Music varieties / judging issue?

Do different "styles" of music make it harder to compare skaters with the GOE marks?

And for that matter, if there is different music and it is likely matched to skating style, subjective? and will that impact judging?

Do coaches or whomever think that the same lyrical pieces need to be compared to be fair about it. How or can they judge the Four Seasons equally with Jimmy Hendrix Little Wing?

I thought of this because Emily had a great routine to "Proud Marry" and now went to "a lyrical and softer" piece. And wonder why? Did they feel a change was necessary to "match" the others and she was getting marked different due to the "different" music. One most definitely fit her style better IMO.

I realize it shouldn't be an issue, but wonder if a change music used is brought on by this type of idea. ???

I wonder about that myself, Sean. It was relatively easy to compare the tangos done by the ice dancers than it was to compare an interpretation of Phantom of the Opera to a Metallica medley.

I don't think that different styles make it inherently difficut to give or compare scores. Even if a style is not my favorite, I can acknowledge when a skater does it well. I don't get annoyed unless the style is poorly executed. But I have found over the years that very few people like as much variety as I do.

I would imagine that there are still old school judges who prefer traditional selections and styles only. I don't know that there was ever a "rule," but I can remember when there was an "ironclad custom" that only art music (a.k.a. classical) was acceptable. It would stand to reason that such judges would mark accordingly. Not out of any great horrendous conspiracy but just out of human nature.

Speaking of music ... I almost fell off the sofa after the Pink Floyd exhibition skate by ... the Russians whose names are escaping me for some reason. Peter Carruthers (I think it was) told Peggy that the real burning question was: "How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?" She obviously didn't like the program, and then she obviously had NO CLUE what he meant.

Susan

(I don't either.)

I hope this isn't too off topic but it deals with programs and music. Can anyone explain why Belbin and Agosto would agree to their original program they started off the season with?? I didn't think it was their style more for D&L style. Anyhow, do you think they were told to do it?? ......or maybe they wanted to try something new?? What happened??

Dee

emily only used Proud Mary as an exebtion piece. she never tried it in competion.

Sean, I sent you a PM.

Dee

Dee4707 said:

Can anyone explain why Belbin and Agosto would agree to their original program they started off the season with?? I didn't think it was their style more for D&L style. Anyhow, do you think they were told to do it?? ......or maybe they wanted to try something new?? What happened??

Click to expand...

They listened to the members at Golden Skate

Good move.


I would think of it as a "bad girlfriend" - (recently influenced I 'spose) that you thought was SOOOO great when you first met, and then................. Kind of the same way to. You have to work with and really bring out the qualities before you can truly judge.

Never rush into marriage or a routine selection

I would personally have no problem with "different" music (as anyone who looks through my CD collection can attest), but "irritating" music is something else again. Granted, the definition of "irritating" with music, as with anything else, depends upon the individual doing the listening, but....

I have seen a lot of programs done to music I would consider "irritating", but as long as the music was used well and the program was good, I'm willing to overlook the fact I didn't like the music. If, however, the program is not that great to begin with, irritating music only seems to make it worse. There have been a lot of programs over the years that, had I been a judge, (under 6.0) I would have taken a 0.1 deduction off the artistic mark simply because the music got on my nerves and the program would have been much better served with a different musical selection. Petty, yes; unfair perhaps, but then again not nearly as petty or unfair as marking someone down because you don't like their 'do, and skating is rife with stories of judges marking someone down because of that type of thing.

SpunSilver ... Sorry. That was sort of the point. A lot of people are not in the right age group (mine and Seanibu's and apparently Peter's) to have memorized the whole album back in the day. It just struck me funny, probably because I could use some funny after a long, strange season. I don't even know if Peter Carruthers thought up the comment on his own. It might have been some impish writer for ABC/ESPN.

JonnyCoop ... You hit on my favorite point. There are only 2 kinds of music: the kind that stinks and the kind that doesn't. You and I can have totally different, but still intelligent, opinions about which is which. There is no rule that says you must define "stinks" precisely. You are allowed to give the same piece of music different stinkiness ratings in different contexts. You know it when you hear it.

I like the idea of a mandatory deduction. But I'd like to see it out to the side of the PCS with its own label (as with the fall deduction under TES). Call it the Tacky Mark. Other offenses would be eligible, as well ... such as anything that involves sticking one's butt in the air.

Susan