Is Clapping from the Audience Distracting?

viennaskater

Medalist

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Feb 18, 2014

• Dec 13, 2019

• #21

I usually only clap at the end. And I can understand audiences clapping to encourage a skater who is not doing well - it's their only way of conveying "come on, you can do it!"

But the clapping to the beat thing, I agree it's kind of stupid. Not sure if it really distracts a skater, though.

However, when a skater is really doing well, and the audience cheers, you can see that it spurs them on and they are feeding off the energy!

 

Ic3Rabbit

Former Elite, now Pro. ⛸️

Record Breaker

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Jan 9, 2017

Country

• Dec 13, 2019

• #22

CanadianSkaterGuy said:

Agreed. They clap at the wrong times and often off-beat. I’m sure elite skaters can tune it out but for me it’s distracting unless I’m really into a program and don’t care how the audience is reacting.

Click to expand...

We all can't tune it out, even as elite skaters.

 

J

JSM

On the Ice

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Dec 11, 2011

• Dec 13, 2019

• #23

Not an elite skater (I’ve skated for small audiences, maybe a few hundred tops), but I’m not a fan. My best performances I was “in the zone” and audience noise didn’t register. But a majority of the time I am not a fan. And the worst, to me, is the pity clap. I know some skaters appreciate the encouragement but I haaated getting the “oh, it’s your third fall, let’s cheer for you!” Clap. It just reminded me how awful I was doing!

 

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wintersmith

Rinkside

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Mar 2, 2018

• Dec 15, 2019

• #24

Nathan Chen said in an interview at the GPF that he liked that the audience was supportive (I'm assuming he means cheering and clapping) which helped boost him in the second half of the free. Maybe it's preferential, or maybe he's just being nice. :clapper:

 

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WeakAnkles

Record Breaker

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Aug 1, 2011

• Dec 15, 2019

• #25

Just convince Japanese audiences to turn pro, hire them, and voila! Problem solved!

:clapper:

 

Weathergal

Medalist

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May 25, 2014

• Dec 15, 2019

• #26

Randomfan, I don't think it's a dumb idea for a thread at all. In fact, it's something I've often wondered about. I appreciate reading everyone's responses, especially from those who've experienced it while skating.

 

R

randomfan

Record Breaker

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Aug 31, 2014

• Dec 15, 2019

• #27

WeakAnkles said:

Just convince Japanese audiences to turn pro, hire them, and voila! Problem solved!

:clapper:

Click to expand...

Hmmm, I don't know. As I mentioned in the OP, Japanese audiences tend to be more over-excited about clapping - which leads to possible distractions.

 

Beckaboomer

Final Flight

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Joined

Dec 2, 2018

• Dec 16, 2019

• #28

I can’t speak for skaters obviously, but I am a performer in musical theatre and let me tell you, the clapping after every song was so annoying & distracting. Sometimes the cast would miss cues or the audience couldn’t hear the lines due to clapping. So, I hate it.

I especially hate it during a skating performance because the majority of people do not have the musical or rhythmic sense to not make clapping sound very awkward.

Clapping/cheering for a jump, cool move or the end of a performance: good. Clapping “on the beat” during a performance: so horrendous I’ve often wished it would be banned.

 

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pandatours

On the Ice

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Feb 12, 2015

• Dec 16, 2019

• #29

When I finally went to a competition for the first time I was so in the moment I never clapped after jumps, during fast music, etc. It definitely contributes to a certain kind of atmosphere but IIRC the Canton ice dancers used to say they trained for distractions so I think if the skater is focused, they can get energy from the audience without being too distracted