Interview with Pasha during her fanmeeting August 1998, Germany.
Translated by Anushka


ŠAnushka

A Cool Ice Diva with a Hot Heart:
Olympic Champion Oksana Grishuk
 

Oksana is coming! Anxiously thirty invited fans and the press are waiting in the Heilig-Geist-Kirche" in Sarstedt for the two times Olympic Ice dance gold medallist Oksana Grishuk or "Pasha". That's how her fans call her full of love. Photo albums are placed on the table showing the years of unbeatable success. There is a reason why Pasha, who lives in Los Angeles, has chosen to meet her fans in Sarstedt. She is here, because she is spending some time with her aunt, who lives in Sarstedt. The tension is almost unbearable, it's not going to be very much longer now.....
A fan shows me a newspaper article:" Yesterday Evgeny Platov has left his partner Pasha. The most successful Ice dance couple out of history has  split up after nine years of working together."
People are applauding and shouting compliments when Pasha, a little bit distracted, walks in the room. She tries to laugh and fights against her  tears. Pictures are taken from every side.

"I am happy and sad at the same time" she starts to say. "I wanted to cancel this meeting, but I didn't want to disappoint my fans".

Again tears are streaming down her face. Her aunt safes the situation by putting on a video with one of Pasha's dances. Pasha looks at the television screen and gets calmer. Then she turns to her fans and laughs like nothing happened.
Questions are asked:"Which of your programs do you like best?"

"Every one of them, but the Arabian program is very special to me, because I did the choreography all on my own."

"What are your plans for the future?"

"I'm trying to find more challenges, I want to work more and learn more things. Now I have turned pro that's possible."

For this newspaper Pasha was willing to answer some questions:

Reporter:"Do you want to be a professional skater like Katharina Witt?"

Pasha:" Katharina was always my big example and I have always admired her strength and expression."

Reporter:"You are living in the US for four years now and now even in LA, where you meet the most interesting people. Isn't Sarstedt a little bit dull for you, doesn't it seem like a village?"

Pasha:" Sarstedt is my second home. I love being here.

Reporter:"You have had some offers to star in movies, can you imagine changing your profession to acting?"

Pasha:"I have done one serie"Black Scorpion". I love to act and I also take acting lessons once a week, but I actually only do that, because I want to improve my expression on the ice. Skating is most important to me."

Reporter:"Has the success changed you?"

Pasha:"Yes, but in a positive way. I don't suffer from star light antics.The success and the money which is a part of that have made me more confident and give me more strength to go on and work more."

Reporter:"You have turned pro and there is more money involved. Aren't you afraid to loose yourself?"

Pasha:"No, the money has never been interesting to me. For me money is just some sort of measurer, which shows the quality of my work. Nothing more."

Reporter:"Pasha, thank you so much for this interview."