Artur Dmitriev & Oksana Kazakova "Sad Waltz" | 1998 Nagano Ex (HD)

In memory, Artur Valeryevich Dmitriev (Артур Валерьевич Дмитриев) (1968-2026), one of the greatest pair skaters in history. Fresh from winning the pairs title at the 1998 Nagano Winter Games, Oksana Kazakova (Оксана Казакова) and Artur Dmitriev (Артур Дмитриев) returned for the Exhibition Gala with a lyrical skate to "Valse Triste (Sad Waltz)", performed by violinist Giles Apap. The reflective, melancholic music revealed a gentler side of the newly crowned champions, providing a striking contrast to the dramatic grandeur of their competitive Passacaglia free skate. One of its most memorable moments saw Dmitriev swing Kazakova seamlessly into a throw double Salchow without a conventional setup, the take-off unfolding precisely with the music's whimsical phrasing. Later, he raised her aloft while supporting only a single leg, presenting her to the audience as though she were suspended in mid-air As a special encore, Kazakova and Dmitriev skated to the traditional Japanese folk song "Sakura Sakura", paying tribute to the Japanese hosts and their devoted fans. The simple choreography echoed the song's quiet beauty: Kazakova drifted across the ice on one foot while holding her free leg in a high catch-foot split, creating the illusion of floating with the haunting melody. Dmitriev then lifted her into a striking shoulder stand, balancing her vertically before she unfolded dramatically evoking cherry blossoms falling from a tree. Performed before Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, the encore offered a heartfelt expression of gratitude and a fittingly elegant conclusion to their triumphant Games. --- Video credit: @MintakaAlnilam, currently offline (Japanese HD coverage). --- #figureskating #フィギュアスケート #eiskunstlauf #фигурноекатание #pattinaggioartistico #patinageartistique #patinaçãoartística #kunstschaatsen #pairskating