Helen Zapashnaya: “Askold is the best dad in the world.

“What if he still leaves me? What should I do then?!” - Askold Zapashny’s wife, Helen, stunned 7D correspondents.

Having decided to have children, the couple really wanted a boy and a girl, but they ended up with two daughters (Eva is almost two years old, and Elsa is six months old). “Sometimes in a toy store, buying dolls, I catch myself thinking: if I had a son, I would buy this car, and dinosaurs, and construction sets. And I would love to play it myself!” - Askold smiles. “We dream of boys, and we will have them! - Helen states confidently. “We will give birth until a son is born.”

Askold looks sternly at his wife: “Come on, just without fanaticism! I don’t think that you should go crazy and give birth to, for example, a sixth child in the hope that he will turn out to be a boy. Four children is the maximum. And if the fourth time it’s also a girl, great! Let's stop there. Here, as they say, as God willing.”

The couple also planned in advance that the children should continue their father’s circus dynasty. “This is a question of rationality,” says Zapashny. - I spent so many years in the arena, experimented so much, how can I not pass on my invaluable experience to anyone? It would be absurd. My children won’t even have to study at a circus school - I will prepare them for work myself. I will teach them from the age of five.

My brother and I started with acrobatics and juggling, and I will take my daughters the same way.” It was with this in mind that the parents named the girls: future circus performers should have bright, catchy, memorable names. “The name Eva was chosen for two reasons: firstly, it is suitable for the arena, and secondly, it Jewish name, and since my wife is Jewish, this choice is pleasant for her family,” says Askold. “And the name Elsa is simply beautiful and we like it very much...” The eldest, Eva, is more like her mother, and the youngest is her father’s copy, for which she is jokingly called Askolda Askoldovna. “When you see that a child looks like you, it somehow calms you down,” Zapashny laughs. “But, you know, there is an opinion that only the mother knows exactly who the father of her child is.” Helen jokingly picks up: “I informed Askold about both of my pregnancies via text messages, because the first time I found out the news, he was on tour, and the second time, I myself was in Israel.

And he grumbled: “You always write to me that you’re pregnant when I’m away. It's kind of suspicious." In general, Askold is a very reserved man. When he found out about his second pregnancy, he wrote to me: “Very good, everything is according to plan. We dreamed about this.” When giving birth for the second time, Helen wanted her husband to be present at the birth, to hold her hand and be the first to hold the child in his arms. “My wife believes that in the first minutes of life a baby needs contact with both parents. And I don’t really believe that the child remembers anything at this moment,” says Askold. - I think that the presence of the husband is more necessary for the wife. And I didn’t mind, but the birth coincided with the tour.”

The Zapashny Brothers Circus constantly tours the country and the world, and Askold is sometimes not at home for months at a time.

From the experience of other circus families, he knows that long separation is a dangerous thing, spouses become weaned from each other, and feelings cool down. Therefore, Askold and Helen often travel together and take their young daughters with them. “To be close to my husband, I am ready to endure any difficulties and inconveniences,” says Helen. “Although we have adapted so well that we don’t feel much discomfort.” We take with us cribs, a refrigerator, washing machine, lockers, even curtains and bed linen. I’m used to a nomadic lifestyle, and when Askold suddenly leaves alone, a month later I can’t stand it and write to him: “That’s it, take me, I want to come to you!” And children need constant contact with their dad.” Thus, the girls have the opportunity to see not only their loving father, but also their uncle - their father’s older brother Edgard Zapashny.

“It seems to me that when he takes them in his arms, he listens to himself, to his feelings. After all, Edgard doesn’t have his own family or children yet,” says Askold. “I don’t think he’s mature enough for that yet.” Although, like any trainer, he already has all the training skills.”

Zapashny believes that with children, as with predators, the carrot and stick method works best: every good action should be rewarded, and every bad action should be punished. “And these boundaries must not be confused! - Askold is convinced. - And Helen allows Eve to achieve her goal through whims. So the daughter learned to be capricious on purpose, to blackmail. For example, Eva comes up to me, pulls me by the hand and points to some object. I say: “No, you can’t.” She starts crying - I don't react.

Then she runs to her mother and throws a real tantrum: she yells and screams. I know that under no circumstances should I indulge her, and at such moments Helen and I have disagreements.” “When a child cries, my heart just breaks as a mother,” explains Helen. - I have my own method! I just find other ways."

There are disagreements in their family because of jealousy. And on both sides. “Now Helen has already figured out the situation and understands where she really should be jealous and where she shouldn’t,” says Askold. - At the beginning of our relationship, she simply tormented me with her suspicions, she was jealous of literally everyone! And I explained to her: “If a woman comes up to me, this does not mean that she is harassing me, that she wants to drag me into bed. Most likely she only wants an autograph from me.

At the same time, when someone approaches my wife, I am also jealous. After all, men don’t ask her for autographs; they are driven by nothing more than sexual interest!”

But Zapashny cannot be called a tyrant. In any case, he did not forbid his wife, who, it would seem, had a lot to do with two children, from entering residency this September to finish medical education. “We talked a lot about this topic. Askold says that I don’t need to work at all, that he is able to provide for his family himself. But I want to have a profession, to be independent. After all, anything can happen in life, what if he leaves me after twenty years, what will I do? It’s better to be on the safe side,” shares Helen. “Then why get married at all if you think that in twenty years we might get divorced? - Askold shrugs. - But I think it’s stupid to study for seven years, and then, without finishing, give up everything.

So let him get a profession - I don’t mind.”

When Askold and Helen first started dating, parents on both sides were against their union. The trainer was destined to be a circus performer as a wife, and the bride's parents dreamed of a son-in-law - an Israeli doctor. “Everything is great now! Our parents see how much we love each other and how good we are together,” says Helen. - It’s stupid to condemn them for those old sentiments. It remains to be seen what I will do myself when my daughters grow up and find suitors. Will I like their choice? "Everything will be fine! - says Askold. “The main thing is that they love and respect each other - like you and I.”

The famous trainer Askold Zapashny is a representative of the famous circus dynasty. Together with his older brother Edgar, he organized the Zapashny Brothers Circus, which successfully tours in Russia and abroad. The brothers are almost inseparable, except for the time that Askold gives own family. Until recently, it consisted of two people - wife Helen and daughter Eva, born in 2010. more than a year later, the artist became a father again. The newborn was named Elsa.

• Askold, please tell us the story of how you met your future wife. When did you and she realize that you were ready to become parents?

Helen and I first met on tour in Minsk. We were introduced by my circus friend, whose wife Helen was friends with. She was a student at that time, studying at the university at the faculty for foreigners, since she is a citizen of Israel. We started dating and gradually got to know each other. I started thinking about children when I realized that Helen was the woman I wanted to live with. But concrete planning began for us after the wedding.

• I would like to clarify what Helen’s profession is? In many media she was called a trainer.

No, she never had anything to do with the circus. She is a doctor by profession. She graduated from the conservatory and plays the piano. Before this, Helen served in the Israeli army, tried her hand at temporary jobs - in a store, in a cafe, in modeling business. Now she is taking care of her family.

• How did you take the news about your wife’s pregnancy?

I was worried. Although I was waiting for this moment in my life, considering myself mature enough for such a turn. I felt the burden of increased responsibility. It’s one thing when you’re just thinking about a child in the future with friends, and another thing when the event has already happened. The moment has come to rethink everything. During Helen's pregnancy, I realized how difficult it is for a woman to bear a baby. How worried we all were when we went for the next ultrasound! It is known that there can be various developmental defects, and the question of what to do in this case periodically tormented me. Fortunately, everything worked out fine.

• When Helen was expecting a child, did you encounter any mood swings in her?

I was waiting for all these “classics of the genre”: rearranging furniture, craving for pickled cucumbers, - but nothing like that happened. Helen is quite emotional, and I was ready to endure her whims, since pregnant women naturally have them. But she behaved surprisingly stoically, with masculine restraint. Helen told me that she listened to herself, expected some desires that were unusual for her, but she didn’t want anything special. When we were waiting for the addition for the second time, everything went exactly the same way - calmly.

• It’s surprising that you decided so quickly to have a second baby. Was it your mutual desire to have children of the same age?

Yes. We didn't have any disputes. In addition, every person copies their parental family in some way, if it is successful. Edgar and I are the same age, which only helps us in life. In addition, having children one after another is in many ways the best option. It is better to go through the diaper-vest stage “in one fell swoop”. In addition, girls of the same age are usually friends and have less competition. However, no matter what I say, we must pay tribute to Helen’s courage: the second pregnancy is
a row is a big load, because the physical exhaustion from the first has not yet passed.

• Who will help Helen with the children?

Probably the nanny. I don't really like strangers in my personal space, but it seems there is no other choice. My grandmother and aunt helped raise my brother and I, and they are still eager to fight... But my wife reasonably noted that they are already eighty and fifty years old, respectively. To be honest, I didn’t fully realize this - my grandmother and especially my aunt are so active and energetic. However, the fact is clear: we could use a younger assistant.

• Did you have any desire to be present at the birth of your first child?

I didn’t say a categorical “no”. Due to my profession, it’s generally difficult to surprise or scare me with anything. But when my wife delicately hinted that she would not mind my presence at the birth, I said that there should remain a moment of intimacy in the relationship. A man does not need to look at the birth process itself. You can stand at the headboard and hold your hand, if, of course, your wife really wants it. Helen did not insist. I remember the day of birth well. My wife’s water broke, I took her to the hospital, and then went to the show. My brother and I had three performances that day. During the break, I picked up the phone, and there was an SMS: “Askoldik, come, Eva and I are waiting for you.” I was very touched. I learned about the birth of my second daughter by phone, during a tour in St. Petersburg. The wife said that everything went well, even easier than the first time. But I was still worried about her.

• Your daughters have beautiful names. Who chose them?

Me myself. When we were expecting our first child, I started looking for name options on the Internet, but I didn’t like anything there. And then suddenly, it dawned on me. It’s as if it came from above – Eva. I wanted the name to not be too pretentious. For example, at first my father thought of calling me Octavian... I think life would have been much harder for me with such a name. So I expected to find beautiful name, but not pompous. Eva is the perfect option. Firstly, it goes well with a middle name. Secondly, it contains a tribute to Helen's nationality. Thirdly, the name Eve is very ancient, it applies to all people, since that was the name of the first woman on Earth. The name of the second daughter, Elsa, is simply very beautiful and bright. It sounds good, which in the circus world has great importance. Now the whole world knows the Zapashny brothers, but it is possible that in a few years the Zapashny sisters will enter the circus arena.

• How did you feel when you saw your first daughter, Eva?

Probably an interest in one’s own feelings and in her as a new living being. I can’t say that bright fatherly feelings immediately awoke in me. More like curiosity - there is such a shaggy lump lying there. She was born with a rich head of hair, even the doctors were surprised. Then I felt warmth in my soul. And already on the second day I ran to the maternity hospital with the feeling that I was a father. When you see day after day how your child grows and changes, you become more and more attached to him. This is how love comes.

• How has your worldview changed after the birth of your daughter?

I didn't notice any drastic changes. In principle, I am a very responsible person, since my work is dangerous and requires constant planning. It’s the same with a child - I knew that to some extent I would lose freedom with his appearance, but these are the “rules of the game.”

• What difficulties did you encounter at your most difficult time– in the first year of Eve’s life?

I repeat, I was ready for anything - for sleepless nights, problems, diseases. I always try to think of everything. There were nights when Eva cried a lot. However, Helen proved herself to be a great mother. She stood up to her and calmed her down. Thus, she took the additional burden off of me. My wife knows how hard I work and how tired I am, and I value her concern. Of course, sometimes I replaced Helen when she was madly sleepy, I can do everything - rock a baby to sleep, put on a diaper. But this is the exception rather than the rule. My wife did not demand anything from me and thereby aroused the desire to help her. And now I try to help Helen with the babies as much as possible.

• There is a myth according to which a man develops feelings for his baby only when he begins to talk. How do you feel about this statement?

No, this is definitely not about me. The person you are talking about lives by emotions and waits for a situation to arise that will cause a certain reaction in him. Such a man needs to hear that the child will call him daddy, and then he realizes: oh, this is really my baby! Everything is different for me. I fell in love with Eva long before she said “daddy.” This is due to the fact that I am used to caring for others - people and animals - without expecting gratitude from them.

• How does “father’s” upbringing differ from “mom’s”?

Helen may show weakness towards Eve. I limit my daughter’s freedom less, but at the same time I am more firm. I can say “no”, ban something.

• Do you and your wife have any “pedagogical” differences?

I am against Helen's excessive softness. Let's say Eva reaches out her hand, wants to reach the cream that she is not allowed to take - she suddenly opens it and puts it in her mouth. The daughter begins to cry, and Helen, instead of saying “no,” runs for another cream, which Eva will not be able to open. That is, she gives her daughter what she demands by crying. Such numbers do not work with me. When Eva asks to be held in my arms, I take her, but if she then begins to reach for, say, the keyboard on which I am working, I do not allow her to be touched. Eva begins to become hysterical, and I sit her on the floor, thereby making it clear: I decide what is possible and what is not. My wife agrees with my parenting methods and tries not to be led by her emotions.

• Do you punish your child?

Children are punished for some intentional actions, and Eva is still too young to do things out of spite. Due to my profession, I am used to analyzing situations. My task as a trainer is to understand what the animal is thinking about. The child is also the object of such observations. I can recognize why he does something. Until I see that Eva is pulling my hair to intentionally hurt me. She simply gets to know the world, people’s reactions to their actions. When I see that Eve is causing pain on purpose, I will forbid it.

• Do you transfer the experience of being raised by your parents to Eva?

Eva is still a little over a year old, it’s too early to do this, but in the future I’m going to use a lot of the experience of my dad and mom. My parents loved my brother and me very much, but at the same time they clearly defined the boundaries of what was permitted and set certain goals for us. I think this is correct. Nowadays, many parents are too even, almost indifferent to their children. They give birth to a child and then think that they must raise him environment and himself. Our parents laid down the most important, fundamental things - for example, the concept that a man should dominate the family and be responsible for it. They were demanding about our performance at school, developed us - we had teachers in music, choreography, we learned languages. When dad insisted that we study English, it even annoyed me. I thought working in the circus would be enough for me. Life showed that he was right: languages ​​came in handy. I really want my children to know several languages ​​- English, as a matter of course, Hebrew - their mother’s native language, and others. Of course, the girls will study music and dance.

• Perhaps you want your daughters to continue your circus dynasty?

Definitely. It would be stupid to leave her to fate. My parents helped me not only master my profession, but also love it. This is very important when the pleasant and the useful are combined in life. Naturally, Eva and Elsa will have a wealth of knowledge and skills that will allow them to choose a business to their liking. But I will do everything to make them love the circus.

• What are your favorite games with Eva?

So far everything is pretty simple. For example, we chase each other squatting around a chair. Eva also likes to play hide and seek - all I have to do is cover my eyes with my palms and look at her between my fingers. She is laughing. Recently we had a new entertainment: Eva threw a pacifier on the floor, and then I took my daughter in my arms and showed her how to pick up the pacifier herself. She liked it so much that the pacifier began to endlessly fly to the floor...

• Do you have “know-how” on child care?

I think no. Eva lives according to a certain schedule, so I don’t remember any particular problems with feeding her or putting her to bed. If my daughter wakes up at night, my wife gives her a little something to drink and she falls asleep again. So no new inventions.

• Have you had any teaching mistakes?

I don't see any mistakes on my part. Eva is too young for me to commit them.

• Your wishes to future parents.

I don't like to be smart. I can give advice to people who doubt whether they need a baby. Having a child is a great happiness. However, you need to be prepared for its appearance. This is not a game. It largely depends on you what the fate of your son or daughter will be. Therefore, be as responsible as possible.

Askold Zapashny with his wife Helen and little daughter Eva live on wheels, traveling with the Zapashny Brothers Circus tour from one city to another. We managed to catch the family in Moscow - new circus performances are in full swing here. About how it changed their lives last year Askold and Helen told our correspondents what it’s like to be millionaires, and whether children and women can be trained.

You better go to your mom...

Askold: It's funny, but our child has three copies of every item. Three cribs, three strollers, three high chairs, and so on. One set is in Moscow, another is in Israel with my wife’s parents, the third is traveling with us in containers. This is how all circus people live. Where to go? I'm happy that we - me, Helen and little Eva - are together now.

I became a dad on the second day of the year. If my daughter was born on the first of January, I would probably be upset. All her life her holiday would have been combined with New Year's. And Helen and I on the night under New Year asked their daughter: “Wait! It's not time yet." And she listened to her parents - good girl! She was born at four o'clock, when I had a break between two performances. In the morning I took Helen to the maternity hospital, and I went to the performance. And in the afternoon I receive a text message from my wife: “Eva and I are waiting for you.” It was at this moment that life seemed to be divided into before and after. I stand with a mobile phone in my hands, look at the screen, re-read it and smile. Colleagues remarked: “Well, what’s there? What? Has your wife given birth? Whom?" - "Daughter!!!" I arrived at the maternity hospital after the performance. I don’t know how to put into words the feelings that filled me at that moment. Responsibility appeared, some special love for the child awoke. I take Eva in my arms and imagine: she will grow up and begin to greet me with joyful cries:
“Daddy has come!” Sentimental and touching...

Helen: When our friends had a daughter, I was very interested to see my husband’s reaction. I took her in my arms and said: “Askold, look what good girl! Here - hold her." He took the child in his arms and immediately gave it to him. And I thought: “No, my husband won’t babysit the children.” But my intuition let me down - she’s babysitting, and how!

Askold: I have never been touched by other people's children. But I’m ready to look at my daughter for hours. It seems to me that a person generally matures not through years, but through serious events, decisions taken. Fatherhood is a major change in the life of any man. When my older brother, Edgard, was born, our dad interrupted the performance, jumped out onto the streets of Yalta, where he was touring, and set off fireworks. In the evening, I made the whole team drunk to celebrate and drank myself, although I didn’t drink at all! They had a great time! And of course - the heir appeared!

- Is having an heir so important for a man?

Of course, the son will continue the family name. And for the circus this is especially important. My wife agrees with me, now we both want a boy. But when we had Evochka, I was incredibly happy.

- And a few weeks later they left their wife and child...

What was there to do? The tour began at the end of January. Don't drag a newborn baby with you.

Helen: When Askold said that it was better for me to go with the child to my mother, I burst into tears. Of course, as a loving wife, I wanted to be with my husband.

Askold: I only went to Israel with them in March and for only a week. Only in the fall we were finally reunited - now Helen and Eva go everywhere with me.

- And how do you, Helen, live the life of a circus performer’s wife?

Helen: Touring life turned out to be quite comfortable. We don’t live in trailers, as they show in old films. Quite decent hotels with two- and three-room rooms, a kitchen, and spacious bathrooms. I adapt quickly, literally in two or three days, and get comfortable. Although before, any change in my usual routine brought me to tears. As soon as my parents sent me to the camp, I began to bombard them with letters of pity and tried to get them to take me away. I also cried in the army: I was ready to serve at least a year more, if only they would let me go home for the night (Ellen, as an Israeli citizen, served military service. - Note "ZN").

Askold and I have been living apart for the five years that we have known each other. If before I was still somehow patient, then when I gave birth to my daughter, I started going crazy. I was afraid that one day my daughter wouldn’t recognize her father. In Haifa, where my parents live, there are many photographs of Askold near Eva’s crib. And when dad arrived, she immediately went into his arms and smiled. I felt my own blood.

Helen, you sacrificed a lot for your family: emigration alone is worth it. And they abandoned their career as a doctor. Aren't there many victims?

Yes, my career is very important to me. When I, having served in the army, entered the Belarusian State medical University, I never thought that I would become the wife of a circus performer. I took state exams when I was already pregnant, so I postponed entering a residency or internship. Now I’m just a wife and mother, but I’m already eager to leave home. And as soon as we decide who to leave Eve to, I will study further.

Askold is against kindergartens and nannies. To some extent he is right. My mother, who is also a doctor, went to work when I was four months old. I was raised by nannies, grandmothers, aunts and uncles. There is nothing bad in this, but nothing good either: the woman does not see how the child grows. Mom says that I came to her work and asked: “Is this your home?”

Where are the tigers?

- According to Forbes, the annual income of the Zapashny brothers is $5.7 million. And what is it like to be the wife of a millionaire?

Helen: You just drove me into a dead end with your question... Do not forget that the indicated amount is not in the pockets of the brothers. There are animals that need to be maintained, and this is very expensive. There is a team of two hundred people, expensive projects.
But Askold doesn’t deny me anything, he buys everything I want.

Askold:$5 million is the money that we have in circulation, in production. My brother and I earned them with our sweat and blood. Our lives with Edgard are proof of the formula for success: dreams come true if you put effort into it. They tell us: “Well, yes, you are the children of Walter Zapashny, your last name has paved the way with roses!” I say: “Excuse me, please, we also have a sister, my dad’s daughter from his first marriage - Maritza, and a nephew, they are also circus people. There is the direction of Mstislav Zapashny and Igor Zapashny, father’s brothers. They worked together and were very successful acrobats.” Do you know as much about them? No, unfortunately, they don’t have the kind of success we have yet! I say this because a surname is not an indicator of success. I believe that money comes as a consequence of work. And by the way, I treat them very calmly, only as a means of acquiring amenities - good home, cars.
My wife has the opportunity to buy whatever and as much as she wants. But he doesn’t abuse it, which makes me incredibly happy. She treats money correctly and, for example, does not ask for a Ferrari, although, in principle, I could buy her one.

- Helen is Israeli, and you met her in Belarus, where you were touring then. How did fate bring her there?

Helen's parents hoped to marry her to a dentist, and she was even engaged, but, realizing that she did not love her groom, she broke off the engagement and fled to Minsk, under the supervision of relatives. An old friend of Edgard and I brought her to the performance. I liked the girl right away. Both his appearance is unusual, and his manner of speaking is strange, with a slight drawl. She had a slight accent; her native language was Hebrew.

Helen: I was 26 years old then - it was time to get married. I subconsciously tried on all the men I met for the role of husband and father of the unborn child. And yet, at that time, I was much more occupied with my studies - third year, the very peak, I live in a dormitory, I don’t go anywhere much, because I’m poring over textbooks. I only saw posters - some tiger brothers unknown to me were performing - and that’s all! Askold led our relationship right up to the registry office. It was he who conquered me, he behaved like that, he said such words that I fell in love very quickly.

- Askold, in your early interviews you said that you would marry only the girl who manages to greatly surprise you with something. What struck you about Helen?

Askold: Surprisingly unbiased attitude towards me. She behaved very naturally. She is not boring, not amorphous. Well, I don’t like people who float rather than run through life!

Helen: Our first date took place in Askold's car. He played his favorite horror films on DVD to see how I would react. If a friend had not warned that Askold was a respected man, not some kind of scoundrel, he would have gotten up and gone. But I wanted to see what would happen next. Well, I finished watching it... I really, really liked it.

We immediately began to spend a lot of time together, walked until four or five in the morning, and at eight I ran to study... I didn’t get much sleep, but I flew like on wings - I fell in love. Askold leaves and immediately sends a text message: “Darling, I want to be close, I don’t want to leave you at all.” I answered: “The tour will end, you will begin a different life, without me. And I’ll stay shedding tears.” I never even thought that we could become a family. And yet, I wrote all his sincere, wonderful text messages in my diary and re-read them a hundred times.

- Helen, words are words, but a man’s actions speak for him...

There were enough actions. We met for a month and a half - and Askold left for Moscow. And then he started running back to me in Minsk - he drove 800 km at night, and back in the morning. That’s when I realized: his words were not empty at all. But she continued to resist, repeating: “Leave me alone, nothing will work out for us.” Another would have waved his hand, but Askold didn’t. He had the strength to break through my mistrust and fear of love. Naturally, I was jealous of him, threw hysterics, cried: “Girls are always hanging around you.” And he had the strength to assure me: “Darling, everything is fine, I am yours, even when there are thousands of kilometers between us.”

They say that Walter Zapashny produced future wife an indelible impression when I went on a date with a tiger on a leash.

Yes, I heard this one wonderful story. When Askold and I were dating, I dreamed during lectures: now the door will open and my prince with a tiger will enter the audience. It was probably easier for Walter Mikhailovich to do this, times were different. Askold cannot take the tiger and put it in the car. Transporting a tiger is a whole story. And so it’s getting ridiculous: traffic cops stop and, looking out the window, ask: “Where are the tigers?” Moreover, everyone thinks that they joked well. The guys answer: “Now they’ll catch up!”

Xin en how!

Helen: Time has shown: Askold is my soul mate. I’m in a foreign country, but next to him I feel calm and confident. And I even fell in love with the harsh Russian winters... Probably, every woman is looking for such a state of mental comfort.
Family life made Askold a little softer. Previously, he was more domineering: he said it bluntly. Now you can argue with him. I won’t praise our life anymore, I’m superstitious - I’m afraid I’ll jinx it!

Askold: Our life is not ideal, we often get into arguments: sometimes about the child, sometimes over some trivial matter. Recently Helen says: let's go to the cinema. I was tired after the rehearsal, but I thought, okay, I need to please my wife. I called my friends, gathered a crowd - we love company. Everyone took off and rushed to the cinema from different parts of Moscow. There are ten minutes left before the session, we haven’t gotten there yet, and then Helen says: “I’m dying, I’m hungry! Let's go have dinner." I ask: “What about cinema?” - “We’ll have a movie later, or we’ll do without it altogether; we’d better eat.” Let’s call my friends again: I’m persuading them to go to a restaurant. In general, you won’t get bored with my wife, she is unpredictable. Especially, as it turned out, in everything that concerns the child. When I was pregnant, I asserted: “I will be strict, and the baby will probably twist ropes out of you.” And so I am surprised to see how, in front of Ellen, my daughter opens some kind of cream with her teeth. I say: “Take it! She’ll be poisoned!” The wife calmly replies: “Nothing will happen, he’s not scary.” I get excited: “This one is not scary, but the other one will be scary.” I take the tube away, Eva yells in a voice that is not her own, because she has already learned to demand. And our mother gets blown up and runs for another cream - just so that her daughter doesn’t cry... At this point I explode. Yes, I may be a tough parent, but I love my child and do everything to ensure his safety. Although I don’t intend to lay down straw either. Our baby is crawling around the room, Helen screams: oh, she will hit the chair, the table. I say: “Sit still! He’ll hit you a little and he’ll understand how painful it can be.” I have a lot of experience in this regard, because I am a trainer. Stupid people sometimes say that training is violence. Not a damn thing like that! Training is, of course, the imposition of one's will. But the will of an intelligent being is the will of a stupid one. I can’t wait for the tiger to figure it out and answer me something like that. I will make him submit. It’s the same with children, actually. Training is education. If a predator attacks you, he needs to be punished. If the child doesn’t listen, so does that. Another question is how...
Eva already understands everything. I recently unplugged the antenna cord from the outlet. I strictly say: “Eva!” And she immediately brought it to me.

- How were you punished as a child?

They put me in a corner - just to stand and think. Dad sometimes scared me: “Oh, I’ll whip you!” But he never spanked me... Once, when my brother and I were seven or nine years old and my father’s circus was touring in an Asian republic, Edgard suggested: “Let’s go to the river with the boys.” I got scared and said: “Garik, don’t, we don’t know how to swim.” And he: “Come on! Don't be afraid." And I followed him out of desperation. They arrived, and there was a raging river... Local boys immediately, in their clothes, jumped into the water, and they were carried away by the current... I look at all this horror and understand that I would not go there for any price. Suddenly I notice: my brother is undressing: “I’ll dive in too, look!” I was so scared, terrified! I’m crying, trying to dissuade him - it’s no use! Edgard jumped. And when he got out, our Aunt Olya runs out of nowhere. He waves his hands, his face is frightened and pale. And then dad appears on the horizon - right in makeup. They told him that we were missing, he interrupted the performance and rushed to look for us. Saw. He slowly approached and hissed - well, just like a snake: “March home, wait, I’ll come soon.” We are scared - terrified. In the evening, my father returned home, went into our room, pulled the mattresses off the beds, turned them over and said: “You don’t respect your parents - that means you sleep on the floor!” He never raised his hand against us.

But for rudeness we got the full price! I could never snap at him, or at my mother or grandmother. Once at a rehearsal, my brother was performing a trick on a horse, he did something wrong, dad corrected him and heard in response: “Yes, right now!” I didn’t even have time to think of anything - my brother had already hit me in the ass with a whip. That's all. Very good upbringing.

Askold, you lived in China for four years. Is it true that, having fallen in love with a Chinese woman, you learned the most difficult Chinese language?

I learned the language because we immediately signed a contract for three years. Languages ​​come easy to me. I teach according to my own system: I take a lot of thick notebooks, write down all the words by category: everything related to a restaurant, a store, culture. Yes, of course, I didn’t know grammar, but I had a very rich vocabulary!

And yes, there was love. But this is a kid, I was only 15. The first girl was a Chinese Mongolian, a little older than me. The second one is Chinese. She and I didn’t even live together for long, and then she went to Hong Kong to act in films. Her departure became a tragedy for me: “Ahhhh... I’ll go to the ends of the world for her.” Mom smiled and patted me on the shoulder: “Hold on! Maybe I'll see you soon." She liked the girl, but she understood: it was all childish. The distance immediately separated us. Then there was no mobile phone, no internet. I remember sending her two cards - with the hieroglyphs “I love you” (“Wo ai ni”) and “Happy New Year” (“Xin en hau”), literally translated, “The New Year is good.”

- Well, what do you dream about in the new year, 2011?

I'm like anyone normal person, I only dream about good things. Recently we were in Magnitogorsk, our friend took us up a mountain on which a tree of wishes grows - everyone attaches ribbons to it. I tied it too. I don’t need anything specific, just the health of my loved ones and my own. And the rest is in my power.

Alla ZANIMONETS, Telenedelya LLC, Moscow (especially for ZN), photo by Vitaly FEDOROV

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Brief information about Askold Zapashny is as follows. He was born on September 27, 1977 in Ukraine, in Kharkov. He is one of the representatives of the famous circus dynasty in the fourth generation, People's Artist of Russia. He performs in the circus as a predator trainer, tightrope walker, juggler, acrobat, and vaulter. Next, Askold Valterovich Zapashny will be discussed in more detail.

Famous family

Starting the story about the biography of Askold Zapashny, one cannot help but mention his famous family spanning four generations. Not only his parents worked in the circus, but also his grandmother, grandfather and great-grandfather. The last one was Carl Thompson. He came from a German family, was an eccentric clown and performed in Russia under the pseudonym Milton.

Then the Zapashny family began to specialize in training wild animals. Walter and Tatyana Zapashny, parents of Askold and his older brother Edgard, were constantly on tour. Edgard was born in Yalta in 1976, and Askold in Kharkov in 1977.

School years

The brothers, despite the year difference in age, studied in the same class. Father dreamed of their circus future. Since the family was constantly traveling around the cities, the boys had to change many schools.

However, this did not give them the right to perform poorly; their father strictly monitored this. Despite being very busy, he always found opportunities to raise his sons.

Carier start

Circus biography Askold started at an early age. He took part in his first circus act at the age of 10, and his official debut took place at the age of 11. Then the family toured in Riga, where their number “Time Machine” was warmly received by the audience.

When Askold graduated from school in 1991, his family entered into a lucrative contract under which she could perform in China. This made it possible to save animals in the hungry 90s. For the Zapashnys, the Chinese side built a summer circus near the city of Shenzhen, in the Safari Park.

Creation

Askold Zapashny, during his stay in China and later, acquired many circus professions. He learned to walk on a tightrope, juggle on the back of a horse, became an excellent vaulting acrobat, and began to train not only large predators, but also monkeys.

In this type of training, the Zapashny brothers achieved high altitudes. At the 1st All-Russian festival circus art, held in 1997 in Yaroslavl, they received the first prize - “Golden Three”.

After the Chinese contract was completed, the family returned to Moscow. In 1998, while celebrating his own anniversary, their father, Walter Zapashny, handed over an attraction called “Among the Predators” to his sons.

The brothers went on tour in many countries. Such as China, Monaco, Italy, Finland, Latvia, Estonia, Japan, Hungary, Bulgaria, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Belarus.

The path to the heights of excellence

Askold Zapashny and his brother Edgard adopted the wisdom of training predators from their father and developed them. For example, Askold was included in the Guinness Book of Records for performing his own trick, which is the longest jump performed on the back of a lion.

In 1999, A. Zapashny became an Honored Artist of the Russian Federation, and in 2012 - People's Artist. And in 2012, he received the position of artistic director of the Great Moscow Circus, where he works to this day, without stopping artistic performances.

Zapashny graduated from GITIS with honors. With his brother, he organized the Zapashny Brothers Circus. He is the director and scriptwriter of many circus shows, including: “Colosseum”, “Camelot”, “Sadko”, “Legend”, “Terrible Force”, “Mistress of the Dead Lake”.

These shows always attract a lot of viewers, who are very enthusiastic about them.

Personal life of Askold Zapashny

For a long time famous trainer walked around with eligible bachelors. Which is no wonder given his prominent appearance, height 177 cm, fame and wealth. According to his entourage, many beauties were hunting for the artist.

However, at one point they were disappointed, as it became known that Askold had finally found his chosen one. They got married and gave birth to two charming daughters. It should be noted that they were given very sonorous names - Eva and Elsa - in accordance with the traditions of the famous circus family.

Meeting with Helen

Askold Zapashny met her during a tour in Minsk. She is Jewish by nationality and has Israeli citizenship. When they met, Askold was 27 years old. By that time, he had broken up with circus artist Elena Baranenko, with whom he had lived for eight years. civil marriage, never deciding to legitimize it.

Helen's birthplace is Belarus, but while still a child she and her parents left for Israel. The girl came to the circus with Askold’s friend and immediately liked the artist. She was distinguished by her beauty, charm, and ability to conduct a conversation. In addition to the fact that Helen Raichlin was an interesting person, she also intrigued Askold because before the meeting she knew nothing about him and his work. This was new for Zapashny, since he was spoiled by the attention of women, but did not find it here.

Overcoming obstacles

Their meetings lasted three years, which were almost episodic, since the girl could not stop receiving higher education, and the famous trainer could not cancel the tour.

In addition, the opinion of representatives of both families also became an obstacle to the development of relations. Relatives were not enthusiastic about the possible union of young people. The girl’s parents dreamed of a Jewish son-in-law who was a doctor, and the trainer’s family wanted to see a representative of the circus circle as his future wife. After all, in their opinion, only such a person could understand and share the artist’s unusual lifestyle.

But real love helped overcome obstacles, and the marriage took place. The daughters born strengthened him. Relatives also radically changed their opinion. So, in one of the interviews, Zapashny’s mother recalled that at first she treated her daughter-in-law rather coldly, but over time she accepted her and fell in love with her. She told her son that even if he and Helen separated, she would remain part of the family.

In 2016, Elsa and Eva performed in the circus for the first time together with folk artists Russian Federation Askold Zapashny and Edgard Zapashny - with their father and uncle.

Accident and operations

In 2010, the Zapashny brothers, when returning to Bryansk to begin rehearsals for a new circus program, had an accident. Their car, having hit the curb and losing two axles, stopped just 10 cm from the tree. Fortunately, none of the brothers were hurt. Askold and Edgard were miraculously saved thanks to their seat belts and deployed airbags.

In 2014, Askold Zapashny suffered three the most complex operations on the spine, which were carried out in Germany. Disorders in the artist’s spine occurred as a result of his performance of acrobatic acts and complex stunts. Later in an interview, he recalled this with a smile, but noted that if he had not gone to the doctors on time, he could have remained disabled for life.

Participation in social and political life

In addition to circus activities and participation in numerous shows, Askold Zapashny takes an active part in the socio-political life of the country. Here are some examples:

• 2011 - signing of an appeal against pressure on the judicial system in connection with the Yukos oil company case.
• 2012 - confidant of V.V. Putin.
• 2014 - signing of an appeal supporting the position of the President of the Russian Federation on Crimea and Ukraine.
• 2016 - confidant " United Russia"in the Duma elections and confidant of S.S. Sobyanin, the mayor of Moscow.

For some time now, the wife won’t let the trainer go on tour alone

For some time now, the wife won’t let the trainer go on tour alone

Askold ZAPASHNY hides his family life from prying eyes. His wedding took place secretly, without much publicity in the press. On the eve of the appointment of Askold Zapashny as the chief artistic director of the Bolshoi Moscow Circus on Vernadsky Avenue, Express Gazeta met with the wife of the circus artist, Helen ZAPASHNY, in her homeland in Israel.

Home on the shore Mediterranean Sea- to Haifa Helen Zapashnaya comes often. Her parents live here, and she herself is attached to the Holy Land with all her heart. While Askold travels with his brother Edgard on tour, Helen is raising two daughters in Israel - Eva and Elsa.
- Why did you and Askold have secret wedding?
- My parents opposed our relationship. His mother wanted a circus girl in the family. Firstly, she will not throw scandals at them about inconveniences or any hardships; she will go on tour with her husband. But my parents didn’t want Askold: they were afraid that I would quit my studies in Minsk in medical institute.
- Were you a fan of Zapashny’s work? How did you meet Askold?
- I studied in Minsk. Together with friends we came to the brothers' performance Zapashnykh. We had a nice evening and that's all. A couple of days later our mutual friend Andrei calls: “Ellen, your phone number is asking for one circus performer- Askold.” I thought: who is Askold? I didn’t look at the posters, so I couldn’t tell them apart. I refused my friend: “I have a boyfriend, then the guys will soon go on tour, why do I need this?” The thought was in my head: since he’s famous, it means he’s spoiled by female attention. But Askold did not give up. Andrey called me for a long time: “What are you pretending to be? Such a person wants to call you, and you?!”
- But you still gave me your phone number?
- Yes. I sent my first text message during a lecture at the institute, I smiled so brightly that even the teacher noticed it. It was so nice, even though the message was short: “Hello, this is Askold Zapashny, Let's meet". We started dating. Our first evening was great. Then Askold didn’t call or write to me for four days. I thought: “Here, so and so. They are all the same". But as it turns out, this is his trick to make a girl fall in love with him. I was all nervous, but he took the time. Not only us girls are cunning, but also guys.
- And so he went on tour...
- Since the guys toured for two months, we used any free time: if it’s night, then it’s night. Of course, I convinced myself that this relationship had no future. And my mother didn’t like the fact that instead of studying, I went on tour with them: Gomel, Bryansk... For two years we corresponded by text messages and talked on the phone.
- What did you say to your boyfriend whom you were dating?
- I broke up with him. I’m not a sinner, I honestly said at the beginning of our relationship that we have no future. For this he is now grateful to me.
- How did Askold propose? In the arena with tigers?
- First, after three months of dating, he confessed his love. We dreamed of getting married, made plans for the future, thought about children, even though the whole world was against us. I didn’t believe it until the very end, I slowed myself down so as not to completely lose my feelings. Askold had a hard time: persuading me, explaining that our relationship had moved to another stage. And after this conversation we began to call ourselves a couple. Then Askold met my parents in Israel. Everyone was very worried. Askold proposed in Jerusalem in the Holy Land: he gave a ring and said those very important words for a woman. I was so nervous that I didn't even say yes.

Edgard did not support his brother

- But despite this, you are raising two daughters together...
- December 19th with us wooden wedding. Everything worked out for us because we met as adults who clearly understood what they wanted. After two years of dating, we planned a wedding date. Only my mother flew in, and my mother-in-law Tatyana Vasilievna was on tour. My mother kept telling me until the very end: “Lenochka, come to your senses. Not too late". And I have to go to the registry office tomorrow. I won’t forget the night before the painting: the guys were on a hunt in some city, and Askold’s battery ran out. I’m sitting by the window, waiting for him, it’s night outside. Then my mother says: “You’ll just sit by the window like this: your husband isn’t there, but you’ll just sit there and wait for him. Or maybe he wanted to escape..."
- Maybe your mother didn’t like the fact that Askold wasn’t a Jew?
- There were also my relatives who tried to say this...
- Didn’t you immediately find a common language with Tatyana Vasilyevna?
- His mother was not there, as she was on tour far from Moscow. Immediately after the wedding, I left for Minsk, and Askold went to another city. I didn’t even have a white dress: I put on a suit. I think there is no need for this: many people do gorgeous wedding, and then disperse. And our relationship with Tatyana Vasilyevna improved when I got to know her better. Now I’m learning a lot from her and taking advice from her. She is the wisest woman. Tatyana Vasilievna, when she married Walter Mikhailovich, had a hard time: she was not accepted because she was not from a circus family. So, I need to go through all this. Life is a complicated thing. When granddaughter Eva appeared, Tatyana Vasilievna became softer. Now Askold’s and mine relatives understand that we need to live together peacefully.

- Did Edgard support his brother?
- At first he took the position of his mother. And this fact surprised my brother. Askold once said that Edgard brought a girl into the house and her mother didn’t like her: Edgard took the backpack and left the house. What did Askold do? Left with him. They were young, about 13 years old. Therefore, Askold expected that Edgard would also support him in relation to me. But no. But now we have an excellent relationship: Edgard is our godfather eldest daughter Eve.
- You probably wanted a boy first?
- As Askold says: “We really wanted twin boys, so we have girls the same age.” Of course, I dream of raising a real man. We still have plans, we are trying... And here, if a boy is born, Askold and I have national differences: to circumcise or not. I think that from a hygiene point of view this is correct. But Askold has not given up yet.
- Why do girls have such names?
- Dad chose our names, this is completely his right. A woman bears a child, but the father does not immediately develop this feeling of involvement. My opinion is this: by giving a name to a child, a man understands that he has become a dad. Askold chose the name Eva because it was his first child and a girl. And he accidentally found a name for the youngest Elsa; I wanted Sofia. But my husband and I believe in signs, and if we don’t know whether to take a step or not, then we look for these signs. I remember last days before childbirth. Tatyana Vasilievna was against the name Elsa. He calls and says: “We must call names successful people" We are standing at a traffic light at this moment, a truck stops, and on it is written in huge letters: “Elsa.” We just talked to my mom on the phone and saw this truck. Another coincidence: the actress died on her daughter’s birthday Elizabeth Taylor.

Tigers in the hands of the ZAPASHNY brothers are as obedient as kittens. Photo: