Saturday, January 15, 2011

The Hasmonean Chronicles, Part I. Sasha Cohen, the Maccabee Princess of Ice and Snow

Mattathias the Hasmonean cried throughout the city with a loud voice saying, 'Whoever is zealous for the Law, and maintains the Holy Covenant, let him follow me!'

- I Maccabees 2:27



Part I. Sasha Cohen, the Maccabee Princess of Ice and Snow

Biography
Born: October 26, 1984
Birthplace: Westwood, Calif.
Hometown: Newport Beach, Calif.
Training Town: Aliso Viejo, Calif., and Lake Arrowhead, Calif.
Skating Club: Orange County FSC
Coaches: John Nicks and Rafael Arutunian
Choreographers :Lori Nichol and Nikoli Morozov

Sasha’s Favorites
Sports figure: Lance Armstrong
City: Barcelona, Spain
Season: Summer
Author: John Steinbeck
Magazine: People
Movies: My Fair Lady, Baraka and Bridges of Madison County
TV shows: Grey’s Anatomy, Gossip Girl and Sex and the City
Gadget: iPod
Drink: Coffee
Quote “Life’s tough, get a helmet.”

Sasha’s Three Things
- (Three things that) People would be surprised to find out about me… I’m always at the library, I love to run errands, and I’m interested in almost everything.
- Three people I’d like to have dinner with… Lance Armstrong, Angelina Jolie and Oprah Winfrey
- Three things I hate doing… Waiting, getting up early and scheduling things way in advance
- Three things I love doing… Cooking/baking with friends and family, seeing theater and sleeping
- Three celebrity crushes… Clive Owen, Gerard Butler and Denzel Washington
- Three things I must have when I leave the house… Phone, iPod and wallet

Sasha’s Favorite Organizations
- Figure Skating in Harlem
- American Heart Association
- Boys & Girls Clubs of America
- Connecticut Children’s Medical Center
- Girls Inc.
- Make a Wish Foundation
- The Shaka Franklin Foundation
- PS Arts
- Public Libraries Literacy Programs
- Ronald McDonald House Charities
- Soldiers’ Angels
- Special Olympics

SASHA COHEN’s star quality shines brighter today than when she won a silver medal for the United States with a gutsy performance at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy.

She is an icon of her sport but also holds worldwide influence in other realms including fashion and nutrition, leading the way in promoting a healthy physical and mental daily regimen that stretches across all demographics.

“I concentrate on living in the now,” said Sasha, who was born Alexandra Pauline Cohen. It is the same philosophy that has molded Sasha’s life since taking a hiatus from competitive skating following her impressive win at the U.S. Championships and medal wins at the Olympics and the 2006 World Championships.

And it is a philosophy that continued to motivate Sasha as she looked toward competing at the 2010 U.S. Championship. Needing the challenge that competitive skating provides, Sasha took a break from touring and her other professional demands — her credits including commercials, movies and prime time television — to return to to competition in the 2009-10 season. She was fourth at nationals.

Sasha studied a semester at the intensive The New York Film Academy at Harvard University during her break from competitive skating. She has also taken speech classes and a variety of other acting classes, many from Hollywood’s top coaches. She is routinely given scripts to peruse.

Sasha is as much an ambassador for her charities, including the Figure Skating in Harlem organization, where she serves on the board, as she is for her sport. Recognizing that young people are influenced by what they see in public, Sasha thrives on being a positive role model.

Her autobiography “Fire On Ice,” published by HarperCollins after her thrilling appearance in Torino, is a testament to Sasha’s disciplined lifestyle. The book sold out of its hardback printing while soft cover was in high demand well before its release date.

Good things don’t fall into Sasha’s lap but she makes good things happen. Sasha is living the moment but is in complete control of her life — she wouldn’t have it any other way.

May the LORD God bless you in the name of St. Judas Maccabaeus

- Sasha Cohen.com, http://www.sashacohen.com/sasha.html



No comments:

Post a Comment