Springfield, Massachusetts, USA - 1996 Skate America, Ladies' Free Skate - First, a profile on Michelle Kwan, followed by her Gold Medal winning Free Skate.
I think this is one of Michelle's most under-rated programs... she struggled with her jumps throughout the season and much of the focus was placed on that rather than how beautiful this choreography is. To me, this program is better than Salome.
I think the choreography in this season - both short & long - are amazing, yet under-appreciated and over-shadowed with her growth spurt/jump issues. both programs work so well with the music and provide the tension that draws you in. compared to 1998, which are light and beautiful, the 1997 programs show a huge growth and complexity in choreography which has been unmatched. i just wish she didn't leave the team of frank carroll & lori nichol
@@emmabauer1906 I don't agree. Lipinski was not that strong in the early part of the 97 season. She lost all 3 of her grand prix meetings to Slutskaya, who Kwan had been beating easily most of the time the previous season when Slutskaya was skating better, and Slutskaya made huge mistakes and was subpar in most of those events (she was also slumping this season) and Tara still kept losing to her. Nationals MK bombed, even Kwaitakowski nearly beat Tara in the short so even she might have had a shot to beat her and also bombed. I don't think Tara was good enough yet or popular enough with the judges to mentally affect Kwan's jumping despite doing harder jumps. She was winning by default since all the women were a mess that season, the leaders were all badly slumping, Lu Chen worst of all, and the field sucked.
BTW - compare this with the same program from Worlds. The program at Worlds has more confidence and security - she would have won if she didn't make a mistake in the short.
Wow, it really gags me to see how getrealandsee is so ignorant and so stupid to call Michelle a snob when in fact that getrealandsee hardly knows her. I saw Michelle Kwan perform in Cow palace many years ago and also by then, Sasha was performing as well. I wondered if getrealandsee even goes out at all just to see Michelle Kwan perform live. I would even try to post my program book for proof, but it would be a huge waste of time trying to get through to her. Getrealandsee is a real snob.
I don’t know why Frank could never teach Michelle the correct lay back spin position. Her layback spin is one of the ugliest and laziest figure skating has seen
Emma Bauer well, I can point out a few more including: 1) speed - she’s gotten very slow on the ice 2) formulaic choreography and pattern of jump sequence - her Salome and Pocahontas were so similar. Most of her program consists of the following jump in this order: double axel, triple lutz double toe, triple flip, 3t-3t, 3L, 3Sal, 3Lutz
She did improve it in the 99/00 season and then she quickly adopted the one she used til the end of her career with both arms behind her back. I wished she had kept the improved one for longer. It was nice!
