What music (pick 3) selected for Michelle Kwan by Lori Nichols is your favorite?

[Vash01]

Michelle Kwan skated to mostly unusual music when Lori Nichols choreographed her programs. Which 3 were your most favorite? Remember to vote for the music rather than the programs (I know it's impossible to pick just 3 favorite Michelle programs)

[MR-FAN]

Can I pick 7?? Like seriously

[briancoogaert]

Almost impossible for me, because the music is so associated to her skating. She made me love everything she did and I guess that she could have skated to metal, I would have loved it.

Anyway, my vote goes to East of Eden (1996), Taj Mahal (1997) and Lyra Angelica (1998). Because I was young and romantic, and I saw that year after year, I loved her more and more.

[Vash01]

I picked Taj Mahal (my most favorite, if I had to pick just one), Lyra Angelica (very unusual choice; I had never heard that music before), and The Red Violin (normally I would not have thought of it as skating music, but Michelle-Lori made it work).

[MikiAndoFan#1]

Lyra Angelica, Dream of Desdemona and East of Eden.

[kwanatic]

Lyra Angelica, Dream of Desdemona and East of Eden.

Almost my picks . I said Lyra, Desdemona and Red Violin...East of Eden is beautiful, without a doubt and Michelle brought it to life, but the fact that Red Violin was such an odd piece of music is why I think it stands out. Very few people could convincingly skate/choreograph to that; that's what set Michelle and Lori apart--Lori's willingness to step out of the box and Michelle's ability to convincingly pull it off...b/c as we've seen, there isn't another person who has done an even halfway decent job of skating to that music. Most skaters don't have the cajones to even try.

There's a section of the program where there's nothing but these very haunting vocals--no music. It takes a special kind of skater to pull off music when, essentially, there's no music. Red Violin was definitely Michelle's most powerful and unique program...

[Fridge_Break]

East of Eden is without question one of the most beautiful pieces of music I have ever heard. I have it on my iPod playlists mixed in with Top-40 songs

Lyra Angelica will always be a favorite of mine.

And I'm a huge fan of how hauntingly gorgeous the Red Violin score is. It actually may be my favorite Kwan program (it's hard to pick a favorite).

[Karpenko]

If this is a choreography-only basis (because honestly she made some of the most basic choreography look like art that belonged in a museum... that's right Tosca, I'm looking at you) for me its:

* Taj Mahal
* Rachmaninov
* Dream of Desdemona

I'd have Salome, East of Eden, Romanza, Lyra Angelica, and her 1999 programs up there too.

It's funny to think that over Lori Nichols long boring over-used career, her top10 programs are all Michelle Kwan programs.... which is why Lori has had such a long, boring, over-used career.

[Jarrett]

Dream of Desdemona, Ariane, East of Eden. Taj is probabaly fourth.

[victoriaheidi]

For me, Salome, Lyra, EoE, with Desdemona in a very close 4th.

[DimaToe]

Kwan could have skated to Hannah Montana and It would have become one of my favorites ever, its hard to pick 3

[casken]

Not a big Kwan fan, but *loved* these pieces

1. Desdemona
2. Black Swan
3. Taj

[aftershocks]

I tend to agree with others that its difficult to pick only three favorite music selections, especially since the music is so integrally connected with Kwan's performances.

However, I must say I have always been particularly affected by Dante's Prayer (music and performances). Additionally, most memorable for me in terms of music/performances are The Red Violin and Rachmaninoff -- the choreo for Rach was so great, and it complemented the music in such a unique way. I do also love East of Eden, Salome, and Dream of Desdemona.

I think Song of the Black Swan was a risky under-appreciated choice of music along with its edgy choreo. Perhaps many enjoy Lyra Angelica b/c it was an unusual selection with subtlety and lightness. I think that made it a difficult program to skate well, especially at the Olympics (that's why Kwan overcoming her nerves and skating to it so beautifully under pressure remains amazing) -- Kwan's out of body feats at Nationals 1998 were incredible and once-in-a-lifetime. I envy those who were in the arena in Philly.

[iarispiralllyof]

Rachmaninoff 98 is the most amazing music cut AND most beautifully choreographed sp in the history of skating, bar none

although her layback in that program could've been better

michelle's music choices were quite often very sophisticated compared to her peers

[BigB08822]

Holy cow, I don't know if I can pick 3!

I went with:

Romanza
Salome
Rachmaninoff

I will change my mind in 5...4...3...2....

[fenway2]

I went with East of Eden. I always wished she'd never done it as a short program and instead saved it for a long program for SLC.

[MichaelK]

Hard to pick, but Salome, Taj Mahal and Red Violin for me.

[Vash01]

Although Salome did not make my top 3, it could have easily replaced Lyra Angelica for me. Selecting a music like that (particularly Dance of the seven veils segment from Salome) for a 15 year old takes courage on the part of the choreographer, and incredible talent on the part of the skater.

[Frau Muller]

Rach, Romanza & Desdemona are my choices, in that order. However, my #1 fave was not listed: the instrumental version of the Beatles' "Day in the Life"! I loved how Michelle skated to that, with the sassy shoulder wiggles.

Not a big fan of Taj Mahal, Salome, and the like. Yawwwwnnnnn. At least the person who posted the poll had the good sense to leave out the Bartok ("Miraculous Mandarin," skated one time at a G-P final, if memory serves). LOL.

[Rock2]

Dream of Des, Taj Mahal, Lyra

In part because these pieces haven't been used much by others...but I loved all 3 programs.

I have to say EoE makes me want to gouge my own eyes out. It's the most whiney piece of slow music I've heard. Just sayin...don't hate me for it