SCD 2019 Weekly Dance & Music Choices

I may be away for the first show so just making the slot early. Hopefully I'll be able to post the list before I go

Two confirmed first dances from the BBC site
Catherine - V. Waltz
Anneka - Cha-Cha-Cha

Other suggestions via DS:
Saffron - Tango (from her vlog page)

Will - Quickstep (clip from The Professionals programme)

Alex - Quickstep

Mike - Jive (clip from the Professionals programme)

Emma B - ?Jive

Emma W - Cha-Cha-Cha

Kelvin - Cha-Cha-Cha

Karim - Cha-Cha-Cha

No doubt the first dances will be confirmed by the Beeb site early next week alongside the music choices.

Here we go for the new 2019 Series.

Week 1 Music and Dance Choices via the BBC site.


Anneka and Kevin: Cha Cha Cha to Gloria by Laura Branigan
https://youtu.be/355Fk8drgZE

Emma W. and Aljaž: Cha Cha Cha to She's a Lady by Tom Jones
https://youtu.be/V43fGInXiLE

Michelle and Giovanni: Cha Cha Cha to So Emotional by Whitney Houston
https://youtu.be/0YjSHbA6HQQ

Karim and Amy: Cha Cha Cha to If I Can't Have You by Shawn Mendes
https://youtu.be/oTJ-oqwxdZY

Chris and Karen: Cha Cha Cha to Juice by Lizzo
https://youtu.be/XaCrQL_8eMY

Emma and An ton: Jive to Honey Honey by ABBA
https://youtu.be/7j6OI9TxqzI

Mike and Katya: Jive to Do You Love Me by The Contours
https://youtu.be/3EoI-6lQFIE

Kelvin and Oti: Samba to La Vida Es Un Carnaval by Celia Cruz
https://youtu.be/0nBFWzpWXuM

Catherine and Johannes: Viennese Waltz to I Got You Babe by Sonny and Cher
https://youtu.be/BERd61bDY7k

David and Nadiya: Foxtrot to Three Lions by Baddiel, Skinner and Lightning Seeds
https://youtu.be/RJqimlFcJsM

Dev and Dianne: Foxtrot to Build Me Up Buttercup by The Foundations
https://youtu.be/NXRs0coMSbU

Alex and Neil: Quickstep to I Get a Kick Out of You by Frank Sinatra
https://youtu.be/0IXFmv5uaPw

Will and Janette: Quickstep to Pencil Full of Lead by Paolo Nutini
https://youtu.be/s-xd3NuWQI0

James and Luba: Tango to Gold by Spandau Ballet
https://youtu.be/ntG50eXbBtc

Saffron and AJ: Tango to Lips Are Moving by Meghan Trainor
https://youtu.be/qDc_5zpBj7s

Cheers B4P.

Some interesting ones there. Not sure if Emma and An ton's Honey Honey has the necessary upbeat tempo for a Jive though. David and Nadiya's Three Lions is unimaginitive and hope it isn't setting the tone for his set of dances. That aside a lot to look forward to and thanks for posting B4P.

Pick of the bunch for me:

Kelvin and Oti: Samba to La Vida Es Un Carnaval by Celia Cruz
https://youtu.be/0nBFWzpWXuM

Dev and Dianne: Foxtrot to Build Me Up Buttercup by The Foundations
https://youtu.be/NXRs0coMSbU

Alex and Neil: Quickstep to I Get a Kick Out of You by Frank Sinatra
https://youtu.be/0IXFmv5uaPw

Emma W. and Aljaž: Cha Cha Cha to She's a Lady by Tom Jones
https://youtu.be/V43fGInXiLE

I'll only rant if I get on about tangos and paso-dobles and things.....

CaledonianCraig wrote:Cheers B4P.

Some interesting ones there. Not sure if Emma and An ton's Honey Honey has the necessary upbeat tempo for a Jive though. David and Nadiya's Three Lions is unimaginitive and hope it isn't setting the tone for his set of dances. That aside a lot to look forward to and thanks for posting B4P.

You're welcome CC. I thought the same about the ABBA jive, I guess the band will speed it up a bit, but the song didn't immediately scream Cha-Cha-Cha when I heard it. I don 't even know what 'Football's coming home' means. Weren't the Aztecs kicking heads around whilst we were still hollowing out caves? I guess I'll just hit the mute button for that one and try and watch the footwork (camera permitting).

I think Oti's got a good Samba song and her tactics honed. Get one hard dance out of the way before the real voting starts.

Love 'Pencil full of lead' so look forward to that as a Quickstep. Janette's done a few nice quicksteps in previous years. Again, probably a good tactical move.

I think the contrast between the 2 Jives will be interesting. I think Katya's will be the bonkers version, and Emma's the more stately one. An tons done a few nice Cha-Cha routines before with his previous contestants.

'Emotional' by Whitney also sounds sedate for a Cha-Cha, but then isn't it her theme tune from her US Programme? The usual case of 'fit the steps to a song title' rather than any particular rhythm?

I like the rhythm of 'I got you babe' for the V.Waltz. Looking forward to seeing Johannes's choreography.

Another 'Honey, Honey' Jive

https://youtu.be/Ce8widBVUq0

Another observation - boy is James Cracknell going to struggle with a Tango.

It would be too exhausting to properly give my thoughts and comments on the music choices, so I will desist and merely say the majoity of them are misguided.

What I am intrigued about is the spread of dances:

Many, many (five?) Cha x 3
Two or three jives (which is at least two too many)
A couple of Foxtrots (yum)
And then just one of everything else (I think - the post isn't showing as I type this, and I forgot to memorise it before posting).

Why so many cha x 3s? If you have five of those, why not have five of two other dances, so the spread is even and there is a reasonable chance of comparison? Or why not have three of five different dances? Or two of each and one left over... It all seems very haphazard and ill thought out.

I really need to get to Strictly Towers and do some jolly good organising and sorting out - they are clearly just letting the interns quite literally run the show...

*Heavy sigh*

Self importance isn't a required qualification for running or producing/directing T.V shows. Unfortunately, all too often it usually is.

Back in the olden days didn’t they do either cha cha or waltz? Certainly no jives early on. I want to be able to compare . I suppose they think the audience would be bored and to be fair the early series had far fewer couples. However there was far less faffing and smoke and mirrors. Rewatched Ramps and Karen’s AT recently and there was a lot of drama in him settling into position and then the dance starting. Must have my Grumpy Old Woman head on today!

Moova 12 wrote:Back in the olden days didn’t they do either cha cha or waltz? Certainly no jives early on. I want to be able to compare . I suppose they think the audience would be bored and to be fair the early series had far fewer couples. However there was far less faffing and smoke and mirrors. Rewatched Ramps and Karen’s AT recently and there was a lot of drama in him settling into position and then the dance starting. Must have my Grumpy Old Woman head on today!

Yes Moova, back in the olden days they all did either the same latin or the same ballroom and then swapped the following week, hence nobosy going out in the first week until they had all done both styles of dancing (I can't remember if it was the waltz and the cha x3 or something else, but those two would make sense). As you say, it gives a direct comparison. They haven't done that for a number of years now, but the spread of dances is usually more even, ie 2 or three of each chosen dance, not five of one, three of another, two of another and only one of something else...

I am definitely wearing my bemused and irritated tiara today...

They do still more or less do one ballroom and one latin in the first two weeks but sometimes it doesn't always happen and I've never been able to work out the fairness of that I'm also very much in the camp of holding back on certain dances until a bit later in the series so that the celebs can put on a more skilled performance and it is more entertaining for us. I really dislike it for example when the throw in an early American Smooth with a selection of steps that don't conform to any known ballroom dance and a few or one lumbering lift...…. However, I think B4P has a good point with the fact that sometimes it pays to get a difficult dance done on the first week before the voting on the second week. Good call Oti.

I think the music collection is the predictable 'stretch out the stereotypical tenuous links to the celeb' fayre that we seem to get nowadays. I like the samba music and I love the Sinatra choice - that should make for a classic dance. Also love 'Pencil full of Lead' - I know its a bit of a SCD staple and I have really enjoyed the Charlestons that have been done to it but it also works for the Quickstep and hopefully will be a good first week choice for Janette. I'm really looking forward to seeing aTango done to 'Gold' - great choice!! Can't say the same for 'Pick me up Buttercup' - another SCD staple and used for a variety of dances over the years including Gloria Hunniford and Darren Bennett (a Jive I think) - it hasn't been a particularly lucky track for those that have danced to it......but that doesn't count tonight.

As for 'Three Lions on the Shirt' - Foxtrot? OMG!!! I suppose it could have crowd appeal but something tells me these two aren't going to be around for long so I suppose let them enjoy their moment.

mauveangel09 wrote:

As for 'Three Lions on the Shirt' -   Foxtrot?  OMG!!!   I suppose it could have crowd appeal but something tells me these two aren't going to be around for long so I suppose let them enjoy their moment.

I know I'm an old-fashioned traditionalist (the best part about that is that no one can take the memories away), but I just shook my head at the thought. A Foxtrot is a Foxtrot, a la Harry Fox and gents in tie and tails with cuff-links and white ties and women in posh frocks and silver shoes and stuff---ah, okay I won't insist on tailcoats)and the Victor Sylvester orchestra playing Mr Sandman etc....Oh, wake up man, it's 2019.....

I love football as much as the next fan, but there are limits and I think that reached them.....

Week 2


Michelle and Giovanni: Viennese Waltz to That's Amore by Dean Martin
https://youtu.be/OnFlx2Lnr9Q

Anneka and Kevin: Waltz to Run to You by Whitney Houston
https://youtu.be/h9rCobRl-ng

Kelvin and Oti: Waltz to What the World Needs Now by Burt Bacharach
https://youtu.be/lSBrn6wTZSA

Emma B and An ton: Foxtrot to Sunshine of Your Love by Ella Fitzgerald, Ernie Heckscher Big Band and Tommy Flanagan
https://youtu.be/RV4bZDkh7RI

Karim and Amy: Foxtrot to The Way You Look Tonight by Frank Sinatra
https://youtu.be/h9ZGKALMMuc

Mike and Katya: American Smooth to Rhinestone Cowboy by Glen Campbell
https://youtu.be/8kAU3B9Pi_U

Emma W and Aljaž: Tango to Sucker by Jonas Brothers
https://youtu.be/CnAmeh0-E-U

David and Nadiya: Paso Doble to España cañí
https://youtu.be/vrbkcUdDSyQ

Alex and Neil: Cha Cha to What I Did For Love by David Guetta feat. Emeli Sande
https://youtu.be/Yt_myLDSdsY

Saffron and AJ: Cha Cha to One Touch by Jess Glynne and Jax Jones
https://youtu.be/Xb8F5prMjnA

Dev and Dianne: Jive to Dance With Me Tonight by Olly Murs
https://youtu.be/F3EG4olrFjY

James and Luba: Jive to Tutti Frutti by Little Richard
https://youtu.be/C_C9q4tuwXI

Will and Janette: Salsa to 1-2-3 by Gloria Estefan
https://youtu.be/T4IWlFutwXo

Catherine and Johannes: Samba to Let the Groove Get In by Justin Timberlake
https://youtu.be/KHsrWuYomiI

Chris and Karen: Charleston to Out of Our Heads by Take That
https://youtu.be/Edffdw0sCm4

First thoughts:

Alex - I can't hear much of a Cha-Cha rhythm in the David Guetta/Emelie Sande track, but maybe the song is just too fast and techno for me.

Catherine - I think the Justin Timberlake track could work, but it's repetetive, and is already starting to get on my nerves.

Anneka should be safe in ballroom hold.

Hope I'm wrong but I think James may be toast with a Jive.

Looking forward to seeing Emma W & Alijaz Tango

Lots to like on the list, especially the ballroom choices. It'll be interesting to see how the male contestant's get on leading the pro dancers

I think Gio and Oti have got good tunes again

This is the original version that Timberlake reworked for his song. I think I prefer it. It reminds me a bit of Oti and Danny Mac's Samba music

Alhamdulillahi from Explorer Series: Africa-Burkina Fasso - Rhythms of the Grasslands
https://youtu.be/R6JIjveTgCY

Lot of decent stuff here for a change. Espana' Cani is pure Paso and anything by Dean Martin is danceland.
Hope they dig out Evening in Roma, Inamorata and Return to Me before the series ends. Prefer the Rage version of Run to You. Ella, Sinatra and Little Richard in there too; bring it on...

I'm going to be contraversial here, but the song that sticks out as really not going to work for the dance they have chosen it for is the Ella song. I ADORE Ella and there are so very, very many of her songs which would be sublime for a Foxtrot - but this one a) hardly even sounds like her except here and there when her gorgeous caramel tones ooze through the otherwise harsher vocals and b) is quite rocky/bluesy rather than jazzy, and I always think of a jazzy or big band song for a Foxtrot.

Of the rest, I agree the Emilie Sande wrong doesn't quite fit - but I found it too slow rather than too fast for a cha x3!

I don't know the Whitney version of Run to You - all I can hear in my head is the Bryan Adams song of the same name, and that doesn't work for a waltz...

And Rhinestone Cowboy for an AS? NO! Just no.

I am most looking forward to Dev's Jive as I think the Olly Murs song fits the bill and that Dev will be light, twinkly and bouncy.

Karim and Amy have also got a good song, but I wonder how controlled Karim can be in hold.

Kelvin and Oti have a proper Waltzy song BUT it's horribly saccherine and I can't abide it - makes my teeth hurt just thinking about it...

diamondsandpearls wrote:I'm going to be contraversial here, but the song that sticks out as really not going to work for the dance they have chosen it for is the Ella song. I ADORE Ella and there are so very, very many of her songs which would be sublime for a Foxtrot - but this one a) hardly even sounds like her except here and there when her gorgeous caramel tones ooze through the otherwise harsher vocals and b) is quite rocky/bluesy rather than jazzy, and I always think of a jazzy or big band song for a Foxtrot.

I agree. I always think of Ella as a jazz singer and I didn't recognise her voice on this. 'Sunshine' is a classic blues number by Cream. For me, cover versions have to add something extra, a different angle, or something special. I don't really like this version.

Ah, Ella, all time queen of song ( along with Sissel Kyrkjebø of course) . I don't even fool myself into thinking yesterday will ever come back in ballroom other than dance school classes. Tradition, old values and respect are gone like 78 rpm wax records. I really do have an amazing collection of music of every genre, including six video cassette's sent to me -  when he was alive and still teaching flamenco - by Teo Morca an American born  Hungarian master dancer who once partnered Carmen Amaya all over the globe. I still cherish his letter because although we never met he sort of adopted me when I ran an internet flamenco dance site for about 8 years where we exchanged many correspondences, and also sent me two of his books. A lovely man,now sadly deceased, whose wife Isobel died in his arms on the dance floor. R.I.P.

I have a very decent flamenco collection besides all the big band stuff and ballroom. When I go, it will most likely go in the bins as none of my family dance or share my tastes. Que Sera....

Anyway, this weeks choices are a little better than usual, so on with the motley...

Some very good musical choices there. I agree though that Rhinestone Cowboy for an American Smooth - eh...no.

Also cannot see James Cracknell surviving with a Jive to do.

Another odd musical choice is Chris Ramsay doing a Charleston to a Take That number.

CaledonianCraig wrote:Some very good musical choices there. I agree though that Rhinestone Cowboy for an American Smooth - eh...no.

Also cannot see James Cracknell surviving with a Jive to do.

Another odd musical choice is Chris Ramsay doing a Charleston to a Take That number.

If you are an inveterate dancer-around-the-kitchen you will know that whenever this song comes on you end up to some very charlestonesque moves. without even thinking what you are doing... (Trust me!)

diamondsandpearls wrote:

If you are an inveterate dancer-around-the-kitchen you will know that whenever this song comes on you end up to some very charlestonesque moves. without even thinking what you are doing... (Trust me!)

Apologies. It may be that Charleston-type music is not what I associate with Take That. Hopefully, it works out for them at the weekend.