But, Anna’s journey into the spotlight has not been a predictable one. She moved to the US from Russia at 17, finding her purpose in dancing. Trebunskaya calls California her home now, but says Russia will always be a big part of her life. Right now, it seems she is living her American dream, enjoying the moment, while doing what she loves.

Here is an edited version of the script of my interview with Anna Trebunskaya (click on the audio file below to listen to the unedited version).

YTFiles: How are you, Anna? Thanks so much for joining me.

Anna Trebunskaya: I am very good. Thank you.

YTFiles: So, you guys are heading into Week 7 of competition on DWTS. And all these past weeks, you have been leading the pack interchangeably with Nicole Scherzinger and Derek Hough. Last week, you slid back in the rankings a little bit, but are still very much in the game. So, how do you guys feel? What was last week? Was it a sign of running out of gas?

Trebunskaya: The thing is Evan has a crazy schedule. He is not only doing "Dancing With The Stars," he also has commitments with "Smucker’s Stars On Ice." So we actually travel to a different city practically every day of the week. I think we kind of pushed ourselves too hard. And, then he ends up being hurt. He hurt his head; he had a mild concussion. I think that did not help us last week. I don’t want to blame it on the injury, but I think we just pushed ourselves a little too hard physically.

YTFiles: And is [Evan] still dancing on broken toes?

Trebunskaya: Yes, he is getting over the broken toes. It’s been five weeks, so the doctor said he could stop taping, and he has been off the prescription painkillers, so this thing is getting better.

YTFiles: The closest you have ever gotten to winning DWTS was [when you reached the finals] in season 2 with Jerry Rice. This year, many bets are on you and Evan to win this thing. How real do you think it is for you guys to come on top?

Trebunskaya: You know, the thing I have learned about our show...because this is my fifth season and I have only been in the final once,... it is such an unpredictable show. Because we do not really know how the audience are voting. We never know how many people have called and voted for us or somebody else. And, it is really anybody’s game when we get to the final, it really will be up to the audience for some couple to win or not.

YTFiles: Who of your competitors do you think have the most potential to win this season of "DWTS"?

Trebunskaya: You know it might sound kind of odd, but I’ve just really been enjoying watching Pamela Anderson progress. She is getting better every week. She is such a character, she is such a personality that I think America is going to be behind her. You know, I won’t be surprised if she will be in the final.

YTFiles: All we see as viewers of the show is glamour, beautiful extensions and awesome dances. But, there is obviously a lot of hard work behind the scenes. So, I am just wondering, logistics wise, how many hours a day do you and Evan train together?

Trebunskaya: Well, our schedule is pretty set...We normally start rehearsal at 9 and then we go until about 3 pm, and then he has to go skate, so we get about six, and sometimes more, sometimes less, hours a day.

YTFiles: Wow. That is a lot of work to put into this.

Trebunskaya: Yeah, that is the thing. People see the end result. They do not see us working 20 hours a week to get there. And, I just want to say that especially last week’s samba was a very challenging dance for Evan. And, if people could see where he started that dance, just being a little bit lost, you know with the hip action, and where he got on Monday, I mean it was such a huge progress.

YTFiles: I enjoyed that samba, by the way. I thought it was fantastic.

Trebunskaya: Thank you. I thought he was good too. I loved it. I enjoyed dancing it.

Anna Trebunskaya and Evan Lysacek. Photo credit: ABC.com

YTFiles: And of course, you have to follow Evan around quite a bit, when he goes on the "Stars on Ice Tour."

Trebunskaya: Right. I follow him everywhere.

YTFiles: So, is your life pretty much his life at this point?

Trebunskaya: Well, I kind of joke about it. I say, you know, I have an amazing opportunity to, first of all, dance with an Olympic gold medalist, that is pretty awesome. And secondly, I get to watch "Stars On Ice Tour" and hang out with Sasha Cohen, and Benjamin Agosto and Tanith Belbin, and Meryl [Davis] and Charlie [White]. I get to meet all these people, and hang out with them, but, you know, my life is what it is now, and that is just part of the deal.

YTFiles: In season 7 of "DWTS," you and your husband [edt. Jonathan Roberts -- also a dancer] decided to stay away from the show to concentrate on your competitive dancing. Is "DWTS" really such a chore that it just totally takes over your life, so that you can't concentrate on anything else?

Trebunskaya: Pretty much. I mean, especially when you get past the middle of the season, you have to commit all your time and energy to this show.

YTFiles: One question that a lot of people are wondering about is how do you actually get on this show as a dancer? How do you land this gig? Because it just seems like a dream job for any dancer.

Trebunskaya: Yeah, we had auditions ... About 60 people auditioned for six, or seven, spots at the time ... And, then it was whoever wanted to do it. People, they liked it, did not like. So, it was a couple of months of auditions before they settled on their professionals.

YTFiles: I also wanted to talk a little bit about your background and where you are coming from. Your family moved to the United States from Russia when you were 17 years old. How was your transition like? Did you have to find ways to fit in?

Trebunskaya: Absolutely. I mean I came [to the United States] right after high school. And obviously, you have all your friends in high school ... When I first came, I came to New York, which is a huge city and was totally overwhelming. And, I was a little lost for maybe the first year. I did not quite know if I fit in and what to do. But then I just really decided to turn professional and make dancing my career. And at this moment, I finally had purpose and everything since then was pretty clear.

YTFiles: So, at this point in your life, do you consider yourself Russian, American, or maybe a combination of both?

Trebunskaya: I am definitely a mutant. I mean, Russia will always be a very big part of my life. I visit a lot. I go back at least once a year. I visit my family. My Dad and all his family are still there. My Mom is in US. And, I am married now to an American, so his family is part of my family. So, I just feel like I could never go back to Russia. Like that would be absolutely painful for me. But, I have to go at least once a year and submerge myself into the culture, and the food and theatre, the language, and all of that. And then I come back home, which I consider California my home now, and I am with my husband doing my "American thing," as I call it...

YTFiles: And, so when you go back to Russia to visit, do people recognize you on the streets?

Trebunskaya: Well, they have their own "Dancing With The Stars" in Russia. I think when I go back to Russia, I am pretty normal. I don’t even consider myself to be a tourist, because I know my way around Moscow and my hometown. You know, I am just a normal person.

YTFiles: Well, you know, I have seen your name across Russian headlines. People are talking about you ... So, your name is definitely out there.

Trebunskaya: Maybe because of Evan, and because of his win in Vancouver. Maybe that is why.

YTFiles: I think you are a big part of it too.

Trebunskaya: Well, that is funny...

YTFiles: You are obviously an amazing dancer. Many people say that Russians are just naturally good at ballroom dancing. From your experience, do you think it is Russian nature or nurture that is really the reason why...

Trebunskaya: Russia is a big country, so we have a lot of talent. Also, it is so much in the culture: the ballet and gymnastics, and folk dance, and figure skating. It is so much part of Russian culture. And the way people look at it in Russia ... ballroom dancing ... is considered a sport ...I started when I was six. And, I started competing since I was seven. It was always more of a sport than just a form of art. I think that kind of mentality makes a lot of great dancers, or athletes, come out of Russia.

YTFiles: We have talked about your transition, and being very successful and you obviously enjoy what you do. So my question is -- are you living the American dream right now?

Trebunskaya: I pretty much am. I would never in a million years when I was, you know, ten, twelve, thirteen, fourteen years old, I would never imagine myself being in America, dancing with an [Olympic] gold medalist, and I absolutely admire figure skating. And that is again coming from being Russian, and Olympic Games for us is like a religion. And, being on the most successful TV show in whole of USA, definitely I feel a little bit like a Cinderella sometimes.

Autoradio in Vancouver

That is right. Russian radio is coming down to Vancouver to air Russian music and commentary during the 2010 Games. Russia's top morning radio station Autoradio will broadcast from the Russia House 8 PM to 5 AM PST every day February 12-28. Autoradio will broadcast from Vancouver to all of Russia, so that their listeners half a world away can get their morning fix of news and music from within the Olympic capital where it all happens. But, Vancouverites will also be able to tune in. Vancouver station AM 650 has leased its airtime to the Russians for the duration of the Games. So don't be surprised to hear Russian jingles on AM 650 on your way back from work. The Vice President of AM 650 Brad Philips says he is not sure if their station will do the same and go to the Sochi Olympics in four years time, but he says they are hosting the Russian radio because AM 650 has always been a community station, and the 60,000 Russians living here in Metro Vancouver are part of that community as well.

"It creates a great profile for us and raises awareness about the station," says Philips. "And, it is just another way to serve the community and be part of the excitement."

When I wondered if the administrators of AM 650 were at all worried that their listeners might be surprised to hear a foreign language radio instead of the familiar station, Philips said they are making announcements ahead of time to prepare their audience. Philips says he hopes that AM 650 listeners will support the station. "It is a once in a lifetime opportunity. It is not something usual, but we will be back to normal after February." Philips notes Russians will also play Canadian music as part of the CRTC rules that require all stations to broadcast a certain amount of Canadian content. But he says it is something Russians are happy to do. It makes sense for them to give the people in Russia a taste of the Canadian music while they are here.

AM 650 did not disclose how much Autoradio paid for their airtime, but Russians are sure spending big to get their presence in town noticed, all in an effort to promote their Sochi Olympics in 2014. Russians rented the Science World, one of the most spectacular and expensive venues in the city, to make it the official Russia House for the Games. The House promises to hold daily parties with lots of music and food. Russian athletes and celebrities are likely to pop up as well. Autoradio are planning their own party at the Russia House, bringing Russia's finest artists and musicians. But, I hear getting tickets to the Russia House might be tricky. So, line up early. And, give Autoradio a listen. Because are not music and passion for the sports the universal language we all understand?

I was randomly browsing the English website of the Russian news agency RIA Novovsti, when I came across a little survey banner, prompting users to take a poll on what Russia’s image abroad is -- 44.5% of the respondents said “mostly good”, 33% said “mostly bad” and 22.5% said “unclear.” Given that the poll was done in English, I presume people of all the different backgrounds took the survey. So, I found it interesting that the respondents were somewhat split on what Russia’s image abroad was. I definitely think that the poll reflects the general confusion about Russia in the world today. But perhaps, as a young democracy of less than 20 years, it is only now reaching the maturity level required to start doing some serious self-reflection. And, when it will itself figure out how it wants to be perceived, perhaps everyone else will have an easier time understanding it too.