Off the ice, Sasha studied Ballroom Dancing, competing internationally in the World Dance Sport Federation (WDSF). Sasha and his partner Alexandra Panina stood on several domestic and international podiums, ultimately seating 12th at the Russian Open Championship.

In order to devote himself more fully to skating, Sasha retired his dance shoes in 2004, and began training with Tatiana Odinokova, coach of Junior Gran Prix Final Champion Polina Tsurskaya. The same year, Sasha placed 9th at the Russian National Jump Championship and won several Regional Championships. In 2006, Sasha attained his Master of Sport in Figure Skating; an honor awarded to those who have achieved the high level of national athletic success. This Sport Degree allowed him to begin coaching and choreographing. Over 7 years Sasha developed a Select Training Team of ten skaters (but he needs to move across the Atlantic now to prepare for the Olympics and meet his future wife, so more on that later…)

As a student, Sasha entered a Language Primary School at the age of six, studying English and French, along with the core curriculum. Having achieved high scores on his exams, in 2006, Sasha entered The Ural State University of Economics. Carefully balancing his work in The Economic Theory Department, Sasha continued his on ice training. And at the recommendation of his coaches, entered pair skating in 2010.

Partnering with Alexandra Herbrikova to compete at the International Junior level, Sasha moved to the Czech Republic to learn his second skating discipline and fourth language. This period was highlighted by off-ice training with Olympian and World Gymnast, Alena Coufalova; as well as with coaches Vladimir Dvojnikov, Stanislav Zidek and Otto Dlabola who placed 8th at the Salt Lake City Olympics. At the same time, Sasha starred in his first Principal Role in Director Frantishek Blat’ak's musical on ice Godfather Frost, performing in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Following Godfather Frost, Sasha joined and soloed in the international tour of the famous ice ballets Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty by Director Artyom Knyazev of RusOnIce Company.

Continuously inspired by his favorite pair skating couples Elena Berezhnaya/Anton Sikharulidze and Pang Qing/Tong Jian, Sasha returned to Pairs, and was invited to represent Estonia at the World Senior Pair Skating Level with Natalja Zabijako in 2012. Training out of Virginia, USA (where he met his wife at practice one day) with Olympian Andrei Krukov, Olympic Bronze Medalist Ruslan Goncharov, Olympian Stanimir Todorov and Pavel Dimitrov, the pair debuted in the Summer 2013, earning Gold at the May Day Open (Laurel, MD). The team went on to claim Gold at the Liberty Competition (Aston, PA), finished 3rd at the 2013 Olympic Qualification Competition (Germany) earning the opportunity for Estonia to compete at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games, and placed 2nd at the ISU Golden Spin of Zagreb (Croatia) in December 2013.

Full of a desire for success Sasha and Natalja went to the 2014 European Championship in Budapest, Hungary placing 10th, and gaining two spots for Estonia at the next European Championship. However, International Olympic Committee regulations stipulate both halves of the competing pair be citizens of the nation represented. Despite great effort by the Estonian Skating Union, Sasha did not gain citizenship in time for the competition and the pair forfeit their Olympic License. Nevertheless, the pair went on to perform at the 2014 World Figure Skating Championship in Saitama, Japan finishing 19th.