Why do figure skaters perform to such horrible music?

Question

Let me be more specific,
Why don't figure skaters perform to music with lyrics? Why always instrumental material?

Answer 1

In eligible competitive skating lyrics are not allowed except for icedance (Must have changed the rule for them about five years ago), so that leaves basically classic, jazz, soundtracks and some weird modern music.
But back to your original question: You should realize that everyone has a different opinion when it comes to music. My guess is that you don`t particulary like classical music, but unless most stuff written/performed during the past thirty years, it has survived for a long time, even centuries, and people still enjoy listening to it. When I started watching skating I was 15 or 16 years old and of course mostly into pop and rock, but while watching all the beautiful programs, I soon figured out that there is so much more to discover in the musical world. Now I own about 600 CDs and while most still is pop music, skating inspired me to buy music I would have never listened to without being so much in love with the sport.
The skaters themselves of course also watch the competitions and shows and I`m sure that many get their ideas for new routines and music while watching their idols (or even rivals). But I would agree with everyone who says that some music (Carmen, The Feeling begins, Phantom of the Opera and many more) are overused, because you just hear it several times a season - no original choise!

Answer 2

The reason that skaters perform to instrumental music is because it is one of the rules to perform to now lyrics song for the freeskate program but it is different when they perform they can choose any music they perfer and it is there chose. Figure skaters HAVE to skate to instrumental music or else if they don't for there freeskate program they would be disqualified.

Answer 3

The rules say that you aren't allowed to have lyrics in your music. Everybody has different taste in their music, and most of us figure skaters enjoy instrumental music! For shows and exhibitions you are typically allowed to have lyrics, but for competition no lyrics are allowed.

Answer 4

I'm not a big figure skating fan, but even though it's been over 20 years, I still remembered Torvill and Dean magnificent performance to Ravel' s Bolero, which earned them the perfect score at the 1984 Olympics. It was truly magic.

Answer 5

Judges don't like lyrics unless its an artistic program. I mean really, you can't find much good lyrical music and nobody wants to listen to you skate to fall out boy (if thats the kind of music you mean) or some popular group. That's what happened to our skating club's last basic skills comp. Some teenage girl decided to skate to fall out boy and it was untasteful and had no beat. Everyone hated it.

Answer 6

We can't preform to music with lyrics because for some strange reasons it is not allowed in most programs. In a show when you are not competing then you may have music. And most coaches won't allow people who are still allowed to skate to music with lyrics, to skate to music with lyrics. I know my coach doesn't.

Answer 7

Most music is not well suited to accommodate all the elements and tempos and length required. That leaves just a limited selection of well known music.

Answer 8

generally, the exhibition is when the skaters skate to music with lyrics.

as some others have said, it also isn't allowed in some competitions.

Answer 9

some judges and some compettions don't let skaters perform with lyrics, and some ppl perfer no lyrics at all.
it is all up to the head of the judges.

Answer 10

well I like instrumental.

and at my rink, most of the girls who do lyrics skate to like Hannah Montans or High School Musical. blah.

judges are more likely to like instrumental, too.