I actually enjoyed this performance more than I did Tara's Olympic programs at Nagano in 1998. This is not to say that I am finding fault with them, but there's so much joy conveyed in Tara's 1997 World Championship performance. Part of it is her choice of music, because the soundtrack from the movie Sense & Sensibility is just so beautiful and uplifting.
What else ? Tara at fourteen years old is the absolute grace ... Delicacy and authenticity reside in her entire body and soul ! She flies over the ice as no one else, always smiling and looking at people ! She moves me to tears as great singers or dancers from the past did, only the few great masters ! At only fourteen she was an absolute master, and later at fifteen, she raised to highest summits !
Yes, authenticity is a great way to describe it. She reminds me of a skater all alone on a frozen pond, just skating for the sheer joy of it, with no one else around. She never looked worried or like she was trying to carefully hold her balance like a lot of skaters do. We rarely see someone look so happy to be on the ice. it was just sheer freedom and joy of movement. At 14, she moved with the gusto and spirit of youth, maybe looked a little rushed from excitement at times. In later years, that freedom of movement turned into the graceful ease of movement that makes great skating look so sublime and magical.
Agreed. I never watched her until, like, yesterday and today. She reminds me of Nathan Chen... Landing all these big jumps, but hunched forward and with nothing in between. Sucks that Michelle was never rewarded with the damned Olympic Gold, though I supposed she’d’ve quit (at least after SLC) is she’d had that title under her belt, and then we’d’ve never had her 2003, 2004, and 2005 seasons.
Dee Zyre She was amazing for her age in this performance, and she wasn't doing tiny, rushed jumps at 16. The great Olympic skater and coach Carol Heiss, said she never worried about Tara on her jumps because she had such perfect setups. She said she found herself holding her breath for most skaters. She also had a habit of finishing them out with beautiful form and holding the landing, instead of just rushing on like most skaters do.
@@queenmaoasada8447 While Michelle was a great skater technically, she often had a stressed, worried look on her face behind the smile, probably because of coach Frank Carroll. I've heard he stresses his skaters out with worry. Richard Callaghan is said to be more easy going and tells his skaters to go out there and have fun, and it seemed to show on Tara's face. Michelle could not seem to match the sheer joy and jubilation Tara had when she skated, and the judges take notice of that. I'm surprised so many skaters get on the ice looking worried like they wonder if they can pull it off, because it is said the judges notice that and realize they aren't confident in their ability. It probably affects their score. A lot of the young skaters don't seem to realize as soon as they step on the ice, they're "on" as far as the judges are concerned.
