This interview transcript has been edited and condensed for clarity by Evie (@doubleflutz)
Clara (@daejangie): I'm here with Betina Popova and Sergey Mozgov who are one of the most exciting Ice Dance teams in the current field. Whenever you come out onto the ice, we know something fun is going to happen - and your Instagram feeds aren't too bad either!
So I wanted to start by asking you about your programs for this season. How did you get your ideas for them and the style of the choreography?
Betina: With our coach Anjelika Krylova we thought a lot about our programs for this season - for our Free Dance we thought too long! [Laughs] At the start we had no idea about what we wanted to skate to and then we tried to find music; we tried Bolero but it was too boring for us. We found Freddie Mercury, it was really cool and when we heard it in a big arena it sounded amazing and we were ready to skate to it.
Sergey: For the Short Dance, Anjelika said "Let's try 'Money, Money' and 'Cabaret'" and we said "Okay, it's incredible music. We will try to do this!" and I think we have an incredible show on the ice when we do it.
Betina: Our choreographer worked really well and we think we have a really interesting program that we really like.
In your free time, what kind of dancing do you enjoy watching? What kind of elements do you try and bring into your own skating?
Betina: We try to create something by ourselves; it's really important for us to make it. Our twizzles in the Short Dance, not many teams had done them before - an outside twizzle on the left leg is a really uncomfortable twizzle and we tried to make it just for us as a challenge.
You've mentioned before that you improvise a lot as you develop your programs. Is that happening still?
Betina: Yes! I can't say it's my problem, but it's a problem for Sergey! [Laughs]
Sergey: A little bit - but now it's less!
Betina: Yes, now it's less because we have a lot of movements in the program so I can relax and go "Okay, I don't need to surprise you!" [Laughs]
Betina and Sergey with coach Anjelika Krylova in the Rhythm Dance kiss and cry (Photo: Clara)
You've mentioned that your technique changed when you moved to Krylova. Artistically speaking, has she changed the way you approach your programs?
Sergey: A little bit, I think. She works with me on choreography and physique, but I don't think that she's changed Betina very much because I think-
Betina: It's impossible to change some things! [Laughs]
Sergey: Of course, of course. But I think that Anjelika and Betina are really similar in the way that they explain emotion on the ice.
So, Betina, you connect really well with her?
Betina: Yes, yes.
Is the atmosphere of the group different? Because I know that you said that your previous group [Elena Kustarova and Svetlana Alexeeva] was very competitive and intense. Is theirs different?
Betina: Yes, of course.
Sergey: It's more comfortable and less controlling.
Betina: Much more friendly.
Sergey: Most importantly, I can speak on the ice, because in the last group I couldn't speak.
So you're more of a creative voice at the table? That's really important. And you post lots of new jokes with your new teammates on Instagram, that everyone should go check out.
Betina and Sergey performing their Free Dance to “Bohemian Rhapsody” (Photo: Clara)
You've mentioned before how judging in Dance can be a bit confusing and how you don't necessarily understand decisions. What are your thoughts on the current +/-5 judging system in Ice Dance and has it changed the way that you skate?
Betina: It's really hard to judge Ice Dance. In Singles skating, you can see how people fall and in Ice Dance, usually, everyone skates clean. It's so hard, you have to watch for the really small things.
Sergey: I think it makes more space in between the top and the middle of the field because we never have +5's-
Betina: And +4 too! [Laughs]
Sergey: I think maybe it's a good idea but...
Betina: I think not for Ice Dance.
Sergey: So Ice Dance still needs to use 6.0! [All laugh]
Do you think that it's harder to be rewarded for originality in Ice Dance than in other disciplines?
Betina: Yes, it's really hard.
Sergey: Because when you want to do something new it can usually fit in the rules. In Ice Dance, it's "Sorry, it's not in the rules, this lift is just level 1."
Betina: "It might be a crazy lift, but it's not a level 4, sorry." It's really hard, the lack of flexibility.
Sergey: Sure, we need to do this for a sport and not just for show-
Betina: We need to follow the rules but sometimes I think the rules aren't about the sport.
Betina and Sergey performing their Rhythm Dance to music from “Cabaret” (Photo: Clara)
You have really fun exhibition programs, your "Power Rangers" program last year was amazing. What can we look forward to this year?
Sergey: We have interesting ideas, for sure.
Betina: But we haven't had a competition where we can show them yet!
Sergey: Hopefully we can show them at Skate Canada.
Betina: We don't know yet but we hope! And at Golden Spin of Zagreb, and Russian Nationals.
Any hints or clues as to the programs?
Sergey: Maybe it will be something to do with ballet.
Betina: Maybe, maybe.
Ooh, okay!
Betina: If it will be possible, it will be hard but we want to do it.
Broadly speaking, what are your goals for the season?
Betina: We want to be in the top three teams at Russian Nationals and go to the World and European Championships. We have just the one Grand Prix and we have to have a good ranking there.
Sergey: We're trying to make the time before the next Olympic Games really good for our skating because if you're still in fourth place on the National team then...
Betina: So we will stop at nothing because of that!
Hopefully, we'll see in you Beijing then! Thank you both so much for your time.
Sergey: Thank you so much.
Betina: Thank you!