I've always thought of this performance as THE clinic in skating, for anyone who needs to learn how to be a figure skater. This is how you skate and stroke, how you jump, how you spin, and how to tie all those technical, objective components with passion and artistry and win the hearts of the those watching at the same time. Truly the best.
No has ever come close to the magic and energy that she was able to bring on the ice and excite the audience the way she did. She was truly something special.
That's pretty much sums up what most die hard skating fans R feeling, we will never see another MK, and the way the sport is going, I seriously doubt we will ever see another one this century. She is that special.
+Velvetblue ..I completely agree with you. The beauty and artistry of skating has vanished only to be replaced by flailing arms, legs and and a series of inconsequential jumps. Society has lost its appreciation of the quality of moving slowly and gracefully.
Watching videos of Michelle Kwan makes me so happy. America loved her back then. She’s a part of American history of its love for figure skating as a sport.
I love when Peggy says "It's Just A Roar" .... it was a roar. Mr Pru and I were at this event and there was so much pressure on her at this Nationals. She hadn't competed much that year, changed coaches again, and many thought Sasha was going to win. Even Dick Button felt forced to pick Sasha. But as we all know, Michelle was having none of it. What a performance!!!
Lots of people miss her. With her effort and excellent performance, she earn 3 US figure skating ladies spots for Olympic since 1998. There were only 2 spots in 1994, Nancy and Tanya. Michelle made great contribution to US figure skating team, so 3 ladies could go to Olympic in 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018. From next Olympic, US figure skating team can only send 2 ladies.
I tear up every time I watch this performance. Anyone else skating this exact performance in the exact same way would have been great, but at this point in Michelle's career there was something so special about this skate. It is expertly choreographed and absolutely timeless.
I love her reaction to the 6.0s... as many as she already had in her career by this point and it was still so touching! This is not even close to my favorite Michelle program but in the face of all the criticism during this time, she rose above and claimed yet another title. I always thought Nationals was tougher for her than Worlds--she's given us so many lights-out moments at Nationals.
I watched this like three times in the last 24 hours. I don't know why, but I do because I cry every time. She just always kept it real. The sincerity enjoy skating has never been more actualized in through Michelle Kwan.
The only criticism I have is that she should attempted a 3/3. Other than that, the passion displayed in this performance is unmatched. And by the way, that 3flip was huge.
Wow. Just magnificent! This is the kind of skating we no longer see on ice. All jumps. No emotions and more circusy. If only we have more skaters who skate like Michelle Kwan these days.
There will never be anyone else who skates like her (or Paul Wylie), but partly that's because the current scoring system makes it impossible except in an exhibition program. To get maximum points, the skaters have to clutter their programs so much that they can't sustain beautiful spirals, spread eagles, or spins that are beautiful to watch (not the 4 or 5 position changes, most of them ugly looking but done to get the most points). Only ice dancing holds my interest anymore because it still manages to usually be beautiful and show real emotion.
@@jjh2456 I agree that 2001 SOTBS was Kwan's best program and Worlds that year was her best performance. The first 3/4 of Tosca was really just basic stroking between the jumps with almost zero choreography, and it was a carbon copy of Aranjuez; It was only in the ending straight line footwork of Tosca that Michelle came alive and did some actual choreography.
@@AT-jm4dl agreed. that ending starting right after the final jump into the footwork is simply mesmerizing. Also that change of edge spiral and split jumps are stand outs.
This is also one of the most choreographically empty routines she's performed, but gosh, she's the ONLY skater to make simple crossovers look like innovative and perfectly-executed choreography. I could watch her skate and do crossovers all day and be absolutely mesmerized as I was with this performance, even 12 years later.
Absolutely agree. Posture right down to fingertips is always perfect. The landings of jumps are visually so elegant and joyful I could watch her do 7 triple toes in a LP and be memerized.
Empty, yes I suppose, but I prefer it to the busy skating we see today with lots of meaningless twists and turns just to get points. Totally agree about her crossovers and skating overall. Mesmerizing and unforgettable.
I kind of agree, but what made it different is they she became the music. sometimes less is more, and this was the case here. She just showcased her simple passion for the sport. I believe this is why, at worlds, they gave her a string of 6.0 as well.
I was in the building when this went down. After she’d skated i was like “ what just happened? I felt as if I’d been in a dream or something” it was incredible.
This and the 2003 worlds long program are my two favorite programs of hers. But it's kind of sad as well because I always think what if she had done one of those performances at the 2002 Olympics. I think she would've won gold.
She had great taste in skating outfits. She knew what looked good on her, and rarely did her dresses require illusion fabric. I don't mind illusion fabric if it's the perfect shade and not obvious, but many skaters wear costumes that wouldn't be decent or even stay on without illusion. I really appreciate that Michelle rarely used it, and I don't remember her wearing any dress that didn't look good on her.
My favorite skater of all time, always class, artistry, beauty, none can compare to Michelle Kwan or what she gave to us every time...Idc what anyone says, she won that gold not Lapinski...
It's not Tara's fault, the judges made Tara to be the winner. But Tara didn't really make a correct 3+3, her performance just like a kid.......well, that's why so many people thought Michelle should win the Olympics gold.
She may not have had her best skates at the Olympics, but she would have represented figure skating as a gold medalist far better than the ladies who did win. There have been several consistently brilliant skaters who never won Olympic gold (Michelle Kwan, Kurt Browning, Paul Wylie, and Yuka Sato come to mind, and I'm forgetting some). It just shows that Olympic gold isn't the best measure of a skater, you have to look at their whole body of work before and after their Olympics.
@@rowanaforrest9792 Some people deserved the Olympics gold but never got it with bad lucky, like Michelle. Some people didn't deserve the Olympics gold and got it with good lucky, like......However, Michelle was a artist and a legend, more than a Olympics winner.
I don't want to take away from the obvious talent that our top ladies have today, but I don't know what it is about Michelle or Sasha, but the programs today do not seem to carry this epic anticipation that these did. I don't know if it's simply the way they filmed these programs or if they just are simply better programs (bc while Michelle is still very stiff-armed compared to Sasha, neither of them had the random and annoying arm flailing we see from everyone today). Just my opinion though. I know the sport will always evolve and that's part of why I love it but I do miss this era.
I know what you mean. I mostly blame the current scoring system for cluttering up the programs and making them less beautiful. We rarely see an unhurried, uncomplicated spiral or any other move that is sustained long enough for us to really see and enjoy it. To fulfill all the requirements about how many changes of positions and edges in a spin and how many revolutions (for example), the skaters contort into many unattractive or undignified positions just to get points, despite that the spin is unpleasant to watch. Only the ice dancers can usually still do beautiful programs without the clutter, flailing, and unpleasant positions. Ice dancing is the only skating that really holds my interest anymore, because I want to see beauty, not just athleticism. Michelle Kwan and Paul Wylie are two of the most artistic and expressive skaters ever, in my opinion, but neither could have skated so brilliantly under the current scoring system.
Raf is the famous coach he is today because he coached Michelle Kwan. Before that, he was pretty much unknown and certainly wasn't coaching any top skaters. His work with Michelle attracted Mao and eventually, other top skaters. The same is true of Lori Nichol. She never choreographed for anyone before Michelle, but after working with Michelle for so long, became in demand.
@@skatefan9495 not true. Raf was known as a technical specialist and was helping Michelle during the 2001-2002 season on the 3 Lutz- 3 Loop and the 3S-3Lo. He was very much "known" on the scene
+patricia mccall No she didn't. She went to that competition twice and blew it on the difficulty. Grace, Artistry and Beauty are great, but this is still a sport and those were the Olympics. She needed a 3/3 and didn't do one in either 98 or 02 and she had a fall in 02 as well. I don't care if she was injured in 98. Look at Nationals and what she did there. She had what a month between that and the 98 Games. Many, many athletes compete injured and still keep the difficulty with risk. Why? Because it's the Olympic Games and they only come every four years. She should've taken a chance. If the Toe Loop was her problem jump, why not try a 3 Salcow/3 Loop? I love Michelle and consider her the GOAT for many reasons, even over Yuna Kim. But neither of her Olympic performances were Gold Worthy. Boring, no 3/3 and lifeless in 98 and a fall, two foot and no 3/3 in 02. That's why she has no Olympic Gold Medal.
this is true - as much as I wanted her to win, she didn't bring it in 98 or 02 when she was capable. ironically she could have won in 06 when no one had a 3-3 (or the gold and silver medalists did not)
She is a great competitor but she was outskated both Olympics she competed in. She didn't push herself and rested on her laurels, too bad so sad right. It is a competition
Nagano was a result of the cheating that occurred in ice dancing. There was no way the sport could endure what some would question so they gave it to Lipinski but she never compared to Kwans skating
You’d never believe she had a cleft foot when she was a kid. That’s why she skates, I forgot if it was her parents that out her up to it to strengthen it, or if she just wanted to do it. But I know it helped. She was my idol and hero as a kid.
I think Kristi was born with a club foot, not cleft. Interesting how some of the greatest skaters first began skating either to rehab from a physical problem or illness, or because their sibling was skating and they decided to try it. (Kristi Yamaguchi, Scott Hamilton, and Paul Wylie are examples, but I'm sure there are many more.)
Carlena Moss I know I'm all late but it's from the opera Tosca and it really is exciting. I was forced to watch it in school the 1st time and loved it, introduced it to my mom now she loves it...if you get a chance watch it and see if you end up liking it.
The best skater that I have ever seen. She is gifted. One of a kind and she won gold she was cheated. Lipinsky will never be Kwan she was just lucky but she never reach Michelle.
This was a lot closer to that incident but I think it would be real nice to see an interview with Nancy where the interviewer doesn't ask about the incident. If she was bothered by the question she didnt show it, but I am sure that even then she was tired of talking about it.
When people talk about the great skaters in the history, people never mention Sarah Hughes. 🤭 Sarah Hughes never won any World champion or the US National titles who had a lucky Olympics night in her boring career. 🤭 Sarah Hughes was a middle skater who skated under Michelle's shadow, Sasha's shadow and Irina's shadow. 🤭🤭🤭
I wonder what this program would have scored in the new system. Anybody want to take a stab at scoring this under the new scoring to see if it would be competitive today?
+Ron Espiritu It wouldn't be competitive under the new system. Michelle would get good marks for her jumps, skating skills, performance and interpretation, but her spins and footwork don't comply with the new rules. That doesn't mean they aren't as good; it just means they are more free-form rather following a prescribed pattern of different positions, number of revolutions, etc..
It's ironic that the same cast of characters, i.e., athletes compete at Worlds each year, and they usually appear at the Olympics every four years. Michelle has five World championship medals, yet some, not all, castigate her for not winning Olympic Gold. A higher value has been placed on Olympic Gold thus defining most athletes who do not win it as 'failures'. The balance of power with respect to lady's figure skating has shifted to Russia and Japan. At the last World's, only the Shibutani's in Ice Dance won a world medal, and I think that was bronze. I miss Michelle and Sarah and Sasha because at the very least, we had a chance to stand on the podium. Since their retirement, there has been a dearth of world and Olympic medals awarded to our US women. The only concern I had with Michelle is that she would never upgrade to triple/triples, and that is what is winning today. The Russians and Japanese have no problems with it, but our US women just cannot seem to get it done. Their jumps are either under rotated, they step out, they pop, or they fall. Since we're discussing US women, most of them seem to forget that the jumps are part and parcel of figure skating and they should have mastered all the jumps by the time they enter the senior ranks. If 14 year old Russian females can do a plethora of triple/triples, then why cannot our female skaters. I think it's time for US Figure Skating to reevaluate the training program and in the three disciplines that demand jumps as part of the program, a strong effort should be made to prepare the young skaters at an early age to master each jump as a single or in combination. Without it, I don't think we will see any American athletes in Figure Skating standing on the podium. Gracie Gold has stepped aside this season stating a number of reasons. What we also need are warriors when they step on the ice. We need athletes who are not intimidated by competition. Sadly Gracie competed well during training at events, but more often than not, she cratered during competition. I would like to see Gracie return, but I think because of her inability to be mentally strong, she may retire soon. That leaves Ashley, and although she won silver at last year's worlds, I just don't think she can get the job done, either.
Actually, Michelle Kwan had triple triple combo since 1995 ~ 2004 , which means her technique was difficult and hard to close for the other skaters like Tara Lipinski and Sarah Hughes had triple triple combo just for 2~3 years.
@@katherinetan4587 Unfortunately, Michelle got hurt ( her toes ) before the 98 Olympics so that she couldn't make triple triple combo there. However, Michelle was robbed at the 98 Olympics. Tara's technique was overrated, her flip and lutz would be called out for under rotation today ..... it wouldn't get marks under the new system.
Matt G. Sorry, but it is true. She had to withdraw from the Olympic team in 2006 and had surgery for a torn labrum later that year. It is the same injury that ended the skating careers of Evan Lysacek, Alissa Czisny and Tara Lipinski.
Michelle kwan got into the World Figure skating Hall of Fame. Sarah Hughes never. 😅 Peggy Fleming got into the World Figure skating Hall of Fame. Sarah Hughes never. 😅 Katarina Witt got into the World Figure skating Hall of Fame. Sarah Hughes never. 😅
Well.....Michelle kwan had triple triple combo since 1995 ~ 2004 , which means her technique was difficult and hard to close for the other skaters like Tara Lipinski and Sarah Hughes had triple triple combo just for 2~3 years.
6 triples, including 2 3lutzes--one way at the end of her program. Skaters now are mostly attempting 7, just like Michelle did when she won Worlds in 2000 and 2001.
I didn't count, but there was at least one combination jump in this program. I never watch Michelle for her jumps anyway, it's the beauty and emotional impact that always draws me to her skating. My favorite skaters are the ones who can captivate me even without any jumps. My favorite kind of skating under the current scoring system is ice dancing, highly athletic but with no jumps at all.
