New LA Times article on Michelle | Golden Skate

New LA Times article on Michelle

tharrtell

TriGirl Rinkside
On the Ice
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
She seems less guarded these days. Says what she thinks, not what she thinks she should say. Also seems as though she's come to terms with the Olympics - I hope she has, anyway. Good luck, MK, on whatever you decide to do - I just hope we all get to see her skate in more than just Cambell's. I wonder what she's skating to.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
A very collected Michelle Kwan!

My impression is that she is going to fade away within the next few years. No real time for finishing yet, but before or by the Olys.

I wish her, of course, the best.

Joe
 

TaraFanatic4eva

Rinkside
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Thanks for the article, I really enjoyed it!! :) I liked how she spoke of the new judging system and said how she would not change her way and style of skating, just for the new system. I love that she is like This is me, this is my style. Just because the way they score is different, I am not changing. I liked how she handled the question about 2006 too. We know she loves to compete, so we will just hav eot see what happens! :)
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Michelle fade away, Joe? "The Messiah won't come and Michelle won't go!" (Joesizt)

Math ;)
 

Panther2000

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
This is a great article. & I loved the way she talked about how she is when she skates. She is an artistic skater. & that is who he is :D

She knows what is important to her now & is taking time for herself.

I am happy to read that she does have both a new Short & LP. & that she is keeping her same team as last season.

I do hope that the event ( the Pro-Am) that she will skate in will be on TV.
 

NanSinger2

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I'm glad to hear she isn't ruling anything out, but just kind of "going with the flow". With all the injury's last year, I wouldn't be shocked to see her end up at grand prix event.

We'll see...
 

heyang

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Can someone copy and paste the article into this thread? Thanks.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
With five world figure skating titles, seven U.S. titles and Olympic silver and bronze medals to her credit, Torrance native Michelle Kwan is in elite company. But this summer, she's just another student toting books around UCLA.

The 23-year-old South Bay resident, who this year matched Carol Heiss' record for most world championships by a female U.S. skater, returned to the classroom after several years' absence. She's also training and working for Disney by making appearances at theme parks and movie premieres. She hasn't entered any Grand Prix events this season, but she hasn't ruled anything out.

Q: How long had it been since you were able to fit school into your schedule, and what's it like being back on campus? Are you recognized?

A: It's been a while. I really can't remember exactly. I was taking two classes, then one, then I stopped, then I competed. Last season, when I was competing, I couldn't find time because I was trying to find a coach and an ice rink.

It feels great. The class I'm taking is a discussion class, and I get to talk with my classmates. I forgot how much fun it is They know that I skate. A few people went to the Web site for [the movie] "Pirates of the Caribbean," and said, 'Were you there? We saw your picture.' To them, it was a big thing — the red carpet, celebrities everywhere. Seriously, if you've been to one premiere, you've been to them all. It's a huge scene. You get out of the limo, walk along the red carpet, see a movie and then go home. You make sure that when you're walking along the red carpet, you don't have broccoli on your teeth. And your cheeks hurt afterward from smiling.

Q: What are your plans for the upcoming season, and will you continue to collaborate with coach Scott Williams?

A: Yes. He and I have been working, though not as much right now. I'm trying to take it easy. I went to Nikolai [Morozov, her choreographer] and I have short and long programs, but I haven't yet decided what I'll be doing. I have a pro-am I'm committed to [Oct. 3 at New York].

Q: And beyond that?

A: Besides that, I don't have many things planned. I may be going to Hong Kong again for Disney. I'm thinking about fall quarter classes to take and how I should go about planning things.

Q: After Salt Lake City, Sarah Hughes acknowledged that she found it difficult to balance elite-level skating, school and responsibilities to endorsers. She's going to Yale this fall and isn't competing in many events. How do you manage to balance all the demands on you?

A: It is pretty intense. It is difficult, especially when it's your first time. For me it was a complete shock. I was out of things socially, because I didn't go to high school — I had a tutor — and I had my own skating group of friends. I went from Lake Arrowhead to UCLA to L.A., living in dorms. It was pretty intense for her, I'm sure, and it will be intense if she's going to compete, to keep up with everybody and keep up your schooling and endorsements. And that's important, because you want to be a good spokesperson. To be able to satisfy everybody and be happy and do things socially and hang out with your friends, it is hard to balance.

I want to do everything, and that's why my parents make fun of me and say, 'You can't do everything.' You have to make time for things. I know I skate better when I have that balance. When I make time for friends, I don't go on the ice [feeling resentful]. It's harder for me to allow myself to have fun and go on vacation and enjoy myself. I haven't taken more than a weekend off. The more I wait, the more it's, 'Should I? I can't.' I go on the ice, even though I'm not skating very much. I might as well take two weeks off. I'm feeling I shouldn't, then feeling I should.

Q: What are your thoughts on the new Code of Points that will be used in Grand Prix events this season? It has been theorized that the cumulative scoring system will reward jumping over artistry. Have you changed the way you choreograph your programs because of the new system?

A: I just don't know what's going to happen. If they were going to use the point system at worlds, it would be different. If they're only using it at Grand Prix events, I couldn't imagine choreographing just for that.

It could be like, 'Here are my crossovers. Here is my lutz jump.' Then axel, salchow, toe loop. It's like a practice. For me, it's about the performance. And everyone skates differently. Will a huge double axel get the same points as a little double axel? How are [judges] supposed to analyze it and take it apart? That's what they're doing, picking at it. An outside edge is an outside edge, but there's different styles.

Q: Is it a matter of feeling your way through it as it evolves?

A: That's what I have to do. The way it's going, no one's certain that might be the way they judge at the Olympics.

Q: Which brings up the question that has to be asked: What are your plans regarding the 2006 Turin Olympics?

A: It's so difficult for me to give myself one route and one path to follow. I've done this for so many years, since I was 5 years old. My eyes were set on the Olympics and worlds. Now, it's sort of shifted, and, I think, for the better. There has to be a transition in some part of my life. I'm very fortunate because I have so many opportunities, and I have to weigh them all and see where will I have more fun?

Right now I'm playing it by ear. The Olympics have been my highlight the last eight years — 12 years if you count 1994 [she was an alternate at Lillehammer but didn't compete]. It's been a dream of mine. I had a great experience and I might want to have that experience again. Or I might want to move on to something else, and it might not be as grand.

Q: You don't have to decide now, but does that make it easier or harder for you?

A: In a way, it's better to have no choice. It's good to have distractions like school and choices like movie deals and stuff like that that's always on the plate. That's not to say I'm going to act. I'm not going to say I'm going to do that. I might be bad and people might laugh at me. But you never know until you try.

People dream of that opportunity, to be for a moment in the background of a movie. It's kind of scary to have so many choices, but it's nice.
 

KwanFan1212

Joey Votto Fangirl
Final Flight
Joined
Jun 24, 2003
Wonderful article. Thanx for posting the link and for posting the article Mathman. I am just glad she is happy!! :D
 
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