This and That with Maya Bagriantseva : ISU Congress, Alexandra Trusova Engaged

Last week, the top skating officials convened at the ISU Congress in Las Vegas. Despite a ton of debate and drama, not much was necessarily accomplished. Alexandra Trusova announced her engagement and the Court of Arbitration for Sport heard the appeals filed by the Russian Olympic Committee and Russian Figure Skating Federation. Maya Bagriantseva joins me to discuss the news in the sport and what's new with Kamila Valieva, Anna Shcherbakova, Alina Zagitova, Alena Kostornaia and Eteri Tutberidze on the latest edition of 'This and That'.
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The goal of The Skating Lesson (TSL) is to share our passion and knowledge of the sport with all of you. Whether you call it figure skating, ice skating, Eiskunstlauf, фигурное катание, 피겨 스케이팅, フィギュアスケート, 花样滑冰, 花樣滑冰, patinage artistique, pattinaggio artistico or patinaje artístico, we hope you'll share your passion with us

[@johnseals1986]

So glad to see This and That back up on KZbin!!!

[@TheSkatingLesson]

❤️

[@chrisjacobsen5558]

Agreed!!!

[@erinthomasent]

"Isn't it flattering that Tamara Moskvina is preoccupied with your personal life?" cracked me up. It's so important to have friends like Maya who get it

[@TheSkatingLesson]

🤣❤️💯

[@glennprince3]

Seriously, seeing TSL back on my feed is the summer surprise I needed!

[@TheSkatingLesson]

[@len10100]

Great to see Maya! Am I the only one who does not like the backflip? Don’t hate me 😭😂

[@birgitangermair4483]

I don`t like it either! 🙂

[@emallace447]

Thank you Dave! I love Maya!

[@TheSkatingLesson]

❤️❤️

[@TravelingMan63]

Speaking of Alysa, I saw her practicing her program this past week. She was in the harness executing 3A. The 3A is coming back

[@ingai7014]

🙏💪🙌

[@loyalfan99]

I am a simple man. I see Maya Bagriantseva, I click.

[@TheSkatingLesson]

❤️

[@Jeremy-wp4yh]

I needed this. It's been too long without any figure skating discussions.

[@JoshuaFazeli]

We are the most opinionated and passionate fans in sport. ❤

[@whimzylab]

Really great conversation! Hopefully, ISU will address music licensing issues that are preventing the sport from going (and staying) viral on social media. If they are encouraging partnerships with major fashion houses, why not work with music conglomerates like WMG or UMG that have extensive catalogs? I know music licensing is way more complicated than that, but it could be a good start...

[@janethuppi6041]

Maya is such a fun guest. I enjoy her sense of humor!

[@TheSkatingLesson]

❤️❤️

[@llopez5838]

Maya is wonderful! Hope so see Jonathan sometime soon as well.

[@TheSkatingLesson]

❤️

[@mittermischief]

@@TheSkatingLesson

[@Hpatootf]

Right after work is truly the best reward

[@JoshuaFazeli]

What is going to happen to the figure skating costume designers over time? It’s nice that they are trying to bring attention to the sport, but I think it would be great to take a fabulous designer like Mathieu Caron and work with a certain fashion house as a collaboration for a season. Or have Madison Chock partner her designs with another fashion house - for her team only and then to possibly expand into retirement. Or Josiane Lamond and Brad Griffies who designs Gracie’s costumes now. A little bit of intersection in what’s already working for figure skating fashion would be respectful of what’s in place while pushing the attention forward. And yes, we all know Vera is the OG designer. I mean, Nancy’s LP in ‘94?! Michelle’s 2002 SP dress? Just stunning! 💅🏻🙏🏻✨

[@JoshuaFazeli]

She be like Sarah Hughes and date the Andrew Giuliani of Russia. lol

[@PandaPanda-cn7yn]

Funny thing, as you talked about Europeans at Kaunas, in fact we had those annoying announcers that are a bit too much and cringe at times. They mainly are basketball commentators and work at various events, even weddings :D Even some Lithuanians find them annoying and label them as "the village". I talked to some figure skating fans who came to Lithuania and they had a bit of culture shock. According to them music was too loud between the performances and they found presenters annoying. However, the crowd was very engaged. Lithuanians seem to love figure skating, even if don't have stars in it. Also, M. Drobiazko lost Lithuanian citizenship for participating in Navka's show. It was huge deal in our country, because it's the only instance that Lithuanian citizenship was given to an athlete in all sports.

[@maytc2011]

The Kaunas announcers sounded really good on TV. Way more engaging for a TV audience than the typical ISU announcers.

[@PandaPanda-cn7yn]

@@maytc2011 Yeah, they were very engaging. They were standing on the tables and everything. Karolis, one of the announcers, in his basketball podcast told that some figure skating people told them to calm it down and would give them looks :D

[@JoshuaFazeli]

I EFFING LOVE TALINN! Dave come visit Helsinki and Talinn!

[@QQ-wl6yt]

Interesting stuff about the potential of Fashion brands as sponsors. Alexander Majorov’s short program costume by H&M in Sochi is one of the best costumes ever… maybe this kind of collaboration will become more common 🤞

[@ddjr6673]

Bed time in the UK - thank you David and Maya - and yes hope to see Jonathan soon too

[@TheSkatingLesson]

[@leraromanova118]

Такая интересная и милая беседа получилась, очень понравилось. Дейв тут такой доброжелательный и заинтересованный, дал много советов по продвижению фк. Было бы здорово, если бы чаще с Майей были интервью и уроки русского языка😂

[@balabanov11]

THRILLED this and that is back! And Maya is our favorite Russian; she is a consistent delight.

[@TheSkatingLesson]

❤️❤️

[@zb6070]

@skating lesson where is there a sparknotes version of the new rules.

[@teresaspeiser4567]

Love to this and that back. I like hearing from your cohost but I miss Jonathon.

[@TheSkatingLesson]

He will be back as a featured guest. He is teaching and traveling a lot.

[@jamiechristian2477]

Yes, still upset that the replaced Anna Sherbacova for bronze medalist. No offense to Sakamoto. But it was Olympic gold medal poster .plus I thought they competed under the Olympic flag. Anna went thru so much to be champion and never got her time and glory. I always knew she would be Olympic champion even when they didn't even want her to go . Anna Sherbacova the never ending fighter . They all owe her an apology. ❤

[@Пятница13оеНеважно]

😂

[@Sonita-z6v]

I absolutely agree with you.

[@ArohaStill]

Maya looks beautiful! Nice to see you enjoying yourself again Dave, hope you have healed up from your injury!

[@TheSkatingLesson]

❤️

[@seashellez]

Glad to see Maya back on! Off season entertaining as always.

[@ИринаШпаковская-р8о]

Having Maya on Dave's show is always such a joy! Thank you!

[@TheSkatingLesson]

❤️🙏

[@DeserveGold]

She doesn’t understand politics inside figure skating omg. She justified biased judges who worked for some federations for decades

[@heatherjlittle]

OMG I’m so glad to see you back Dave, my drives to the rink which take up to 4 hours and day have never been the same since you’ve been off the air. I was so worried there wasn’t going to be any more. I’m so happy.😂🎉 Hope you’ll do some more tutorials with amazing coaches soon too !!! 👏🙏

[@FigureNastics]

I love Maya! She's a wonderful guest! ❤

[@TheSkatingLesson]

❤️❤️

[@AndrewSchwepps]

Always good to see Maia

[@TheSkatingLesson]

❤️

[@zb6070]

The joy of the skating lesson returning to youtube can only be matched by the joy of Jill and Kendall returning to pyramid after leaving CADC.

[@TheSkatingLesson]

🤣

[@letitiakearney2423]

Love Maya and her knowledge is fantastic.

[@TheSkatingLesson]

❤️❤️

[@daniellalopezforner2876]

Королева!!

[@TheSkatingLesson]

👑

[@ingai4420]

Where was the coronation held ?

[@An_U914]

I wouldn't be so dismissive of Samodelkina. She might be able to throw a wrench in the senior women lineup. We'll see at the Challengers.

[@susanelliott8577]

i’m here for Anna going to Stanford

[@JordynKathmann]

So happy this and that is back❤

[@TheSkatingLesson]

❤️❤️

[@jsc2606]

i disagree re judges... paid or not you have a duty to call only what you see according to protocols and you should not favour anyone.

[@JoshuaFazeli]

Dear Our Lady + Saviour, Maya: Are you coming to Grand Prix of Helsinki? I’m looking forward to not having my butt fall asleep every 10 seconds from the seats in Espoo!

[@Maya_skating]

Yes, I am!!

[@JoshuaFazeli]

@@Maya_skating 🎊🎊🎊🎊 I’ll see you there!

[@iosebdzamukashvili5360]

That has been a long time wooh

[@eljj7968]

Love Maya, thanks for having her back!

[@TheSkatingLesson]

❤️🙏

[@Ricanuppy21]

I love maya!!

[@Rochacha100]

Love Maya, great guest. Wish she were a 'regular'.

[@TheSkatingLesson]

❤️

[@icudoucmetoo1]

Wait, is TSL back on the regular or are these just one off's? Is Jonathon still a part of TSL? Anyway, glad you are back.

[@emallace447]

Very much missing Jonathan!

[@ArohaStill]

He is on holidays and Maya, Phil and Alyssa are not bad to have as substitute co-hosts lol

[@L.Spencer]

Ilia went viral, but NBC taking down the video didn't help keep that going. There are personalities, but we don't get fluff pieces anymore, so how do we get to know them? Skating needs to be on tv, and there need to be fluff pieces. But thinking about it, there's no tv anymore, really. It's all fragmented. (Wow, she has a 17 year old?)

[@conor698]

I'm only 10 minutes in so it might be addressed later on, but I'm interested in seeing what is meant by "making the competition more fun at the arena" that Maya alludes to from the new ISU Director General Colin Smith. I know Dave and Jonathan have discussed in the past how skating really needs to be taken more seriously, like how in Japan the events are put on with such respect and really dignify the skating. In America, you see the ridiculous music being played between programs it's almost infantilizing. I hope Smith's idea of "more fun at the arena" isn't just gimmicks, ya know? Maya is so fab!

[@conor698]

literally three mins later you addressed it so nvm lolol

[@TheSkatingLesson]

[@anthonydolio8118]

Great show. Thank you.

[@TheSkatingLesson]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@QQ-wl6yt]

Ilya’s “raspberry twist” is way more impressive (and cohesive with the choreography) than Adam’s aerial or backflip. Keegan’s backflip (or anything, really) is something else though.

[@BillyWhaler]

How much income does a Madison C lose as a result of the medal delay?

[@TheSkatingLesson]

Hard to say for sure, but the moment has long passed.

[@loc1976]

Kamila and Alina will end up marrying some older government big wig, like many pretty skaters and gymnasts in Russia. Zhenia, Sasha and Aliona were never meek trophy wife material, but I definitely thought Anna and Alina would have that future. I'm glad at least Anna escaped, you guys are right, she's very smart.

[@olgas6520]

I like how Maya say it all without saying it directly

[@TheSkatingLesson]

[@embeth446]

Love Mayas optimism but I think it’s unrealistic that skaters won’t do the back flip just because everyone else is doing it. It’s usually the opposite. Look at the hands over the head phenomenon. 😏 Figure skating has become too much about doing what everyone else is doing. PS, nice to see you back, Dave!

[@ДжейнБелл]

Thank you so much ❤❤❤

[@TheSkatingLesson]

You're welcome 😊

[@rosie94204]

Alina is the Ambassador for the BRICS Games! She was at SPIEF.

[@TravelingMan63]

If they want younger crowds, have famous DJs mix music during the ice resurfacing or during breaks

[@nvadqs]

Thank you!!! This and That! What a treat!

[@TheSkatingLesson]

You are so welcome!

[@Maryluch]

Love Maya, thank you!

[@TheSkatingLesson]

❤️🙏

[@My-hat]

Diana and Glen at Montreal, shocking but not shocking 😂 🤦‍♀️

[@MrTmckernan]

Thanks for the quick little mention about Dubai ;)

[@TheSkatingLesson]

Any time!

[@MrTmckernan]

Happy to do an interview if you ever want to do a segment on the development of skating in the middle east

[@Latika491]

Not the Sleeping beauty but Cinderella

[@L1623VP]

6:41 Correction: Gillis Grafstrom of Sweden is a three-time Olympic champion, not two-time. He won three consecutive gold medals in men's figure skating (1920, 1924, and 1928). He is the only man to do so. Along with a silver medal in 1932, he is the most successful figure skater in Olympic history. (The 1920 Summer Olympics had a week of winter sports that included figure skating that appeared for the first time at the Games since 1908.)

[@TheSkatingLesson]

Thank you

[@will74lsn]

where can we find the information about the changes?

[@maria375s]

Thank you!!

[@TheSkatingLesson]

You're welcome!

[@maryloureiff6489]

I love Maya..She is beautiful and so eloquent. TY, great show..💌

[@TheSkatingLesson]

❤️❤️

[@loyalfan99]

It can be called a "cash grab."

[@lisa-lisa-lisa]

13:17 Americans could never

[@schauspielersven]

Not Dave coming for Rusty!

[@TheSkatingLesson]

You’re a fan?

[@TheSkatingLesson]

I was also discussing the announcer at USA Gymnastics meets. Often far worse.

[@schauspielersven]

@@TheSkatingLesson Oh absolutely not. I just knew exactly who you were talking about lol

[@TheSkatingLesson]

@@schauspielersven Doesn't the "not" imply you're against the comment?

[@schauspielersven]

@@TheSkatingLesson I was just joking. I'm such an elder millennial and sometimes forget about the importance of emojis.

[@karenpatrycja1804]

Thank you for another wonderful episode! ❤

[@TheSkatingLesson]

🙏

[@corgeousgeorge]

Zagitova is so stunningly beautiful. Just incredible.

[@butterfly6546]

Maya is an old medbot, Alina always does wrong in her opinion.

[@TheSkatingLesson]

Insert eye roll. She is a journalist who respects intelligence.

[@butterfly6546]

@@TheSkatingLesson There are reporters at every departure, if you haven't noticed.

[@L1623VP]

To be honest, if you want to bring more people into figure skating and increase the audience, the answer isn't to make it "prettier" and less athletic. Think about it. Figure skating's audience is predominantly adult females, teenage girls, and gays. Those groups have already been captured. The audience it's missing is straight young men. Placing more unnecessary limitations on the technical side of skating and over-emphasizing balletic types of presentation isn't going to lure them in. What WILL attract them is marketing men's figure skating as "cool" by putting skaters like Nathan Chen and Ilia Malinin in front of those young men in the types of media they consume. Now that skaters, including the men, are skating to contemporary music, so many of the men's programs are edgy and aggressive now and would be attractive to young men, especially with 5 to 6 quads in a LP. As men's figure skating continues to progress technically, it needs to be marketed like X-Games skating with an emphasis on the big technical elements. That's what's going to draw young men in. If that approach was taken, I could easily see the snowboarding fan base over-lapping into figure skating much the same way the gymnastics and figure skating fan bases overlap now. The ISU lost a great opportunity to create media-driven men's ambassadors for figure skating in this way out of skaters like Evgeni Plushenko, Alexi Yagudin, Brian Joubert, and Nathan Chen. Fortunately, they still have that opportunity with Ilia Malinin, and they should definitely do so.

[@Bnizzofashizzo]

Poor Maya, having to explain to Dave, that in Russia, international results matter... He's talking about the pageantry of soviet army and she's trying to respectfully and intelligently discuss skating... smh...

[@kkostus]

Fastest click ever, so excited for the season!

[@TheSkatingLesson]

❤️❤️

[@rosie94204]

Need to stop the IAM monopoly for starter's!!

[@RED-cy7ig]

Definitely.

[@SkyRL25]

As much respect as I have for him, Adam shouldn't even qualifie after the short program, but the judge gave him too much on components after a disaster short program......

[@joeyartk]

Does anyone know if Israel will be banned from competition?

[@АндрейП-у1ю]

hope not

[@emallace447]

Hope so!

[@user-jy8zb2wc8l]

If Oct 7 hadn't happened and Israel had invaded completely unprovoked (like Russia did to Ukraine unprovoked), and if it happened in direct violation of the Olympic peace treaty period like in 2022, the sports case for the ban would be more clear and straightforward. I think realistically the sports case is not exactly the same as the one for banning Russia. However I think the ICC cases is the strongest case for a ban on Israel. Who knows if it will have reach to the ISU though..

[@ArohaStill]

No but they sure af should be.

[@joeyartk]

@@user-jy8zb2wc8l I guess 55 years of illegal occupation, thousands of indefinite detentions without charges, constant expansion of illegal settlements, mowing the grass of thousands of Palestinians every few years, and a defacto apartheid state is no big deal to the ISU. Lol

[@nikolaika7777]

Trusova 🥇🇷🇺

[@JFRIGER]

☮️

[@ingai4420]

Sarah Hughes went to Yale -with all the respect for Anna :she should learn English first -before trying to rich any good University in USA 🇺🇸-but agreed:Anna needs to get out there

[@goodfella1234]

Anna is unlikely to go to USA or any western countries for study or long term work commitment. She is most likely to go to China. She has star status there and her sponsors are Chinese. She already openly talked about her affections for Chinese culture and Chinese people. Many offers from China are coming her way. She also has friends and personal attachment in China, she is going east.

[@ingai4420]

@@goodfella1234 good for her ,actually :China owns ruzzia now -she might not even bother