Growing up, I did not embrace the talents of Tara Lipinski and Sasha Cohen. I won't lie, one of the main reasons I was not a fan is because these two phenoms were chief rivals to my hero, Michelle Kwan. I didn't possibly see how I could root for either Tara or Sasha if they were in direct competition with my favorite skater. I'm sure there were other factors for my rationale, but this is the most prominent one. It's not that I disliked either of the skaters--I could even admit that they had great talent, and Tara was an unbelievable competitor-- it was more that I didn't feel compelled to like them. Looking back, it was probably that I wouldn't allow myself to like them or it would somehow be like taking support and adoration away from Michelle, which of course is not true.
Old habits die hard: even since starting this blog in 2010, I conveniently have left Tara and Sasha out of my posts dedicated to our country--and world's--most illustrious skaters. Fast forward to today and I am ready to admit that Tara and Sasha were two of America's greatest skaters in the '90s and 2000s and their talents should be honored. Tara, though known for her incredible jumping ability during her career, developed into a lovely artist in the years after the '98 Olympics and today, when I've seen clips of her skating, exudes a beautiful quality. Sasha, never known for her jumps, has always been seen as a gifted artist. In the years following her '06 Olympic silver medal, she has developed her artistry further, making her one of the very best in the professional skating business. Some of Sasha's SOI programs have reached legendary status, in my eyes (Halleluliah, Moonlight Sonata, etc.) Though my blog is not some grand international showcase where this profession of my new-found respect and admiration of these two skaters will make any kind of splash, in my own way, it's an important forum for my personal expression and I'm happy to have the opportunity to share my thoughts about Tara and Sasha with anybody who might happen to be reading.
I'm sharing two programs from Tara and Sasha that I feel are excellent examples of their talents and evolution as athletes and artists: Tara's "DreamCatcher" program from the Secret Garden Soundtrack skated at 1999 Ice Wars and Sasha's "Hurt" by Christina Aguilera, which I had the good fortune of seeing skated live at the 2007 Marshall's Showcase.
Tara's "Dreamcatcher":
Sasha's "Hurt":
Growing up, I did not embrace the talents of Tara Lipinski and Sasha Cohen. I won't lie, one of the main reasons I was not a fan is because these two phenoms were chief rivals to my hero, Michelle Kwan. I didn't possibly see how I could root for either Tara or Sasha if they were in direct competition with my favorite skater. I'm sure there were other factors for my rationale, but this is the most prominent one. It's not that I disliked either of the skaters--I could even admit that they had great talent, and Tara was an unbelievable competitor-- it was more that I didn't feel compelled to like them. Looking back, it was probably that I wouldn't allow myself to like them or it would somehow be like taking support and adoration away from Michelle, which of course is not true.
Old habits die hard: even since starting this blog in 2010, I conveniently have left Tara and Sasha out of my posts dedicated to our country--and world's--most illustrious skaters. Fast forward to today and I am ready to admit that Tara and Sasha were two of America's greatest skaters in the '90s and 2000s and their talents should be honored. Tara, though known for her incredible jumping ability during her career, developed into a lovely artist in the years after the '98 Olympics and today, when I've seen clips of her skating, exudes a beautiful quality. Sasha, never known for her jumps, has always been seen as a gifted artist. In the years following her '06 Olympic silver medal, she has developed her artistry further, making her one of the very best in the professional skating business. Some of Sasha's SOI programs have reached legendary status, in my eyes (Halleluliah, Moonlight Sonata, etc.) Though my blog is not some grand international showcase where this profession of my new-found respect and admiration of these two skaters will make any kind of splash, in my own way, it's an important forum for my personal expression and I'm happy to have the opportunity to share my thoughts about Tara and Sasha with anybody who might happen to be reading.
I'm sharing two programs from Tara and Sasha that I feel are excellent examples of their talents and evolution as athletes and artists: Tara's "DreamCatcher" program from the Secret Garden Soundtrack skated at 1999 Ice Wars and Sasha's "Hurt" by Christina Aguilera, which I had the good fortune of seeing skated live at the 2007 Marshall's Showcase.
Tara's "Dreamcatcher":
Sasha's "Hurt":
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