It Takes Two - 2015

You may think I'm not a true Strictly fan if I admit I've only seen part of one ITT show and skipped the rest. I can catch up on training clips on the Strictly site and I'm finding that avoiding the rest allows me to just watch the show on merit and unaffected by opinionism. To be honest, I'd find being in the ITT live audience ( in the best Mr Darcy words) a punishment,I can well live without. Tolerable, I suppose, but not handsome enough to tempt me.

I rather enjoyed the panel this evening. They were all fans....Louis spoke from experience, Louise - who's done dance - gave good overviews, and Mel added humour!

As much as the siblings annoy me, the Clifton story was quite sweet.

Really not sure about all the extra dancers. Even Georgia seems to have them for her routine!

Tristan has to come back next year, if only for the craic.

Sid wrote:I rather enjoyed the panel this evening. They were all fans....Louis spoke from experience, Louise - who's done dance - gave good overviews, and Mel added humour!

As much as the siblings annoy me, the Clifton story was quite sweet.

Really not sure about all the extra dancers Even Georgia seems to have them for her routine!

Tristan has to come back next year, if only for the craic.

Very rare for us to disagree but I just didn't enjoy the panel or Louise -  I wanted to hear a lot more from Louis!
Also not sure about the extra dancers - sometimes it has worked in the past shows/dances and sometimes not - they seem to all have them this year - I suppose it does fill the big floor which some celebs always cope with better than others - but I think a VW is the perfect big dance to fill all of that floor - so agree about G eorgia.   I hope they are going to fade the extras into the background at some point in each routine as you need to be able to focus on the couple and the dances need to stand on their own in case they do them in the Final.

We are however at one S id about Tristan -   yes definitely!!! What a laugh!  He is a refreshing change from the new male p ros that have come on board this year!



H

Ref the dancers, it's the modern way, a neccesary evil. Got to compete with X Factor. Get a singer who isn't really that good, fill the stage with dancers, flashing lights and big noise. An acquaintance of mine went to see the London Philarmonic play. He is main comments were about the lighting effect. I felt like asking if the music was any good. Strictly is supposed to be about a competitor's learning and progress in dance. Surrounding them with other dancers is entertaining as a spectacle but shouldn't detract from them.

TANGOLERO wrote:Ref the dancers, it's the modern way, a neccesary evil. Got to compete with X Factor.  Get a singer who isn't really that good, fill the stage with dancers, flashing lights and big noise. An acquaintance of mine went to see the London Philarmonic play. He is main comments were about the lighting effect. I felt like asking if the music was any good. Strictly is supposed to be about a competitor's learning and progress in dance. Surrounding them with other dancers is entertaining as a spectacle but shouldn't detract from them.

Hear hear Mr T! They are increasingly obsessed with creating a big spectacle at every opportunity. I'd love them to strip away all the extraneous stuff and let us just enjoy pure dancing from each couple, and only that couple. It worked perfectly well in Blackpool during the pre-revamp years. Alas, I think they've gone so far down this road now that there's no turning back. Each year, every performance has to be seen as BIGGER. Who knows what sort of display they'll be putting on in 5 years time!

I don't mind for the end-of-series Showdance. But not before then. Save it, to retain impact and novelty value.

I'm still chuckling at Jamelia's air quotes. Zoe's face was a picture!

Thing is, if they were going on 'potential' then Jamelia should still have been saved because she'd actually improved (a fair bit), whereas Peter hadn't (in fact, that Jive was a big step backwards).

L.en did a good job tonight of trying to diffuse this week's row over the dance-off. I wouldn't be surprised if it all drops away now.

He probably did a good job of placating a lot of people - but not me lol I think the problem is, although there ended up only being 2 points between Peter and Jamelia going into the dance-off, I felt Peter's dance was over-marked to begin with (the 8s were baffling). So whilst L.en's "it was close" argument was supported by the scores, it didn't really wash with me. My eyes still say Jamelia danced her Quickstep a fair bit better than Peter danced his Jive (on both occasions) and the wrong person was voted out.

BUT that's the last I'll say on the matter!

Sid wrote:He probably did a good job of placating a lot of people - but not me lol I think the problem is, although there ended up only being 2 points between Peter and Jamelia going into the dance-off, I felt Peter's dance was over-marked to begin with (the 8s were baffling). So whilst L.en's "it was close" argument was supported by the scores, it didn't really wash with me. My eyes still say Jamelia danced her Quickstep a fair bit better than Peter danced his Jive (on both occasions) and the wrong person was voted out.

BUT that's the last I'll say on the matter!

Last word from me too - agree on all counts S id - I think that all this has ruffled feathers a bit at the beeb, if only to show them that people are not stupid and are quite knowledgeable in fact - I think they've pushed it as far as they dare now with the manipulation and if this fired a shot across their bows that we are not all idiots then something good has come out of all this- it will be especially good for the judges to have to justify their reasons for keeping their chosen person in the competition - I like and respect L en - but I think he was just wheeled out tonight to placate people and what he said was obviously well prepared beforehand - I would have much rather had C raig, B runo or D arcey on there being made to justify their decisions - even Z oe said that. As for L ens's comments that it is all just about personal taste - well of course that is always true with dancing and in any competition up to a point - but ballroom and latin dancing is not freestyle and each dance should be recognisable as to what it is and should be judged against the standards for that dance - if it is solely about personal taste then why have a panel of experts at all? - Anyone could judge it on their own personal taste.

I do think now however that if P eter ends up in the DO again at any point, he will be swiftly despatched.

I think L.en will always say "what's needed to placate viewers or the Beeb. He isn't daft enough to shoot the hand that feeds him money. L.en for me just coming across as more grumpy and distantancing himself from the commotion. The series he currently stars in with Ainsley (was Ainsley's deadline date given to judges so he could be free for this? Conspiracy re dates required leave by celebs still strong) he does come across as set in ways and this is what I enjoy. His face bless a picture in th mexican/thai restaurants however the Korean restaurant won him over.

ITT getting tired for me thrice weekly hour slots better. We need different formats for both shows.

I really enjoyed the interview with Jason Gilkerson on the programme tonight - it was very interesting.

Also interesting to note that all couples will stay on the floor for the whole of the Quickstepathon. Looking forward to the weekend as always

Does anyone know why tonight was KH's last night on the show for this year????
Zoe just slipped this in.
Just as things are starting to get interesting with the quarter and semi finals????

mauveangel09 wrote:Does anyone know why tonight was KH's last night on the show for this year????
Zoe just slipped this in.
Just as things are starting to get interesting with the quarter and semi finals????

Off on her travels apparently mauve. It is a shame as she's followed the couples with us through the series - want her there at the end to tie it all up.

Do we know if anyone else will be taking over Choreography Corner in the last couple of weeks? Natalie for example? Didn't she fill in for Karen earlier in the series?

Twirlie wrote:Do we know if anyone else will be taking over Choreography Corner in the last couple of weeks? Natalie for example? Didn't she fill in for Karen earlier in the series?

I expect someone will Twirlie (unless they bring back C.raig's segment where he reviews the dances - but I hope not).

Someone please tell A nita that doing illegal lifts is not 'taking a risk'  but a faux pas on the part of the pro which will lose you marks if done at t his stage of the contest!!!   Not at all sure about 'cell block Tango' for an AT?

A very telling interview with K evin I thought -  he was talking about the themes and the 'story telling' being the most important thing and how he wants to appeal to the viewers who just want to watch a show -    (there are some dance fans out there K evin dear!).   I suppose as annoying as his choreography is, the formula has got him to two finals and he has got this far in the current series - however, he has also been very lucky with his p artners, who have been able to articulate all his themes - we have yet to see how he would cope with a partner of lesser ability. He actually seemed more grown up in the first series with Suzanna Reid.  I thought the partnership with F rankie was great - they complemented each other, but this year.................. too over the top and stage school.

I think Kevin's story-telling approach was new and fun with Suzanna and their enthusiasm infectious. But I notice more people saying they're a bit jaded with it now, that the routines have started to look samey. I myself have reached Peak Clifton! I think he'd just do more of the same with someone of lesser ability - just with even more story and fewer + poorer steps.

Helen seems to be pulling Emma Bunton Paso faces

Sid wrote:I think Kevin's story-telling approach was new and fun with Suzanna and their enthusiasm infectious. But I notice more people saying they're a bit jaded with it now, that the routines have started to look samey. I myself have reached Peak Clifton! I think he'd just do more of the same with someone of lesser ability - just with even more story and fewer + poorer steps.

Helen seems to be pulling Emma Bunton Paso faces

Respectfully and with no insult meant, Helen has the least likely paso face since Stan Laurel did The Bullfighters, and that was in 1945.... (Go to 52 mins in......)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzC3f_vHtF0

I see your point Mr D!

TANGOLERO wrote:

Respectfully and with no insult meant, Helen has the least likely paso face since Stan Laurel did The Bullfighters, and that was in 1945.... (Go to 52 mins in......)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzC3f_vHtF0

How lovely to see Darren and Lilia on ITT. Both looking really well and with a little bambino too, bless!

fiftynotout wrote:How lovely to see Darren and Lilia on ITT.  Both looking really well and with a little bambino too, bless!

The good old days!

I know the guy who was on the journo panel (I thought they were quite good btw, especially Nina) - he's a Twitter friend

Hi all
At last I'm back to posting on a pc instead of a phone!! However, I've had to buy a new pc - mine died Just what you want at this time of the year!!!

I too really enjoyed seeing Darren and Lilia on ITT last night and enjoyed the journos. Good show tonight too - with Ian stepping into KH's shoes - liked what I heard with some of the music tracks too - I'm sure it will be a hundred times better than last week's show and I am really looking forward to the couples doing 2 dances each - with no extras on the stage!!! I enjoyed J ay and A liona tonight - whilst I don't get him on the dance floor and never will (as has been discussed before) I've sort of resigned myself to the fact that he will be in the final, if not the winner and I have re-watched the rumba again and he did pretty damn well but I agreed with Ian Waite - it was not a '10' performance for me and wasn't one of the memorable routines of the series, despite the high marks, but perhaps it was partly because I had never the seen the musical and didn't know the characters. Off the floor I think he is a laugh and I think his relationship with A liona has settled down a bit now - she has obviously accepted that he is not lusting after her and they seem to have more of a brother/sister relationship than what she had with her other younger partners - but at least the awkwardness seems to have gone.

I do giggle at the bit where Jay facepalmed himself though - and that's the bit of his Rhumba they give replaying! He's fine on ITT, very engaging. But as soon as he dances I...disengage.