Upclose with Sarah Kawahara
Emmy award-winning Canadian figure skater and veteran choreographer Sarah Kawahara is well-known for her stunning figure skating choreography in the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics—and in Will Ferrell’s 2007 comedy “Blades of Glory.” She tells Penny Zhou all about her job, as well as her upcoming live show, “Disney on Ice.”
HK Magazine: How did you develop an interest in figure skating in the first place?
Sarah Kawahara: I was six years-old and my Dad drove past an outdoor arena in Toronto, Ontario. There were kids skating with colored ribbons flying from their shoulders. I loved the speed of the skaters and I wanted those ribbons. I just had to try it...
HK: Why did you decide to become a choreographer?
SK: I had a successful career as an artistic performer. I loved performing so much; it was like air to breathe and food to eat. I knew I couldn’t perform forever at the level that I wanted to, so I looked at choreography as a way to keep creating and performing through other talented skaters.
HK: What is the essence of choreography for figure skating?
SK: It’s moving design in space. It’s a fusion of athletic dynamics and dance and acting artistry.
HK: You’ve choreographed for Olympic programs, TV specials, live shows—as well as a movie. How are these experiences different?
SK: Creating for an arena, the audience is on three sides or in the round; for a stage, the audience is on one side; for film, it is for camera from different angles—with a camera, you can get so much closer to the movement. This affects the design of the choreography. When I choreographed the opening ceremonies for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, I got a chance to use all my experience, from arena, stage, and film. It was the project of a lifetime.
HK: Which format do you enjoy the most?
SK: I love it all. The more layers the better. I like dimension. I love having many facets to consider in the design. I want my choreography to touch people. I want them to feel involved in the story, not just watch it.
HK: Do you have a favorite figure skater?
SK: Of today’s skaters, Kim Yu-na, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, and Shen (Xue) and Zhao (Hongbo). I have had the privilege of working with many exceptional skaters such as Scott Hamilton, Michelle Kwan, Toller Cranston, Peggy Fleming, Dorothy Hamill, John Curry and Oksana Baiul, who are all unique in their own way.
