Exhibition programs...Clean or Challenging which do you prefer?

Interspectator · Jul 28, 2014

So, as I am waiting as patiently as I can for the competitions to start again, I am watching lots of ice shows and enjoying them quite a bit.

Here's my question:
If you had to choose, would you like to see a polished EX program that can be done perfectly almost every time, or a super ambitious piece that may result in falls?

As someone who watches ALL the shows, I guess I don't mind the falls too much as long as I see that the skater is pushing themselves artistically and technically.

Do tell me what you think. There is no right or wrong answer.

satine · Jul 28, 2014

I guess polished. I understand skaters want to practice new routines in front of an audience & so I don't particularly mind the falls during an off-season ex program, but then again I'm not the one paying to go see the shows live :eek:

hwell:

Hanmgse · Jul 28, 2014

I appreciate both but I enjoy more a polished one, I don't like watching a skater fall

AsadaFanBoy · Jul 28, 2014

How about clean AND challenging? I feel like exhibition programs are a good way to show what a skater is really capable of. There's a lot of attention and pressure to deliver a good show, but with less intensity than a judged competition.

Sandpiper · Jul 29, 2014

I prefer clean and... entertaining. Make sure the program is fun. Hopefully don't have a fall. If you can do a hard jump, that's entertaining too, but it's not worth it for a splat (heck, it's not worth it in competition either, imo).

EDIT: To clarify, I don't mean everyone should jump doubles in competition (or shows). Just that I'll take a clean 3A over a fallen quad, ect. ect.

kwanatic · Jul 29, 2014

I vote for clean. Challenge yourself in competition where you'll actually be rewarded for it. Some people can get away without doing jumps but, if you're an eligible competitor you should at least have a 3T and 2A in the program. If you're attempting nothing but doubles, that's just lazy. :disapp:

karne · Jul 29, 2014

I vote for fun, or beautiful, just something different or quirky, and clean if possible (but ice is slippery).

That said...if your hardest jump in an ex is a 3T and you're an eligible skater, that's really not great...

arcticwolf · Jul 29, 2014

I'd rather see a clean program than a challenging one with falls in watching something I paid for. I think exhibitions are venues where the skaters can showcase their other abilities other than jumps. The best that I've seen is an EX by Anissina/Peizerat "Suzzana".

iluvtodd · Jul 29, 2014

clean

GF2445 · Jul 29, 2014

Clean and polished is most important
But if the skater is exciting and can captivate the audience with their skating/choreography alone, you have a little more room to take risks.

pandaatlarge · Jul 29, 2014

For me it depends on what kind of skater he or she is. I don't mind if Patrick or Jeremy doesn't do a challenging jump but perform beautiful skating with great footwork and transitions. On the other hand I don't mind if Hanyu or Fernandez falls a quad. Variety of skaters with their "trademarks" makes a great show for me.

By the way I personally find the "Quads Battle" Hanyu leads in some of the shows' grand finale very enjoyable. If you don't want to take the quad risk in your EX program, then after a clean performance just go for it and entertain the audience with more difficult jumps. As a jumper fan that's the venue where I can enjoy 4T and 4S one by one which I don't usually see in EX, or even 4Lo (Hanyu did it), 4F (Machida did it) and 4Lz (Hanyu and Mura did it) which I can't even see in competitions.

invisiblespiral · Jul 29, 2014

It depends on the skater....

cooper · Jul 29, 2014

clean..

why would you watch an exhibition with a skater falling every jump because he/she wants to challenge herself/himself?? exhibition is supposed to be for entertainment..

Krunchii · Jul 29, 2014

I prefer a clean and polished exhibition, I'd rather see skaters challenge themselves artistically in exhibitions rather than technically but I think the 2A, 3T or the 3S should be quite standard if you're a top level skater, but there are exhibitions without jumps that I like such as Yuna Kim's Fever exhibition, fun and flirty and it worked for her

Interspectator · Jul 29, 2014

arcticwolf said:
I'd rather see a clean program than a challenging one with falls in watching something I paid for. I think exhibitions are venues where the skaters can showcase their other abilities other than jumps. The best that I've seen is an EX by Anissina/Peizerat "Suzzana".

I understand that. I haven't gone to any shows so when watching it on TV, I like to see all sorts of things attempted. But I would feel differently if I were paying money and it was the only chance to see some skaters perform.

Interspectator · Jul 29, 2014

--Oh, and when I said 'challenging' I also meant in the steps and other parts of the program. Not just jumps.

karne · Jul 29, 2014

Well, of course it also depends on the skater.

For example, if you took Joshua's and Max's SOI programs, you couldn't swap them. Max could not do a slow, emotional ballad (which is okay!), and Josh would have trouble with a fast, fun, flirty number (which is also okay!). That doesn't mean either is less clean or less challenging. Max does four jumps, Josh does three, both do the 3A, Max tried a quad loop for fun. That's because part of the excitement that Max can build in an arena is created by the high-speed launch into the huge jumps, where Josh creates a quieter mood with other movement.

Imagine how boring it would be if exhibitions just became an extension of competitions, with skaters caring only about their technical content?

Besides, then you wouldn't get things like Plushenko's classic Assisai.

Alba · Jul 29, 2014

I don't like shows, at all, tbh. I loved Pro.competitions but that doesn't count as shows for me.
However, there are some exhibition programs which I like and I will go with clean programs.

Amei · Jul 29, 2014

It depends on the skater and the program really - some skaters are good at the artistry and drawing someone into the program even if it's not the most difficult exhibition programs as long as I'm walking away entertained I'm fine with it.

But like many others have said - if I was paying money to go see 'exhibition skates' and I was seeing a ton of doubles I might be a little annoyed.

Sam-Skwantch · Jul 29, 2014

Elena Radinova knows how to put on an exhibition. A perfect mix of tech and showmanship. So I'll answer the OP by saying anything she does is the correct way to do it. #WWED

Exhibition programs...Clean or Challenging which do you prefer?

Interspectator

satine

v Yuki Ishikawa v

Hanmgse

AsadaFanBoy

Sandpiper

kwanatic

Check out my YT channel, Bare Ice!

karne

in Emergency Backup Mode

arcticwolf

iluvtodd

GF2445

pandaatlarge

invisiblespiral

cooper

Krunchii

Interspectator

Interspectator

karne

in Emergency Backup Mode

Alba

Amei

Sam-Skwantch

“I solemnly swear I’m up to no good”

Similar threads

Connect with us