Michelle:Dividing line

I've been a skating fan since 1991 (thirteen years ago!) and I love Michelle. I've been a fan of hers ever since she was 12 or 13, when I saw her win the U.S. Oympic Festival. To have seen Michelle grow up from that skinny little girl into a beautiful, gracious, talented young lady has been truly special. So yes, I guess I belong in the group of fans who have seen Michelle grow up and love her.

That doesn't mean I love every single program of Michelle's or everything she does. I realize she has faults, like any skater. But I still think she's amazing. And I must say, I don't understand how anyone could consider her performances at Nationals the last two years, or Worlds last year, boring.

Michelle's performances aren't always inspired. But when she's on . . . she is in a league by herself.

I'll never forget seeing her SP live at Nationals 2001 in Boston. She skated to EOE and it was truly a magical experience. From the moment she took the ice, it was as if the crowd seemed to hold its breath. Her program went by so quickly. And when it ended, the crowd stood as one and simply roared. She had brought the house down. You didn't even know why, exactly. Something in her just reached out, grabbed you, and wouldn't let go.

She is amazing.

And I must say, I don't understand how anyone could consider her performances at Nationals the last two years, or Worlds last year, boring.

Michelle's performances aren't always inspired. But when she's on . . . she is in a league by herself.

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that's just it... I didn't feel the "inspirational spark" ... you answered your own question LOL

Oh, that was so well said, Eyria.

Tony, that's cool, because you do feel that inspirational spark for your favorite skaters.

This is an interesting thesis, KwanisKween81. For myself, I first started paying attention to figure skating and to Michelle in the 1998-99 season. When I saw her short program (Rachmaninov) at the Goodwill Games in spring of 1998, I couldn't believe my eyes. That was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Little did I suspect that in just a month or so she would top even that masterpeice with the East of Eden artistic program at the World Professional Championship. I saw East of Eden (white dress) several times in those pro-am TV events that year, and each time was just as emotional for me as the time before.

Then she came out in the fall with the Fate of Carmen SP, one of Michelle's finest and most underrated programs. I don't know why, but I am just a sucker for a good Lori Nichol short program. In the LP, you have to fit in 6 or 7 triple jumps and there is not much room for anything else. But something about the structure of the short program, with the eight required elements forming the framework on which to weave your magic -- to me, Lori works that format like Shakespeare writing a sonnet. (OT -- check out Fumie's Rolling Stones SP next week, if you haven't seen it yet!)

What is so cool about Michelle is that almost every time she skates (for instance, her LP at Nationals this year) I think, that's it! That's her all-time greatest performance! How lucky I am that I got to see it!

Then she goes out next time and does it again.

I do not understand how people can say that Michelle's performances are boring because she does the same old jumps every time. Well, yes, every time she does the toe loop, Salchow, loop, flip, Lutz and Axel. (?)

It's like saying, oh that Babe Ruth is such a boring baseball player. He hits a home run every time.

Mathman

Michelle

I remember seeing Michelle for the first time during the 1994 Nationals. I remember being fascinated because she was so little, and she seemed to be so fearless. Artistically she wasn't very polished yet, but she could jump so well. I remember Dick saysing something along the lines of "Michelle has the jumps and Karen has the artistry, what one lacks the other has"(not an exact quote). I have absolutely adored her skating and her ever since. To watch her grow up and deal with the highs and lows of her carreer has been a privilege. It will be a very sad day for me, when she decides to stop skating.
LadyM76
PS...Mathman...Nice post. The performance of East of Eden(white dress) at the Pro-Am, makes me get chills and sometimes brings me to tears.

I do not understand how people can say that Michelle's performances are boring because she does the same old jumps every time. Well, yes, every time she does the toe loop, Salchow, loop, flip, Lutz and Axel. (?)

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I don't think she is becoming boring because of her jumps. It's the lack of anything besides jumps that is getting me worried for her future. Understand I haven't bought into a skater's mystique since 1973. I want to see a performance.

What I saw at nationals was a good skater bound and determined to land those jumps. Someone who didn't let up on that determination until that last lutz was nailed. At that point, we saw her heart. At that point, we saw expression. The problem was ''that point'' didn't happen until after the 4 minute mark. I also saw an audience that loved Michelle so much, they are happy when she is happy. She was happy and they went nuts. What it all had to do with Tosca was mostly in the minds of the beholder. It certainly wasn't on the ice.

I do care about Michelle. I want her to get that OGM, if she can. I'm just hoping the new coach will make a good impact. She can't let up on both the Technical and the Presentation/Expression sides and still hope to win.

SusanBeth said:

What I saw at nationals was a good skater bound and determined to land those jumps. Someone who didn't let up on that determination until that last lutz was nailed. At that point, we saw her heart.

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ITA. And that was what made the performance so wonderful.

I also saw an audience that loved Michelle so much, they are happy when she is happy. She was happy and they went nuts.

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ITA. That, too, is what makes Michelle what she is. No other skater can do that.

What it all had to do with Tosca was mostly in the minds of the beholder. It certainly wasn't on the ice.

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I agree again. If you turn down the sound you can't tell if it's Tosca or Aranjuez. It's just Michelle.

Mathman

If you turn down the sound you can't tell if it's Tosca or Aranjuez. It's just Michelle

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Unfortunately, if you don't buy into the Michelle mystique, it's not enough. The Olympic judges haven't been buying it. If they had, she would have won at Nagano.

Salome did it for me. I guess it was that "schlock" that someone else referred to. Michelle does not have it all. But what she does have, if I may quote Woman of the Year, "...is cherce."

I loved Michelle's skating at the beginning of that whole Tonya and Nancy mess, because she brought something to the ice--it was like a breath of fresh air. Sure, she didn't have it all yet, but I knew that someday she would. She was so in love with the sport, that fact alone made me love her immediately. I grew to love her more as she grew into the beautiful skater that she is today.

SusanBeth said:

Unfortunately, if you don't buy into the Michelle mystique, it's not enough. The Olympic judges haven't been buying it. If they had, she would have won at Nagano.

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Too true. Bummer.

MM

As a fan Kwan has taken me thought a awesome rollar coster ride with highs and lows. It's been an "Kwanderful" time.

Michelle Kwan:

Lady World Champion (5 titles in all 2nd on the all time list)
1996(7 triples)
1998(6 triples)
2000(7 Triples including 3/3)
2001(7 Triples including 3/3)*sucessfully defended world title*
2003(6 Triples)

Olympic Medals
1998-Silver
2002-Bronze

Natinal Champion(8 titles only 2nd on all time list)
1996
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004

Seven time Skate America Champion(Most Skate America Titles by skater)
1995
1996
1997
1999
2000
2001
2002




Peak Years: 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004
World Titles: 5
National Titles: 8
Olympic medals:2

Records of note
*Most medals at the world championshiops by any US skater
*2nd on the all time list of most lady world champions
*2nd behind Owen for most Ladies US titles(8)
*Most consecutive ladies US titles(7)
*Nearly 10 consecutive years of podium finishes. 1995-2004

Mathman said:

Tony, that's cool, because you do feel that inspirational spark for your favorite skaters.

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actually sometimes I just like them because the guy is hot j/k


but hey! watch the spelling there ton I

I forgot to mention that while I have always loved Michelle's skating, my impressions of her programs have varied over the years. I thought pretty much all of her programs from '96-'98 were outstanding. I thought Ariane was outstanding as well even though she didn't perform the number particularly well. After that, things seemed to taper off a bit. It took me awhile to come around to The Red Violin, but when I did I really appreciated the unusualness of the piece. However, at this point I noticed technical flaws beginning to creep into her skating. I did not like SOTBS and liked Scherezade even less. She seemed quite disconnected with a program which wasn't all that inspired to begin with.

What I liked so much about Aranjuez was she addressed many of the flaws in her skating and seemed to have found a fresh new way of moving. 2003 became one of my favorite seasons for her.

This year, her technique still looks great, but I was disappointed that so many of the moves seemed recycled from Aranjuez. Her skating is outstanding, but I haven't warmed up to this program as well as some in the past.

Salome did it for me as well. The '95-'96 season was incredible. I was so stunned to see her transformation from a little girl into a woman in just one summer, and she was still only 15 years old! She wore makeup and her hair was up in a bun. She was dead serious. And she's never looked back since.

Most skaters improve artistically in little steps each year, but she gained all her artistry full blast that summer right before the '95-'96 season. Unbelieveable. I've never seen anyone do that before.

I think I remember her saying that once she heard the music to Salome, that's what did it for her. That's how she discovered and understood what artistry was; the music affected her that much.

Love her or hate her, Michelle has reached a pinnacle of accomplishments in her career which will long be remembered as in the case of Lynne. She is unique both lyrical as well as bravura. There is no music she can not interpet as her own. At this point in her career, what can another medal whatever color mean? Absolutely nothing. She'll be remembered for many years to come somewhat like Sonia Henie.

Joesitz

If Michelle doesn't win another competition from this point on (which is highly unlikely), I will forever consider her to be the greatest ladies competitor of all time.

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.........Ditto.........42

Unfortunately, if you don't buy into the Michelle mystique, it's not enough. The Olympic judges haven't been buying it. If they had, she would have won at Nagano.

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.......SusanBeth.......I have to disagree. The Oly judges were totally ready to crown Michelle "Queen of the World", but due to several factors, one of them being Tara, and the other her recently healed fractured foot, prevented her from skating the same program she did at Nationals...........42

Unfortunately, if you don't buy into the Michelle mystique, it's not enough. The Olympic judges haven't been buying it. If they had, she would have won at Nagano.

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LOL! And good thing they didn't just give it to her because of the "mystique", she really didn't deserve it either time (in my opinion). She will next time. And, SusanBeth, I can see your point about the crowd reaction in Atlanta....but I can't say that I agree. Maybe I've bought into the Michelle mystique until the end of time...hell, I have Michelle mystique credit and I'm maxed out probably, but even when she just skates and jumps....she skates and jumps like no one else (to me). She moves the way I want to see a skater move. I can name only a few skaters that I could happily watch just doing crossovers...and Michelle would be one. I don't think it is too farfetched to say that some people have a way of making even the most simple moves the most effective ...she creates a mood I guess, even when she is just standing there (in that opening pose of "Tosca" especially....what a stare!). But, it all comes down to subjectivity I guess...and here I've rambled on and on, gushing all over and making several of you ill. Tough....I needed my bi- yearly Kwan gushathon to preserve my sanity! LOL!

First - I have to say, I agree Michelle is an incredible skater and a class act all the way.

Michelle has a unique place in skating. I have heard her referred to as an icon more times than I can count. That image is part of what I mean by mystique. Another part of it involves letting past success color your evaluation of her performances.

I try to focus only on the performance she gives at the competition. I know she is a legend. That shouldn't matter. I know she has thousands of screaming fans. That shouldn't matter either.

If the judges at Nagano had given points for past performances, crowd appeal, star quality etc. She would have won that OGM. However, they judged the performance she actually gave. That's what I meant by the judges not buying into the mystique. It would have been so easy for them to give her the gold.

To be blunt, I think most of the crowd frenzy of the last 2 years is due to the fact that she is Michelle. I don't think her programs were even close to the quality of some of her earlier ones. She skated them beautifully but the content just wasn't there. It didn't make much difference to the mostly American crowds. They would have gone nuts no matter what. That's mystique and it won't be enough to get her that OGM.

SusanBeth

I'm not sure if Michelle had "the mystique" yet at Nagano. At the time, Michelle and Tara had won one world title each so they were both favorites. I think by the time of Salt Lake City, the judges were ready to give her the gold had she skated cleanly.