Michelle Kwan (Threads Merged)

[giselle23]

I read that Ashley, in her recent instagram live stream, said, when asked, that Michelle was the skater that most inspired her. I think the exact quote was, "The queen (Kween) herself. Michelle is absolutely everything!"

 

[worldsnice12]

http://web.icenetwork.com/video/topic/207337050/v1216161683

Michelle Kwan interviewed by Scott Hamilton 12/15/2016

Thank you for the link, I had completly missed this interview!

She seems very happy and joyful, wonderful to see. I miss her dearly and it took me a looong time to accept she had moved on from competetive skating.
I have teared up to many of her performances over the years but the most emotional one was after her beautiful "Winter Song" at Yuna's show when she had decided not to try a competetive comeback.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGmlMmMs4B4

I still feel so greateful towards Michelle for making me falling in love in this sport and for all those special moments that I still remember so clearly after all these years !

 

[slipchuk]

I read that Ashley, in her recent instagram live stream, said, when asked, that Michelle was the skater that most inspired her. I think the exact quote was, "The queen (Kween) herself. Michelle is absolutely everything!"

It is great to hear that but it is also funny when the gymnastics/skating blogger GymTruthTeller was ranting with fury about something Wagner and Gold said about Kwan last year. I wonder what that was.

 

[aftershocks]

Thank you for the link, I had completly missed this interview! ...

Yeah, thanks to @bardtoob. I had also previously posted the original Scott Hamilton show link with Michelle Kwan, along with a link to Scott's full interview with Michelle. See my post #201.

Michelle has moved on from figure skating, so like the one and only MK Forum, threads about her also tend to be slow-going these days. I wonder whether Michelle had time or inclination to post her yearly Christmas greetings on MKF in December 2016? She was probably still recovering from the unexpected and depressing Presidential election loss for Hillary Clinton.

I am wondering how Michelle and hubby Clay are regrouping these days? I remember seeing reports that Clay may be tapped for another Rhode Island political race (since losing his newbie run for Governor of RI), but I can't recall the details. When are they going to start a family is another burning question? But I suppose it's best to respect their privacy. Still, I know MK loves children, so the time would seem to be right at this point in their lives.

 

[berthesghost]

^ I hadn't heard a word about this, so I googled it and all I could find was an editorial speculating that he could do next time what he failed to do last time: beat Raimondo in a primary. The idea based solely on Bernie beating Clinton in the last primary.

 

[Vagabond]

Michelle has moved on from figure skating

 

[aftershocks]

Warm vibes to Michelle as her life takes yet another turn with the recent sad news of her impending divorce.

Here's a recent article in Forbes (parts 1 and 2 of a four-part interview):
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimcla...he-old-6-0-skate-judging-system/#18d988826336

In answering a question about having kids, MK responded:

"MK: Yes, I hope so, I hope so. As my mom would tell me every day, “You’re not getting any younger” [laughs].

Forbes: What’s a typical day in the life of Michelle Kwan these days?

MK: Wow. It’s changed drastically since the presidential election. It all depends. I have lots of things to do in terms of emails, lining up my travel and travel work. I’m renovating a house, so I was just knee-deep in sawdust. I’m not sure that’s my average day. I’ve got a trip planned to Austria later this month for a Special Olympics World Games. We have board meetings, then I go to my brother’s wedding, then to London for the Skoll World Forum, then something in New York. So a given day is hard to say. Today it’s knee-deep in sawdust and paint peels [laughs]."

I wonder where her house is located? I haven't been following MK much on social media, but here's a cool pic from her instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BR28bWhBYGt/?taken-by=michellewkwan&hl=en

Those are some serious muscles if this picture is for real.

MK's brother Ron recently was married, but I don't see pics of Ron and his wife, just one with MK and Ron.

 

[DDNatalia]

Seems a window of time to turn the page. Excited to see what direction she heads next!

 

[alj5]

Update to the divorce saga - he filed in California (likely for the community property laws). She found out he filed on twitter.

https://www.yahoo.com/celebrity/michelle-kwan-headed-messy-divorce-231227422.html

 

[aftershocks]

^^ I love the accompanying photo of Michelle's "Hangin' in there" yoga pose, and her video clip of that boffo "twisting into funday Sunday" pool dive!

 

[Sylvia]

Re-posting this positive news from the Kwan thread in GSD:

Michelle Kwan to receive her 3rd Honorary Doctorate Degree from Smith College and Oprah Winfrey will deliver the commencement address on Sunday, May 21st at 10 a.m. ET.

Watch Live @ Smith College Live Webcast page @ https://www.smith.edu/about-smith/smith-glance/live-webcast

 

[VGThuy]

Man more publications are writing about the divorce than I would have anticipated. I knew both are public figures, but I didn't think there would be that much interest in them.

ETA:

Love the "Hands" clip and nice Tano on that spinning dive to the pool.

 

[DannyCurry]

If only she had married Emery, we wouldn't be talking about divorce

 

[VGThuy]

^ That makes me think about why I latched on to Michelle Kwan. She came at the right time for me as I was growing up and becoming more aware about lack of Asian-American representation. Almost every Asian American I know my age who came into their adolescence in the 1990s have all told me how much seeing Michelle Kwan meant to them. Not only was she a public figure at a time when Asians-Americans were rarely shown on television or made news but she was in a sport and a sport that embraced performance art, two spheres where at the time (and even now though strides have been made to improve that) one rarely saw Asians. People I've spoken to say even their parents spoke about her numerous times and it sort of allowed them to think about allowing their kids to pursue interests in avenues that they didn't think about before.

We know Kwan's impact on American skating (I remember Nationals 2016 where a skater was skating to TFB and in the KnC she said she saw Michelle Kwan in the audience and was freakin' out; skaters competing now like Karen Chen; Madison Chock; Maia Shibutani; etc. have all said or alluded to her as an inspiration to keep skating), so it's nice to see how far her reach is outside of that realm.

ETA:
I see that on ice network, there is a video of a few skaters from a recent Figure Skating in Harlem event being interviewed by Nick McCarvel. The question was which skater(s) inspired them, and Nathan Chen, Ashley Wagner, Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani, Meryl Davis, and Adam Rippon all said Michelle Kwan and had a lot to say when describing why. Alex Shib said Maia not only would watch Kwan but bought every book about her, played her video game, etc.

 

[clairecloutier]

Tim Le Duc also cited Michelle as one of his major inspirations in skating, because of her performance quality.

 

[Sylvia]

I see that on ice network, there is a video of a few skaters from a recent Figure Skating in Harlem event being interviewed by Nick McCarvel. The question was which skater(s) inspired them, and Nathan Chen, Ashley Wagner, Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani, Meryl Davis, and Adam Rippon all said Michelle Kwan and had a lot to say when describing why. Alex Shib said Maia not only would watch Kwan but bought every book about her, played her video game, etc.

Link to watch "Who was your skating inspiration?" (filmed on May 2, 2017): http://web.icenetwork.com/video/v1379560483

 

[DannyCurry]

Today I had lunch with friends who are from Bolivia. They introduced me to their sister and at one point they mentioned that I skated. Then she replied that she used to love watching figure skating, especially "the Chinese girl...Michelle Kwan!"

Nevermind the "Chinese" comment. I felt like Jack in Will & Grace's "Will on Ice" episode : I LOOOOVE HER, hahahah

 

[Sylvia]

2017 Smith College commencement archived video (Michelle Kwan receives her honorary degree just after the 50-minute mark - BIG cheer when her name is announced!): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmgIbZB9BWw&t=50m5s

She has an upcoming public appearance as an Olympian panelist at the KPMG Women’s Leadership Summit to be held during the 2017 KPMG Women’s PGA (golf) Championship, June 26-July 2, 2017, and the summit will be live streamed - press release: http://www.kpmgwomenspgachampionship.com/news-and-media/news/rice-and-rometty-to-share-experiences

 

[Sasha'sSpins]

Re-posting this positive news from the Kwan thread in GSD:

Thank you! Good to hear about happy news for her! Congrats Michelle!

If only she had married Emery, we wouldn't be talking about divorce

OT but I love the humorous homage to the late great Norman Rockwell's classic "Going and Coming" family vacation portrait on that Twitter header! It's one of my favorites of his: http://www.nrm.org/HEA/GAC/

 

[DDNatalia]

Congratulations on her honorary degree. The one and only Michelle shared the honor at this year's Commencement with the one and only Oprah I believe

 

[aftershocks]

Michelle Kwan ... Top ten programs montage:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mry3jLCTnWA

(not the best visuals; old tv clips, but still enjoyable)

I don't necessarily agree with the chronology or lineup exactly. I'd include quite a number of exhibition performances too. Plus where is The Feeling Begins from Worlds 2003 in Washington, D.C.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAsK2B9cBeA 2003 Worlds fp

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjmxiSUU50M 2005 Natls sp (with comments from other top athletes)
"Perfection is never possible, but getting near it is good enough" -- MKwan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wazOhkRuySI Fields of Gold 2002

Interesting Eurosport telecast of Salome Worlds 1996 with kiss 'n cry comments from Frank (I haven't seen this version before) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLryZGvXJNU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYwAZb14Ags 1998 World Pro technical East of Eden

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=777YeHmR1C8 1998 World Pro artistic Ariane (her best performance of this program)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZnp3fTlVwY Dante's Prayer (my favorite exhibition)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QTh84DbWCo Hands

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDbg45qnjD8 Carmen sp

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEklWrSU8VQ Dream of Desdemona sp

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JgjgI2IBmk Miraculous Mandarin in HD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQP38OWpiJk You Raise Me Up

Wonderful tribute by Jim McKay:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9cMWGv-hLU

USFS Hall of Fame picture montage tribute:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGQFLkAvdzE

 

[livetoskate]

Ahhh... same here. It was great to see Michelle as both an athlete and role model for people of all backgrounds.
Here's an article from ages ago where my friends and I were interviewed while watching Michelle Kwan compete. Like Maia, I had every Michelle Kwan book, such as the one where you could flip through all the pages and see her doing a triple flip jump, and the video game that came with a replica of her pendant.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/arch...hopeful/96b59a55-ff8a-441f-9a21-28e437918bdf/

^ That makes me think about why I latched on to Michelle Kwan. She came at the right time for me as I was growing up and becoming more aware about lack of Asian-American representation. Almost every Asian American I know my age who came into their adolescence in the 1990s have all told me how much seeing Michelle Kwan meant to them. Not only was she a public figure at a time when Asians-Americans were rarely shown on television or made news but she was in a sport and a sport that embraced performance art, two spheres where at the time (and even now though strides have been made to improve that) one rarely saw Asians. People I've spoken to say even their parents spoke about her numerous times and it sort of allowed them to think about allowing their kids to pursue interests in avenues that they didn't think about before.

We know Kwan's impact on American skating (I remember Nationals 2016 where a skater was skating to TFB and in the KnC she said she saw Michelle Kwan in the audience and was freakin' out; skaters competing now like Karen Chen; Madison Chock; Maia Shibutani; etc. have all said or alluded to her as an inspiration to keep skating), so it's nice to see how far her reach is outside of that realm.

ETA:
I see that on ice network, there is a video of a few skaters from a recent Figure Skating in Harlem event being interviewed by Nick McCarvel. The question was which skater(s) inspired them, and Nathan Chen, Ashley Wagner, Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani, Meryl Davis, and Adam Rippon all said Michelle Kwan and had a lot to say when describing why. Alex Shib said Maia not only would watch Kwan but bought every book about her, played her video game, etc.

 

[aftershocks]

Oh, the Dream of Desdemona sp was #10 on that montage list I linked. But again, The Feeling Begins sp from 2003 (and 2004 season) is also notable: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow09xcuQdAk Worlds sp 2003

And of course MK's 2003 Concierto de Aranjuez fp which I already linked. In addition, the exhibitions I linked are some of Michelle's greatest (there are some others too that I couldn't readily locate). Plus East of Eden and Ariane competitive performances from 1998 World Pro event are Michelle at her peak and her absolute best. I was privileged to see those performances live.

 

[skatesindreams]

Ariane competitive performance from 1998 World Pro event are Michelle at her peak and her absolute best

After much consideration, that is my "desert island" performance.

 

[Sylvia]

"Apolo Anton Ohno and Michelle Kwan are both skaters....but what are the differences between U.S. Figure Skating and US Speedskating?" Their Facebook Live chat earlier today: https://www.facebook.com/TeamUSA/videos/vb.18000802685/10154687410912686/?type=2&theater
https://www.facebook.com/TeamUSA (go to Videos)

 

[aftershocks]

^^ Interesting responses. The two sports are completely different, and there's not a great deal in common between them outside of putting blades to the ice and the fact that both sports are lorded over by the same ignominious governing body.

Michelle forgot to point out that there's now a team event for figure skaters at the Olympics, and that in figure skating the U.S. will generally be able to send 2 to 3 skaters in each discipline except for pairs and ice dance obviously which are made up of two partners each. For this coming Olympics, since there will only be one U.S. pairs team, 3 men, 3 ladies and 3 ice dance teams, that equates to 14 total members on the US Figure skating team for the 2018 Olympics. Correct me if my math is wrong.

 

[bardtoob]

Michelle and Apolo are kinda pretty together.

 

[giselle23]

I wonder if we will ever see Michelle on Dancing With the Stars?

 

[bardtoob]

I wonder if we will ever see Michelle on Dancing With the Stars?

I don't know. Michelle has always said she has two left feet off the ice.

... Maybe if the Mirror Ball is attractive enough to her then she would compete for it.

 

[skatesindreams]

I believe she has been approached about it.
Thus far, she has declined,