Michelle Kwan in 2009 Ice All Stars

Michelle Kwan skated two exhibition programs at the 2009 Samsung Anycall-Hauzen Ice All Stars (2009-08-14 Seoul, South Korea).

Carmina Burana:


Winter Song:

Article: Why Do Figure Skaters Spin Faster when They Pull Their Arms In?

In a spin,

a skater starts spinning in place on the ice with her arms extended. As she draws her arms inward, raising them above her head, she spins faster and faster without exerting any force. What causes her spin rate to increase if she is not adding energy from her muscles?

Conservation of angular momentum

means that the total angular momentum of a spinning object does not change unless a force acts on it. Decreasing the distance from the axis of rotation decreases the moment of inertia by the square of the change in distance, so cutting the distance in half decreases the moment of inertia by a factor of four. If the moment of inertia decreases but the angular momentum stays constant, the rate of rotation must increase. As the skater brings her arms in, she spins faster and faster, going from about 2 rotations per second to 10 or more rotations per second.

~ Quoted from Associated Content

Of course knowing the science behind it doesn't necessarily make you a better skater, but it gives you a better idea of why your coach tells you to do certain things!

2010 ISU Adult Figure Skating Competition -- SAVE THE DATE

Save the date for the 2010 ISU Adult Figure Skating Competition!

May 20 - 23, 2010
Oberstdorf, Germany

Draw party Wed. night, May 19. Banquet Sat. night May 22.
Sunday May 23 for Synchro Competition

Announcement will be published in the Fall. Deadline for Entry will be April 1.

And the Mountain Cup will again take place in Villard de Lans, France the next weekend with a training camp during the week between the 2 competitions.
May 24-26 --- 3 day training camp
May 27-29 -- competition

Kwan moves on with her life

Michelle Kwan has announced that she will not compete during the 2009-10 season.
Instead, she will begin graduate school at Tufts University's Fletcher School this fall, pursuing a master's degree in international affairs.

The announcement on US Figure Skating:
Nine-time U.S. Figure Skating Champion Michelle Kwan Announces She Will Not Compete in 2009-10 Season

Hail and farewell, Michelle, a wider world awaits ~ from LA Times blogs, with a great story "Kwan Swan Song".