Isabella TOBIAS / Ilia TKACHENKO (ISR)

We are very excited for the release of the Cinderella movie today! We would like to announce we will be skating to the Cinderella soundtrack for our short dance and to Polovtsian Dances for our free dance. As this season nears its end we get more excited for the next one every day. Thank you for your support! Isabella and Ilya.

Their short dance will be set to Disneyʼs “Cinderella,” weaving music from both the most recent release (2015) and the original classic, while their free dance is to “Polovtsian Dances” from the opera “Prince Igor.”
“Ilyaʼs character is Prince Igor, while I portray a Polovtsian slave,” Tobias said. “Ilya thought of the short and I thought of the free. We always joke that we are shocked that our own Prince Igor (Shpilband) did not think of our free dance himself.”

The team will represent Israel, which came as a surprise to some. Tobias has represented Lithuania for the past four seasons, while Tkachenko has represented Russia throughout his entire career.
“I am of Jewish heritage on both sides of my family; Israel is my ancient homeland,” Tobias said. “I can think of no greater honor than representing the one and only Jewish state, a country so brave and with such soul.”
“Itʼs a new step in my life,” Tkachenko added. “Iʼm glad that I have a chance to start everything from the beginning. Iʼll do my best representing Israel.”