Ice skating is a challenging sport that most people can’t fathom attempting. However, watching a performance on ice is a whole different experience that can sometimes turn magical.
Evelina Pokrasnetyeva and Ilya Makarov were only 9 and 11 when they entered the rink of a TV show competition. With their coach looking on, the duo hoped to wow everyone with their “Hallelujah” routine.
The clip of Evelina and Ilya’s performance comes from the Russian television program, Ice Age – Children. Like other talent shows of similar nature, young skaters were there to compete in front of a panel of judges.
Everyone gave a good-luck round of applause as the two took their places. Yet, it wasn’t your typical pose, since Evelina and Ilya actually laid down in the middle of the ice.
As “Hallelujah” began playing the skaters jumped into their routine’s story, which revolved around the blossoming relationship between two young lovers. They pretended to look at clouds together and Ilya eventually stole a kiss.
This is when their real figure skating talents emerged.
Working as a pair, they gracefully moved along the ice almost as if they were romantically dancing. Ilya and Evelina captivated everyone with their many twirls.
But it just keeps getting better and better. Their moves become more skilled as the performance goes on – with Ilya lifting his partner while they skate.
You have to admit, having Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” playing in the background was just icing on the cake. They selected Rufus Wainwright’s rendition for their routine.
“Hallelujah” has been covered by many musical artists including Neil Diamond, Bob Dylan, Celine Dion (and the Canadian Tenors), along with the a cappella group Pentatonix. Newsweek actually ranked Wainwright’s cover as #3 on their list of “60 Versions of Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah.'”
It appeared on the soundtrack of the 2001 movie Shrek (although Wainwright’s version wasn’t used in the actual film). “Hallelujah” gained popularity because of its inclusion in Shrek.
According to Newsweek:
“The timing of Wainwright’s recording marked a sort of watershed mark for the song’s popularity, and because of its soundtrack placement, it remains overwhelmingly recognizable among younger audiences.”
The combination of ice skating and “Hallelujah” is simply breathtaking.
It’s amazing to watch Evelina and Ilya’s routine, which is a mixture of skating techniques, dance moves, and acting as well. The pretend love story is told beautifully through their actions.
While the sport is difficult on its own, having to work with a partner takes a lot of work to stay in-sync. These Russian kids obviously have great chemistry between them, which shines through during their performance.
Evelina and Ilya’s coach looked very proud by what he witnessed. The crowd too cheered when their act came to an end.
Since Ice Age posted the video on YouTube it’s been watched more than 2.8 million times by people all over the world. There’s no question they melted a lot of hearts.
One viewer commented:
“Beautiful! They were so effortless and absolutely cute and adorable! The story told by the dance is beautiful and meaningful! I wish I knew how to ice dance so well!”
Another person wrote:
“Maybe it was the sound track, but this performance brought tears to my eyes… I thought it was a wonderful performance!”
Watch the video below to experience their magical ice skating routine for yourself.
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