Happy Belated Birthday to Michelle Kwan!

Happy belated 33rd birthday to my hero and role model, the beautiful and sophisticated Michelle Kwan. Her actual birthday was July 7, which I inadvertently missed.

Here is one of her most lauded performances, "Salome," skated to near perfection at the 1996 World Figure Skating Championships in Edmonton. Michelle received two perfect scores of 6.0 en route to her first World Championship win.

I have not watched this performance in a long time, until just a few minutes ago. This performance gave me chills, mostly because I cannot believe what Michelle accomplished at age 15, and how I can't imagine any 15-year-old on the scene today being able to deliver anything close. I have an even greater appreciation for Michelle's career now that time has gone by and I have more perspective on what an incredible athlete and artist she was and what she gave to the sport--and the world.

Happiest birthday wishes to the newlywed Michelle!

Evan Lyscacek's "Augustana" by Boston

Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir's "Stay" by Rihanna

I have ardently loved the song, "Stay" by Rihanna, since I first heard it a couple of months ago. This evening, I was delighted to discover an exquisite exhibition piece to "Stay" by the enchanting Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, reigning Olympic Champions from Canada. They are divine. J'adore!

Best Contemporary Music Ice Dance Exhibitions: Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto's "Falling Slowly," Meryl Davis and Charlie White's "Someone Like You" by Adele, and Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir's "Stay" by Rihanna

Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto's "Falling Slowly" from the film "Once":







Meryl Davis and Charlie White's "Someone Like You" by Adele:








Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir's "Stay" by Rihanna:

Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir's 2011 Rhumba Freedance

Hot!

Wednesday Inspiration: Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko's 1992 Olympic Freeskate

Brilliant.

Ode to Miss Saigon #3: Paul Wylie's "Why God Why?"

Paul Wylie is a master of his art.