More than a billion people throughout the world watched the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. The extensive amount of figure skating in these spectacles was choreographed by Sarah Kawahara. For her efforts, Kawahara received her second Emmy.
Kawaharaıs first Emmy for excellence in choreography on a televised show came in 1997 for "Scott Hamilton: Upside Down." The two have worked extensively together throughout Hamiltonıs professional career. She has created some of his most memorable performances, including his "Lounge Lizard" and "Walk this Way" figure skating routines.
Kawahara also has collaborated with many other figure skating notables. For the 2002 Olympics, she choreographed Michelle Kwan's long program, as well as her emotional "Fields of Gold" exhibition number. Kawahara also worked with Kwan on three Disney specials for television. Other television credits include "Nancy Kerrigan, Special Dreams on Ice" and the Oksana Baiul/Viktor Petrenko effort "Wizard of Oz." Her ability to use costumes, sets, props, lighting, and music to form a whole package on the ice has earned her praise from countless figure skaters. Peggy Fleming, Toller Cranston, and John Curry are just a few who have enlisted her services for their figure skating projects.
Kawahara regularly choreographs for the Champions on Ice tour. She also has created figure-skating routines for cruise ship ice skating shows and has helped the synchronized skating team from Miami University.
While growing up in Montreal, figure skating was just one of Kawahara's interests. She also played the piano and violin and studied ballet, jazz, and drama. She joined the Ice Capades as a figure skater at age 17, later moving to the role of resident coach and then head choreographer.
—Beth Braccio Hering
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