Interview with Pasha during her fanmeeting June 1999, Germany.
Translated by Anushka
Hildesheimer Allegemeine Zeitung interview with Oksana Grishuk, two times
Olympic Ice Dance Champion.A big show for the audience.
By Tarek Abu Ajamieh, who has visited Oksana Grishuk, the two times Olympic
Champion and four times World Champion Ice dance (together with Evgeny
Platov), in Sarstedt.Her grandmother and aunt live in Sarstedt, and with scares visits the by
birth now in California living Ukrainian tries to keep up the family
connections. Since the last year the 27-year-old figure skater is pro.
During this last visit to Sarstedt she gave an interview to HAZ.HAZ: You are pro for a year now. What is the biggest difference between
being pro and amateur?Grishuk: You have more artistic freedom. You don't have any rules about
what you should show. It's not like: You have to do two jumps from this
kind of difficulty. You will have to make a big show for your audience.HAZ: You mean that you don't skate for the judges anymore?
Grishuk: I have never skated for the judges. The choreography is for the
judges, but the performance is for the audience. I have always
skated/danced for my partner and for the audience.HAZ: How is the relationship between the competitors? Anjelika Krylova and
you must hate each other?Grishuk: NO, not at all! She is my friend! Of course there is a healthy
rivalry on the ice, but that is all. I have a tremendous respect for every
single one of my competitors, as athletes and as persons. But the press
likes to interpret rivalry as hatred. That sells better…HAZ: How long are you still going to skate?
Grishuk: For now I will say five years for sure! In single skating you have
so many different possibilities to express yourself. I connect to my
audience, every step is a word (laughing)…. Yes, another five years for
sure.HAZ: And after that?
Grishuk: By that time I'm hoping to be a good actress and to get good parts
in movies. I know a lot of people in Hollywood, who want to help me, but I
still have to learn a lot.HAZ: You said that you were born in Odessa (Ukraine). Why did you
skate for Russia?Grishuk: I lived in Moscow when the USSR fell and I feel Russian.
HAZ: Now you are living in California. What kind of relationship do you
have with Russia, you have the highest order from your (native) country?Grishuk: It's the country where I was born, I have a lot of friends over
there, but I live and work in California and my family lives in Germany. I
don't go there very often any more.HAZ: But you are still very popular over there. How come?
Grishuk: First of all in Russia almost everyone skates at least when they
are children. Russian people see my sport with different eyes. They are
very proud of me and they grant me my success. Russian people aren't really
jealous.HAZ: You have a great connection with your fans?!
Grishuk: What am I without them? No really: If no one would be interested
in my abilities, where would I be then.
