Strictly 17 A little bit of Honesty

Caledonia the fabu-u-lus darling one as requested new thread for this year's A little bit of Honesty!

Posted Mr D's marvellous Monster Rant here

.... Monster Rant coming up...  

Probably better to get this off my chest before the show proper starts and then stick to honest comments, right or wrong. Tickets will be on sale soon to lock me in the stocks, take turns to shower me with fake tan, cover me in glitter and bombard me with curly salmon paste sandwiches and soggy doughnuts while the band play rap music.  (All ticket profits to the Bubble Bath Company to buy the producers new Bentleys) Ahem.....  

So....I'll watch Strictly this year as I always have and like so many of you, because I love dance, and dance we'll get as the pros are so multi dance talented. It's what the show has become in the T.V moguls pursuit of ratings and He is. And we obey him. that's my problem. Quality will always be regarded as secondary to quantity in ratings wars; that I think is an indisputable fact. What bugs me (personally) is that it seems we have lost all the maturity 11/12 ? series of the show should have evolved it into and turned it into a farce (sorry). 

Family entertainment matters, of course it does, and Strictly is that without doubt. Unfortunately all the gee-gaws associated with that are overcoming the show's stated purpose; that of a Ballroom and Latin dance show. ( Well, that's how it started out to leave the hole in our lives left by Come Dancing ) That didn't last too long as soon as the kiddie-poppers took over and started demanding all things bright and beautiful and a fit for eight year olds "entertainment/pantomime" show. ( This is our Saturday Evening stay-at-home viewing choice, is it not?)  All very well, but I got the distinct feeling (growing yearly) that all the sad gimmicky weekly videos of "the short trip to Dusseldorf" soft and idiotic trips on ghost trains and contestants (and pros) behaving like combinbations of school picnics and prom nights, that are put together by past members of Blue Peter, Grange Hill, Muffin the Mule, Thunderbirds and Pippy Longstockings. 

Is the era of ballroom actually nearing its end? ( Our local Palais was finally demolished this week ( seriously) despite petitions, pleas and prayers from those who remembered its glory days, mainly because most of the town councillors, property-developers and demolition contractors have never been in a ballroom in their lives (In truth, outside of dance schools, how many actual ballrooms are left?) and it was just an old building getting in the way of progress for such wonders as hotels, student residences and eateries.  

I digress....Halloween..xxsake? Why do we need childish ghost stories and what has it all to do with music and dance? I really feel that gimmicks, and the queens of such that present the show,( smashing a watch with a hammer?? Come on)  have made it all as sensible as  certain  other T.V offerings that make me wonder just how much more our intelligence can be insulted...? Put a late night dance show on please, producers, even if it means missing a third repeat of Eastenders or something. Do that and I'll miss out on Strictly in favour of a decent D.V.D.

Okat, rant over and sorry if I spoiled any egg and bacon breakfasts.I'm actually, quite a mild quiet sort of bloke who, in addition to being a life-time dance lovers,draws and paints, runs a.dmin on a football supporters website, reads Jane Austen, walks our Shih-tzu  and has two great grandchildren. ..

I wonder if Shirley might have any influence with the powers that be? Maybe one of the reasons she got the job is that as well as her indisputable dance experince and credentials, maybe's she's also vigorous enough to be a 'sweeper' and could help start to steer the ship away from the rocks. Perhaps some of the presenters and judges have got a bit too comfortable with the current format and script writers over the 'greasy pole' years or is it that they really don't have any input?

B4p I think you could have a point... Shirley m8ght after this series shake a few feathers in the production team.Possibly during the show might keep some of the pro dancers on their toes re choreography and basic,basic steps for their partners to master. I also hope Shirley may comment on some of the God awful dire music choices that accompany certain dances.

Doh forgot add C.raig dot in re Caledonia C.raig lol.... reason why fabulous darling one popped up

Not sure why we need another 'Honesty' thread as we usually just keep going from the previous year?

Anyway, have re-posted my monster post that links with Mr Ts 'monster rant'

TANGOLERO wrote:

 All very well, but I got the distinct feeling (growing yearly) that all the sad gimmicky weekly videos of "the short trip to Dusseldorf" soft and idiotic trips on ghost trains and contestants (and pros) behaving like combinbations of school picnics and prom nights, that are put together by past members of Blue Peter, Grange Hill, Muffin the Mule, Thunderbirds and Pippy Longstockings.

Is the era of ballroom actually nearing its end? ( Our local Palais was finally demolished this week ( seriously) despite petitions, pleas and prayers from those who remembered its glory days, mainly because most of the town councillors, property-developers and demolition contractors have never been in a ballroom in their lives (In truth, outside of dance schools, how many actual ballrooms are left?) and it was just an old building getting in the way of progress for such wonders as hotels, student residences and eateries.  END OF QUOTE
...

ok - so we're all agreed that the C laudia slapstick/'jokes' are awful and unbecoming  - someone has said that she is a great ad-libber and they should just let her be herself.......... Sounds familiar? lest we forget that they did the same to B rucie - made him use the autocue with manufactured lines and ending up crucifying him - wonder what the C laudia thing might do to the ratings this year as it is becoming more and more pronounced and embarrassing - as someone (apologies for not remembering who) has said - what kind of salary are they paying people to come up with this sort of drivel.............shades of W1A  (which incidentally starts a new series next week)   I know that W1A is supposed to be a parody but makes me wonder if it is that far from the truth????   I even saw C laudia in a trailer........watch it if you have never seen it....................   anyway I am completely digressing into another thread.................

Mr T -   I love your rants!!!!!   I have quoted the part that I totally agree with - I have always watched SCD live as I think you can't beat watching the 'real thing' - but more and more last year I found myself recording it and watching on delay as it meant I could fast forward all the inane bits - and I know a lot of you do the same thing.

I'm  saddened by the fact that your local palais closed -  I feel that every town in Britain is now becoming a clone of everywhere else - with the overpriced flats in the town centre that everyone wonders who lives in them? the requisite chain stores and requisite chain restaurants. Our town centre is going through a 're-generation' and being branded as more of a night time place with more restaurants than you can shake a stick at -  our lovely friendly and individual noodle house sold out to a  'well known' noodle chain - I think it is the same whether you go north, south, east and west in the UK -  and I agree many places are being cleaned up and made a lot more pleasant to be in, but sometimes - as with your Palais - they lose places that are part of their soul and I think this is a big debate in its own right...............................   (weren't Wetherspoons even interested??)  

So to get back to dance - Mr T   I want to try to give you some hope -   you ask if the age of ballroom is dead?  I don't think so.   It is alive and kicking in South East London - ok I suppose we have always been a bit of a hot bed but there are at least four Schools in my area who are doing really well.  When I was on holiday at the Hungarian Grand Prix I had the pleasure of meeting a young man of 17 who was with his parents who lives around here and is very much into both motorsport and ballroom/latin  (my kind of kid!)  he does competitions at Blackpool etc and goes to a flourishing dance school which caters for all ages.  In addition,  Classes such as Fitsteps are out there which use ballroom and latin rhythms and our favourite SCD past stars have all got their shows which I think are well patronised.

As for the modern SCD -  I still fly the flag that good dance wins through and the original heart of the show is still in  there somewhere - Ed B alls being a case in point, someone who was pegged as the buffoon but who actually learned and stayed in.    I don't particularly like the early weeks because it is all about effect - and jostling for position/fanbase etc - I like it once it settles down.   We are a bit stuck with the 'burn the floor 'crowd - but Ore and Joanne won last year on doing a lot of classics -  'Singing in the rain' and their fantastic classic showdance which beat Oti and Danny with their annoyingly non-technical dramatic stuff and Kevin and his pretensions to contemporary dance which never seem to really work out -   I've probably offended a lot of people - but my point is that the classic SCD stuff won out and usually does!!!!

New judge 'Sharlene' - seems to be making the right noises about technical ability and footwork - so please take heart Mr T -  fast forward over the **** and keep ranting        



 

When Shirls came out with that line about liking things that are outside the box I had an image of L.en rocking back n forth in his armchair muttering lol

I don't mind creativity as long as the basics are covered and apparent in the routines.

Hi Mauve

Caledonia C.raig asked if could have a Strictly 17 thread so thought why not. ..
saves I guess scrolling through posts ....

I see already we have a "love getting closer, bonding story re celeb and pro dancer... Both single so no SCD curse?
I also never knew Kristina had an affair with Shirley s husband at the time! Does this make Kristina a serial man-is er re her relationships with contestants?

I also forgot to say about launch night how Long are the new girls hair extensions! a quick swirl and a flick of hair whip across face! I am thinking also how long before the spray tans start with the celebs? Do they go a darker orange colour as they. J,our ney thru the weeks?

saxonsiren wrote:

I see already we have a "love getting closer, bonding story re celeb and pro dancer... Both single so no SCD curse?
I also never knew Kristina had an affair with Shirley s husband at the time! Does this make Kristina a serial man-is er re her relationships with contestants

Yikes!!! Wouldn't it have been embarrassing if K ristina was still on the show???

Do tell more about this and who is the celeb and pro dancer who are already getting close??

Sid wrote:When Shirls came out with that line about liking things that are outside the box I had an image of L.en rocking back n forth in his armchair muttering lol

I don't mind creativity as long as the basics are covered and apparent in the routines.

I had a very similar image floating past my eyes Sid!

And I agree about creativity being kept in check by basics and technique. I have been spending some time whiling away the countdown to this year's Strictly with watching youTube vids of past Strictly glories and Dancing With the Stars turns. The DWTS routines are a) shorter and b) lacking in substance. Showy yes, creative yes, but often not more than a few seconds of the actual dance they are meant to be doing. I actually find them less entertaining than the out Strictly routines which have (so far - thanks largely to L en) paid much more than a passing nod to the dance in question.

Though I dislike Joanne as a personality, as a choreographer she achieves the right balance of innovative yet substantive - all the basics are there and technique is ensured. The British public like this. It is mainly why Ore won last season - his final dances were well-executed for sure, but it was the choreography that swung it.

The produces would do well to take note. (Obvs they won't. No matter how many times I keep firing them....)

Thou not a pair on the show Gemma & Gorka! According to The Sun and fb Strictly Spoiler group....

https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.list.co.uk%2Farticle%2F95445-gemma-atkinson-bonds-with-gorka-marquez%2F&h=ATPUPuitEN2XpPyXXw31Gne3UqKu3mdRk6MJFjeKWY6ubFdZx1_odx8-SLX4s4lf93j3LEWpbJ6c9FEsmn_Ty_er5MrH7hhRYNl0zQ7o3Gxs4f7krCMZFPzRZ4_jzMCmD_R9o25sxng_x0xxihZfoak4pt0ZBaEV1Aik5MwKb4OQFC6xyjNlR2sKyJJepvGb1hNf7VzifmdH7aIZIpBo3jHpcVhZEmiozDD9SbLLGZE3gKJZPeuz4_VqwMTvLmco3AplJzKpVzhEaUNVv4l7LcL_PyS90adW4N79TA

Gorka...........the personality of a wet lettuce IMO - although I know i'm in the minority and to be fair we didn't get to see much of his choreography last year so will be interesting to see how he shapes up and copes with someone like Alexandra, who obviously does already have a lot of experience............... I have a feeling it will be a match made in heaven (on the dance floor) or a dis-ah-ster - but off the dance floor.........Gemma eh? I quite liked her in the launch show.

Sid wrote:When Shirls came out with that line about liking things that are outside the box I had an image of L.en rocking back n forth in his armchair muttering lol I don't mind creativity as long as the basics are covered and apparent in the routines.

Every article I've read about Shirley, including ones posted by her son, talk about 'the box'. I hope this box gets chucked out for recycling sooner rather than later

Is it a glitter box

Diamonds - YES! Jo earned my RESPECT. Typical - just as I took to her, she upped and left. I watched the latest series of DWTS and it was the most ill-judged decision of my life. The dances blurred into one and most of the Ballroom looked like I was watching something playing at double the speed. And the atmosphere was so WEIRD. Made me realise that however much we criticise ours it's not quite as bad as what's across the pond. A bit like our respective governments  

B4p wrote:
Every article I've read about Shirley, including ones posted by her son, talk about 'the box'. I hope this box gets chucked out for recycling sooner rather than later

We need a box for the box!

I love how progressive the show has become with two female presenters and now a gender-balanced panel with a female head judge. So I'm determined Shirley will be a success and I'm hoping all this talk of creativity is just her trying to set herself apart from L.en but that ultimately she'll still be putting content and technique first. Surely the trained dancer in her must make her instinctively look for those things primarily.

Shirley did say on The One Show (I think it was) and on the launch show that she'd be looking at footwork and scrutinising which parts of the foot they landed/turned on etc and on armography so sounds to me she will be technically picking the dancers up on that.

CaledonianCraig wrote:Shirley did say on The One Show (I think it was) and on the launch show that she'd be looking at footwork and scrutinising which parts of the foot they landed/turned on etc and on armography so sounds to me she will be technically picking the dancers up on that.

Good to know CC. I must look up that episode of The One Show.

Sid wrote:

Good to know CC. I must look up that episode of The One Show.

Here you go Sid:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDrSX9Jb95k

Thanks CC, that was so lovely watching Shirley take a trip down memory lane (15 pence for a dance class!). And yes, she's most certainly going to be focusing on the technicalities by the sounds of it.

Sid wrote:Thanks CC, that was so lovely watching Shirley take a trip down memory lane (15 pence for a dance class!). And yes, she's most certainly going to be focusing on the technicalities by the sounds of it.

Hi Sid. Nice to see you here as ever. Underneath this razamataz post you are about to read (hopefully) , a serious point lies, honestly....

Firstly, may sweetness and light be upon you all as you reach for strings of garlic and blessed water at my very entrance.
Unfortunately I'm already beginning to get a pre show attack of the jibbering knee twitchers that usually precede a bout of dance anarchy and an explosion of outrage worthy of a ten from L en. It is caused thus:. The art of dance is movment to music, nothing more, nothing less. It is learned mainly by listening to said music,, and the body reacting accordingly. The basic movements and steps have to be learned to prevent serious accidents occuring when two partners (and indeed a whole roomfull of would be Fred and Gingers, Alijaz and Janettes etc,) charge forth when Marimba rythmns start to play, and that is where those who know these basic movements and steps (let's call them teachers) step in. Obviously, there must be order and discipline of sorts to prevent gold medal entrant Dakota Blue's elegant rumba from butting heads with uncle Bonehead's Woodbine and lager hokey-cokey cum Wheels Cha-cha. That would never do, indeed no.

That said, "focussing on the technicalities" of a bunch of wedding dancers sounds so very wrong. Dance isn't a university degree subject, particularly so when in an entertainment pantomime show like Strictly. When a head judge starts talking technical this early it worries me muchly. Even The Love God that is Leonard The Lion Goodman liked dance being copybook, but he was fair in knowing dancers' technical limitations. I'd much rather Madam Flutterby started off remembering it's taken her a lifetime to get where she is. A bit more like Miss Mitzie's than Hut 29, please. Let it flow naturally, not be marching to music. To be talking technicalities and foot placements etc when Week One hasn't even happened worries me, especially amongst some who'll think a Bota Fogo is a Manchester Pina Colada.

And a 1.2.3.....

Can I be honest?

Oh yes, I can. It's the title of this thread...

At the moment I am finding I am not caring too much about the whys and wherefores of the new judge - she is what she is and we have got her for good or ill. I am just finding that I CANNOT WAIT UNTIL NEXT SATURDAY until the series proper starts.

Hurry up everybody - I'm waiting....!

PS - dancing is alive and well in every kitchen and bedroom across this land. Not all of us have the time/money/location/discipline to do proper lessons. But it doesn't stop us Bota Fogo-ing and fleckle-ing from one side of the room to another whenever the mood takes us. WHich is often. VERY often.

I've just seen in a local paper that a couple I took part with in the B.B.C dance programme some time back, have converted an old cinema as a ballroom and are getting about 700 people a week through the doors learing to dance and actually dancing. Brilliant news...

diamondsandpearls wrote:Can I be honest?

Oh yes, I can.  It's the title of this thread...

At the moment I am finding I am not caring too much about the whys and wherefores of the new judge - she is what she is and we have got her for good or ill.  I am just finding that I CANNOT WAIT UNTIL NEXT SATURDAY until the series proper starts.

Hurry up everybody - I'm waiting....!

PS - dancing is alive and well in every kitchen and bedroom across this land. Not all of us have the time/money/location/discipline to do proper lessons.  But it doesn't stop us Bota Fogo-ing and fleckle-ing from one side of the room to another whenever the mood takes us.  WHich is often.  VERY often.

Yes I can't wait for the new series to start either. Sadly, I will miss the first show though as I will be away next weekend. However, I will set my box to record it.

The first week's dances will be as follows:-

Susan Calman & Kevin Clifton – Viennese Waltz to Mad About the Boy by Dinah Washington

Mollie King & AJ Pritchard – Jive to Good Golly Miss Molly by Little Richard

Charlotte Hawkins & Brendan Cole – Foxtrot to The Best is Yet To Come by Michael Buble

Simon Rimmer & Karen Clifton – Paso Doble to Song 2 by Blur

Davood Ghadami & Nadiya Bychkova – Cha-Cha-Cha to Dedication To My Ex by Lloyd ft. Andre 3000

Rev Richard Coles & Dianne Buswell – There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart) by Eurythmics

Aston Merrygold & Janette Manrara – Foxtrot to It Had To Be You by Harry Connick Jnr

Brian Conley & Amy Dowden – Tango to Temptation by Heaven 17

Jonnie Peacock & Oti Mabuse – Waltz to When I Need You by Luther Vandross

Joe McFadden & Katya Jones – Jive to Rockin’ Robin by Michael Jackson

Alexandra Burke & Gorka Marquez – Waltz to (You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman by Aretha Franklin

Ruth Langsford & Housewives choice Du Beke – Waltz to This Nearly Was Mine by Seth MacFarlane

Chizzy Akudolu & Pasha Kovalev – Cha Cha to Boogie Fever by The Sylvers

Debbie McGee & Giovanni Pernice – Paso Doble to Be Italian by Fergie

Gemma Atkinson & Aljaž Škorjanec – Cha-Cha-Cha to There’s Nothing Holding Me Back by Shawn Mendes

Thoughts?

CaledonianCraig wrote:The first week's dances will be as follows:-


Mollie King & AJ Pritchard – Jive to Good Golly Miss Molly by Little Richard

Charlotte Hawkins & Brendan Cole – Foxtrot to The Best is Yet To Come by Michael Buble

Aston Merrygold & Janette Manrara – Foxtrot to It Had To Be You by Harry Connick Jnr

Brian Conley & Amy Dowden – Tango to Temptation by Heaven 17

Jonnie Peacock & Oti Mabuse – Waltz to When I Need You by Luther Vandross

Joe McFadden & Katya Jones – Jive to Rockin’ Robin by Michael Jackson

Ruth Langsford & Housewives choice Du Beke – Waltz to This Nearly Was Mine by Seth MacFarlane

Thoughts?

These all seem fine. Not too thrilled with the rest....Time will no doubt tell....

TANGOLERO wrote:I've just seen in a local paper that a couple I took part with in the B.B.C dance programme some time back, have converted an old cinema as a ballroom and are getting about 700 people a week through the doors learing to dance and actually dancing. Brilliant news...

Told you didn't I ??