Lambiel: I'm not going to die on the ice
We had an interview a year ago, since then many things have changed. You were sure then you were not coming back, but in summer you changed your mind. You told me you prefer not to use French music for your programs, and then you made your exhibition program on Jacques Brel's song. You told me you hate Internet, and then opened your journal on your official site. What happened?
Well, if I say I don't like it doesn't mean I don't use. This is about Internet. And French song... well, it's Belgium song actually (laughs) What else?
About your comeback I know already, Olympics...
You know, maybe I got older. And wiser. That's good.
In one of your recent interviews you sad you're not grown up, when you're on the ice. You don't feel you're grown up on the ice. What did you mean then?
When I'm on the ice, I don't feel that my passion got older. I feel the same joy as when I was seven. So you can say that my passion to figure skating has always the same age.
But off the ice you're older? This is what your entourage also said to me
I think, it's easier to see such things from outside. But I feel that my current life is more constant, I have more control. I know what I want, and I feel strong. I feel stronger now.
You said you know what you want. So what do you want?
It's not something concrete. It's not like "I want this piece of cake". But I know where, in what direction I want to go.
Where?
Forward.
You knew this before also...
Before I probably didn't know that. I wanted to go forward, I just went forward, without asking questions. Now... it's not that I ask questions, but... I go forward with more maturity maybe. It's hard to say, hard to explain really...
You always mention your "road to Vancouver". For us it has started on the end of July with your official announcement. When did it start for you?
When I first met Marla (Pichler), during the shows in Canada. She told me: "If you need my help, just come". We talked a lot about the future, about my health, about the Olympic season. And I said: "Yes, I want you to help me. I'm not sure if it's possible, but I'd like to be healthy". We started to work a lot, she tried many different things, and she was very intense with me, like three hours every day...
This happened in spring, during the shows. But Salome told me that you called her just few days before you came to Oberstdorf to choreograph your new short program.
When you think about something, when you say those things, it's still not decision. When I asked Marla for her help and decided that I was ready to work, it was still not the time of the final decision. I can't say some exact date, it was somewhere between spring and summer, when I called Salome.
You mention a lot that you can't imagine your life without skating. The hero of the book that you love, "Novecento", wasn't able to leave his ship. He died there... A bit frightening parallel...
(laughs) Oh, I won't die on the ice!
But will you be able to leave skating, to leave your world?
(takes some time to think) I know for sure that I will push, I will push in skating to stay as long as I can.
Why "Traviata"? It's not that kind of music you'll usually listen to in the car...
It’s classical music, but it’s in the same time very easy to listen, it’s full of joy, it calms you down… It's not like in Tango, where you had lots of drama, which is very nervous. Here in "Traviata" you fell like you're flying.
Yes, you were so light in your skate...
...so that I lost the edges and fell on the step sequence! (laughs)
Do you remember the first program for which you picked the music yourself, not the choreographer or trainer suggested? Or you always pick the music?
Always. The first program was… I know the music (sings it), it’s like Vangelis or something, very cute. The costume was black pants with turquoise shirt, my mother still has pictures, it’s so cute. I had almost same hair as right now, I was seven.
And you had an idea of that program already?
Yeah, I always added my things. Maybe I had someone who helped to do the choreography, but then in the program I was always adding new moves, my moves. And also right now during the practice, not here, while I’m at competition, but at home where nobody sees me, I’m adding like new moves in the program, and mister Gruetter has a lot of fun when he sees me at the practice.
We had an interview a year ago, since then many things have changed. You were sure then you were not coming back, but in summer you changed your mind. You told me you prefer not to use French music for your programs, and then you made your exhibition program on Jacques Brel's song. You told me you hate Internet, and then opened your journal on your official site. What happened?
Well, if I say I don't like it doesn't mean I don't use. This is about Internet. And French song... well, it's Belgium song actually (laughs) What else?
About your comeback I know already, Olympics...
You know, maybe I got older. And wiser. That's good.
In one of your recent interviews you sad you're not grown up, when you're on the ice. You don't feel you're grown up on the ice. What did you mean then?
When I'm on the ice, I don't feel that my passion got older. I feel the same joy as when I was seven. So you can say that my passion to figure skating has always the same age.
But off the ice you're older? This is what your entourage also said to me
I think, it's easier to see such things from outside. But I feel that my current life is more constant, I have more control. I know what I want, and I feel strong. I feel stronger now.
You said you know what you want. So what do you want?
It's not something concrete. It's not like "I want this piece of cake". But I know where, in what direction I want to go.
Where?
Forward.
You knew this before also...
Before I probably didn't know that. I wanted to go forward, I just went forward, without asking questions. Now... it's not that I ask questions, but... I go forward with more maturity maybe. It's hard to say, hard to explain really...
You always mention your "road to Vancouver". For us it has started on the end of July with your official announcement. When did it start for you?
When I first met Marla (Pichler), during the shows in Canada. She told me: "If you need my help, just come". We talked a lot about the future, about my health, about the Olympic season. And I said: "Yes, I want you to help me. I'm not sure if it's possible, but I'd like to be healthy". We started to work a lot, she tried many different things, and she was very intense with me, like three hours every day...
This happened in spring, during the shows. But Salome told me that you called her just few days before you came to Oberstdorf to choreograph your new short program.
When you think about something, when you say those things, it's still not decision. When I asked Marla for her help and decided that I was ready to work, it was still not the time of the final decision. I can't say some exact date, it was somewhere between spring and summer, when I called Salome.
You mention a lot that you can't imagine your life without skating. The hero of the book that you love, "Novecento", wasn't able to leave his ship. He died there... A bit frightening parallel...
(laughs) Oh, I won't die on the ice!
But will you be able to leave skating, to leave your world?
(takes some time to think) I know for sure that I will push, I will push in skating to stay as long as I can.
Why "Traviata"? It's not that kind of music you'll usually listen to in the car...
It’s classical music, but it’s in the same time very easy to listen, it’s full of joy, it calms you down… It's not like in Tango, where you had lots of drama, which is very nervous. Here in "Traviata" you fell like you're flying.
Yes, you were so light in your skate...
...so that I lost the edges and fell on the step sequence! (laughs)
Do you remember the first program for which you picked the music yourself, not the choreographer or trainer suggested? Or you always pick the music?
Always. The first program was… I know the music (sings it), it’s like Vangelis or something, very cute. The costume was black pants with turquoise shirt, my mother still has pictures, it’s so cute. I had almost same hair as right now, I was seven.
And you had an idea of that program already?
Yeah, I always added my things. Maybe I had someone who helped to do the choreography, but then in the program I was always adding new moves, my moves. And also right now during the practice, not here, while I’m at competition, but at home where nobody sees me, I’m adding like new moves in the program, and mister Gruetter has a lot of fun when he sees me at the practice.
夜明珠◇
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