In 2020, Chapkis gave a long interview to the founder of the online publication GORDON, Ukrainian journalist Dmitry Gordon, in which he spoke frankly about his personal life.
Three marriages of Chapkis
According to Chapkis, his first wife was a dancer who became pregnant from him.
“Before she had time to fledge, a girl came from the choreographic department and became pregnant. Then abortions were banned, and I became a father. She was almost the first woman in my life. Moreover, she didn’t know what was going on, she blamed me. I was two years older than her. She and I traveled to 50 countries… She retired. And, as always happens when football players, celebrities at the height of fame retire – boom! – and that’s it. Some start teaching, and some… It turns out that my wife was a good woman, but she was not adapted to anything… And I worked… She lived in a hotel, and a group of women was organized who did not work and drank from morning to night,” the choreographer said about his unsuccessful first marriage.
The legendary dancer noted that his second marriage broke up because his wife dreamed of living abroad.
“She wanted to live in the West, only wear foreign clothes, only eat foreign clothes. She called the residents of the CIS rednecks. In general, she first went to Mexico, then to Canada, then settled down and still lives in [Америке]. She has a husband. I don't communicate with her. AND [сын] Grisha doesn’t even communicate with her,” Chapkis admitted.
The choreographer's third marriage also ended in divorce. Chapkis did not hide the fact that he and his wife were too different.
“She is smarter than me, more educated than me. She is a candidate of economic sciences, worked as the head of a department at the National Aviation University. When she started working there, “Dancing with Stars” was canceled. I soared so high at these dances, became popular, people stop me on the streets and take pictures,” he shared his memories.
The choreographer said that his wife began to be jealous of him and they decided to separate.
Chapkis's last love
Chapkis's last love was at that time 38-year-old Lyudmila, who was 51 years younger than him.
“We met completely by accident… If they told me that this woman could be yours… It’s incomprehensible to the mind. Young, beautiful, smart. And most importantly: she’s richer than me,” he described his chosen one with admiration. “She doesn’t feel my age. I don’t feel her age. We merged into a single whole – and both perked up. I told you that I had already sunk to the edge, and now it’s only the beginning of my second 90th birthday. It’s not easy: we met, went to a restaurant, slept together. God forbid! It’s hard to convey what’s happening, but I’m starting to live again. Until the end, I’ll crawl, I’ll do everything to make her happy.”
In September 2020, the choreographer announced that he got married for the fourth time.
“I bought an apartment. I’m trying to be worthy of the woman who dedicated her years to me at the end of my life,” he shared.
Sex at 90
“Grigory Nikolaevich, I’ll ask you an indiscreet question. Do you have sex at 90?” – Gordon asked the dancer.
“But of course! How complete, she can say, not me. The fact is that she accepts me as I am. But I’m telling you: I don’t recognize myself, I’m starting a new life. I’ve been let down, betrayed, sold many times; I’ve had a lot of scandals. But most of all I valued intelligence in a woman. Not long legs and jaws. If a smart woman, everything will be fine in the house,” he said.
About death
A year before his death, Chapkis admitted that he intended to fight for life until the last.
“You and I met 13 years ago. Then an interview appeared in the Gordon Boulevard newspaper, which Mikhail Nazarenko took from you. It was called: “I will die either dancing or on a woman.” Has your approach changed in 13 years? Are you also going to die either dancing or on a woman?” – the journalist asked.
“I haven’t changed. I never felt my age. And I don’t feel it now. It’s just that spiritual old age happens. Look: on the street you will see young old people. Unwashed, unkempt, dressed haphazardly, the smell is such that you can’t stand next to him. And I think: “My God, I wish I was his age!” You can’t miss a single day. You have to live a full life, fight. Nothing comes easy,” Chapkis assured then.
The dancer died after suffering from pneumonia. At some point, it seemed that he managed to overcome the disease, but his body could not stand it. Chapkis' son Greg, who lives in the United States, in a conversation with reporters said that the cause of his father's death was old age.
What is known about Chapkis' widow
As the publication “One Fact” notes, after the death of Chapkis, little is known about his widow. The publication states that during her lifetime she avoided communicating with journalists, and after the death of her husband she completely went into the shadows.
Chapkis' widow is now approximately 44 or 45 years old, depending on her month of birth.
