by Galina Savarina, Choreographer of the USSR Gymnastic Team
Nedelya. October 5, 1970. There are six of them on the team. But I could talk about eight, or even ten, because all the girls who were vying for a place in the team that will be competing in the world championships in Ljubljana, Yugoslavia, in a few days are bright individuals, each one unique. Working with them on their floor exercise routines, I feel how inseparable their character and individual mastery are. Our coaching task is to recognize, understand, and help them express themselves through movement. And, I think we haven't made a mistake... However, in a few days you will be able to judge for yourselves by watching the brilliant performance of the world's best gymnasts on television. And now I just want to help you see and feel the art that will unfold before you in the excitement of a sporting competition.
"I love to have fun," says Larisa Petrik about herself, a person full of emotions. And sometimes, during training, she'll say: "I can't, I'm not feeling it today..." But sport doesn't recognize these mood swings. If there's no inspiration, call on technique to help. Larisa has a keen, creative eye, and when she sees something new, she's always ready to adopt it. But free-form movements require months of work until every trick, every gesture becomes second nature. Larisa isn't afraid of hard work; she's always ready to do more than is required.
She is currently performing with a new program, Carmen. The image of Plisetskaya inevitably comes to kind... The great ballerina and the young gymnast - no, not just an ordinary gymnast, but an Olympic champion - but won't this simplify Bizet's image? No. I see sparks of Carmen in Larisa's temperamental performance, which she worked on under the guidance of choregrapher A. Selezneva. This is close to Larisa, and therefore this bold step was not a mistake.
I can't think of Olga Karaseva without smiling: always cheerful and bright, she's like sunshine in the team. I don't think she even knows how to be truly angry. She performs her composition based on Russian motifs with pleasure, wholeheartedly, as if she's reveling in the light, free movement. I don't have to correct her; I only help her to reveal her inner richness.
How organically our gymnasts embody the music! Right now, it seems that nothing suits Olya Karaseva better than Russian motifs. A year ago, she won the European Cup, performing a program of a completely different character - sharply modern - and then it also seemed that this was perfect for her. The secret, of course, lies in high skill, culture of movement, and talent. And yet, although the 'modern' style was effective, the Russian motifs are truly Olga's.
Zina Voronina has become stricter and more serious this year; she's no longer a girl, but 'Dimka's mother.' She has magnificent physical attributes: grace, beauty, and a figure that a ballerina would envy. And inner fire! When she performs it's as if sparks fly from the stage. At the last world championship in Dortmund, she captivated the audience. And I think she will captivate them again now. She performs an oriental dance.
Lyuba Burda's routine is built around Bach's Toccata. And again, the concern might arise: aren't we oversimplifying Bach? Bach cannot be listened to thoughtlessly, without a certain emotional state, let alone trying to convey it through movement. Lyuba is an extraordinarily truthful person, not only in the ordinary sense of everyday life, but also in her performance. She cannot tolerate falsehoods. And she treats the music entrusted to her by her coach, Yuri Eduardovich Shtukman, with great responsibility.
Lyuba has grown up before our very eyes; we've watched her mature. Perhaps her fear of insincerity makes her constantly control herself. I know that she doesn't take any praise at face value, but checks to see if it's really true. Perhaps this self-control even slows her down a little. But you can't force things here: a serious, thoughtful, and complex person is growing up.
It wasn't easy to find the right floor exercise routine for Lyuda Turischeva although she's a very easy gymnast to work with: straightforward, diligent, and meticulous - in short, a hard worker. We don't meet very often - she lives a thousand kilometers from Moscow - but I feel that from one meeting to the next, she doesn't forget anything, doesn't lose anything, and absorbs everything useful like a sponge. And there's no need to complicate things with this clear, wonderful person! Right now she's performing Dunaevsky's Holiday March - openly, enthusiastically. And I think she will be successful.
Little, mischievous 'Lazya' grew up to become Tamara Lazakovich. This teenage girl, without losing her sweet playfulness, acquired a gentleness that is becoming increasingly evident in her appearance. She remained stubborn, never accepting anything immediately, but this competitive spirit sometimes helps her win. The future promised Tamara great opportunities in free movement - her physical abilities will not limit her. For now, we've settled on the light, youthful melody of Summer Rain by composer Weil.
Sometimes I think: what a pity that we only see all these routines at major gymnastics competitions. What a magnificent program for a concert performance, combining both the aesthetics of perfect movement and excellent promotion of athletic skill!