August 1, 2003 E-mail story Print



THE INSIDE TRACK
Between College and Premieres, Life Is a 6.0
Q & A WITH MICHELLE KWAN



Times Headlines


Little League Regionals Start Today


Between College and Premieres, Life Is a 6.0


It's Major Victory for Park


Clarett Exaggerated in Report to the Police


Finishing Last Leaves Him Feeling in the Red


more >



By Helene Elliott, Times Staff Writer


With five world figure skating titles, seven U.S. titles and Olympic silver and
bronze medals to her credit, Torrance native Michelle Kwan is in elite company.
But this summer, she's just another student toting books around UCLA.

The 23-year-old South Bay resident, who this year matched Carol Heiss' record
for most world championships by a female U.S. skater, returned to the classroom
after several years' absence. She's also training and working for Disney by
making appearances at theme parks and movie premieres. She hasn't entered any
Grand Prix events this season, but she hasn't ruled anything out.

Q: How long had it been since you were able to fit school into your schedule,
and what's it like being back on campus? Are you recognized?

A: It's been a while. I really can't remember exactly. I was taking two classes,
then one, then I stopped, then I competed. Last season, when I was competing, I
couldn't find time because I was trying to find a coach and an ice rink.

It feels great. The class I'm taking is a discussion class, and I get to talk
with my classmates. I forgot how much fun it is They know that I skate. A few
people went to the Web site for [the movie] "Pirates of the Caribbean," and
said, 'Were you there? We saw your picture.' To them, it was a big thing - the
red carpet, celebrities everywhere. Seriously, if you've been to one premiere,
you've been to them all. It's a huge scene. You get out of the limo, walk along
the red carpet, see a movie and then go home. You make sure that when you're
walking along the red carpet, you don't have broccoli on your teeth. And your
cheeks hurt afterward from smiling.

Q: What are your plans for the upcoming season, and will you continue to
collaborate with coach Scott Williams?

A: Yes. He and I have been working, though not as much right now. I'm trying to
take it easy. I went to Nikolai [Morozov, her choreographer] and I have short
and long programs, but I haven't yet decided what I'll be doing. I have a pro-am
I'm committed to [Oct. 3 at New York].

Q: And beyond that?

A: Besides that, I don't have many things planned. I may be going to Hong Kong
again for Disney. I'm thinking about fall quarter classes to take and how I
should go about planning things.

Q: After Salt Lake City, Sarah Hughes acknowledged that she found it difficult
to balance elite-level skating, school and responsibilities to endorsers. She's
going to Yale this fall and isn't competing in many events. How do you manage to
balance all the demands on you?

A: It is pretty intense. It is difficult, especially when it's your first time.
For me it was a complete shock. I was out of things socially, because I didn't
go to high school - I had a tutor - and I had my own skating group of friends. I
went from Lake Arrowhead to UCLA to L.A., living in dorms. It was pretty intense
for her, I'm sure, and it will be intense if she's going to compete, to keep up
with everybody and keep up your schooling and endorsements. And that's
important, because you want to be a good spokesperson. To be able to satisfy
everybody and be happy and do things socially and hang out with your friends, it
is hard to balance.

I want to do everything, and that's why my parents make fun of me and say, 'You
can't do everything.' You have to make time for things. I know I skate better
when I have that balance. When I make time for friends, I don't go on the ice
[feeling resentful]. It's harder for me to allow myself to have fun and go on
vacation and enjoy myself. I haven't taken more than a weekend off. The more I
wait, the more it's, 'Should I? I can't.' I go on the ice, even though I'm not
skating very much. I might as well take two weeks off. I'm feeling I shouldn't,
then feeling I should.

Q: What are your thoughts on the new Code of Points that will be used in Grand
Prix events this season? It has been theorized that the cumulative scoring
system will reward jumping over artistry. Have you changed the way you
choreograph your programs because of the new system?

A: I just don't know what's going to happen. If they were going to use the point
system at worlds, it would be different. If they're only using it at Grand Prix
events, I couldn't imagine choreographing just for that.

It could be like, 'Here are my crossovers. Here is my lutz jump.' Then axel,
salchow, toe loop. It's like a practice. For me, it's about the performance. And
everyone skates differently. Will a huge double axel get the same points as a
little double axel? How are [judges] supposed to analyze it and take it apart?
That's what they're doing, picking at it. An outside edge is an outside edge,
but there's different styles.

Q: Is it a matter of feeling your way through it as it evolves?

A: That's what I have to do. The way it's going, no one's certain that might be
the way they judge at the Olympics.

Q: Which brings up the question that has to be asked: What are your plans
regarding the 2006 Turin Olympics?

A: It's so difficult for me to give myself one route and one path to follow.
I've done this for so many years, since I was 5 years old. My eyes were set on
the Olympics and worlds. Now, it's sort of shifted, and, I think, for the
better. There has to be a transition in some part of my life. I'm very fortunate
because I have so many opportunities, and I have to weigh them all and see where
will I have more fun?

Right now I'm playing it by ear. The Olympics have been my highlight the last
eight years - 12 years if you count 1994 [she was an alternate at Lillehammer
but didn't compete]. It's been a dream of mine. I had a great experience and I
might want to have that experience again. Or I might want to move on to
something else, and it might not be as grand.

Q: You don't have to decide now, but does that make it easier or harder for you?

A: In a way, it's better to have no choice. It's good to have distractions like
school and choices like movie deals and stuff like that that's always on the
plate. That's not to say I'm going to act. I'm not going to say I'm going to do
that. I might be bad and people might laugh at me. But you never know until you
try.

People dream of that opportunity, to be for a moment in the background of a
movie. It's kind of scary to have so many choices, but it's nice.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]