Hi everyone, with *that* video of Alex Shibutani floating around the internet, I wanted to provide people with a text transcript both as an archive in case that video getes removed from the internet, and for anyone that may be hard of hearing or just struggle to understand what's being said. There were parts of the audio that I couldn't quite transcribe due to being inaudible and/or indecipherable, but I hope this is helpful to inform people about what was said during that video. Please be warned that this post contains uncensored mature language & sensitive content.
Dave Lease: *behind camera* OK, so I know that this is cultural, but it feels so deeply misogynistic to me that Maia stands back.
Alex: Then go like this.
Dave: As he figures out everything.
Alex: [inaudible] 2005, 2006, 2007, Michigan 2008. We spent years talking about this. It’s not just we’re standing on two feet in front of a mirror, it’s real skating.
Dave: Ooh.
Alex: [inaudible] point out every time I demonstrate it. But I’m just trying to frickin’ help you, and I’m not doing it the right way. Yeah, focus on that. Sure. [inaudible], Maia.
Alex: Stupid. *skates away*
Alex: *while skating back* If you don’t wanna be here, and you don’t like the way I’m talking to you, leave. If you didn’t want to skate today, then don’t come. But if you’re here, don’t be a jackass. I don’t need to see you- watching you do the rocker, and then you *gestures neck & claps* -like that. Be a fucking champion.
Maia: *points at self*
Alex: Maia! I have- I have-
Maia: [inaudible]
Alex: I have no patience anymore, Maia. I can’t kindly talk to you and game plan in the car, and then talk to you about this stuff in preparation, and then as soon as you have to do it, you decide not to.
Alex: I’m doing everything I fucking can *pause* to explain to you how you can do it right. How we can be in sync and get through a runthrough. Because why should I compromise and just try to match how you’re skating, so that I also don’t get the level? So that I also struggle? I’m gonna be the reason why we’re gonna be able to get through it. I’m not hurt. Yet.
Alex: *to Marina* I don’t just get like this though. You see the progression. She’s not listening. And then she questions every single thing I say.
Alex: *to Maia* You don't have the right to question- You don't know. We’ve been talking about the same shit for weeks, for months.
Maia: Oh, so the rocker technique is the same?
Alex: Maia, it’s always-
Maia: [inaudible] -just change in the corner. Fucking one to four to which way-
Alex: Maia, you are an idiot. It has nothing to do with corners. It’s basic textbook technique.
Maia: We could do the same every time. Fine. Yeah, there’s no variation.
Alex: Maia, if you knew-
Maia: You told me on the twizzle, to go diagonal, to go here, then you do it and it’s horizontal and here. And OK fine.
Alex: Maia, if that’s how you think skating works, if you think it’s like following and building out an Ikea piece of furniture, you’re wrong.
Maia: It’s textbook technique. That’s what you just fucking said.
Alex: Yes, it’s textbook technique. Textbook technique is different from instructions that go one, two, three, four.
Maia: Oh? Because I’m pretty sure you’re the only fucking person in the world that never even learned one, two, three, four.
Alex: Because I’m training to be [inaudible]. You don’t- You have no awareness, Maia. You don’t know how to pick up a section, in the same spot, at the same speed. You never know. So I’m trying to say, “Hey this corner, general direction, and it continues [inaudible] unlimited surface of ice. That when you’re here facing this way, twelve o’clock, that corner one is this way. Not necessarily the corner, the literal corner.” That’s called textbook, that’s theory. Then you apply the theory. And yes, I am changing the rocker because we changed from here- [inaudible] the rocker. You keep messing up the rocker and being far away at the end of the [inaudible] swing into the partial step, which would’ve fucked us over for the partial step, the choreo step, and the fucking lift. I changed it to make it easier for you so that we could be more on time. I’m doing this, I’m doing this, and I’m doing that. *while skating*
Maia: Oh [inaudible]?
Alex: Because I’m- Because Maia I explained this to you yesterday. I-
Maia: [inaudible]!
Alex: Yes, yesterday I explained that when you have more speed, your body has to do things differently. When I’m [inaudible] because I have no speed. So it takes very little effort and energy because I’m not developing any type of force. If I just go to here, I can only turn my head because I’m not pushing into the rocker. [inaudible] more speed. Drive a frickin’ car. If you’re driving at 70 miles per hour and you have to make a turn, are you going to have to turn illegally and [inaudible]. Yes.
Alex: Math. Textbook. Formulas. Physics. 3 variables. If you change one of the variables, something else has to change also if you want the correct answer. There is a correct answer. This is math.
Marina: I don’t understand [inaudible].
Alex: *to Marina* Because she’d be fucked if she has to do it with speed.
Marina: OK but she would not [inaudible].
Alex: But she has no control.
Marina: But she’s not that bad. You know, if she’s such a poor skater, why you so [inaudible]? [Note: With just the text, this may sound like Marina is insulting Maia. I want to clarify that when listening to the tone in the audio, it actually sounds like Marina's arguing with Alex to defend Maia, as if she's saying "If she's such a poor skater, why are you skating with her?" but this is not audible enough for me to confirm.]
Alex: Fuck. Fuck.
Alex: *to Marina* It has nothing to do with being a poor skater. It’s a weak mind. It’s a weak mind. If you understand what I’m saying, why can’t she?
Marina: No I don’t.
Alex: You don’t understand? You- you don’t understand why I don’t have to turn my head when I’m here?
Alex: [Note: This part is partially indecipherable. It sounds like Alex is either saying “New Kids right here” as if he’s quoting a song lyric that goes with the choreo he’s showing, or saying "You can't [inaudible] here.]
Alex: It’s so simple. If I’m here and I’m trying to do it quickly to show, and you’re-. And I go like this. You’re already in the right direction. The rocker is so shallow. Is it KP, yes? Then I’m here, then I’m here, and a bit bigger. It has to be a little bit bigger ‘cause it’s the same force. If it’s the same little bit of force that the arms [inaudible] going like this. That’s when I’m going like this, and it’s gonna look like that. More speed requires more force to drag and slow your body down so that you don’t just step flat and move back. [inaudible].
Marina: You know what? I- I don’t know [inaudible].
Maia: Why- What are- Why are you explaining it to her? What are you- You say that you don’t have time to explain every step, and then you go ahead and you break it down step by step.
Alex: OK Maia, you win. You win. [inaudible].
Alex: We’re gonna continue. We’re gonna move on to something else. And then you’re gonna complain again. You watched the video. I’m [inaudible] you watched the video before I give my comments. Did you not see that [inaudible]?
Maia: Oh OK so the step that we changed a day and a half ago?
Alex: Maia, it doesn’t matter. [inaudible]. If you understand the music, and the music [inaudible]. And you know that this has to be on the right axis. [inaudible] -five minutes ago [inaudible]. If you know the mohawk has to be here, and the exit edge has to be here. And you are over here, with X amount of time to get from point A to point B, and you’re finishing here, and you’re deciding to go like this knowing that you need to end up here. [inaudible].
Maia: Um I’m pretty sure that way you’re marking it–’cause you’re marking it on the left so that you can transfer.
Marina: She’s such a smart skater, she can [inaudible]. [Note: It sounds like Marina's still arguing with Alex to defend Maia, like earlier. However, this is not audible enough to confirm the exact words said.]
Alex: Fine, fine. Run it again! Run it again, you fucking bitch. Run it again.
*music plays*
