Val & Kazimov Develop Their Personal Type
by Matteo Morelli
Sofía Val and Asaf Kazimov are a brand new partnership representing Spain. Their coaching base is the brand new SK Worldwide Ice Dance College in Madrid, headed by former Spanish ice dance champions Sara Hurtado and Kirill Khaliavin. They advised us a bit extra about themselves and the way they went from deciding to skate collectively when the skating season had already began to competing on the World Championships in Saitama.
Asaf Kazimov (AK): I break up with my earlier accomplice firstly of August final 12 months, after I used to skate with Germany. I began to seek for a brand new accomplice and Sara advised me that Sofía was looking for a brand new accomplice too: we had a check out right here in Madrid, with Sara and Kirill. On the way in which again within the airplane, I already knew that I’d have favored to crew up with Sofía.
Sofía Val (SV): Our check out wasn’t that lengthy, it was 5 days. We had been each looking for companions. After the check out we knew we wished to skate with one another, so all of it occurred fairly shortly. He determined to return right here and practice with Sara and Kirill, and we’re very glad it’s figuring out so properly.
Glad to listen to that issues had been so good from the beginning. Do you know one another earlier than?
SV: We by no means spoke to one another. I used to be nonetheless skating in juniors final season and Asaf was competing in seniors.
AK: We knew of one another from different folks, however we had by no means met in particular person earlier than.
You may have been skating collectively for such a brief period of time, but you may have already completed some crucial outcomes this season, together with going to a serious occasion just like the World Championships. What did you deal with because you determined to hitch forces? Did you instantly arrange aims for the season?
SV: We didn’t set huge aims from the start as a result of it was already fairly late within the season once we began collectively. We didn’t know if we had been going have the ability to compete as a result of we didn’t get the discharge. It was a bit difficult, it at all times takes a little bit of time and we had been attempting to do all the things in a really quick interval. We couldn’t do Nationals formally, so our goal was simply to attempt to do that competitors in Tilburg (Worldwide Problem Cup) to attempt to get the factors for Worlds, however already competing at a world occasion was a giant step for us.
AK: We had been ready for my launch from the German Federation and we solely obtained it on the finish of January, which was the final week the place you would attempt to apply to compete in Tilburg. We had been very glad to have the ability to skate at this competitors collectively.
Let’s return to the previous. How and when did you strategy skating? Have you ever at all times been ice dancers, or did you begin in several fields after which shift?
AK: I’m initially from Russia and I began to skate there. I used to do some single skating for six years, and after I was round eleven I modified to ice dance. My coaches mentioned “properly, you might be fairly okay with jumps, however not so good as you would be”, and so they requested me if I wish to attempt ice dance. I did that, and I actually loved it. After which my household and I moved to Germany in 2012, and I’ve been doing ice dance since then.
SV: I began single skating in Madrid, and I by no means thought I’d have come again to coaching right here! Once I was 13, I watched ice dance on tv and wished to attempt it, so I went to attempt it in Lyon and I actually loved it. Inside every week I made a decision that I needed to do ice dance, and moved there. It was a reasonably fast determination! Coming from single skating, I didn’t actually watch ice dance in individual that a lot, and I used to be very impressed by the senior ice dancers coaching there.
You had totally different companions earlier than deciding to skate collectively. What did you’re taking away with you out of your earlier experiences?
SV: Your work ethic is essential and it must match your accomplice’s as properly. The remainder can come alongside and with work, outcomes will are available in. If you end up not comfy or your communication together with your accomplice is just not the most effective, it’s actually tough to spend hours on the ice with the opposite particular person. Asaf and I can work for hours collectively and we nonetheless benefit from the course of, we love each minute we spend on the ice and I believe that is a very powerful factor.
AK: I completely agree with Sofía. For me, communication can be a very powerful issue, as a result of generally you see one another nearly 24/7, so you must take all the things with plenty of humour, assist one another, discover compromises and options collectively. It is extremely essential.
You’re coaching on the brand-new SK Worldwide Ice Dance College in Madrid, which opened round a 12 months in the past and is led by Sara Hurtado, Kirill Khaliavin and Ksenia Monko. How are you discovering it there?
SV: I began skating right here since final summer season, after I didn’t have a accomplice but. The earlier season, I used to be coaching in Villard-de-Lans when Sara referred to as me to say they had been doing this undertaking, and I knew I wished to work with them. What is essential to me is that they’re 100% into this, they’re absolutely dedicated and spend plenty of hours with us.
AK: After the check out in September I already knew I wished to be a part of this undertaking. It was the total dedication that completely persuaded me, the working perspective, the way in which all of us work collectively and assist one another.
SV: They’re very open minded, they allow us to have our area to create and actually assist us, but in addition lead us to what they suppose is the most suitable choice for us.
AK: We’re nonetheless a really younger crew, so we’re beginning our improvement now, attempting to progress with all the things. Clearly, we wish to be pretty much as good because the earlier groups: Sara and Kirill are our idols, we’re very glad to skate with them and be coached by them. We’re taking it step-by-step, there needs to be steady enchancment.
SV: There are extra groups coming right here at our faculty. That can be very nice as a result of we get to check ourselves to different groups, attempt to study what they’ll do higher than us, and vice versa.
AK: It’s good sportsmanship and rivalry.
Let’s have a look at your debut: as you mentioned, your first worldwide competitors collectively wat the Problem Cup in Tilburg, the place you led to sixth place. How did you’re feeling then and what did you’re taking away from it?
SV: I believe it was an amazing debut. I used to be very nervous. We had solely been skating collectively for a number of months and we wished to skate clear, however at the back of our heads we knew we wished to get the factors for Worlds. You don’t need to get an excessive amount of strain in your head, simply in case you get too disillusioned, however we had been actually happy with the outcomes.
AK: I used to be not as a lot nervous, however reasonably fascinated about the programmes, how they need to be. After the competitors, we had been very glad that we managed to do what we did, particularly after such a brief time period.
The outcomes at Tilburg allowed you to qualify in your first senior World Championships, the place you ended up being the primary crew on the ice to open the rhythm dance. How did you reside this expertise?
SV: We didn’t have any rankings, it was our second competitors collectively and my first seniors, so it was a very wonderful expertise, we had been so glad to be there.
One factor that stood out is how a lot all skaters in Saitama appeared to have bonded. That will need to have been very nice!
SV: Sure, I already knew some groups, others I didn’t. Having the ability to be within the resort with all the opposite skaters was actually enjoyable. We had the most effective time. It was nice additionally as a result of plenty of the groups that had been there are wonderful skaters and we glance as much as them, so additionally attending to know them as folks was wonderful. For instance, the primary three days we had been coaching with the Italian couple Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri. That was implausible!
AK: If you end up on the ice with this crew that simply gained the European Championships after which find yourself in second place at Worlds, it’s one thing else!
The situation itself will need to have been stunning too.
SV: It was! And the organisation of the occasion was wonderful.
By way of present or previous ice dance groups, do you may have any that you simply take inspiration from and also you have a look at as what you wish to develop into sooner or later?
AK: There are plenty of nice groups: Advantage/Moir, Papadakis/Cizeron, for instance. There are nice groups which have nice qualities. I believe it is extremely essential to develop your individual fashion and your individual characteristic on the ice, for the judges and the group, to indicate that you’re totally different: that is what we try to develop throughout the subsequent years.
SV: There are younger groups now which might be so highly effective, and the older groups: you possibly can study one thing from each crew. For instance, I look as much as Madison Chock: I really like how she strikes, her presence on the ice, her look from the start earlier than she even begins the programmes, her fingers when she is skating, all the things, however we try to develop our fashion slowly, we’re younger and we hope that we’ll get there.
The 2022/23 season is now over: how is the work for the brand new season shaping up? Have you ever already arrange your objectives?
AK: In regards to the programmes, we’re at the moment fascinated about them as a result of the theme of the Rhythm Dance is the 80s and there’s a lot to select from. We’re looking for the fashion that fits us. In regards to the objectives, we need to take it step-by-step, we need to attempt to develop from 12 months to 12 months. We are going to take this time now till the season begins to work on the brand new programmes and do our greatest.
SV: We need to attempt to do as many worldwide competitions as we are able to to be often called a pair. Being new, particularly within the ice dance world you will need to be identified and likewise get skilled, as a result of there are different older groups which have way more expertise and in order that performs a giant half. Hopefully we are going to begin to get a little bit of rating for the massive competitions.
Let’s transfer away from the ice: inform us one thing about your self, your passions, what you want outdoors of skating!
SV: We don’t get that a lot break day! Some days, we begin at eight within the morning and end at seven within the night. Loads of the times we relaxation, however we each produce other pursuits. I’m learning psychology from subsequent 12 months, I’m very enthusiastic about this! I’m going to do it half offline and half on-line, as a result of it may be fairly arduous to do all the things collectively.
AK: I began to check electrical engineering, and simply completed my bachelor’s. I would begin a grasp’s diploma right here in Madrid. After the skating profession, I’d most likely wish to work as an engineer.
SV: We additionally each love dancing, I really like hip hop. It’s tremendous enjoyable! Takes off your thoughts a bit out of your programmes, which you may get a bit uninterested in doing them on a regular basis. I additionally love baking, and being with my canine!
AK: Household time is at all times nice, after Worlds I went again to Germany to see my household and my girlfriend. We had a good time, as a result of now I stay in Madrid completely and I don’t see them so usually.
Thanks each so much for sharing a lot about you. Is there something you wish to add to our dialog?
AK: I wish to say, as soon as once more, thanks to our coaches. We are saying this to them each day, however nonetheless we need to thank them for all of the alternatives they offer us, for his or her work with us and the way a lot time they make investments into it.
SV: It wouldn’t be attainable for us to compete in such a brief time period in the event that they weren’t with us on the ice for therefore many hours, so thanks Sara, Kirill, and Ksenia.
