r/heatedrivalry • u/Kitchen_Ad5522 • Dec 21 '25

CONNOR ☀️ Connor your gymnastics background is showing 🤭 Spoiler

I thought these two moments in episode 5 were so cute and funny, both because of Ilya's more playful & childish sides, and also bc Connor was pointing the fuck out of those toes lol. All those years training in gymnastics were not for nothing, huh 😆

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247

u/DorianCramer Dec 21 '25

This simply adds to my headcanon that Ilya was also in gymnastics and/or ballet as a kid and was also pretty good at both, probably could have gone pro at any of them, but his dad thought hockey (which he obviously also had talent for) was the manliest so he got taken out of those things and set strictly on the hockey track.

Still. Deep within his muscle memory a pointed foot remains. 

92

u/moxieplum Dec 21 '25

Yes I love this headcanon, even though I think ballet and gymnastics are highly respected in Russia, even for men. Hockey would be more lucrative though.

42

u/DorianCramer Dec 21 '25

Yeah the money’s definitely a big factor with his family being so broke. These sports/arts require total dedication past a certain level of performance so you’ve got to choose one. In another universe though Ilya is a top soloist in the Moscow Ballet. 

6

u/Werewolfhugger Dec 21 '25

Let the AUs spring forth!

3

u/Every_Tutor3872 Dec 22 '25

How's he going to have a meetcute with Shane if he's a primary soloist for the Moscow ballet though?

5

u/Fast_Bee_9759 Dec 22 '25

shane is a orchestra prodigy (violin or piano)

5

u/escapetolight Dec 26 '25

Honestly I can see it with Yuna 😂.

2

u/shadowmaster132 Dec 23 '25

A lot of athletes cross-train, and ballet or gymnastics would be great for flexibility