Best/Most Important Michelle Kwan performances/programs? | Page 3 | Golden Skate

Best/Most Important Michelle Kwan performances/programs?

wordsworthgirl

Medalist
Joined
Sep 12, 2013
This one is for Wordsworthgirl who wanted some pre-1995 Michelle for comparison. Here she is at something called the "Outdoor Challenge" at age 14. It's worth a look because at the beginning Michelle and Frank discuss the incident where Frank told her not to test up to Seniors but she snuck behind his back and did it anyway. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rH-ZgkAD53o

This is amazing! Thank you so much, Mathman!!

Are you really a math professor? My son is a brilliant math student and might want to be a math teacher too someday! He was conceived in 98, shortly after the Olympics, and I listened to Lyra Angelica throughout my pregnancy with him.
 

wordsworthgirl

Medalist
Joined
Sep 12, 2013
And to everyone who shared thoughts, memories, links, here in this thread- a huge THANK YOU! This is what this page does best- bring people together in a spirit of appreciation and reminiscence and celebrating greatness. I am touched by and grateful for all this sharing.

virtual hugs to all,
wordsworthgirl
 

blue dog

Trixie Schuba's biggest fan!
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 16, 2006
You want me to pick just one?

OK-- Red Violin 2000
 

Skater Boy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
This is amazing! Thank you so much, Mathman!!

Are you really a math professor? My son is a brilliant math student and might want to be a math teacher too someday! He was conceived in 98, shortly after the Olympics, and I listened to Lyra Angelica throughout my pregnancy with him.

Or he might like wearing shimmering bably blue velour like MK:)
 

skatesindreams

Rinkside
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
museksk8r no skater will ever have such a collection of skating "masterworks for the ages" as those performances, again.

I'm forever grateful to Michelle for her gift; and her willingness to share it with the world
She has profoundly touched so many of us.
 

skateluvr

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 23, 2011
I loved her last truly great program, both at Nationals and Worlds. Tosca should have been Swan Song.
 

skateluvr

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 23, 2011
Anytime! Although I forgot to include Dante's Prayer:( Shame on me! It's definitely one of best!

absolutely. and Ariane was great, too. She was so lucky in a million ways, and hit at exact boom in skating-made her a millionaire teen.
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
museksk8r no skater will ever have such a collection of skating "masterworks for the ages" as those performances, again.

I'm forever grateful to Michelle for her gift; and her willingness to share it with the world
She has profoundly touched so many of us.


She will always be The Skater for me, as Kurt is among male skaters. I don't normally have much knowledge of very young skaters at the start of their careers unless you guys point them out to me, but I knew about Michelle when she was twelve and snuck herself into seniors, and I've followed her exploits ever since. I've never had cause to regret it. She brought the essence of music to life on the ice.
 

SimplyLex

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 22, 2013
I watched several programs of Michelle last night, including some I have never seen before. And it was magic. All of a sudden I once more felt like the little girl I was back when she competed and she was casting her spell on me, taking me with her to a fairy tale world all over again. I can honestly say she was the first skater I ever fell in love with and had a huge influence on me becoming a hardcore skating fan.
None of the ladies I've seen to date has Michelle's kind of charisma. With her it was so easy to forget about technical elements and simply let her lead you wherever she wanted.

Those were truly the days. I miss that era of skating. Programs were far less complicated or complex, but somehow they had much more of a soul than these of today. Not only Michelle's but Yagudin's, A/P's, B/S's. I don't think we'll ever get that back, sadly. In striving to make skating more of a sport, they made it less of an art, which was probably the point, but for me as a fan it's just a shame.

So thank you Michelle for all the memories. My favourite ladies skater of all time.
 

wordsworthgirl

Medalist
Joined
Sep 12, 2013
More great responses here- many of you are making me tear up, actually. She was SO beautiful, and lyrical, and honest and pure in her emotion.

So far I have shown them a few short clips from 1994 and 1995, SP and LP from 1996 Worlds, and SP and LP from 1998 Nationals. They were both BLOWN AWAY. My stepdaughter wants a book about Michelle for Christmas. I wish there was a DVD called The Best of Michelle with all the programs you guys have listed here.

I also must say that Dick Button's commentary during her 1998 Nationals programs is some of the most moving and accurate and eloquent commentary ever done on skating programs.
 

miki88

Medalist
Joined
Dec 28, 2009
I watched several programs of Michelle last night, including some I have never seen before. And it was magic. All of a sudden I once more felt like the little girl I was back when she competed and she was casting her spell on me, taking me with her to a fairy tale world all over again. I can honestly say she was the first skater I ever fell in love with and had a huge influence on me becoming a hardcore skating fan.
None of the ladies I've seen to date has Michelle's kind of charisma. With her it was so easy to forget about technical elements and simply let her lead you wherever she wanted.

Those were truly the days. I miss that era of skating. Programs were far less complicated or complex, but somehow they had much more of a soul than these of today. Not only Michelle's but Yagudin's, A/P's, B/S's. I don't think we'll ever get that back, sadly. In striving to make skating more of a sport, they made it less of an art, which was probably the point, but for me as a fan it's just a shame.

So thank you Michelle for all the memories. My favourite ladies skater of all time.

Couldn't have said it better myself. :) I really miss the unique spin positions, beautiful spiral sequences, and creative moves-in-field from those programs.
 

skateluvr

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 23, 2011
I hope the ubers of the world's best jumper/skater in that order look at these and understand why we in US and many other places were moved by this girl. In fairness to MK and the girl who adored her, there are two diff systems, and one skater was an EXTROVERT, very loose and uncomplicated. Her little friend watching grew to skate much more complicated programs as she had to, in order to win. And she YK was an introvert, shy I think. MK worse her emotions on her sleeve and that is why these programs hold up, tho they are very simple by todays's standards. It is too bad they did not stress more difficult footwork then, so we could see what she was capable of. Tosca shows she could be very fast.

Lyra will stand as the quintessential MK program, I believe. It was different from the others. I'd also like to say I think MK learned a great deal about elegance from Kristi, Lu Chen and greats like Janet Lynn. It is too bad other skaters did not stay in , like Tara to see more comp. programs. What a body of work, tho. We do have many YuNa programs and Mao ones to admire, but Michelle skated so much, it is wonderfull to find the gems. To say here are 10 fabulous Sp and Lps is almost unheard of in FS as it is so hard.
 

miki88

Medalist
Joined
Dec 28, 2009
Was Michelle really an extrovert? I remember her admitting to be more of an introvert. Caroll and Nichol helped to bring out her confidence and presence on the ice, but I always felt she wasn't a natural extrovert like Baiul or Bobek.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Body of work. Without peer or rival.

And now for the best part. Michelle’s skating career was just prelude. After returning to college (“I went to college on the ten year plan.” :) ), then achieving a master’s degree in international law and diplomacy from the prestigious Fletcher School, she went to work as international good will ambassador for the U.S. State Department through the tenures of two Presidents and three Secretaries of State, in addition to serving on the President’s Council for Fitness, Sports and Nutrition and on the board of directors for the Special Olympics.

Michelle visits a school/orphanage for special needs children in China, on behalf of the U.S. State Department:

http://espn.go.com/photo/2012/0125/olympics_g_kwan25_mb_576.jpg
 

AllYouDoIsTalk

Match Penalty
Joined
Nov 2, 2013
Body of work. Without peer or rival.

And now for the best part. Michelle’s skating career was just prelude. After returning to college (“I went to college on the ten year plan.” :) ), then achieving a master’s degree in international law and diplomacy from the prestigious Fletcher School, she went to work as international good will ambassador for the U.S. State Department through the tenures of two Presidents and three Secretaries of State, in addition to serving on the President’s Council for Fitness, Sports and Nutrition and on the board of directors for the Special Olympics.

Michelle visits a school/orphanage for special needs children in China, on behalf of the U.S. State Department:

http://espn.go.com/photo/2012/0125/olympics_g_kwan25_mb_576.jpg

Yeah, thanks for dampening the celebratory mood with that pic, Math*man*.
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Yeah, thanks for dampening the celebratory mood with that pic, Math*man*.

I'm not sure I understand. What part of that picture dampens the mood? Michelle is shown with some beautiful, obviously well-cared-for children and a caregiver. This is the kind of group you'll find all over the world, including in the U.S., and such facilities are often happy to welcome visitors, including celebrities who take the time to pay attention to them.
 

AllYouDoIsTalk

Match Penalty
Joined
Nov 2, 2013
I'm not sure I understand. What part of that picture dampens the mood? Michelle is shown with some beautiful, obviously well-cared-for children and a caregiver. This is the kind of group you'll find all over the world, including in the U.S., and such facilities are often happy to welcome visitors, including celebrities who take the time to pay attention to them.

It was part jesting, part commenting on the pathos of said picture. I can only admit that I will cry myself to sleep tonight. We are into detached viewing and emotion sneaking up on us, like, only some of the time.
 
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