Papunaishvili Evgeniy and his wife wedding. The fate of Evgeniy Papunaishvili. Pair dance between a Georgian and an Italian. — Plates are flying around the house

He is considered a heartthrob, attributed to him numerous novels with partners dance show, but he himself says that he has never been a ladies' man. For the first time in an interview, Evgeniy talks about his personal life and introduces OK! with his beloved girlfriend Salima.

If you see Evgeniy Papunaishvili dancing salsa, you will forever fall in love with both the fiery salsa and the ardent Evgeniy. Temperamental - this word best characterizes both his character and his lifestyle. Positive, ironic, sincere, he is a true hedonist, esthete and gourmet: he enjoys himself, enjoys life, enjoys everything he does - whether he dances, gives interviews or eats. We are sitting in a cafe in Novinsky Passage, where several years ago Evgeniy opened a second dance school named after himself - STEP, at 16:00, and he admits that he has not had breakfast yet and orders pizza. Everyone who is familiar with Evgeniy’s Instagram page knows: if he ate well, it means he will be in a good mood. “How long will our interview take?” - he asks while I turn on the recorder.

You hurry?

Agreed. Can we start?

Zhenya, correct me if I’m wrong, but it seems to me that a man who has chosen dancing as his life’s work is born with some kind of inner flame that must be thrown out so as not to burn himself and not fry those around him.

This is true. If I wasn't dancing, something like this would have to be invented so that I could throw out my energy. As a child, I practiced dancing and football from morning to evening, and I missed it. I was torn into molecules, and my trainers did not know how to curb me. It’s very disappointing when such a condition is explained by the use of something psychotropic. But I have never tried drugs in my life and I can’t even imagine how it happens.

Do you always live as if you were dancing salsa, or do you sometimes stop?

Of course, I have periods of calm and relaxation...

Calm or tired?

Probably all together. Sometimes I can’t sleep because I’m thinking of something, solving some problem. I have a great responsibility - for myself, for other people. There are areas in which I am alone with myself. This is my home, this is the space of my car, during meals I am absorbed in eating - this is the time when I absolutely need relaxation. ( Laughs.)

In your comfort zones, do you hide from others or just relax?

Hiding is not my thing, I just relax. I don't want to build any barriers.

You probably haven't been very offended in your life?

They offended me very much. But still the tail is like a pistol. Of course, you get burned, of course, your armor grows. Although I remain on such issues big kid. When they let me down, when they lie to me, I am sincerely perplexed: “Why?” Why can’t we be honest, why can’t we say and explain? You judge by yourself and that’s why you worry every time. I'm not far away myself an ideal person, I have a huge number of cockroaches. But it’s one thing when you act ugly out of inexperience, and quite another when it happens consciously. I can admit that I have never done anything bad on purpose, I have never let people down knowing that I would let them down. There are people who don’t care who or what they think of them, they don’t care. I'm not like that.

Do you care?

No to me. But without fanaticism. I only accept constructive criticism. And when people try to hook you just to hook you, I don’t like it. Now everyone has become very accessible thanks to social networks, and sometimes you foolishly read some comments, and there is only negativity and rudeness.

For what reason are you being judged?

Most often when I participate in projects. Especially if you are busy judging. Every time you make a choice in favor of one, you have to offend the other. The “Big Dances” project on the Russia 1 channel was very serious, when it was not individuals who danced, but teams representing cities. And when you give an assessment professionally, consciously, without deceiving yourself, you upset not just one person, but the whole city. I received so many poisonous comments each time that I simply can’t count them.

Do you keep track of your Instagram account followers?

I have about one hundred and twenty thousand - is that a lot or a little? It depends on what you compare it to. I regularly post photos, I like running my page.

Don't you think this is a kind of exhibitionism?

When “this is what I ate,” “this is what I washed,” “this is how I dressed” - perhaps, yes. My page is about travel, dancing and food. ( Laughs.) Of course, not everyone likes me, but there are people who support me, who are interested in me, and Instagram is a good way of communication. It's not often that I get to answer all the questions and read all the comments, but I try to do so. And most importantly, this communication helps me popularize dancing. I live for it. I work on this a lot, a lot.

Is that why you built your schools first and not your home?

Yes, I am currently renting a house. It took several people to build the first school nice apartments, building a second one cost the same amount. This is how I set my priorities.

Four years ago, when I decided to build schools, I understood: if not now, it will be more difficult later. Then I decided that if I take on such responsibility and if subsequently I do well, in the future I will not only have an apartment, but in general everything will be fine.

And you need a lot for comfortable life?

A lot for me. I'm not an ascetic at all. But you can’t imagine how modest the apartment I live in is. Its most important advantage is that it is located next to my schools. Of course, the biggest dream of my life is to build my own nest. But if we talk not about the house, but globally, then all this talk, like an artist should drink only water and eat only bread, is not about me. I'm a normal man normal person. I like to eat delicious food, dress well, I need a good car. I enjoy it.

And you provide for yourself.

Yes, and I’m very proud of it. I have never received any global assistance, no one has made any contributions to me. Of course, my parents helped me a lot - with care, support and love, thank them very much. But in materially I'm all on my own. And do you know what I dream about in this regard? I want not to forget how to enjoy such simple things as... like the pizza that I am now eating, like the car that I bought a few days ago and enjoyed it like a child. Often people, having achieved great success, stop enjoying the little things. It’s already difficult to surprise them, to hook them with something. I don't want it that way. I don’t want to lose these pure childhood emotions. You know, I recently came to the conclusion that children dance the most honestly. The child simply hears the music and is “swayed.”

Zhenya, how do you achieve great success? How do you technically structure your life: do you move short distances or just move forward to the top? Or can it sometimes go down?

No, only up, no down.

Why? Falls make you stronger.

If only some local failures, minor problems. Recently there was a situation that I still dream about. I participated in the First Channel project “Without Insurance,” which I almost won. This became a great challenge for me, since I did not know how to do anything that was required. I was going to last one or two rounds, but I made it to the finals. And in the quarterfinals I competed in a discipline in which I felt quite confident - rhythmic gymnastics. I did very well in training, but during my broadcast I didn’t catch a single object. Everything was flying past me. Complete failure. This has never happened in my life before. I'm even a little grateful to fate for this lesson. According to estimates, I moved on, but I experienced psychosexual trauma. I went nuts. For me, a perfectionist in terms of work, a psycho in terms of quality of performance, nothing worked out. In the final there was rhythmic gymnastics again, and I completed everything with tens. As for everything else, I'm a completely disorganized person. I just don’t know how to line anything up, I never remember dates, I recently forgot how old I am. And this is one of my main shortcomings.

And do you have many shortcomings?

Million. Probably another main one - I’m hot-tempered. It's not that I'm just crazy, no. I explode only because of injustice or rudeness: my curtains close, and I just need to curb my inner hack that is awakening in me. Over time, I managed to cope with this shortcoming, I learned to remain silent once again, to turn everything into a joke. It was more difficult before. And now everyone is just waiting for someone to stumble. You have to be very careful. Of course, you don’t want to lose yourself. If I see that someone is being offended, I might punch them in the face. I'm a normal man. For me, the perfect example is my dad. Strong, kind, respectful towards women, a wonderful family man.

Well, you and I are only talking about work. Maybe work comes first now because you have no family?

Probably, although in my case this is not entirely true. I don't know how to describe it, but I'm really a fan of my work. If they announced a competition for the person who works the hardest, I would definitely participate. My most great fear- do not have time to realize yourself. Recently I realized that last time I was on vacation two and a half years ago. Before that, I hadn’t rested for three years. And only thanks to my friend’s persistence we will soon go on vacation together. That is, until they took me by the scruff of the neck... You have to love yourself, of course, otherwise you will break. So far I love my students and teachers more than myself. And this is a paradox, because basically I am a selfish person. But my selfishness manifests itself in some other things. I repeat: now I’m in a period when I have to competently arrange all the work aspects, and then I can take care of my family.

Do you explain your priorities to your family in the same way, or have they already given up on you?

They are afraid to talk to me about this topic. These conversations make me terribly angry. Although in Lately I became a little more sentimental. I began to understand that our parents love us all so much that they are simply worried. They think I'm unhappy because of this. Moreover, the older brothers “shot” their grandchildren at them like with a machine gun. I have seven nephews and nieces! Dad sometimes talks about this at holidays when he makes toasts in my honor. I understand that they really want and expect the same from me. When my parents met my girls on family holidays, the degree of their kindness went off scale. They love every girl I have more than me. It may sound like a show-off, but all the girls in my life were special. Everyone was amazing. I've never had anything like this - just to be with someone. A priori, I cannot have a relationship with an ill-mannered girl, with a bitch, with an ugly girl both internally and externally.

It’s probably time to introduce readers to your girlfriend, especially since she’s participating in the filming.

I barely persuaded her to film, although for the first time I myself can calmly talk about my relationship. So, this fantastic girl's name is Salima. She's Italian! And sometimes we don’t understand each other at all. ( Laughs.) She is an absolutely amazing person. Beautiful, cheerful, successful. It does incredible success in Russian, much greater than I do in Italian. But with us you can make a movie about translation difficulties. Sometimes this helps prevent the situation from leading to a huge scandal. For example, there is some kind of skirmish: I understand from gestures, from facial expressions that Salima is dissatisfied with something, but I don’t understand her, and this can even make me smile. I am incredibly proud of my Georgian roots, but I know for sure that in past life I was Italian. I adore this language, this country and Italian music. I grew up on Italian music and I know her so much that all Italians are shocked.

Did you happen to meet in Italy?

No, we met here, in Novinsky Passage, because my second school is located here, on the second floor, and Salima came to Moscow to give master classes at the Aldo Coppola salon, located next door. Don't ask about the date we met. ( Smiles.) It was impossible not to notice her. She has such a fantastic, bright appearance, unreal hairstyle (I once had the same one), she is unique herself, I couldn’t help but pay attention to her. She's a wonderful person. But with character.

Didn’t you give me your phone number right away?

You know, I love it when people have a core. I hate "sheep". There are such sheep people - both men and women. I really like that she is successful: Salima is a famous top stylist, there are queues lined up to see her. She has never cut my hair before, but everything is ahead... I will never forget our first date. It was incredibly touching because we constantly used Google Translate. Now, when we remember this story, we cry with laughter. Firstly, with the date itself, I destroyed her first stereotype about myself. Some bastard spread rumors that I have an unconventional sexual orientation. A dancer dresses something like this, which means everything is clear with him - he is gay. Before her, these rumors too " good people"They reported. Later we had a serious conversation on the topic of newspaper articles, and we had a very strong fight. At one time, my mother and I had a serious fight about this same topic. I said: “Mom, you can’t react to everything that is written about me. Otherwise, neither my nor your nerves will be enough. If you read or hear something, ask me. I'll be honest. There’s no need to think anything through.”

What is the second stereotype?

I have already said that many people believe that my excessive activity and emotionality is associated with drugs. She was also informed about this. And just imagine: a first date. And I ate very poorly. At some point I went away. Fifteen minutes later he left again. Salima already has an oil painting in her head. Then we went for a walk. But almost immediately I realized that it was difficult for me to move, and suggested that I go to a cafe for a cup of tea. As soon as we sat down at the table, I disappeared within two seconds. He returned absolutely happy - his eyes were burning... Can you imagine what she thought?

I can't imagine how she agreed to a second date.

To be honest, I don’t remember him now.

Where are you going on vacation? What will you do?

Personally, I plan to eat deliciously, drink wine and smoke cigars. ( Smiles.)

Will it be Italy?

No, it will be Greece. We may go to Italy in August - Salima wants to introduce me to her friends and relatives. She was born in the city of Como. She has many friends in Milan. She has amazing friends! There is a large Italian diaspora living in Moscow, and, you know, all these people are united by the beautiful Italian word educazione. It means “good manners, culture, intelligence” - such broad concept. All the people I meet thanks to Salima are very well-mannered, very beautiful, stylish. I really like it, it’s close to me.

You are an esthete: you constantly say the word “beautiful.”

I love beautiful people. Salima is stunningly beautiful. She has great taste. Certain things and traditions are very important to her. For example, knowing that we are going to a restaurant in the evening, she will go home and change clothes. It will be difficult for her to travel back and forth, but no matter how cool her sneakers are, she will not wear such shoes to a restaurant. For me, a restaurant is a way of survival, I eat somewhere every evening, for her, going to a restaurant is a way out.

Is Salima dancing?

She only dances in clubs. I even gave her a card. I bought her a card to her own school! She looked a little like... Salima moves coolly, it seems to me that dancing is definitely her thing. The main thing is that on vacation she doesn’t force me to teach her how to dance salsa. Waiting two and a half years to rest and learn to dance every day - no, it will be unbearable. ( Laughs.)

Style: Polina Shabelnikova.

Makeup and hairstyle: Regina Khinevich