Why I Love Michelle Kwan

Like most figure skating fans, I remember the first time I saw Michelle Kwan skate -- when she finished second at the infamous 1994 US National Championships, behind Tonya Harding. She was adorable and talented, but as an Oksana Bauil fan, I didn't pay too much attention to her in the ensuing Nancy/Tonya sideshow. So, like most other skating fans, I was surprised to see her emerge in the fall of 1995 with mature, beautiful programs set to unusual, wonderful music. This program is still probably my favorite of hers ever:

I remember watching every competition she was in that season and cheering for her, celebrating when she won her first National title and even more so when she won her first World title in Edmonton. I was officially hooked, and officially a "Kwaniac". Michelle followed up her 1995-96 programs with two even more innovative and beautiful pieces of music and choreography with "Dream of Desdemona" (I LOVE this dress!)
and the brilliant Taj Mahal long program:

I was so disappointed that she wasn't able to repeat as National, GPF and World Champion, but was optimistic that with her boot issues now fixed, and a (comparatively) bad season out of her system, Michelle was on track to be the first US Ladies' Olympic Gold medalist since the amazing Kristi Yamaguchi in 1992. After fighting a toe injury late in the fall of 1997, Michelle came to the 1998 US Nationals a huge question mark, and responded by delivering two of her best programs ever and receiving a record-setting amount of 6.0 marks in the process.

This comment on youtube sums this performance up perfectly: "This was exquisite from start to finish. If I was a sculptor, I would do a bronze of Michelle in that final pose... it just seems to sum up what beautiful skating is all about." Hopes were high in our house that Michelle would win the Olympic gold in equally stunning fashion. But with a bad skate draw early in the final group, and triple triples, undeniable enthusiasm, and a great skate order for Tara Lipinski, the marks did not go Michelle's way, and she found herself in the second spot on the podium. I was as devastated as if I had been the one that had skated. It was really, really hard to watch the medal ceremony, but Michelle's wonderful sportsmanship and praise for the winner's performance and skating removed some of the sting.

As an article at the time stated: "The essence of a gracious loser, Kwan let nary a frown destroy Lipinski's big moment. "I like you, Tara," she would say later in the night, while Lipinski was basking in the spotlight. "All of us have to come out of this happy, and enjoying the moment."
Michelle's grace under pressure and in defeat earned her even more new fans, and even the honor of presenting the President of the United States the Olympic team jacket at the Olympian's White House reception that spring. It was turning out the silver was more valuable than gold, and she could easily have turned pro and enjoyed a lucrative, long professional career. Lucky for those of us who were Michelle fans, she still had more masterpieces and magical moments to share....

A few of my favorite things -- Part 2!

Meryl Davis and Charlie White's brilliant Eleanor Rigby free dance from 2008. I'd love to see them skate to something like this again; it was so haunting yet beautiful and the music cuts were brilliant.