Dancing On Ice 2018!

I'm thrilled DOI coming back. Great idea Jingle re thread on DOI we can still score and comment on dancing style. It's such a hard challenge to stand up on the ice let alone turn, lift leg and pivot

Anyone know when it starts? I will try to contribute if I manage to catch the show.

Just checking in on this thread so that it appears in my topic notification emails!!

It just says January sofar .... love the Polar bear advert

Great, looking forward to it and thanks for starting the thread Sax - I haven't heard anything about who the c.elebs or judges are, but glad it's returning to TV.

I'm greatly cheered to think we can continue our forum in some way....the ending of Strictly is always a bit of a shock to the system.

Jingle one of the contestants Month from England's Cricket Team was in training but suffered a training accident so he has pulled out. Jason the bad judge back with most of old crew Chiswick and Jane too...

Loved watching when Kryan Bracken won always a favourite of mine

Oh, I'm quite pleased baddie Jason is back as a judge. I remember him on one of the charity Bake off shows, and he was hilarious in real life. Think he's just a panto villain judge, same as CRH.

Yes, I really liked Kyran Bracket too.

I'm trying find out defines re DOI. I know a few online and Month swopped for Lemar singer. .. Jason 6es I recall the terrible "fecal" comment re I think Sharon Davies re costume etc...
I like Chris and Jane so pleased all back. ..

I've just been looking over the line-up. Only recognise three of them - Cheryl from Bucks fizz, Candice from GBBO and the athlete Perri-Shakes-Drayton (I reckon she'll be really good).

As usual I haven't a clue who the soap stars are because I never watch.  But then, I hardly knew anyone from this years Strictly either and they ended up being a great bunch, so that doesn't matter.

Apparently it starts on Jan 7th...can't wait!

I'll certainly watch the show start and I have great admiration for Torville and Dean's abilities at their ages. Quite amazing. . I also love Ravel's Bolero (my forum name is a combination tango and bolero) but I think it's time to stop any mention of it in the show. "Doing the Bolero" as a prize for the final contestants is as old-hat as keep mentioning it as if it's the only thing that T & D ever did. Their paso doble was just every bit as good and they should move on. Unlike Strictly, where going back to yesterday is a good thing, going back in ice-skating isn't for me. There's heaps of classical music that lends it self to skating that wouldn't do as ballroom dance, so there's no excuse music wise. Give the Bolero a well earned rest or send it over to Strictly...

A Bolero in SCD! I loved T & D's Paso also their Barnam Circus act... lots of new music for DOI and maybe we m8ght have a different end dance routine? A fusion style of T & D's dances?

Yes - a fusion would be good. I really loved Barnum, Mack and Mabel, and in fact all their different routines - I agree with Mr T - their paso doble was brilliant, and the music. The bolero thing was getting a bit tired at the end of the last run of DOI - I used to love it though when they did the 'flying' routines in the final - I hope they bring these back. Perhaps instead of the Bolero the couples could do a 'showdance' type thing where they replicate a real ice dance contest routine with several changes of rhythm and styles throughout. Just a thought.................

Ooh like your thoughts Mauve! I enjoyed the high flying routines too. It would be nice to showcase different styles and set to the right music and tone...

Looking forward to the 7th January - and as Mr T says, there is no going back with ice dance, it should be creative and use both modern and classical styles!

TANGOLERO wrote:I'll certainly watch the show start and I have great admiration for Torville and Dean's abilities at their ages. Quite amazing. . I also love Ravel's Bolero (my forum name is a combination tango and bolero) but I think it's time to stop any mention of it in the show. "Doing the Bolero" as a prize for the final contestants is as old-hat as keep mentioning it as if it's the only thing that  T & D ever did. Their paso doble was just every bit as good and they should move on. Unlike Strictly, where going back to yesterday is a good thing, going back in ice-skating isn't for me. There's heaps of classical music that lends it self to skating that wouldn't do as ballroom dance, so there's no excuse music wise. Give the Bolero a well earned rest or send it over to Strictly...

Torvill and Dean = Legends. A stack of their memorable performances are available on YouTube which I have rewatched many times. I am not exaggerating (I think) when I say they are the nearest we will ever get to Ginger Rodgers and Fred Astaire on ice. Just superb and their choreography is most of Chris's work and just so ingenious compared to other ice dancers. Also their sychronisation is as close to perfect as you will get.

CaledonianCraig wrote:Torvill and Dean = Legends. A stack of their memorable performances are available on YouTube which I have rewatched many times. I am not exaggerating (I think) when I say they are the nearest we will ever get to Ginger Rodgers and Fred Astaire on ice. Just superb and their choreography is most of Chris's work and just so ingenious compared to other ice dancers. Also their sychronisation is as close to perfect as you will get.

Agree. I remember staying up till the early hours of the morning watching Torville & Dean, Robin Cousins, and John Curry. For me they revolutionised ice dancing to music. All the other countries just seem to race from one end of the rink to the other with a triple Lutz at each end regardless of the music they used.

I've shown this before but one of my favourite ice dance performers was Evgeni Plushenko, a true character.

https://youtu.be/-Ggsyo1_BGM

Back in time there was a French Canadian brother and sister who were quite phenomenal skaters. Chris Dean later married the sister, Isabelle Duchesnay. I too have watched ice skating and ice dance comps for many years.

I always enjoyed watching the Kerr siblings, though think they retired several years ago.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K39tA_8zjXQ

This is a great but little seen Torvill and Dean routine from a championship once they had turned professional:-

Here's a trailer of the contestants and early training, most of them look like complete novices.  Although I love watching ice skating, I've only ever tried it once and absolutely hated it! Couldn't move more than a step without falling backwards, and each fall was so painful.

From the trailer I think Jake Quickenden looks like he may be good, and also Perri Shakes Drayton, though it looks like a few of the contestants are going to have a lot of bruises.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anfX2CMkBqE

So what did everyone think of it??? Bit different than before.

I enjoyed it in the spirit that I always used to enjoy it - as a bit of fun, nothing earth shattering, but something nice and upbeat for Sunday nights and I do admire the contestants as it is a difficult skill to master and you need dance rhythm as well as the athletic flexibility. I thought Jake Quickenden was good and Anthony Cotton could be good but I don't think he was being pushed with his routine - I did however like his dancing although he seemed to be on the spot most of the time. Whoever choreographed Perry's routine did really good in playing to her strengths - will be interesting to see how/if she develops the artistic side of it.

I think Candice did remarkably well considering she's got no performing experience - I thought the routine was elegant in a way that most of the others weren't. It is a shame that she might go out next week, wholly because she is partnered with the excellent Matt Evers - I wouldn't really class her as a 'celebrity' tbh. I think most of the series budget has gone into building the set rather than on the celebrities!

I also quickly realized that this is no longer Torvill and Dean's 'baby' but one for which they have been invited back as judges (I feel). I enjoyed the dynamics on the judging panel but I didn't enjoy the guy who they've got doing the commentaries - seemed to be different than before?? Didn't seem to have the slightest knowledge about ice skating - if the moves aren't going to be described then why bother with this?

Lastly - I'd forgotten about the tiresome ad breaks but solved that one by recording it and fast forwarding over them!

Be interesting to see what next week's crop of contestants are like - although I think I'm going to miss T+D doing any performing...............

Hi Mauve

I made the mistake of watching it live, and so sat through endless adverts - next week I'll definitely record and watch later on. I enjoyed it, though felt there was quite a lot of filler - maybe once the two groups converge onto one show it'll feel more complete.

I liked having Torvill and Dean as judges, though I found myself agreeing more with Jason's scores than anyone else's. Like him I thought Perri'is 'Running' routine was fabulous (by far my favourite of the night). I'm pleased that the pros now seem to have control over their own choreography, hopefully the routines will be quite diverse. Nice to see Dan, Matt and Sylvain back again.

The new voiceover guy was a little over-excited I thought, hopefully he'll fade into the background a bit more. I recall that the last commentator sadly died a few years ago.

Overall I thought it was an enjoyable show, although it's nowhere near Strictly in terms of interest. Also, I couldn't take to the young guy with the big ego, who was probably the best skater (Kem?) - I guess he'll be around for a while. I didn't think Candice's routine was too bad, although in hindsight I guess she was holding onto Matt for a lot of the time.

Five minutes to vote seems a little short!

I didn't like the group dance at all, bit bizarre having a motorbike on ice. If Torvill and Dean won't be performing this year, I really hope they have some guest slots, maybe to showcase up and coming UK ice dancers.

Withholding judgement. Not sure the show is a patch on the previous ones. Seems big and empty feeling and the practise "pits" look a bit like a cattle auction market day. Ironically, two world champion skaters and Olympic gold medal winners give different marks than two jusges who, whilst respecting them in their own fields, hardly know a skate from a kipper. Time to have a chat before handing out marks lads and lasses?

I quite liked the new shape ice rink. Thought T & D looked a little uncomfortable at first being judges. I had heard they can't dance on show due to insurance? Perry I liked routine but think she needs to get a little less rigid and create softer lin es. Candice I felt thrilled she didn't fall but thought a little unfair she is in skate off.Jake looked confident too.
Commentator still on the " & their off" racing mode fashion vocals.
Was it a set up re Phil "Don't you have a go at my girl she's my friend! With Jason. I thought was it a bit of a go then turned into panto or it was meant?
Ads yes a pain but got to go to loo,pop kettle on, do cheese platter..... I'll record and forward next week on day I want to view....
Btw hated the group dance and our Cheryl bless think be first canary (omg yellow!) To leave unless Candice falls over a lot.

Once again I made the mistake of watching it live - the amount and length of the ad breaks is crazy! Again it felt like there was quite a bit of padding to the show - hopefully from next week there'll be more skating and less filler.

One thing I think DOI does really well is the staging and lighting. The cherry blossom backdrop for the intro dance was gorgeous, as was the Parisian backdrop for Mark and Marie's dance. Though maybe it's just my TV, but I found the accoustics for the music a little tinny.  Just some brief thoughts on week 2....

Found Brooke a bit irritating in her VT, hopefully she'll calm down a bit ...although I like the approach by her partner (can't remember his name).

Max's routine showed a lot of potential, although I noticed the commentator and the judges trying to lay heavy hints about romance between him and Ale, which felt very scripted (like, they're hardly a talking point in the way Mollie and AJ were.....oh, how I miss Strictly...)

Really didn't like the awkward choreography for Lemar, especially the use of the microphone as a prop.

Donna - hmm, the routine did flow very well, but I thought this was overmarked given that she didn't do any solo skating.

Alex - good speedy routine and I think if he can keep his over-confidence in check he could be the eventual winner.

Cheryl - can't say I blame her for being tentative, the backward fall she had in the VT looked very painful

Interesting division in the judging panel for the Skate Off - clearly Jayne and Chris are basing it on technical ability over style - I'm glad Lemar has another chance, it seemed a bit unfair that Candice had a week to practice her SO routine while Lemar had been minus a partner for weeks due to her injury.

I resolve to record the show next week and fast forward the adverts - wouldn't it be awful if Strictly had ad breaks...