Margarita Drobiazko

Margarita Drobiazko
Margarita Drobiazko in 2009.
Personal information
Country represented	Lithuania
Former country(ies) represented	Russia Soviet Union
Born	(1971-12-21) 21 December 1971 Moscow, Russian SFSR
Height
Partner	Povilas Vanagas
Former partner	Oleg Granionov (RUS)
Former coach	Elena Maslennikova, Igor Shpilband, Rostislav Sinicyn, Elena Tchaikovskaia, Lilija Vanagiene, Anatoliy Petukhov, Betty Callaway, Tatiana Tarasova, Natalia Dubova, Natalia Linichuk
Former choreographer	Elena Maslennikova, Gintaras Svistunavicius, Vasily Kleimenov, Elena Tchaikovskaia, Christopher Dean, Jayne Torvill
Skating club	Sports School Baltu Ainiai
Former training locations	Kaunas Moscow
Began skating	1977
Retired	2002, 2006
ISU personal best scores
Combined total	196.18 2006 Europeans
Comp. dance	38.34 2006 Europeans
Original dance	59.60 2006 Worlds
Free dance	100.89 2006 Europeans
Medal record Figure skating Ice dancing Representing Lithuania World Championships 2000 Nice Ice dancing European Championships 2006 Lyon Ice dancing 2000 Vienna Ice dancing Grand Prix Final 2001–2002 Kitchener Ice dancing 2000–2001 Tokyo Ice dancing 1999–2000 Lyon Ice dancing

Margarita Aleksandrovna Drobiazko (Russian: Маргарита Александровна Дробязко; born 21 December 1971) is a Lithuanian ice dancer. She began competing for Lithuania in 1992 when she teamed up with Povilas Vanagas. With Vanagas, she is the 2000 World bronze medalist, a three-time Grand Prix Final bronze medalist, a two-time European bronze medalist (2000, 2006), the 1999 Skate Canada champion, and competed in five Winter Olympics, finishing as high as 5th.

Career

Drobiazko began skating at age six – she became interested after seeing children learning to skate at an outdoor rink. She convinced her mother, who wanted her to become a ballerina, to let her try skating. At age 12, she took up ice dancing and was coached first by Natalia Linichuk and then Natalia Dubova. She initially competed with Oleg Granionov for Russia.

Drobiazko was paired with Lithuanian skater Povilas Vanagas by Tatiana Tarasova in Moscow. After the breakup of the Soviet Union, they decided to represent Lithuania. Vanagas said, "It was difficult at the beginning because there was a lot of friction between Russia and Lithuania. Since Rita is Russian, it caused many problems." They moved to Kaunas, Lithuania and began training with Elena Maslennikova. In 1995, they began working also in England with Betty Callaway, Jayne Torvill, and Christopher Dean.

In 1999, Drobiazko and Vanagas began spending time with Elena Tchaikovskaia in Moscow, while continuing to work with Maslennikova in Kaunas. They were also coached by Lilija Vanagiene and Anatoliy Petukhov. Drobiazko and Vanagas retired from competition following the 2001–2002 Olympic season, but returned to competition in 2005 to compete at their fifth Olympics. In preparation for the 2005–2006 season, they worked with Maslennikova, Rostislav Sinicyn, Igor Shpilband, Marina Zueva, Gintaras Svistunavicius, and David Liu, in the United States, Germany, Russia, and Lithuania. Drobiazko and Vanagas became the first and only figure skaters to compete at five Olympics. They retired again in 2006 following the World Championships.

Their choreographers included Elena Maslennikova, Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, Elena Tchaikovskaia, Tatiana Pomerantseva, Elena Kholina, Yuri Puzakov, Vasily Kleimenov, and Gintaras Svistunavicius.

Personal life

Drobiazko was born in Moscow but lived in Magadan, the Russian far north-east, until the age of six. Since the Olympics require citizenship of the country represented, Drobiazko obtained Lithuanian citizenship by 1993. She has been married to Vanagas since June 2000.

Programs

(with Povilas Vanagas)

Season	Original dance	Free dance	Exhibition
2006–present			Saudades do Brasil em Portugal by Carminho Moonlight Sonata by Ludwig Van Beethoven In the Mood For Love (Yumeji's Theme) by Shigeru Umebayashi Valse Triste by Jean Sibelius Exogenesis, part 2 by Muse Moon River by Henry Mancini Je Suis Malade by Dalida Belyi Kon ("White Horse") by Alexander Malinin Yeah by Usher Let Me Fall by Josh Groban Malaguena by Ernesto Lecuona Hey You by Pink Floyd The Matrix Revolutions by Don Davis
2005–2006	Latin: La Playa by Miriam Jurado Banca Banca by E-Type	The Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber The Point of No Return	Pirates of the Caribbean by Klaus Badelt The Black Pearl Will And Elizabeth Moonlight Serenade He's a Pirate
2002–2005			The Shadows of the Storm by Maxime Rodriguez Poeta en la Mar by Vicente Amigo My Baby by LeAnn Rimes Possession by Ayman & Hisham
2001–2002	Spanish: Paso Doble Karida by S. Millington, T. Mercer Wilo Rose Light Symphony Orchestra Flamenco Tacon by Cuadro Flamenco	Quelques Cris by Johnny Hallyday	Sang Pour Sang by Johnny Hallyday
2000–2001	Quickstep and Charleston: Yes Sir, That's My Baby by Briquet, Kahn & Donaldson Dancing Fool by Gary Wilmot	Spente Le Stelle by Emma Shapplin Tango medley: Tanguera by Sexteto Mayor Tus Ojos de Cielo by Lisandro Adrover	"The Thread of Ariadna" Adagio (var. 1990) by Eleni Karaindrou
1999–2000	Latin: Historia de un Amor by Carlos Almaran Ritmo de Bom Bom by Jubaba	Spente Le Stelle by Emma Shapplin	Torquay (From Dusk Till Dawn) by George Tomsco, The Leftovers
1998–1999	Waltz: Valse Triste by Jean Sibelius	Sunrise at Alcatraz by Deep Forest	Torquay (From Dusk Till Dawn) by George Tomsco, The Leftovers
1997–1998	Jive: Great Balls of Fire by Jerry Lee Lewis	Songs from the Victorious City by Anne Dudley, Jaz Coleman Habebe Endless Festival
1996–1997	Tango: La cumparsita by Gerardo Matos Rodriguez performed by Orchestra Tango Cafe	Jazz medley: Mick's Blessings by The Style Council Moanin' by Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers Watermelon Man by Mongo Santamaria Dropping Bombs on the White House by The Style Council	Bram Stoker's Dracula The Brides by Anton Coppola
1995–1996	Paso Doble: España Cani	Wild at Heart by Angelo Badalamenti	Bram Stoker's Dracula The Brides by Anton Coppola
1994–1995	Quickstep: Sing, Sing, Sing by Louis Prima	Stepping Out Soapdish Vamos A Bailar by Gipsy Kings	Fantasia by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart I Put a Spell on You by Screamin' Jay Hawkins
1993–1994	Rhumba: Besame Mucho	Happy Feet by Christopher Gunning La Vie en Rose by Louis Armstrong, Édith Piaf
1992–1993	Waltz	Tango by Astor Piazzolla
1991–1992	Polka	Romeo and Juliet by Sergei Prokofiev

Competitive highlights

(ice dance with Povilas Vanagas)

Results
International
Event	1991–92	1992–93	1993–94	1994–95	1995–96	1996–97	1997–98	1998–99	1999–00	2000–01	2001–02	2004–05	2005–06
Winter Olympics	16th		12th				8th				5th		7th
World Championships	17th	13th	9th	12th	8th	10th	8th	6th	3rd	5th	4th		4th
European Championships	15th	11th	11th	11th	6th	8th	6th	5th	3rd	4th	4th		3rd
Grand Prix Final								4th	3rd	3rd	3rd
GP Nations/Sparkassen				2nd	5th	5th				2nd
GP NHK Trophy				6th	5th	4th		2nd	3rd	2nd	2nd
GP Skate America										2nd	3rd
GP Skate Canada				2nd	8th	4th	4th	2nd	1st
GP Troph. France/Lalique				4th				3rd	3rd		3rd
Karl Schäfer Memorial													1st
Nebelhorn Trophy		2nd	3rd										2nd
Skate Israel					1st	1st
Piruetten		5th
Winter Universiade		2nd
National
Lithuanian Champ.	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st
Events marked GP became part of the Champions Series in 1995, renamed Grand Prix in 1998.

External links

• Drobiazko & Vanagas – Official website
• Margarita Drobiazko / Povilas Vanagas at the International Skating Union
• Care to Ice Dance? – Drobiazko & Vanagas

• https://www.e-tar.lt/portal/lt/legalAct/TAR.DD667E5D406C