Should a purely artistic program be added to singles events?

[Frau Muller]

Thanks, all. And here is Dan Weiss (W.Ger.) in his FS at Skate Canada 1989. This was in the regular Men's event but he had won the earlier Artistic event at the same competition. This is an all-time CLASSIC in my book. Enjoy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1N88Rc0GRns

[aliceanne]

I too, would like to see a separate discipline for show skating, but I don't think the ISU is the place (too rule bound and political). I think this is something that has to evolve out of recreational skating (like the style skating competitions in roller skating).

I believe It would take a major change in philosophy to make such an event work for the ISU.

However, there have been US Figure Skating Showcase Events in the US for 37 years. The concept was introduce by the Los Angeles Figure Skating club in 1970 and called “Showcase for Skaters”.

In 2004 the event became a national event. The categories are set under the basic classification of: Light Entertainment, Dramatic Entertainment, and Extemporaneous. Further definitions of categories are by US Figure Skating Free Skating test levels and age.

The 2011 National Showcase was held in Cleveland, Ohio with almost 500 starts. Skater may enter more than one category.

I was pleased to be one of the officials[/QUOTE]

I would like to see it. I know ISI has artistic competitions as well, but they are never in my area. I'll have to make plans to travel to some of these competitions in the future. Most of the coaches in my area focus on competitive skating, and as a skater sometimes I just get bored with it.

[Elise]

Would it be something like the "Showcase" competition we have here in the US?
I like the idea of creating one, not the idea of including those numbers to single events. I like the theatrical side of it and the facts that it gives a bigger place to creativity and originality than normal skating.
Just adding: I think the "light" numbers in the showcase are way more interesting than the dramatic ones...

[sequinsgalore]

Was wondering:
At the 2009 Chinese Figure Skating Championship the single skaters also performed a 3:30 minute long interpretive program (vocals permitted), which was judged as part of the competition (total score=in+sp+lp).

They did hard jumps though, so it was not a pure artistic program - more like a medium program. Does anyone know why the comp was held this way? The skaters had to choreograph a new program, which they couldn't use anywhere else. Does that not seem like a lot of hassle?

[Vash01]

There are ballroom dancing competitions. They have rules and some subjectivity. Those have worked out well AFAIK, so I don't see why it cannot work for FS. However, I can see why this cannot be a part of the Olympics. It's not exactly a sport. However, it could be included in the world figure skating championships.

[Morry Stillwell]

Would it be something like the "Showcase" competition we have here in the US?
I like the idea of creating one, not the idea of including those numbers to single events. I like the theatrical side of it and the facts that it gives a bigger place to creativity and originality than normal skating.
Just adding: I think the "light" numbers in the showcase are way more interesting than the dramatic ones...