DRAMA ON ICE
Marina
Anissina & Gwendal Peizerat
[By candlelight] [Magazine cover] [Posh profiles] [Strolling] [Dramatic tango] [In NYC] [Exhibition
lift]
[Playing chess] [At World Cup] [Gwendal & fan] [Gwendal in Paris
Match magazine] [Olympic waltz]
[Close-up
crossovers] [With Olympic gold] [Kiss after CD] [Hugging in Oh La
magazine] [Liberta FD begins]
[Marina lifts
Gwendal] [With flair] [Setting the mood] [R & J lift] [Exotic costumes] [Dinner event]
I'm sure in one
thing - if you want to achieve anything, you have to work more than others.
There's not any secret in this. And there's not any exclusion for anyone.
Marina,
on success
A minute
before we shoot forth onto the ice, words become superfluous. From the first
notes of the music, only our bodies speak.
Gwendal, on him and Marina having a code for communication during competition
Skating
is a profession. We had chosen one day, each with his own direction, to throw
ourselves into it, body, heart and soul. And that has kept us together now for
seven years. Skating is a demanding discipline, but it is outweighed by the
rich instances of so much magic and emotions so high and intoxicating that they
are shared with a ward for the delirious.
Gwendal, on he and Marina being a couple on, but not off, the ice
It is the same in
real life- always the woman carrying the man.
Marina,
on the gender bending lifts in the “Romeo & Juliet” FD
I just like that color. I don’t consider myself a femme
fatale. I am what I am- natural.
Marina, on her hair color
I am waiting for the prince on the white
horse.
Marina, on finding her significant other
I find it
wonderful that the people recognize the quality of our work. The support from
the public, the affection that it has shown us for some time now is a source of
supplementary motivation.
Marina, on fans
Actually, we
get on better then the other couples. The problem is: we walk in the same
direction but not the same way and it creates tensions.
Marina, when being confronted that she and Gwendal are two completely opposing characters
I am too
greedy for a diet!
Gwendal, when Marina was asked about putting him on a diet before lifting him
In the rules
it’s written, in English, ‘When the partner lifts the partner.’ It doesn’t say
it’s the girl or the man. So it can be whoever.
Gwendal, on the gender bending lifts
Me, I skate, and the judges occupy themselves with the results. That’s all. There is a subjective element in our discipline that one cannot remove. It is a sport of judgment, the judges are human and man is subjective. Period.
Gwendal, on ice dance judging
Our free
dance has nothing to do with Leonardo DiCaprio!
Gwendal on their Free Dance to the soundtrack of “The Man in the Iron Mask”
We
have different life rhythms, thus we complete each other. When I am tired, she pulls me. When she feels doubtful, I comfort her.
Gwendal, on his relationship with Marina in training
In the closed atmosphere of skating, this brings balance to my life, it allows me to re-establish contact with reality.
Gwendal, on his university life
If there is
no subjectivity there can’t be artistry.
Gwendal, on the subjectivity of ice dance
Each of us
chooses to see any good sides of his/her partner. It is that which makes our force.
Gwendal, on partnerships
She didn’t
like it when I was being nonchalant and she reproached me often for it. Now I
am less so… and she finds that it is is worse. Never satisfied…
Gwendal on Marina
We would
never give ourselves 6 because we always want to do better. The day when you
tell yourself "that's perfect" you’re dead. Then, even though it’s a
wonderful confirmation, we won't stop there.
Gwendal Peizerat, when asked about the 6.0s given to them at the 2000 Grand Prix Finale
With
Marina you never have achieved a 6.0.
Gwendal, when asked about the satisfaction of obtaining the
highest mark
Marina Anissina's mother was a pairs skater and her father was a hockey player. Naturally, their daughter began to skate at an early age. Marina left home at age 17 to pursue her dream of becoming an Olympic gold medallist. Ilia Averbukh, the partner of her teenage years, had decided to skate with the woman he'd fallen in love with, Irina Lobacheva. So Marina was in need of a new partner. Marina sent a letter to Victor Kraatz of Canada. But he already had a partner, Shae-Lynn Bourne. She also sent a letter to Gwendal Peizerat of Lyon, France. Gwendal's former partner, Marina Morel, had decided to quit competing. They met and the rest is history!
From the very beginning, Marina and Gwendal was a fluid pair on the ice. And there was something EXTRA also- the stuff that great dancers are made of. As men's Olympic gold medallist Scott Hamilton has said: "the best skaters in the world look like they're coming FROM the ice..." This is certainly true of our couple- just watch any of their programs and judge for yourself!
Long-time fans have noted that Marina is passionate and temperamental, while Gwendal is relaxed and cool. So what? These two opposites are brilliant together on the ice. They relate SO well to each other on the ice that the audience can't help but relate to their programs. As Dick Button said during their "Romeo and Juliet" free dance at the 1998 Olympic Games in Nagano, Japan: "they truly reminded me of two people falling in love." That is the objective of ice dance!
I first saw this couple on TV during World Championships coverage in the fall of 1995. I remember thinking how quick they were in their Latin free dance and how expressive. Fast feet, unusual costumes, and big smiles! Then I didn't see them on US TV for several months. But I became a fan when I saw their gorgeous "Romeo and Juliet" free dance in Japan. It was like NO skating routine I'd ever seen! I especially loved the "gender-bender" lifts they performed! The costumes were AMAZING! They resembled a prince and princess on the ice. This routine launched them onto the world stage- they won the bronze medal (amid rumors of a judging controversy in the field of ice dance). Fans saw the drama- both ON and OFF the ice.
My favorite program is "The Man in the Iron Mask." The music was very strong and powerful. The lifts, spins, and holds were creative and new. The costumes were perfect for the mood they set. Audiences were surprised and overjoyed to see such a free dance. Marina personified the mask, Gwendal the imprisoned man."Carmina Burana" was another great effort by our team. The costumes were very intricate and the music was haunting. Marina personified an evil force; Gwendal was the monk tempted by it. Their "Beethoven's Last Night" free dance didn't have the impact that they'd hoped. There was an unexpected fall during the 2001 World Championships. They both looked stunned in that moment. But they shrugged it off and continued to grow and improve.
Marina and Gwendal reached the pinnacle of their sport when they won the gold at the 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, Utah. No other team could even think of coming close! Their Flamenco original dance was top notch! The timing, expression, and steps were perfect. I was ecstatic- as were thousands of fans from all over the world! They skated a difficult and inventive free dance called "Liberta" (using part of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's "I Have A Dream" speech). Marina looked so proud and reflective; Gwendal was beaming widely on the medals podium. Finally, their dream had come true!
Marina has dual-citizenship and has adjusted to the culture of her adopted nation. She speaks French very well. Her mother, Irina Chernieva, lives close by. She has a younger half-brother who lives in Russia with her father. Marina likes to shop, play tennis, and she has a pet dog. She hopes to settle down one day with a Russian man who shares her traditional values and love of homeland.
Gwendal has said that he loves to learn- he has four degrees from a university specializing in business. He likes water skiing, rock climbing, and playing the piano (which he took up at age 6). Gwendal's parents and two sisters live in Lyon, a beautiful, cosmopolitan city o. He has a pet cat... and a snake (this was a joke gift). Gwendal speaks English wonderfully- and he's a fan of the Internet! He hopes to coach young skaters in the future.
What else is there to say? They are amazing people- as well as amazing
skaters. They put passion into their sport- and it paid off in a big way. They
care about their fans and continue to participate in shows and special events.
I want to thank Marina and Gwendal for bringing a lot of excitement and beauty
into my life. You have many devoted fans! I wish you the best of luck in your
personal and professional lives.
