Favourite Michelle Kwan Competitive Program

christinaskater · May 23, 2017

SP:
1.Rachmaninoff US Nationals 1998.
2. Romanza Worlds 1996
3. East of Eden 2001 US Nationals

LP:
1. Concerto de Aranjuez - 2003 US Nationals and Worlds
- this performance along with Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao- Nessun Dorma are 2 of the great drag
Skates I've ever seen.
2. Song of the Black Swan-2001 Worlds/ Lyra Angelica 1998 Nationals- they're tied!
3. Salome 1996 Worlds- Queen Kwan.
4. The Red Violin 2000 Worlds- Kwan in her technical finest . The Queen responds to all her critics and silences them with this stupendous performance
5. Tosca US Nationals
6. Arianne - World Professional Championships

mrrice · May 23, 2017

It's very close between her 2000 and 2001 programs. I think It's probably her Red Violin LP from Worlds. She had just lost the GPF to Irina and placed behind Maria B. and Irina in the qualifying round at Worlds in 2000. She was 3rd and well behind Defending Champion Maria Butyrskaya who had won the SP and the qualifying round. Had she not delivered a perfect program, there is no way the judges would have held her up. I place 2003 3rd because the pressure was somewhat off of Michelle that year. Irina wasn't there and Sarah was out of shape and did not skate well. Sasha made a weird mistake and finished 4th. Elena Sokolova and Fumie were silver and bronze......

desertskates · May 23, 2017

Hand down for me it was Taj Mahal. The choreography was so detailed and she really brought the character to life. It's best outing, imho, was skate America 1996:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=595XtQCLLsc

Jeezus! I can't believe that was more than 20 years ago :eekn:

mrrice · May 23, 2017

desertskates said:
Hand down for me it was Taj Mahal. The choreography was so detailed and she really brought the character to life. It's best outing, imho, was skate America 1996:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=595XtQCLLsc

Jeezus! I can't believe that was more than 20 years ago :eekn:

How cute was that interview........."Nothing's different, I'm just the World Champion now." It's too bad she had boot problems as I remember being shocked at her performance at Nationals that year. I was very happy to see her skate well at World in 1997. She lost to Tara but I think her strong showing in the LP gave her a boost of confidence going into the next season.

20 years ago!!!! I feel like father time right now..... :drama:

fallingsk8er · May 23, 2017

Spartacus SP @ US Nationals in 2005. I was there!

amc987 · May 23, 2017

My favorite SPs are Rachmaninoff ('97-'98 version; I liked it much less in '02) and East of Eden. My favorite LPs are Song of the Black Swan, Lyra Angelica, and Tosca.

arewhyaen · May 23, 2017

Short Programs (SO many to choose from)

1. 1998 Rach. The transitions (before the skating world even cared about transitions!), the technicality, the pure joy she exuded. This is perhaps one of my favorite non-skating moves ever.

2. 2001 East of Eden. I think Peggy put it best, "this choreography by Lori Nichol is just bigger than life"

3. 2005 Spartacus. I think it's more impressive considering its toward the tail-end of her career. The moment she hit that spiral, it was just breathtaking. And that circular footwork sequence, my god, it showed a sensuality that we don't normally see from Michelle. It was great.

Honorable Mention: 2003 The Feeling Begins

Long Programs
1. 2001 Song of the Black Swan. I'd call it the last of Michelle's truly artistic programs. Don't get me wrong 2002-2005 produced some magic, but they were all reincarnations of the same program. 2001 gave us dramatic, rarely-used music, gorgeous choreography, and technical soundness. Many say 1998 was the Michelle's peak, I say worlds 2001 was Michelle at her peak.

2. 1998 Lyra Angelica. The program still has the ability to just make me feel like I'm floating. A truly iconic program.

3. 1996 Salome. 3 words: drama, Drama, DRAMA. The beginning of an era for many of us Michelle fans.

Honorable Mention: 2004 Tosca

Arriba627 · May 24, 2017

I've always loved East of Eden, and her 2001 Nats SP is stunning. Love at the end where she is spinning with her hands clasped behind her back. The whole thing seems so effortless and has such flow! :jaw:

gravy · May 24, 2017

Short program:

Honorable mention: 2003 Worlds - The Feeling Begins

Free skate:

1998 US Nationals - Lyra Angelica / Different angle & no commentary
1996 Worlds - Salome
1996 Skate America - Taj Mahal

Honorable mention: 2001 Worlds - Song of the Black Swan

I realized that my top 3 for each segment are all from 1995-1998, which I chose primarily for their choreography. If I chose programs based on audience reaction alone I probably would've picked some like 2004 US Nationals Tosca, 2005 US Nationals Spartacus, or 2003 Worlds Aranjuez. She truly was one of a kind. :love:

lyverbird1 · May 24, 2017

Salome in 1996 because it marked the transition from the ponytailed kid the year before into a sophisticated and maturing young lady and really showed her ability to portray a dramatic character. I felt there was also a certain freedom about her then because there wasn't the full weight of expectation and pressure that would come in later years.

iluvtodd · May 24, 2017

Salome! - 1996 Worlds Lyra Angelica a close second! We got to see Michelle @ 1998 US Nationals - just brilliant!

For SP - Rach, Romanza, East of Eden, The Feeling Begins

invisiblespiral · May 24, 2017

Hmm...

SP: Romanza, Dream of Desdemona, Rach, East of Eden

FS: Lyra Angelica, Ariane, Song of the Black Swan

Mathman · May 24, 2017

Early Michelle:

Romanza SP, 1996 worlds
Rachmaninov SP, 1998 nationals
Lyra Angelica, 1998 nationals

Middle Michelle:

Red Violin, 2000 Worlds
Song of the Black Swan, 2001 Worlds

Late Michelle:

Aranjuez, 2003 Worlds
Tosca, 2004 Nationals

This week Michelle:

Michelle receives honorary doctorate from Smith College. (Pictured here with co-honoree Oprah Winfeild.): https://www.instagram.com/p/BUW2sqfh_aL/

Favorite straw hat: https://www.instagram.com/p/BUP9h2Mh0wj/?taken-by=michellewkwan&hl=en

noskates · May 24, 2017

Definitely ANY time she skated to East of Eden. The music is haunting and beautiful and the choreography was just perfect. Her facial expressions and her emotions were right there with the music.

Uhhhhh - that would be Oprah Winfrey she received the honorary degree with.

meem · May 24, 2017

Definitely:

SP - East of Eden (noskates described it perfectly)

LP - Salome (lyverbird1 described it perfectly)

Tallorder · May 24, 2017

The sheer grit it took to pull of both programs at 1998 given her stress fracture, and to display that with such effervescence in the free skate in particular. Above and beyond. Ethereal.

BravesSkateFan · May 24, 2017

SP-Romanza

LP-Song of the Black Swan

skateluvr · May 24, 2017

amc987 said:
My favorite SPs are Rachmaninoff ('97-'98 version; I liked it much less in '02) and East of Eden. My favorite LPs are Song of the Black Swan, Lyra Angelica, and Tosca.

Close to this.

Ares · May 25, 2017

Song of the Black Swan ex aequo with Concierto de Aranjuez. :drama:

jenaj · May 25, 2017

For technical merit: The Red Violin at 2000 Worlds. For presentation: Tosca, 2004 Nationals, Aranjuez, 2003 Nationals and Worlds, East of Eden, 1998 World Pro, Lyra Angelica, 1998 Nationals, Rach3 1998 Nationals, others too numerous to mention.
Favorite short programs: Romanza, The Feeling Begins, Spartacus (Nationals version), Rach3 1998 version, East of Eden, 2001 Nationals
Underrated programs: Lamento D'Ariane, Dream of Desdemona, Taj Mahal
Exhibitions: East of Eden at 1996 Worlds, Reflection from Mulan (not sure what event this was at), Fields of Gold, One More Time (actually a cheesefest competitive program), The World is Not Enough (original Bond girl)
Favorite young Michelle: Rondo Capriciosso, 1995 Worlds, Salome and Romanza, 1996 Worlds

Favourite Michelle Kwan Competitive Program

christinaskater

mrrice

desertskates

mrrice

fallingsk8er

amc987

arewhyaen

Arriba627

TWO-TIME WORLD CHAMPION 🔥

gravy

¿No ven quién soy yo?

lyverbird1

iluvtodd

invisiblespiral

Mathman

noskates

meem

Tallorder

BravesSkateFan

skateluvr

Ares

jenaj

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