Michelle and that elusive 3/3

**MidnightNess** · 08-25-2003, 06:55 PM

I'm sure Michelle herself knows she needs a 3/3 and soon. But I do think the last few years, she's been training them the wrong way. She had that back injury back in 2001 after training for the 3sal/3loop and then hip problems this season which i'm guessing, is probably due to training the 3lutz/3loop. Now that she has an off ice trainer and her jumps are looking better than ever, we might see one. Then again,we might not but Michelle does have a knack for whipping out a 3/3 when it's desperately needed (olympics aside). To sum it up, I do think Michelle is not blind to the fact that she'll need one sooner than later. As long as Michelle is enjoying herself out there and adds a teensy bit more choreography in her LPs, i'm satisfied. She has everything else going for her.

I can't wait to see both Michelle's and Irina's programs. I consider these two veterans, the cream of the crop and the ones to beat.

**Joesitz** · 08-25-2003, 08:20 PM

Oh joy, oh rapture, another trail blazing role.

I recall Kitri, Deliah, Carmen, Tosca and Violeta. Irina will do another character. Lucia! If one doesn't know the opera there is a big mad scene. I can see Irina's hands going up on her head as she sways it to right and then to the left.

She skated so well at the last competition after the Worlds. There was no character just Irina. It was wonderful. I was hoping she would continue without those opera characters.

Oh well, I do wish her luck this season. I like the idea of increasing the age of golden skaters.

Joe

**Fossi** · 08-25-2003, 08:34 PM

Does Michelle need the 3/3? Not necessarily. Will she have one? I think she probably will. She is a tough, smart cookie. She knows what she needs vs. what she doesn't to win.
Afterall, the only skaters to compete against her with CONSISTENT 3/3's were Tara Lipinski, and *Sarah Hughes*

None of the remaining eligible skaters have CONSISTENT 3/3's, so why the issue of Michelle and her 3/3's? Elena Sokolova seems to have worked on her consistency with the 3/3's, but we shall soon see.
All this talk of 3/3's. Makes me miss Sarah even more. I loved her 3/3's. She is amazing!

**rtureck** · 08-25-2003, 11:56 PM

Oh joy, oh rapture, another trail blazing role.

Well Joe, are you making fun? I can see Lucia as trail blazing role.

Quote
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Irina will do another character. Lucia! If one doesn't know the opera there is a big mad scene. I can see Irina's hands going up on her head as she sways it to right and then to the left.
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Has anyone skated to this role before? We have Kitri, Delilah, Carmen, Tosca many times over, not too sure about Violeta. Lucia is a challenging character to interpret. I think Irina is uniquely suited for this one. Lucia is both innocent and complex. Just look at Irina's face, there is an innocent beauty there. Yet she can be very dramatic, and bel canto. Donizetti wrote bel canto operas. Perhaps the most important aspect of bel canto singing is the strive for a pure legato sound. Legato is defined as "passing from note to note, cleanly, readily and naturally, with not the slightest vocal irregularity or interruption between tones."

Irina's skating is bel canto, she is awesome with her basic skating skills, and she can pass from element to element, cleanly, and naturally. Please keep an open mind about it.

Lucia will be a lot more exciting than watching another swamp lake program.

**Excidra2001** · 08-26-2003, 02:40 AM

Originally posted by rtureck
Has her camp announced it yet. If they are in the planning stage, can you email her webmaster to put in a word Lucia di Lammermoor, an innocent lady driven mad? Irina has done Carmen, DQ, Tosca, and Violetta. These are all good character, but I am telling you Lucia will be a good one for her to stretch her interpretation power. Besides, I am sure no one will pick this Donizetta opera, so she won't go to worlds like the rest of the skaters doing the 36th swamp lake of the day.

Irina had her programs picked out in June with her new choreographer. The chorerographer is said to be a former Russian skater(could it be Morzov, ummmm). But if you really want Irina to skate to 'Lucia di lammermoor' send her a letter asking her to skate to that piece of music and attach a CD(which has the music of 'Lucia Lammermoor' on it).
Her exhibition music to 'Timeless' was suggested by a fan who gave her the CD and asked her to skate to it.

Sorry to go off topic.

HopeStar · 08-26-2003, 05:36 AM

Michelle is capable of doing 3/3's, but they're not very consistent. I remember reading about how she wasn't able to land it all season. As for the 2006 Olympics, she's not even sure if she's planning to go. You mentioned that she has extra months to practice since she's not participating in the Grand Prix circuit, but, don't forget, she's also a student at UCLA. Her schedule seemed relaxed, but she has other things to do other than skating. In fact, she didn't even plan to compete in Skate America, but she's merely subbing for Sarah Hughes.

But if she wants to continute to compete 'til '06, she's gonna need a 3/3 (or even a quad), or her technical scores are gonna go all the way down. Personally, I'd like to see her do triple/triple combinations in her programs...

Hi, by the way, I'm new to this forum. I just noticed this and I thought I'll sort of give y'all my thoughts on this topic...hope to see y'all around...

**Joesitz** · 08-26-2003, 08:15 AM

rturek - Yes, I was being feliciously funny:o

It's just that Irina's hung up on opera divas, and for me, the music is fine. I would like her just to skate to it. I cannot imagine having seen Lucia 4 times twice with Sutherland that she would do a triple lutz. It becomes comical when you've seen the original on stage.

The music is full of melodies both from the soprano and the tenor and, of course, that sextet has so much drama in it. I can see Irina doing a wonderful job of skating to the music without the character.

Joe

**SkateCynic** · 08-26-2003, 08:22 AM

Hmmm, Michelle and the 3/3.....I think MK and her crew are astute enough to realize that she is most likely going to need to up the ante over the next couple of years, especially if she is going to try for 2006 Olys. That being said, at this point, I don't see much of a problem with her jumps - this past season they looked better than they had the two seasons prior. My personal preference for her would be to maintain the level of quality and difficultly of the jumps she currently has in her arsenal and really push the envelope in the choreography department. I would love to see more intricate, powerful choreography (akin to TFB) and less of the ho-hum choreography a la Aranjuez. Granted, she performed Aranjuez amazingly well at Nats last January, but IMO it didn't have the 'wow' factor TFB had that caught my attention and held it.

Conversely, if Sasha wants to be on top of that podium at Nats and Worlds this coming season, I think she's the one that needs to work on the jumps - far more than Michelle does. As much as I love Sasha's skating, I expect her to fall during a program, while I'm still usually very surprised when MK lands on her rear.

Two amazingly talented women, with strengths and weaknesses that are polar opposites - just like their fan bases. Then again, I think we all know that the winner isn't determined by judging, but rather by which group of fans doesn't piss off the Skating Gods....

*edited because I haven't yet learned not to post until after I've had at least two cups of coffee*

**Mathman** · 08-26-2003, 10:24 AM

I would love to see more intricate, powerful choreography (akin to TFB) and less of the ho-hum choreography a la Aranjuez. Granted, she performed Aranjuez amazingly well at Nats last January, but IMO it didn't have the 'wow' factor TFB had that caught my attention and held it.

I agree. In fact, I have always loved Michelle's short programs. The trouble with long programs in general is that by the time you squeeze in six jumping passes and two or three spins, there isn't much time for any actual skating.

Michelle's Aranjuez, both at Nationals and Worlds, totally blew me away, but it was the technical mastery that that was so impressive, as contrasted with the heart-stopping artistry of The Feeling Begins.

Mathman

**Bynx** · 08-26-2003, 10:55 AM

davesato:

I went today at Lunch to scope out the place. I looked for any posted schedules and the only thing I found was weekday public freestyle sessions between 6:00am-10:15am and 12:45pm-2:45pm. I saw Johnny Bevan skaking with a girl who I assume is his teammate.

I also asked around and the feeling I got, Michelle pops in on occasion, but doesn't appear to have a regular schedule going on there. So, with that in mind, I think I will not visit Paramount again until I hear she's doing a regular gig. It's a 20 minute drive one way and that's too much to spend for a gamble if she's there or not. Maybe we have some MKFers who live closer to Paramount and can pop-in once in a while and do some snooping.

The outside of the rink looks remodeled. It's a nice looking building from the outside. When I got inside, It looked like a aircraft hanger. One big building with one rink in the middle. Nothing fancy like Healthsouth.

**Joesitz** · 08-26-2003, 04:28 PM

The Mystery of Michell Kwan continues. Be sure to stay tuned. Someone, maybe the Shadow will know and give it all away.

Joe

**Bynx** · 08-26-2003, 04:59 PM

The concensus seems to be that with her taking classes and fulfilling other obligations that she simply hasn't decided to start training on a regualr basis as of yet. She has a little over a month until the Campbell's competition and a couple of mothns between then and nationals. So, she more than likely just enjoying what's left of summer.

**Seonaid920** · 08-27-2003, 02:34 PM

I don't know what the chances are of Michelle Kwan doing another 3/3 but it seems a slim chance that another woman will skate a well-rounded program which includes clean 3/3's.

It has only happened a few times over the past several years and, unfortunately for Ms. Kwan, two of those rarities were performed by someone other than her in the Olympics (Lipinski & Hughes).

Do I think she can still win with a clean program of just 6 or 7 triples? Absolutely.