#ushakova/nekrasov

[figureskatingcostumes]

Arina Ushakova and Maxim Nekrasov skating to Libertango and a flamenco for their rhythm dance at the 2019 World Junior Championships.

(Source: David W. Carmichael)

[beautifulstorms]

not the russian ice dance switcheroo. classic

[findthatsynchronicity]

Junior Worlds Ice Dance: Top 10

[twistandtwizzles]

jgpf and russian sweeps | ice dance

2010 | 🥇Monko/Khaliavin 🥈Sinitsina/Zhiganshin 🥉Stepanova/Bukin

2011 | 🥇Sinitsina/Zhiganshin 🥈Yanovskaya/Mozgov 🥉Stepanova/Bukin

2014 | 🥇Yanovskaya/Mozgov 🥈Loboda/Drozd 🥉Popova/Vlasenko

2018 | 🥇Shevchenko/Eremenko 🥈 Ushakova/Nekrasov 🥉Khudaiberdieva/Nazarov

[mimib101]

Junior Russian Nationals 2020 - Ice Dance preview

Picking the three teams who will represent Russia at the Junior World Championships in Tallinn in ice dance is going to be a tough decision. There are so many high quality junior dance teams in Russia this season that is impossible to predict who will come out on top. Here is a preview of some of the teams who will be battling it out for the podium at this event:

*disclaimer: of course scores cannot be accurately compared across competitions - I have put the teams in order of their seasons best, however I think scores on the JGP/F are slightly less lenient than at Junior B competitions, so take the scores with a grain of salt.

1. Arina Ushakova / Maxim Nekrasov

SB: 173.20 at Mentor Torun Cup

Despite being injured for the first half of the season and not having competed on the JGP, Ushakova and Nekrasov go into Nationals with the highest SB of the competitors here. The 2018 JGPF silver medallists looked as strong as they have ever been in Poland last month and aren’t going to give up a JWC spot without a fight. Their greatest strength is their speed and power - they have the fastest twizzles I think I have ever seen, as well as some incredibly fast rotationals lifts.

2. Elizaveta Shanaeva / Devid Naryzhnyy

SB: 171.07 at JGP Russia

Shanaeva and Naryzhnyy have had a really good season. They won both of their JGPs and were the top Russian ice dancers at the JGPF, taking home the bronze medal. However, they haven’t competed in two months unlike a lot of their competitors so it remains to be seen how they will stack up against the rest of these teams. My favourite aspect of their skating is their quirkiness - their free dance is in my opinion one of the most creative of the season, including a really cool choreographic slide.

3. Diana Davis / Gleb Smolkin

SB: 167.17 at Volvo Open Cup

This team has improved a lot over the last couple of seasons. I’m not sure if they are technically as strong as some of the other teams here, however they really do perform. They won the silver medal at both their JGPs, becoming one of the three teams to qualify for the final. Finishing sixth overall there, they are not a lock for the world team, however if another team makes mistakes, they could definitely be on the podium. I really enjoy the softness of their skating in their free dance.

4. Elizaveta Khudaiberdieva / Andrey Filatov

SB: 165.59 at JGP Riga

Elizaveta and Andrey have done extremely well this season considering they have only been skating together for a few months. Qualifying to the JGPF in your first season together is no mean feat, and to be honest, I think they were hurt at the final by skating in the first flight. Elizaveta is the reigning JW silver medalist and is one of the most talented junior ice dancers in the world right now. It has been almost 2 months since we last saw them skate, and with that extra time to gel as a team, I reckon they will be even more improved when we see them next week. The highlight of their skating for me right now is their twizzles - fast, controlled, and perfectly in sync!

5. Irina Khavronina / Dario Cirisano

SB: 164.63 at the Youth Olympic Games

The surprise of the season; Irina and Dario went from not even getting a Junior Grand Prix assignment this season to winning gold at the Youth Olympics with two really great skates. I hadn’t known anything about them before this event but with the momentum from their win there, they could certainly play spoiler at Nationals. They are definitely a more junior team - their programs are very youthful and character driven - which certainly isn’t a bad thing. They are another team with lots of speed; including in their rotational lift.

6. Ekaterina Katashinskaia / Aleksandr Vaskovich

SB: 162.19 at JGP Gdansk

Katashinskaia and Vaskovich did well at their JGPs, finishing on the podium at both events and were alternates for the final. Ekaterina is so young but she has personality for days, which does wonders in helping to sell their programs. They have a way to go in terms of growing in maturity and with each other, however they have a lot of potential as a team. They have a really fun Latin free dance which I can’t help but smile at every time I see it.

7. Sofia Tyutyunina / Aleksandr Shustitsky

SB: 159.15 at the Youth Olympic Games

Another team who will be looking to build on their recent succes are Tyutyunina and Shustitsky. They came second behind their teammates at the Youth Olympics and were also alternates for the JGPF. Unlike the team who placed ahead of them, these two skate with a lot of maturity and I really enjoy both their programs, but especially their free dance. They clearly have a good connection with each other that they are able to portray on the ice, and it really helps to transform their programs. I think they are ones to watch for the future for sure.

[figure-skating-confessions]

“ Loved the dedication Arina Ushakova, Maxim Nekrasov, Avonley Nguyen, Vadym Koleshnik, Yana Buga and Georgy Pokhilyuk had when taking that selfie on the podium in Kaunas. “

[icedanceupstarts]

Arina Ushakova & Maxim Nekrasov || 2021 Russian Junior Nationals

[figureskatinggifs]

Favorite ice dance lifts of the 2018-2019 figure skating season (so far)

[thefinersports]

2019 World Junior Championships Preview: Ice Dance

2019 World Junior Championships Preview: Ice Dance

VANCOUVER, BC – DECEMBER 06: Elizaveta Khudaiberdieva and Nikita Nazarov of Russia compete in the Rhythm Dance portion of the Junior Ice Dance competition at the ISU Junior and Senior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final, December, 6, 2018 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Rich Lam – International Skating Union (ISU))

We’re less than a week away from Junior Worlds, and if you…

[anewbeginningagain]

So basically if you look at the Russian top 10 dance teams:

Sinitsina/Katsalapov - likely retiring 

Stepnova/Bukin - aiming for 2026

nepotism #2 - aiming for 2026

Khuda/Bazin - aiming for 2026 (though I personally doubt it)

Annabelle Morozov / Andrei Bagin - split

Elizaveta Shanaeva / Devid Naryzhnyy - split

Anastasia Skoptsova / Kirill Aleshin - retired

Arina Ushakova / Maxim Nekrasov - retired 

Tiffany Zahorski / Jonathan Guerreiro - likely retiring 

Shevchenko/Eremenko - retired

Even if Morozov/Naryzhnyy teaming up the field pretty much cleared, some of it is because of the (justified) Russian ban, but I’m certain the corrupt rise of nepotism #2 played a huge part in the decision for at least 5 of these teams which just might be the dumbest thing RusFed has done in a long time.

[figureskatingcostumes]

Arina Ushakova and Maxim Nekrasov's Cha Cha costumes at the 2017 Junior Grand Prix Final and 2018 World Junior Championships.

(Sources: 1 and 2)

[beautifulstorms]

Arina Ushakova/Maxim Nekrasov, FD White Cat, JGP Armenia 2018

[findthatsynchronicity]

Arina Ushakova/Maxim Nekrasov + One Foot Step Sequence

Ushakova: RFO-Rocker⟶RBO to RBI Change of Edge⟶RBI-Counter⟶RFI-Bracket⟶RBO to RBI to RBO Change of Edge⟶RBO Twizzle

Nekrasov: RBI-Rocker⟶RFI-Counter⟶RBI to RBO Change of Edge⟶RBO-Three Turn⟶RFI-Twizzle⟶RBO-Three Turn⟶RFI Bracket

[twistandtwizzles]

Arina Ushakova / Maxim Nekrasov | free dance | russian junior nationals 2020

[mimib101]

I've been missing these two on the JGP this season - looking forward to seeing them (hopefully) at junior nationals ☺️

[figureskatingfanblog]

2021 - 2022 Russian Junior/Novice Teams

* indicates Novice skater

Men

Aeksandr Golubev

Vladislav Dikidzhi

Egor Rukhin

Daniil Samsonov

Nikolay Ugozhaev

Ilya Yablokov

Andrei Kutovoi (reserve)

Gleb Lutfullin (reserve)

Kiril Sarmovskyi (reserve)

Artem Kovalev (reserve)

Andrei Anisimov*

Fyodor Zonov*

Nikolai Kolesnikov*

Ivan Popov*

Semyon Solovyov*

Ladies

Sofia Akatieva

Elizaveta Berestovskaia

Sofia Muravyova

Adeliya Petrosian

Sofia Samodelkina

Anna Frolova

Maria Zakharova (reserve)

Alina Gorbacheva*

Alisa Dvoeglazhova*

Anastasia Zinina*

Daria Sadkova*

Ulyana Shiryaeva*

Pairs

Anastasia Mukhortova/Dmitry Evgeniev

Ekaterina Petushkova/Evgeniy Malikov

Natalia Khabibulina/Ilya Knyazhuk

Kseniia Akhanteva/Valerii Kolesov

Daria Boyarintseva/Maksim Shagalov

Polina Kostiukovich/Aleksei Briukhanov

Taisia Sobinina / Sergei Bakhmat (reserve)

Alina Raskovalova/Artyom Butaev*

Ekaterina Storublyovtseva/Artyom Gritsaenko*

Milana Trubacheva/Vladislav Smirnov*

Evgenia Tumanova/Georgiy Kunitsa*

Varvara Cheremikh/Daniil Butenko*

Ekaterina Chikmaryova/Matvei Yanchenkov*

Ice Dance

Vasilisa Kaganovskaya/Valeriy Angelopol

Olga Mamchenkova/Mark Volkov

Margarita Svistunova/Dmitry Studenkin

Irina Khavronina/Dario Chirisano

Arina Ushakova/Maksim Nekrasov

Elizaveta Shichina/Gordei Khubulov

Angelina Lazareva/Maksim Prokofiev (reserve)

Ekaterina Mironova/Evgeniy Ustenko (reserve)

Sofia Tiutiunina/Aleksandr Shustitskyi (reserve)

Sofia Leontieva/Daniil Gorenkin*

Taisia Linchevskaia/Timur Babaev-Smirnov*

Alisa Ovsyankina/Matvei Samokhin*

Anna Rumak/Gleb Goncharov*

Ekaterina Rybakova/Ivan Makhnonosov*

Sovia Kachushkina/Oleg Muratov* (reserve)