in Lillehammer
, Norway
, finishing eighth. The next season they won a pair of silver medals at Skate Canada
and Trophée Lalique
and finished 7th at the 1995 World Championships
. Having little success in keeping Shliakhov in line, their coach resigned at the end of the season.
The Latvian federation appealed to renowned coach Tamara Moskvina
to take on the pair and she eventually invited them to train with her in May or June 1995. They spent a few months training in Colorado Springs, Colorado
and then trained mostly at Yubileyny Sports Palace
in Saint Petersburg
, Russia, despite the deteriorating and crowded facilities at the time. Berezhnaya and Shliakhov won bronze at Skate America
, gold at Trophée de France
and bronze at Nations Cup
. Shliakhov was well behaved for half a year, but then dropped her from a lift. Moskvina had professional psychologists work with him regularly, however, after brief periods of calm with apologies and professions of affection
, he would start to slip back to his old behavior. Despite this, Berezhnaya thought he had improved slightly. However, Moskvina told her it was not enough and advised her to end the partnership. According to Oleg Vassiliev
who later worked with him, Shliakhov was registered at a mental hospital in Riga.
Berezhnaya had begun to develop friendships with the other skaters at Yubileyny, becoming particularly close to Anton Sikharulidze
, the 1994 and 1995 World Junior champion with Maria Petrova
. Shliakhov began to perceive Sikharulidze as his rival. At the end of 1995 Shliakhov demanded they train in Riga for three weeks in preparation for the European Championships. Sikharulidze urged her to stay in Saint Petersburg but she thought it was only a few weeks.
In January 1996, Berezhnaya was seriously injured when Shliakhov's blade sliced into her skull while the pair were practicing a side-by-side camel spin
in Riga. Two surgical operations operations were performed to remove bone fragments from her brain. The accident caused partial paralysis on her right side, and doctors were unsure if she would walk again. She also briefly lost the ability to speak.
During her hospitalization, Sikharulidze heard of the news, and traveled to Latvia to be with her, joining Moskvina. Berezhnaya was surprised and overjoyed to see him, but unable to speak or move. Shliakhov also arrived at the hospital with flowers but Berezhnaya did not wish to see him again. Sikharulidze took her back to Saint Petersburg, Russia where she could begin her rehabilitation. She stayed at his parents' small apartment, sharing a room with him and his sister, Marina. She was grateful for his support, saying she was "skinny, shaved, half-alive, almost a skeleton, and Anton so tenderly cared about me. Perhaps it was his belief in me that helped me recover so quickly.
was immediately captivated by the pairing, "They're a natural pair. They've got it – something magical."
Sikharulidze had split from Petrova due to his desire to work with Moskvina while Petrova preferred to remain with their old coaches. With Berezhnaya's condition improving, the two began to consider the possibility of a competitive career together. She had made a nearly full recovery, although her speech remained slurred requiring speech therapy. A minor speech problem remained as of 2010. In November 1996, she made her return to competition, competing with Sikharulidze at Trophée Lalique
where the pair immediately won their first medal, a bronze. In December, they placed fifth at Cup of Russia
, and then captured the silver medal at the Russian Nationals
, earning them a berth to the European Championships. In January 1997 in Paris
, the pair made the podium at Europeans
, a rare feat for a pair in their first season together, and even more stunning given her injury less than a year ago. At the 1997 World Figure Skating Championships
in March, they had a strong short program which placed them provisionally in third, with two judges giving them first-place votes. However, the pair had a disastrous long program, placing 12th in the segment and dropping to 9th overall.
with his new partner Oksana Kazakova
, and the reigning World Champions Mandy Wötzel
and Ingo Steuer
. At only 20 and 21 years of age respectively, Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze had established themselves as gold-medal favorites going into the 1998 Winter Olympics
in Nagano, Japan
. Observers were impressed at how rapidly they had become a force, with most teams requiring more years to become attuned as a pair. Time
called her comeback "the miracle on ice". Their skating drew comparisons to the two-time Olympic Champions Ekaterina Gordeeva
and Sergei Grinkov
. Gordeeva selected Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze as her and Grinkov's skating doubles in a documentary on the legendary team after her husband's death.
In the short program, the pair had one fall but their other elements were of high quality. In the long, they put themselves back in contention for the gold medal with a strong performance, until five seconds from the end when they had a surprising fall as Sikharulidze set her down from a closing star lift. Although disappointed by suddenly giving away their chance at the gold so close to the end of the program, Sikharulidze recovered from his shock and joked, "It's a new finish. If you don't like it, we'll change it, no problem." The quality of the rest of their skating earned them the silver medal ahead of Wötzel & Steuer, while Kazakova & Dmitriev claimed the title. Former Japanese singles skater Yuko Kawaguchi
became inspired to switch to pair skating after seeing Elena Berezhnaya at the Nagano Olympics.
The Yubileyny Sports Palace
ice rink then closed for renovations, forcing them to relocate to Hackensack, New Jersey
's Ice House where Moskvina agreed to coach the American pair of Kyoko Ina
and John Zimmerman. The two teams were friendly rivals, and in 2009 Berezhnaya and Zimmerman would skate together at a Russian ice show. Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze struggled at Skate America in October 1999, placing third, but regained their form to win Skate Canada in November. Moskvina would later admit Sikharulidze had become distracted by life in a new country and was not as focused on training. In February 2000, the pair won gold at the 2000 Europeans
but were stripped of their medals after Berezhnaya tested positive for pseudoephedrine
, a substance whose ban was lifted between 2004 and 2010. This resulted in a three-month disqualification from the date of the test, and the medal being stripped. She had taken only a simple cold medication approved by a doctor but had failed to inform the ISU as required. Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze missed the World Championships that year as a result of the disqualification.
During the 2001-2002 season, Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze developed a rivalry with Canadians Jamie Salé
and David Pelletier
. Throughout the season, both pairs had traded first and second place at most of the major competitions, and they were considered the main contenders for the Olympic gold medal. At the Grand Prix Final they debuted their new long program to Meditation de Thais and decided to persevere with it at the Olympics, while their rivals abandoned their new long program with which they had been struggling and decided to reuse their old Love Story program. The New York Times
speculated that the judging might be influenced by the crowd response, with the familiar music of Love Story having more potential to draw louder applause in North America and the judges not being immune to human reactions.
in Salt Lake City, both pairs skated strong short programs, after which Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze were in 1st and Sale and Pelletier, who had a fall at the end of their program, 2nd. In the long program, Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze skated a good program although Sikharulidze had a stumble on a jump element before quickly regaining unison with his partner. Sale and Pelletier, meanwhile, had no obvious mistakes. Four judges placed the Canadians first, while five had Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze as the winners. Sale and Pelletier received higher technical scores, but Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze had superior artistic marks. Some observers pointed out that Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze had performed a more challenging program with greater speed, more interweaving moves and transitions, and less distance between the partners. At the end of the night, they were awarded the gold and the Canadians the silver.
The result sparked a controversy although the commentators were criticized for failing to mention Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze's strengths. The president of the International Skating Union
, Ottavio Cinquanta
, under extreme pressure from the International Olympic Committee
, immediately launched an investigation into a possible judging scandal. The focus immediately turned to French judge Marie-Reine Le Gougne
, the only Western judge in favor of the Russian pair. Under intense pressure, she stated that she had been intimidated into voting for the Russian pair in exchange for an advantage for the French couple in the ice dancing
competition, which was to follow a few days later. The scandal resulted in a second gold medal being awarded to the Canadian pair, and the IOC and ISU
decided to declare both pairs as Olympic co-champions. When the media furore faded, Le Gougne rescinded her earlier statement and declared she had voted according to her honest assessment of the performances but had been pressured to say otherwise. Leading up to the pairs final, NBC had heavily promoted the chances of the Canadian pair possibly breaking the decades-long Russian/Soviet dominance of the pairs event. Although Sikharulidze's stepout on a jump was regularly highlighted by the media, judges may award gold to skaters with obvious mistakes if the rest of the performance is judged to be of higher quality and degree of difficulty. Canadian Patrick Chan
won gold at the 2010 Skate Canada
with four falls.
Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze had an on-and-off romantic relationship between 1996 and 2002; they remain close friends.
, then returned to Russia. From 2007, Sikharulidze became increasingly involved in politics, and ultimately decided to retire from skating. In 2008, Berezhnaya confirmed they would no longer skate together.
Although taking time off to have two children, Berezhnaya makes occasional appearances in Russian ice productions. In 2006, Berezhnaya teamed with the actor Aleksandr Nosik for the Channel One (Russia)
ice show Stars on Ice (Russian: Звёзды на льду). In 2008, she was paired with the pop star Dima Bilan
for the Russia 1 series Star Ice
(Звёздный лёд). In 2009, she skated with the comedian Mikhail Galustian in the Channel One series Ice Age 3 (Russian: Ледниковый период-3). She also skated with former training mate John Zimmerman in the Kings on Ice (Короли льда) show in 2009, and with Jérôme Blanchard
in Ice Heart (Ледяное сердце). In 2010, she joined another edition of Ice Age, teaming up with Igor Ugolnikov.
Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze skated together at a City Lights-themed ice show in Moscow from 14–17 October 2010. In late 2010 and early 2011, Berezhnaya will play the White Queen in an Alice in Wonderland ice show in St. Petersburg and Moscow, alongside Alexei Yagudin
, Tatiana Totmianina
and Maxim Marinin
.
Currently, Berezhnaya is participating in the third season
of the Canadian reality program Battle of the Blades
, a figure skating competition that couples a professional figure skater with a hockey player to perform pairs routines. Her partner is former NHL
player Curtis Leschyshyn
. Near the end of the season, she announced she was retiring from skating.
tour, Berezhnaya began a friendship with Steven Cousins
and they later became a couple after they left the tour. Berezhnaya gave birth to their son Tristan on 6 October 2007 in London, England. Their daughter, Sofia Diana (diminutive: Sonia), was born on 21 June 2009 in Saint Petersburg, Russia.http://www.mamalena.ru/ In 2010, she settled in her husband's hometown of Chester
, England but also spends time in Russia. In August 2010, Berezhnaya and Cousins had their two children baptized in an Orthodox church in Saint Petersburg. Anton Sikharulidze is her son's godfather
.
*Won the gold but disqualified due to Berezhnaya testing positive for pseudoephedrine
Nevinnomyssk
Nevinnomyssk is a city in Stavropol Krai, Russia, located on both banks of the Kuban River at its confluence with the Bolshoy Zelenchuk River, south of Stavropol. Population: 132,141 ; 92,000 ; 40,000 ....
, Russian SFSR) is a Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n pair skater
Pair skating
Pair skating is a figure skating discipline. International Skating Union regulations describe pair teams as consisting of "one lady and one man." The sport is distinguished from ice dancing and single skating by elements unique to pair skating, including overhead lifts, twist lifts, death spirals,...
. With partner Anton Sikharulidze
Anton Sikharulidze
Anton Tarielyevich Sikharulidze is a Russian pair skater. With Elena Berezhnaya, he is the 1998 and 1999 World champion, 1998 Olympic silver medalist and 2002 Olympic champion....
, she is the 1998 and 1999 World champion
World Figure Skating Championships
The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion...
, 1998 Olympic silver medalist
1998 Winter Olympics
The 1998 Winter Olympics, officially the XVIII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 7 to 22 February 1998 in Nagano, Japan. Seventy-two nations and 2,176 participans contested in seven sports and 72 events at 15 venues. The games saw the introduction of Women's ice...
and 2002 Olympic champion
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
.
Berezhnaya first competed with Oleg Shliakhov
Oleg Shliakhov
Oleg Shliakhov is a Latvian pair skater. He competed with Elena Berezhnaya from 1992 to 1996. They enjoyed some success, placing eighth at the 1994 Winter Olympics. Their partnership ended after a side-by-side camel spin went bad and Shliakhov's blade cut into Berezhnaya's head...
for Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
and won gold at the 1995 Trophée de France
1995 Trophée de France
The 1995 Trophée de France was the Trophée de France Grand Prix competition of the 1995–1996 figure skating season. It was the third event of five in the 1995-1996 ISU Champions Series, a senior-level international invitational competition series. Skaters earned points towards qualifying for the...
. While training together in January 1996, she suffered a serious injury, leaving her partly paralyzed and unable to speak. She recovered rapidly and began competing again in November 1996 with new partner, Anton Sikharulidze
Anton Sikharulidze
Anton Tarielyevich Sikharulidze is a Russian pair skater. With Elena Berezhnaya, he is the 1998 and 1999 World champion, 1998 Olympic silver medalist and 2002 Olympic champion....
.
Within two years of the accident, Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze had established themselves as one of the best pair teams in the world. They were noted for their lyrical, flowing and elegant style, which they combined with strong athleticism, including outstanding speed, unison, and big elements. During their career together, they were coached by Tamara Moskvina
Tamara Moskvina
Tamara Nikolayevna Moskvina , née Bratus is a Russian pair skating coach and former competitive skater. In pair skating with partner Alexei Mishin, she was the 1969 World silver medalist and Soviet national champion. In ladies singles, she was a five-time Soviet national champion...
at the Yubileyny Sports Palace
Yubileyny Sports Palace
Yubileyny Sports Palace , also translated as Yubileiny Palace of Sports, is an indoor sports arena and concert complex located in St. Petersburg, Russia. It houses 7,012 seats for ice hockey and up to 7,700 seats for basketball. It is accessible from the Sportivnaya metro station...
in Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, Russia, and the Ice House in Hackensack, New Jersey
Hackensack, New Jersey
Hackensack is a city in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States and the county seat of Bergen County. Although informally called Hackensack, it was officially named New Barbadoes Township until 1921. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 43,010....
. Their Olympic gold medals are shared with Canadian pair Jamie Salé
Jamie Salé
Jamie Rae Salé is a Canadian pair skater. With partner David Pelletier, she is a 2002 Olympic Champion and the 2001 World Champion. Salé & Pelletier's Olympic gold medal was shared with the Russian pair Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze after the 2002 Olympic Winter Games figure skating...
and David Pelletier
David Pelletier
David Jacques Pelletier is a Canadian pairs figure skater. With his partner Jamie Salé, he was the co-gold medal winner at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games...
.
Early life
Berezhnaya was born in the town of NevinnomysskNevinnomyssk
Nevinnomyssk is a city in Stavropol Krai, Russia, located on both banks of the Kuban River at its confluence with the Bolshoy Zelenchuk River, south of Stavropol. Population: 132,141 ; 92,000 ; 40,000 ....
in southern Russia. She has two brothers, Alexei and Ivan. Her parents divorced when she was five due to her father's alcoholism and her mother remarried. The family also included three cousins after their parents' deaths.
Berezhnaya began skating at the age of four in Nevinnomyssk. At the age of 8, she began to be coached by Nina Ruchkina, who had arrived from Moscow. When Berezhnaya was 13, Ruchkina decided that her son, Alexander Ruchkin, should be a pair skater despite his poor upper body strength, and she asked Berezhnaya, as the smallest girl, to be his partner. Berezhnaya was skeptical of the idea but Ruchkina convinced her mother that the pair would get a chance at CSKA Moscow's skating school. Berezhnaya moved to Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, 791 miles to the north, and lived in a dormitory as her mother could not move with her. Ruchkin continued to struggle to lift her and they made little progress.
Early career
After unsuccessful partnerships with Ruchkin and another skater, the 14-year-old Berezhnaya teamed with Latvian-born Oleg ShliakhovOleg Shliakhov
Oleg Shliakhov is a Latvian pair skater. He competed with Elena Berezhnaya from 1992 to 1996. They enjoyed some success, placing eighth at the 1994 Winter Olympics. Their partnership ended after a side-by-side camel spin went bad and Shliakhov's blade cut into Berezhnaya's head...
, who had been dumped by his seventh partner. The partnership went well at first, however, over time he started to become physically and verbally abusive, hitting Berezhnaya and dropping her from lifts. He decided to move to Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
, Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
, saying they would have better and cheaper training conditions. Seeing no alternative partner, she went with him. Although not violent outside the rink, he became abusive again in training. Berezhnaya kept quiet and did not tell her mother, worrying it would worsen her poor health. She continued for her mother's sake, "I knew that she would watch me skate on TV and that it gave her strength. She was the only reason for me to continue." They trained on their own for a year as no coach wanted to take the pair but eventually found a coach unaware of Shliakhov's reputation. They had a strong showing at the 1994 Winter Olympics
1994 Winter Olympics
The 1994 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 12 to 27 February 1994 in and around Lillehammer, Norway. Lillehammer failed to win the bid for the 1992 event. Lillehammer was awarded the games in 1988, after having beat...
in Lillehammer
Lillehammer
is a town and municipality in Oppland county, Norway, globally known for hosting the 1994 Winter Olympics. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillehammer. As of May 2011, the population of the town of Lillehammer was...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, finishing eighth. The next season they won a pair of silver medals at Skate Canada
1994 Skate Canada International
The 1994 Skate Canada International was the Skate Canada International competition of the 1994–1995 figure skating season. Medals were awarded in the disciplines of men's singles, ladies singles, pair skating, and ice dancing....
and Trophée Lalique
1994 Trophée Lalique
The 1994 Trophée de France was the Trophée de France event for the 1994-1995 figure skating season. was organized by the Federation Française des Sports de Glace...
and finished 7th at the 1995 World Championships
1995 World Figure Skating Championships
The 1995 World Figure Skating Championships were the World Figure Skating Championships of the 1994-1995 season. Elite senior-level figure skaters from ISU Member Nations competed for the title of World Champion...
. Having little success in keeping Shliakhov in line, their coach resigned at the end of the season.
The Latvian federation appealed to renowned coach Tamara Moskvina
Tamara Moskvina
Tamara Nikolayevna Moskvina , née Bratus is a Russian pair skating coach and former competitive skater. In pair skating with partner Alexei Mishin, she was the 1969 World silver medalist and Soviet national champion. In ladies singles, she was a five-time Soviet national champion...
to take on the pair and she eventually invited them to train with her in May or June 1995. They spent a few months training in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado...
and then trained mostly at Yubileyny Sports Palace
Yubileyny Sports Palace
Yubileyny Sports Palace , also translated as Yubileiny Palace of Sports, is an indoor sports arena and concert complex located in St. Petersburg, Russia. It houses 7,012 seats for ice hockey and up to 7,700 seats for basketball. It is accessible from the Sportivnaya metro station...
in Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, Russia, despite the deteriorating and crowded facilities at the time. Berezhnaya and Shliakhov won bronze at Skate America
1995 Skate America
The 1995 Skate America was the Skate America Grand Prix competition of the 1995–1996 figure skating season. It was the first event of five in the 1995–1996 ISU Champions Series, a senior-level international invitational competition series. Skaters earned points towards qualifying for the 1995–1996...
, gold at Trophée de France
1995 Trophée de France
The 1995 Trophée de France was the Trophée de France Grand Prix competition of the 1995–1996 figure skating season. It was the third event of five in the 1995-1996 ISU Champions Series, a senior-level international invitational competition series. Skaters earned points towards qualifying for the...
and bronze at Nations Cup
1995 Nations Cup
The 1995 Nations Cup was the Nations Cup Grand Prix competition of the 1995–1996 figure skating season. It was the fourth event of six in the 1995–1996 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, a senior-level international invitational competition series. Skaters earned points towards qualifying for the...
. Shliakhov was well behaved for half a year, but then dropped her from a lift. Moskvina had professional psychologists work with him regularly, however, after brief periods of calm with apologies and professions of affection
Cycle of abuse
The cycle of abuse is a social cycle theory developed in the 1970s by Lenore Walker to explain patterns of behavior in an abusive relationship....
, he would start to slip back to his old behavior. Despite this, Berezhnaya thought he had improved slightly. However, Moskvina told her it was not enough and advised her to end the partnership. According to Oleg Vassiliev
Oleg Vassiliev
Oleg Vassiliev is a Russian painter associated with the Soviet Nonconformist Art style. Vassiliev emigrated to the United States, arriving in New York in 1990 and currently lives and works in St. Paul, Minnesota.- Education :...
who later worked with him, Shliakhov was registered at a mental hospital in Riga.
Berezhnaya had begun to develop friendships with the other skaters at Yubileyny, becoming particularly close to Anton Sikharulidze
Anton Sikharulidze
Anton Tarielyevich Sikharulidze is a Russian pair skater. With Elena Berezhnaya, he is the 1998 and 1999 World champion, 1998 Olympic silver medalist and 2002 Olympic champion....
, the 1994 and 1995 World Junior champion with Maria Petrova
Maria Petrova (figure skater)
Maria Igorevna Petrova is a Russian pair skater. With partner Alexei Tikhonov, she is the 2000 World Champion and the 1999 & 2000 European Champion.- Career :...
. Shliakhov began to perceive Sikharulidze as his rival. At the end of 1995 Shliakhov demanded they train in Riga for three weeks in preparation for the European Championships. Sikharulidze urged her to stay in Saint Petersburg but she thought it was only a few weeks.
In January 1996, Berezhnaya was seriously injured when Shliakhov's blade sliced into her skull while the pair were practicing a side-by-side camel spin
Camel spin
A camel spin, also known in Europe as a parallel spin, is one of the three basic figure skating spins, along with the sit spin and upright spin...
in Riga. Two surgical operations operations were performed to remove bone fragments from her brain. The accident caused partial paralysis on her right side, and doctors were unsure if she would walk again. She also briefly lost the ability to speak.
During her hospitalization, Sikharulidze heard of the news, and traveled to Latvia to be with her, joining Moskvina. Berezhnaya was surprised and overjoyed to see him, but unable to speak or move. Shliakhov also arrived at the hospital with flowers but Berezhnaya did not wish to see him again. Sikharulidze took her back to Saint Petersburg, Russia where she could begin her rehabilitation. She stayed at his parents' small apartment, sharing a room with him and his sister, Marina. She was grateful for his support, saying she was "skinny, shaved, half-alive, almost a skeleton, and Anton so tenderly cared about me. Perhaps it was his belief in me that helped me recover so quickly.
Partnership with Anton Sikharulidze
Berezhnaya wished to return to the ice and doctors agreed that physical exercise would be therapeutic. On 15 March 1996, only two months after the accident, she began skating carefully with Sikharulidze's help and Moskvina observing. Berezhnaya said, "I didn't have any false dreams about the future. All I thought about was those first steps." However, Tamara MoskvinaTamara Moskvina
Tamara Nikolayevna Moskvina , née Bratus is a Russian pair skating coach and former competitive skater. In pair skating with partner Alexei Mishin, she was the 1969 World silver medalist and Soviet national champion. In ladies singles, she was a five-time Soviet national champion...
was immediately captivated by the pairing, "They're a natural pair. They've got it – something magical."
Sikharulidze had split from Petrova due to his desire to work with Moskvina while Petrova preferred to remain with their old coaches. With Berezhnaya's condition improving, the two began to consider the possibility of a competitive career together. She had made a nearly full recovery, although her speech remained slurred requiring speech therapy. A minor speech problem remained as of 2010. In November 1996, she made her return to competition, competing with Sikharulidze at Trophée Lalique
Trophée Eric Bompard
The Trophée Eric Bompard is an international, senior-level figure skating competition held as part of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series. The Trophée Eric Bompard was formerly known as the Trophée Lalique...
where the pair immediately won their first medal, a bronze. In December, they placed fifth at Cup of Russia
Cup of Russia
The Cup of Russia is an international, senior-level figure skating competition held as part of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series. Figure skaters compete in the disciplines of ladies' singles, men's singles, pair skating, and ice dancing. It was held as the Rostelecom Cup in 2009 after...
, and then captured the silver medal at the Russian Nationals
Russian Figure Skating Championships
The Russian Figure Skating Championships are a figure skating national championship held annually to determine the national champions of Russia. Skaters compete at the senior level in the disciplines of men's singles, ladies singles, pair skating, and ice dancing.The first Russian national...
, earning them a berth to the European Championships. In January 1997 in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, the pair made the podium at Europeans
1997 European Figure Skating Championships
The 1997 European Figure Skating Championships were the European Figure Skating Championships of the 1996-1997 season. Elite senior-level figure skaters from European ISU Member Nations competed for the title of European Champion...
, a rare feat for a pair in their first season together, and even more stunning given her injury less than a year ago. At the 1997 World Figure Skating Championships
1997 World Figure Skating Championships
The 1997 World Figure Skating Championships were the World Figure Skating Championships of the 1996-1997 season. Elite senior-level figure skaters from ISU Member Nations competed for the title of World Champion. Skaters competed in the disciplines of men's singles, ladies singles, pair skating,...
in March, they had a strong short program which placed them provisionally in third, with two judges giving them first-place votes. However, the pair had a disastrous long program, placing 12th in the segment and dropping to 9th overall.
1998 Olympic season
The next season, they won the European Championship, defeating 1992 Olympic champion Artur DmitrievArtur Dmitriev
Artur Valeryevich Dmitriev is a Ukrainian-born Russian pair skater who competed internationally for the Soviet Union, the Unified Team, and Russia. He is a two-time Olympic Champion with Natalia Mishkutenok and Oksana Kazakova in 1992 and 1998 respectively, and also won Olympic silver in 1994...
with his new partner Oksana Kazakova
Oksana Kazakova
Oksana Borisovna Kazakova is a retired Russian pair skater. With partner Artur Dmitriev, she is the 1998 Olympic champion and 1996 European Champion.-Biography:Kazakova began skating at age 4....
, and the reigning World Champions Mandy Wötzel
Mandy Wötzel
Mandy Wötzel is a German pair skater who represented East Germany and later Germany in international competition. With partner Ingo Steuer, she is the 1998 Olympic bronze medalist.- Biography :...
and Ingo Steuer
Ingo Steuer
Ingo Steuer is a German pair skater and skating coach.With partner Mandy Wötzel, he was the 1998 Olympic bronze medalist the 1997 World champion, the 1995 European champion, and a four-time German national champion...
. At only 20 and 21 years of age respectively, Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze had established themselves as gold-medal favorites going into the 1998 Winter Olympics
1998 Winter Olympics
The 1998 Winter Olympics, officially the XVIII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 7 to 22 February 1998 in Nagano, Japan. Seventy-two nations and 2,176 participans contested in seven sports and 72 events at 15 venues. The games saw the introduction of Women's ice...
in Nagano, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Observers were impressed at how rapidly they had become a force, with most teams requiring more years to become attuned as a pair. Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
called her comeback "the miracle on ice". Their skating drew comparisons to the two-time Olympic Champions Ekaterina Gordeeva
Ekaterina Gordeeva
Ekaterina "Katia" Alexandrovna Gordeeva is a Russian figure skater. Together with her late partner and husband Sergei Grinkov, she was the 1988 and 1994 Olympic Champion and four-time World Champion in pair skating...
and Sergei Grinkov
Sergei Grinkov
Sergei Mikhailovich Grinkov was a Russian pair skater. Together with partner Ekaterina Gordeeva, he was the 1988 and 1994 Olympic Champion and four-time World Champion.-Biography:...
. Gordeeva selected Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze as her and Grinkov's skating doubles in a documentary on the legendary team after her husband's death.
In the short program, the pair had one fall but their other elements were of high quality. In the long, they put themselves back in contention for the gold medal with a strong performance, until five seconds from the end when they had a surprising fall as Sikharulidze set her down from a closing star lift. Although disappointed by suddenly giving away their chance at the gold so close to the end of the program, Sikharulidze recovered from his shock and joked, "It's a new finish. If you don't like it, we'll change it, no problem." The quality of the rest of their skating earned them the silver medal ahead of Wötzel & Steuer, while Kazakova & Dmitriev claimed the title. Former Japanese singles skater Yuko Kawaguchi
Yuko Kawaguchi
Yuko Kavaguti is a Japanese-Russian pair skater, who has represented Japan, the USA, and Russia in international competition. She competes with Alexander Smirnov, representing Russia. They are the 2010 European champions, 2009 and 2010 World bronze medalists, and 2008-2010 Russian champions...
became inspired to switch to pair skating after seeing Elena Berezhnaya at the Nagano Olympics.
Post-1998 Olympics
Following the Olympics, Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze competed at the 1998 World Championships where they won the gold medal. In autumn of that year, they won Skate America and Skate Canada. In January 1999, they had to withdraw from the European Championships after the short program due to Berezhnaya having the flu, but returned a few months later to win their second world title in March 1999.The Yubileyny Sports Palace
Yubileyny Sports Palace
Yubileyny Sports Palace , also translated as Yubileiny Palace of Sports, is an indoor sports arena and concert complex located in St. Petersburg, Russia. It houses 7,012 seats for ice hockey and up to 7,700 seats for basketball. It is accessible from the Sportivnaya metro station...
ice rink then closed for renovations, forcing them to relocate to Hackensack, New Jersey
Hackensack, New Jersey
Hackensack is a city in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States and the county seat of Bergen County. Although informally called Hackensack, it was officially named New Barbadoes Township until 1921. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 43,010....
's Ice House where Moskvina agreed to coach the American pair of Kyoko Ina
Kyoko Ina
is a Japanese-American figure skater. With partner John Zimmerman, she is a three-time U.S. national champion and 2002 Olympian. With partner Jason Dungjen, she was a two-time U.S. Champion and a 1994 & 1998 Olympian.- Life and career :...
and John Zimmerman. The two teams were friendly rivals, and in 2009 Berezhnaya and Zimmerman would skate together at a Russian ice show. Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze struggled at Skate America in October 1999, placing third, but regained their form to win Skate Canada in November. Moskvina would later admit Sikharulidze had become distracted by life in a new country and was not as focused on training. In February 2000, the pair won gold at the 2000 Europeans
2000 European Figure Skating Championships
The European Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of European Champion. Skaters compete in the categories of men's singles, ladies' singles, pair skating, and ice dancing....
but were stripped of their medals after Berezhnaya tested positive for pseudoephedrine
Pseudoephedrine
Pseudoephedrine is a sympathomimetic drug of the phenethylamine and amphetamine chemical classes. It is used as a nasal/sinus decongestant and stimulant, or as a wakefulness-promoting agent....
, a substance whose ban was lifted between 2004 and 2010. This resulted in a three-month disqualification from the date of the test, and the medal being stripped. She had taken only a simple cold medication approved by a doctor but had failed to inform the ISU as required. Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze missed the World Championships that year as a result of the disqualification.
During the 2001-2002 season, Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze developed a rivalry with Canadians Jamie Salé
Jamie Salé
Jamie Rae Salé is a Canadian pair skater. With partner David Pelletier, she is a 2002 Olympic Champion and the 2001 World Champion. Salé & Pelletier's Olympic gold medal was shared with the Russian pair Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze after the 2002 Olympic Winter Games figure skating...
and David Pelletier
David Pelletier
David Jacques Pelletier is a Canadian pairs figure skater. With his partner Jamie Salé, he was the co-gold medal winner at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games...
. Throughout the season, both pairs had traded first and second place at most of the major competitions, and they were considered the main contenders for the Olympic gold medal. At the Grand Prix Final they debuted their new long program to Meditation de Thais and decided to persevere with it at the Olympics, while their rivals abandoned their new long program with which they had been struggling and decided to reuse their old Love Story program. The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
speculated that the judging might be influenced by the crowd response, with the familiar music of Love Story having more potential to draw louder applause in North America and the judges not being immune to human reactions.
2002 Olympics
At the 2002 Winter Olympics2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
in Salt Lake City, both pairs skated strong short programs, after which Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze were in 1st and Sale and Pelletier, who had a fall at the end of their program, 2nd. In the long program, Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze skated a good program although Sikharulidze had a stumble on a jump element before quickly regaining unison with his partner. Sale and Pelletier, meanwhile, had no obvious mistakes. Four judges placed the Canadians first, while five had Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze as the winners. Sale and Pelletier received higher technical scores, but Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze had superior artistic marks. Some observers pointed out that Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze had performed a more challenging program with greater speed, more interweaving moves and transitions, and less distance between the partners. At the end of the night, they were awarded the gold and the Canadians the silver.
The result sparked a controversy although the commentators were criticized for failing to mention Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze's strengths. The president of the International Skating Union
International Skating Union
The International Skating Union is the international governing body for competitive ice skating disciplines, including figure skating, synchronized skating, speed skating, and short track speed skating. It was founded in Scheveningen, Netherlands in 1892, making it one of the oldest international...
, Ottavio Cinquanta
Ottavio Cinquanta
Ottavio Cinquanta , is currently President of the International Skating Union and a member of the International Olympic Committee.He has held the ISU position since 1994 and the IOC position since 1996....
, under extreme pressure from the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
, immediately launched an investigation into a possible judging scandal. The focus immediately turned to French judge Marie-Reine Le Gougne
Marie-Reine Le Gougne
Marie-Reine Le Gougne, often known simply as "the French Judge", was a central figure in the 2002 Olympic Winter Games figure skating scandal.-Early life:...
, the only Western judge in favor of the Russian pair. Under intense pressure, she stated that she had been intimidated into voting for the Russian pair in exchange for an advantage for the French couple in the ice dancing
Ice dancing
Ice dancing is a form of figure skating which draws from the world of ballroom dancing. It was first competed at the World Figure Skating Championships in 1952, but did not become a Winter Olympic Games medal sport until 1976....
competition, which was to follow a few days later. The scandal resulted in a second gold medal being awarded to the Canadian pair, and the IOC and ISU
ISU
ISU may refer to:* International System of Unit* ISU-152, ISU-122, Soviet self-propelled guns* Integrated Security Unit* International Skating Union* International Seamen's Union* International Stereoscopic Union* Independent Study Unit...
decided to declare both pairs as Olympic co-champions. When the media furore faded, Le Gougne rescinded her earlier statement and declared she had voted according to her honest assessment of the performances but had been pressured to say otherwise. Leading up to the pairs final, NBC had heavily promoted the chances of the Canadian pair possibly breaking the decades-long Russian/Soviet dominance of the pairs event. Although Sikharulidze's stepout on a jump was regularly highlighted by the media, judges may award gold to skaters with obvious mistakes if the rest of the performance is judged to be of higher quality and degree of difficulty. Canadian Patrick Chan
Patrick Chan
Patrick Chan is a Canadian figure skater.He is the 2011 World Champion, 2010–2011 Grand Prix Final champion, the 2009 Four Continents champion, the 2009 and 2010 World silver medalist, the 2007 World Junior silver medalist and a four-time Canadian Champion.At the 2010 Canadian Championships, he...
won gold at the 2010 Skate Canada
2010 Skate Canada International
The 2010 Skate Canada International was the Skate Canada Grand Prix competition of the 2010–2011 season. It was the second event of six in the 2010–2011 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, a senior-level international invitational competition series. The event was organized by Skate Canada.The event...
with four falls.
Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze had an on-and-off romantic relationship between 1996 and 2002; they remain close friends.
Post-competitive career
In May 2003, Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze confirmed they had retired from competitive skating. From 2002-2006, they toured with Stars on IceStars on Ice
Stars on Ice is a touring figure skating show produced by IMG. It was originally conceived in 1986 as a vehicle for IMG client Scott Hamilton, who had been released from his contract with Ice Capades, after being told that male skaters do not sell tickets...
, then returned to Russia. From 2007, Sikharulidze became increasingly involved in politics, and ultimately decided to retire from skating. In 2008, Berezhnaya confirmed they would no longer skate together.
Although taking time off to have two children, Berezhnaya makes occasional appearances in Russian ice productions. In 2006, Berezhnaya teamed with the actor Aleksandr Nosik for the Channel One (Russia)
Channel One (Russia)
Channel One is the first television channel to broadcast in the Soviet Union. The channel was renamed Ostankino Channel 1 in 1991, after the Soviet Union broke up and the Russian SFSR became the Russian Federation. According to a recent government publication, the Russian government controls 51%...
ice show Stars on Ice (Russian: Звёзды на льду). In 2008, she was paired with the pop star Dima Bilan
Dima Bilan
' is a Russian actor and pop singer . Bilan represented Russia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2006 with "Never Let You Go", finishing second, and he won the contest in 2008 in Belgrade, with the song "Believe". He has had several Russian no. 1 hits....
for the Russia 1 series Star Ice
Dancing on Ice around the world
-Argentina:In Argentina, the show was broadcast on Channel 13 as a segment inside the television program "Showmatch", hosted by Marcelo Tinelli. It started on August 9, 2007 featuring an all-female cast...
(Звёздный лёд). In 2009, she skated with the comedian Mikhail Galustian in the Channel One series Ice Age 3 (Russian: Ледниковый период-3). She also skated with former training mate John Zimmerman in the Kings on Ice (Короли льда) show in 2009, and with Jérôme Blanchard
Jérôme Blanchard
Jérôme Blanchard is a French pair skater. With former partner Sabrina Lefrançois, he is the 2004 French National Champion. He also competed for one season with Maria Mukhortova.- Career :...
in Ice Heart (Ледяное сердце). In 2010, she joined another edition of Ice Age, teaming up with Igor Ugolnikov.
Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze skated together at a City Lights-themed ice show in Moscow from 14–17 October 2010. In late 2010 and early 2011, Berezhnaya will play the White Queen in an Alice in Wonderland ice show in St. Petersburg and Moscow, alongside Alexei Yagudin
Alexei Yagudin
Alexei Konstantinovich Yagudin is a former Russian figure skater. His major achievements in his six years of eligible sports career include:*2002 Olympic Champion*Four-time World Champion...
, Tatiana Totmianina
Tatiana Totmianina
Tatiana Ivanovna Totmianina is a Russian pair skater. With partner Maxim Marinin, she is the 2006 Olympic Champion, two-time World Champion, and five-time European Champion...
and Maxim Marinin
Maxim Marinin
Maxim Viktorovich Marinin is a retired Russian pair skater. With partner Tatiana Totmianina, he is the 2006 Olympic Champion, two-time World Champion, and five-time European Champion.- Career :...
.
Currently, Berezhnaya is participating in the third season
Battle of the Blades (season 3)
The third season of Battle of the Blades premiered on September 18, 2011 as a part of CBC's fall line-up. Like previous seasons, this season showcases a lineup of 8 couples....
of the Canadian reality program Battle of the Blades
Battle of the Blades
Battle of the Blades is a Canadian figure skating reality show and competition that airs on CBC Television. It was first broadcast before a live audience at the historic Maple Leaf Gardens. With Maple Leaf Gardens under renovation however, the show was filmed at Pinewood Toronto Studios in season two...
, a figure skating competition that couples a professional figure skater with a hockey player to perform pairs routines. Her partner is former NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
player Curtis Leschyshyn
Curtis Leschyshyn
Curtis Leschyshyn is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Leschyshyn played 1033 games in the National Hockey League.-Playing career:...
. Near the end of the season, she announced she was retiring from skating.
Personal life
In 2005, during the Stars on IceStars on Ice
Stars on Ice is a touring figure skating show produced by IMG. It was originally conceived in 1986 as a vehicle for IMG client Scott Hamilton, who had been released from his contract with Ice Capades, after being told that male skaters do not sell tickets...
tour, Berezhnaya began a friendship with Steven Cousins
Steven Cousins
Steven Cousins is a British figure skater. He is the eight-time British national champion, the first Briton to land a triple axel in competition , and the youngest skater to win the British National Championships. He competed in eight World Figure Skating Championships and three Winter Olympics...
and they later became a couple after they left the tour. Berezhnaya gave birth to their son Tristan on 6 October 2007 in London, England. Their daughter, Sofia Diana (diminutive: Sonia), was born on 21 June 2009 in Saint Petersburg, Russia.http://www.mamalena.ru/ In 2010, she settled in her husband's hometown of Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
, England but also spends time in Russia. In August 2010, Berezhnaya and Cousins had their two children baptized in an Orthodox church in Saint Petersburg. Anton Sikharulidze is her son's godfather
Godparent
A godparent, in many denominations of Christianity, is someone who sponsors a child's baptism. A male godparent is a godfather, and a female godparent is a godmother...
.
Eligible career
| Season | Short program | Long program | Exhibition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001–2002 | Lady Caliph:
|
Thaïs Thaïs was a famous Greek hetaera who lived during the time of Alexander the Great and accompanied him on his campaigns. She is most famous for instigating the burning of Persepolis. At the time, Thaïs was the lover of Ptolemy I Soter, one of Alexander's generals... by Jules Massenet Jules Massenet Jules Émile Frédéric Massenet was a French composer best known for his operas. His compositions were very popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and he ranks as one of the greatest melodists of his era. Soon after his death, Massenet's style went out of fashion, and many of his operas... performed by Nigel Kennedy and Orchestra |
The Kid The Kid (1921 film) The Kid is a 1921 American silent dramedy film written by, produced by, directed by and starring Charlie Chaplin, and features Jackie Coogan as his adopted son and sidekick. This was Chaplin's first full-length movie... : Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin, KBE was an English comic actor, film director and composer best known for his work during the silent film era. He became the most famous film star in the world before the end of World War I... film soundtracks |
| 2000–2001 |
Polyushko Pole Polyushka Polye is a Soviet Russian-language song.Polye means "field" in Russian, "polyushko" is a diminutive/hypocoristic form for "polye".- Soviet arrangements :... arranged by Stanley Black performed by the London Festival Orchestra |
City Lights City Lights City Lights is a 1931 American silent film and romantic comedy-drama written by, directed by, and starring Charlie Chaplin. It also has the leads Virginia Cherrill and Harry Myers. Although "talking" pictures were on the rise since 1928, City Lights was immediately popular. Today, it is thought of... : performed by Catherine Wilson and Friends from the album Classical Potpourri performed by the London Pops Orchestra from the album Award Winning Movie Themes: The 50's |
Smooth:
by Santana Santana (band) Santana is a rock band based around guitarist Carlos Santana and founded in the late 1960s. It first came to public attention after their performing the song "Soul Sacrifice" at the Woodstock Festival in 1969, when their Latin rock provided a contrast to other acts on the bill... Smooth (song) "Smooth" is a collaboration between latin rock band Santana and Rob Thomas of the rock group Matchbox Twenty. The song was written by Thomas and Itaal Shur, sung by Thomas, and won three Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals.-Concept... by Santana Santana (band) Santana is a rock band based around guitarist Carlos Santana and founded in the late 1960s. It first came to public attention after their performing the song "Soul Sacrifice" at the Woodstock Festival in 1969, when their Latin rock provided a contrast to other acts on the bill... and Rob Thomas Rob Thomas (musician) Robert Kelly "Rob" Thomas is an American rock recording artist and songwriter. He is the primary songwriter and lead singer of the band Matchbox Twenty. Thomas also records and performs as a solo artist... |
| 1999–2000 |
Radetzky March Radetzky March, Op. 228, is a march composed by Johann Strauss Sr. in 1848. It was dedicated to the Austrian Field Marshal Joseph Radetzky von Radetz, and became quite a popular march among soldiers.... by Johann Strauss I Johann Strauss I Johann Strauss I , born in Vienna, was an Austrian Romantic composer famous for his waltzes, and for popularizing them alongside Joseph Lanner, thereby setting the foundations for his sons to carry on his musical dynasty... |
(Sentimental Waltz) Six Morceaux for piano, Op. 51, No. 6 (1882) by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Russian: Пётр Ильи́ч Чайко́вский ; often "Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky" in English. His names are also transliterated "Piotr" or "Petr"; "Ilitsch", "Il'ich" or "Illyich"; and "Tschaikowski", "Tschaikowsky", "Chajkovskij"... ---- The Umbrellas of Cherbourg:
|
sung by Brian Setzer Brian Setzer Brian Setzer is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. He first found widespread success in the early 1980s with the 1950s-style rockabilly revival group The Stray Cats, and revitalized his career in the late 1990s with a jazz-oriented big band.-Career:Setzer was born in Massapequa, New York... and Gwen Stefani Gwen Stefani Gwen Renée Stefani is an American singer-songwriter and fashion designer. Stefani is the lead vocalist for the rock and ska band No Doubt. Stefani recorded her first solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. in 2004. The album was inspired by music of the 1980s, and was a success with sales of over... ----
----
|
| 1998–1999 |
performed by Vanessa-Mae Vanessa-Mae Vanessa-Mae Vanakorn Nicholson , known professionally as Vanessa-Mae , is an internationally known British violinist. Her music style is self-described as "violin techno-acoustic fusion", as several of her albums prominently feature the techno style... |
Concerto for Coloratura:
Andante from the Concerto for Coloratura Soprano and Orchestra, opus 82 written by Reinhold Glière Reinhold Glière Reinhold Moritzevich Glière was a Russian and Soviet composer of German–Polish descent.- Biography :Glière was born in Kiev, Ukraine... performed by the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra and Evgenia Miroshnichenko |
The Impossible Dream (The Quest) "The Impossible Dream " is a popular song composed by Mitch Leigh, with lyrics written by Joe Darion. It was written for the 1965 musical Man of La Mancha... performed by Luther Vandross Luther Vandross Luther Ronzoni Vandross was an American singer-songwriter and record producer. During his career, Vandross sold over twenty-five million albums and won eight Grammy Awards including Best Male R&B Vocal Performance four times... |
| 1997–1998 |
Swan Lake Swan Lake ballet, op. 20, by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, composed 1875–1876. The scenario, initially in four acts, was fashioned from Russian folk tales and tells the story of Odette, a princess turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer's curse. The choreographer of the original production was Julius Reisinger... Opus 20, Scène by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Russian: Пётр Ильи́ч Чайко́вский ; often "Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky" in English. His names are also transliterated "Piotr" or "Petr"; "Ilitsch", "Il'ich" or "Illyich"; and "Tschaikowski", "Tschaikowsky", "Chajkovskij"... |
Dark Eyes (song) Dark Eyes is a Russian song.The lyrics of the song were written by a Ukrainian poet and writer Yevhen Hrebinka. The first publication of the poem was in Literaturnaya gazeta on 17 January 1843.... performed by the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra |
(Live at Red Rocks) by John Tesh John Tesh John Frank Tesh is an American pianist and composer of pop music, as well as a radio host and television presenter. His 10-year-old 'Intelligence for Your Life Radio Show' reaches 14.2 Million listeners/week, and is syndicated by Teshmedia on 400 stations in US, Canada, and the UK... |
| 1996–1997 |
Seid umschlungen, Millionen! Seid umschlungen, Millionen! , opus 443, is a waltz composed by Johann Strauss II. It was first performed at the Great Hall of the Musikverein in Vienna in March 1892. The title of the waltz was borrowed from Friedrich Schiller's Ode an die Freude . The composition was dedicated to Strauss' close... by Johann Strauss II Johann Strauss II Johann Strauss II , also known as Johann Baptist Strauss or Johann Strauss, Jr., the Younger, or the Son , was an Austrian composer of light music, particularly dance music and operettas. He composed over 500 waltzes, polkas, quadrilles, and other types of dance music, as well as several operettas... |
Dark Eyes (song) Dark Eyes is a Russian song.The lyrics of the song were written by a Ukrainian poet and writer Yevhen Hrebinka. The first publication of the poem was in Literaturnaya gazeta on 17 January 1843.... performed by the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra |
from Cinq Morceaux de fantasie, op. 3 by Sergei Rachmaninoff Sergei Rachmaninoff Sergei Vasilievich Rachmaninoff was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor. Rachmaninoff is widely considered one of the finest pianists of his day and, as a composer, one of the last great representatives of Romanticism in Russian classical music... performed by the Bekova Sisters |
Professional career
| Season | Programs |
|---|---|
| 2005–2006 |
----
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| 2004–2005 |
by Ray Charles Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records... ----
|
| 2003–2004 |
by Josh Groban Josh Groban Joshua Winslow "Josh" Groban is an American singer-songwriter, musician, actor, and record producer. His four solo albums have been certified at least multi-platinum, and in 2007, he was charted as the number-one best selling artist in the United States with over 21 million records in that country... ----
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|
| 2002–2003 | After Hours at Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum Marie Tussaud Anna Maria Tussaud was an artist known for her wax sculptures and Madame Tussaud's, the wax museum she founded in London.- Biography :... (Elvis & Marilyn): by Elvis Presley Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King".... by Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe was an American actress, singer, model and showgirl who became a major sex symbol, starring in a number of commercially successful motion pictures during the 1950s.... by Elvis Presley Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King".... |
Other
With Oleg Shliakhov| Season | Short program | Long program | Exhibition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995–1996 |
|
Where Have All the Flowers Gone? "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?" is a folk song. The first three verses were written by Pete Seeger in 1955, and published in Sing Out! magazine... John Miles discography On this page you will find the complete discography of John Miles. Over the years he has released ten studio albums, one live album, five compilation albums and eighteen singles.-Studio albums:-Live albums:-Compilation albums:-Singles:-External links:... by John Miles John Miles (musician) John Miles is an English rock music vocalist, songwriter, guitarist and keyboard player, best known for his 1976 Top 3 UK hit single, "Music".-Career:... |
Endless Love (song) "Endless Love" is a song written by Lionel Richie and originally recorded as a duet between Richie and fellow soul singer Diana Ross. In this ballad, the singers declare their "endless love" for one another. It was covered by soul singer Luther Vandross with R&B singer Mariah Carey and also by... by Diana Ross Diana Ross Diana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, record producer, and actress. Ross was lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes during the 1960s. After leaving the group in 1970, Ross began a solo career that included successful ventures into film and Broadway... and Lionel Richie Lionel Richie Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr. , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Since 1968, he has been a member of the musical group Commodores signed to Motown Records... |
| 1994–1995 |
Smooth Criminal "Smooth Criminal" is the seventh single from Michael Jackson's 1987 Bad album. The song contains a fast-paced beat intertwined with Jackson's lyrics about a woman named Annie, who has been attacked in her apartment by a "smooth" assailant. It was released as a single on October 24, 1988 and peaked... |
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| 1993–1994 |
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Jesus Christ Superstar Jesus Christ Superstar is a rock opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with lyrics by Tim Rice. The musical started off as a rock opera concept recording before its first staging on Broadway in 1971... by Andrew Lloyd Webber Andrew Lloyd Webber Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of... |
With Sikharulidze
| Event | 1996–97 | 1997–98 | 1998–99 | 1999–00 | 2000–01 | 2001–02 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Olympic Games Winter Olympic Games The Winter Olympic Games is a sporting event, which occurs every four years. The first celebration of the Winter Olympics was held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. The original sports were alpine and cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping and speed skating... |
2nd | 1st | ||||
| World Championships World Figure Skating Championships The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion... |
9th | 1st | 1st | 2nd | ||
| European Championships European Figure Skating Championships The European Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition in which figure skaters compete for the title of European Champion... |
3rd | 1st | WD | DQ* | 1st | |
| Russian Championships Russian Figure Skating Championships The Russian Figure Skating Championships are a figure skating national championship held annually to determine the national champions of Russia. Skaters compete at the senior level in the disciplines of men's singles, ladies singles, pair skating, and ice dancing.The first Russian national... |
2nd | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st |
| Grand Prix Final | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 2nd | 2nd | |
| Skate America Skate America Skate America is an international, senior-level figure skating competition held as part of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series. It is organized by the United States Figure Skating Association. The location changes yearly... |
1st | 3rd | ||||
| Skate Canada Skate Canada International The Skate Canada International is an international, senior-level invitation-only figure skating competition organized by Skate Canada. It is the second competition of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating. The location changes yearly. Medals are awarded in four disciplines: Ladies' singles, Men's... |
1st | 2nd | ||||
| Nations Cup Bofrost Cup on Ice The Bofrost Cup on Ice was a figure skating competition held in Germany between 1986 and 2004. It was part of the Grand Prix series until 2003, when it was replaced by Cup of China. Following being booted out of the Grand Prix series, a new form of competition was introduced to the Bofrost Cup... |
2nd | |||||
| Trophée Lalique | 3rd | 1st | 1st | 1st | ||
| Cup of Russia Cup of Russia The Cup of Russia is an international, senior-level figure skating competition held as part of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series. Figure skaters compete in the disciplines of ladies' singles, men's singles, pair skating, and ice dancing. It was held as the Rostelecom Cup in 2009 after... |
5th | 1st | 1st | 1st | ||
| NHK Trophy NHK Trophy The NHK Trophy is an international, senior-level figure skating competition held as part of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series. Figure skaters compete in the disciplines of ladies' singles, men's singles, pair skating, and ice dancing.... |
1st | |||||
With Shliakhov
| Event | 1992–93 | 1993–94 | 1994–95 | 1995–96 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Olympic Games Winter Olympic Games The Winter Olympic Games is a sporting event, which occurs every four years. The first celebration of the Winter Olympics was held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. The original sports were alpine and cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping and speed skating... |
8th | |||
| World Championships World Figure Skating Championships The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion... |
14th | 7th | 7th | |
| European Championships European Figure Skating Championships The European Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition in which figure skaters compete for the title of European Champion... |
8th | 8th | 5th | |
| Skate America Skate America Skate America is an international, senior-level figure skating competition held as part of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series. It is organized by the United States Figure Skating Association. The location changes yearly... |
4th | 3rd | ||
| Skate Canada International Skate Canada International The Skate Canada International is an international, senior-level invitation-only figure skating competition organized by Skate Canada. It is the second competition of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating. The location changes yearly. Medals are awarded in four disciplines: Ladies' singles, Men's... |
4th | 2nd | ||
| Nations Cup Bofrost Cup on Ice The Bofrost Cup on Ice was a figure skating competition held in Germany between 1986 and 2004. It was part of the Grand Prix series until 2003, when it was replaced by Cup of China. Following being booted out of the Grand Prix series, a new form of competition was introduced to the Bofrost Cup... |
3rd | |||
| Trophée Lalique | 2nd | 1st | ||
| NHK Trophy NHK Trophy The NHK Trophy is an international, senior-level figure skating competition held as part of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series. Figure skaters compete in the disciplines of ladies' singles, men's singles, pair skating, and ice dancing.... |
4th | |||
| Nebelhorn Trophy Nebelhorn Trophy The Nebelhorn Trophy is an international senior-level figure skating competition organized by the Deutsche Eislauf-Union and held annually in Oberstdorf, Germany. The competition is named after the Nebelhorn, a nearby mountain.... |
2nd | |||
| Piruetten | 4th | |||
| Skate Israel Skate Israel Skate Israel is a senior-level international figure skating competition, held in Metulla, Israel. Skaters compete in four disciplines: ladies and men's singles, pairs and ice dancing... |
2nd | |||
| Goodwill Games Goodwill Games The Goodwill Games was an international sports competition, created by Ted Turner in reaction to the political troubles surrounding the Olympic Games of the 1980s... |
4th |
External links
- Elena Berezhnaya Official Website
- Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze at pairsonice.net
- Elena Berezhnaya and Oleg Shliakhov profile at pairsonice.net