Interview comes from: http://www.newizv.ru/news/2005-08-02/29114/ Nikolai Morozov “It was my dream to work with Plushenko” By Alexei Denisov Nikolai Moroxov is well-known in the sports world. Ice dancer, ex-partner of World Champion Tatiana Navka, he didn’t attain fame as an eligible skater but all at once gained laurels as a choreographer. He became famous in 2000, after choreographing “Winter” short program for Alexei Yagudin for the Olympics at Salt Lake City. As the result, Yagudin won the Olympics, “Winter” was named the classics of figure skating and Morozov became the most sought-after choreographer. Since then he has worked with almost all elite skaters. Only one star was missing in this collection – Evgeny Plushenko. This “omission” was recently eliminated. Morozov has spent a week in St.Petersburg where he was helping Plushenko and his coach Alexei Mishin to choreograph the SP for the Olympics. “NI” correspondent has meat the choreographer and asked him a few questions. – Nikolai, who invited you to St.Petersburg? – I’m here thanks to Mishin and Plushenko. I was in Chicago, working with Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinin when Alexei Nikolaevich called me. He said he would like to invite me to St.Petersburg to help with idea and programs. Of course, I agreed at once and flew to St.Petersburg 4 days later, after I finished my work with Tanya and Maxim. – I remember, last year at the Worlds Championship in Dortmund you confessed that you were dreaming to work with Zhenya Plushenko but you said it was unlikely. And all of a sudden your dream came true. What made this co-operation possible? – Frankly, I don’t know. Zhenya and Alexei Nikolaevich decided it together. I guess you should ask them why. But you’re right, it was my long-time dream to work with Plushenko. Today he’s the most prominent skater and the best performer. When injuries don’t bother him and he’s in good shape, Plushenko is the brightest star at any event. So you can understand my feelings when I received this invitation at last. I’m very happy with my work with Zhenya. He’s a unique skater who can do everything on ice. – You have impressive achievements, a reputation of a successful choreographer, and you didn’t have a single fiasco program. Do you think Professor Mishin wanted a certainty when he was inviting you? – Yeah, strange as it may seem, I haven’t yet had a fiasco yet. And maybe in this case it was really my reputation that worked. It was always very interesting with me – whoever I started to work with, the results of these athletes improved. I started to work with Sebestyen – she won Euros, with Joubert – he won over Plushenko … And one more interesting fact – when our co-operation ended the results went down. This was the case with Shizuka Arakawa, a Japanese single skater after 2004 Worlds which she won. – Zhenya’s new short program, what it will be like? – Unfortunately, I must not reveal all the details now – Your work with Zhenya, how was it? – Very well! First af all, he has a very good discipline. I believe it’s his coach’s accomplishment. Though almost all athletes of this level have good discipline. But I was surptised that Zhenya, being a tree times World Champion always listens very attentively to his coach and choreographer and always does what he is told! Of course, it’s very rare. - Did you hesitate – accept or turn down his invitation? There are rumours that you have already choreographed programs for Brian Joubert and Stephane Lambiel – Zhenya’s main rivals… – About Stephane – it’s just a rumour. As for Joubert – yes, it’s true, I choreographed programs for him as well as for Japanese skaters Takeshi Honda and Daisuka Takahasi. To tell the truth, I didn’t feel any special psychological discomfort accepting Plushenko’s offer. Remmeber, I worked with both Sasha Cohen and Michelle Kwan for two years. And I tried to do winning programs for everything, I did my best. By the way, in Dortmund in 2004 in the last ladies group there were only my skaters – I worked with Arakawa, Cohen, Kwan and Sebestyen. It was a good, interesting Championship. Translated by Shanti