For those of you skaters or skating fans who haven't noticed the
controversy in the Facebook group "Save HOI" - I'm about to wade in.
The controversy stems from a few posters who feel the latest versions
of Holiday On Ice have lost the glamour and spectacle of the past. They
point to a kick line of only eleven skaters, in the latest show
Believe, and think the show can't be any good.
It's true that the days of 28 chorus girls wearing hats or wigs with gloves and jewelry in e
very
number are gone and not coming back. Too expensive. There's a lot of
concern there aren't enough skaters on the ice. Indeed, I called the
decision to add dancers to the show "Speed" a bad idea, because I felt
the skaters could the dancing if necessary, but be on the ice most of
the time. But I didn't realize at the time, that dancers are cheaper,
so the idea to add them may have been right for the time.
The reality is HOI, which used to play five divisions, almost year
round is down to one division (and the addition of Ice Age for the
kids). Up through the 90s, the shows would stay in towns like Paris for
four weeks, Rio for six, but now the show run is three or four months
in total staying four days in most cities. There are too many other
entertainment options competing with ticket sales.
Having seen
two of the most recent HOI productions, Speed and Platinum, I can tell
you what they don't have in the number of bodies on the ice, they make
up for in skating. As in they skated their a$$es off. The lights,
props and special effects added a depth and "wow" the older shows
couldn't.
So what it comes down to is this is not your
grandmother's show anymore. It's a sign of the times of a leaner show
that looks like a park show in a big arena. But as one poster on "Save
HOI" said "I for one am grateful there are still shows." Me too.
What was most troubling for me looking, around at the venue of the
Platinum show, was the majority of grey hair in the audience. That's
the part of "Save HOI" I think we need to work on.
Any thoughts out there?
