Evgenia Medvedeva, a two-time world champion in figure skating, spoke candidly about the challenges she faced when Dani Milokhin left the Ice Age project. In an interview, the skater explained how the team shifted gears and found a new partner in Ivan Fedotov, a transition that tested their stamina and resolve more than any ordinary rehearsal schedule.
Milokhin’s departure had a cascading effect, shrinking the rehearsal window and compressing the timeline. The team lost roughly ten working days with directors, a setback that forced them to improvise and push ahead with limited planning. The search for a compatible partner became a high-stakes task, one that required patience, luck, and creative problem-solving from everyone involved.
Under the rules of this season, only one competitor from a previous season was eligible to team up with Medvedeva. It was a remarkable turn of events when Fedotov agreed to join after filming commitments, allowing the production to press forward with a partner who could align with the project’s ambitious schedule. His willingness to adjust his own commitments exemplified a level of commitment that the team deeply appreciated, especially given the demanding nature of the work.
Training days were intense and tightly packed. The schedule demanded late-night sessions, with Fedotov finishing his other duties around 10 PM and arriving at rehearsal spaces between 11 PM and 11:30 PM. The duo often needed to work on multiple routines simultaneously to catch up on shooting days, a scenario that highlighted the relentless pace of their project. The reality of this grind was clear: progress required sacrifices and a shared belief in the end goal.
The pace remained grueling, with sessions extending for three to four hours each night. Medvedeva recalled one night when she arrived home at 4:00 in the morning, a testament to the exhausting but purposeful routine they embraced. The endurance and resilience shown by Fedotov stood out; his ability to endure such long hours without complaint was extraordinary, if not unimaginable to many observers. The team’s perseverance under these conditions reflected the seriousness with which they approached the project and their mutual commitment to delivering a compelling performance.
Beyond the current Ice Age experience, Medvedeva has a storied past in stage storytelling, including her lead role in the ice-tale adaptation of The Wizard of Oz. This earlier involvement underscores her versatility and willingness to take on diverse roles, whether on ice or in crossover theatrical environments. Her reflections on that period reveal a mindset geared toward growth, adaptation, and the relentless pursuit of excellence that has characterized her career from the start.