Strictly 2017 - Nearly Show-Time!

[CaveMum]

The couples have been announced and rehearsals have started. So strap on your dancing shoes, it's time for Strictly 2017 💃🏻🕺🏼

[TheSassyAssassin]

Twirling onto our sparkly new thread!

[RTKangaMummy]

Sewing on the sequins

[callmeadoctor]

Just need a glitter ball

[Theromanempire]

Just checking in.

Total gossip and courtesy of the Daily Fail but allegedly Gemma and Gorka have become very friendly. Both single so why not...has there been a romance between a celeb and a pro who weren't actually paired together?

[GrouchyKiwi]

Thanks for new thread, Cave.

I'm another who doesn't like Kevin. It's because he's like a Jack Russell (small and yappy) and I can't be doing with that. I prefer the calmer personalities. I realise that Natalie being my absolute favourite belies this somewhat.

[TheSassyAssassin]

Et voilà....come on MNHQ, we need a proper one and soon! Pretty please with extra sparkles of course

[cowgirlsareforever]

What bothers me a little is that no female pro has been allowed to stay with the show and become an elder stateswoman type, like Anton and Brendan have. I know the BBC have redressed the gender bias with Tess, Claudia and Shirley, but I still feel it's unfair.

[CaveMum]

i think it would be nice to learn about everyone else's dance backgrounds/experiences. I'll go first:

Started dancing st the ripe old age of 23-ish with a salsa class. Totally bitten by the bug and after a few years I was assisting with the classes and from 2010-2012 I taught my own salsa class.

I started having Latin lessons with a great teacher about 8 years ago though sadly she only teaches in my area once a month. We've been working towards me taking teaching qualifications and all being well I will take my first one in December this year.

I've also been having Ballroom lessons for about 5 years but not up to scratch enough to consider the teaching exams yet!

Sadly as I went straight in studying the teaching qualifications I'm not allowed to compete as an amateur and definitely not good enough to compete as a Pro! If I'd started dancing at an earlier age I'd have loved to have been able to compete.

[CaveMum]

I ought to add I'm not such a slow learner that it's taken me 8 years to get up to standard to take the teaching exams, I have had time off in that time to have 2 children! I was supposed to take my first teaching exam last year but fell pregnant and was not allowed to take the exam. I've got my first lesson back after giving birth, and my first one since January, this weekend

[soupforbrains]

Hello! Lovely shines spangly new thread. Merci cave

Ooh dance backgrounds. I said some of mine on the other thread but I will do it in the same style as cave because she has worded it very neatly.

I started ice skating aged 2 and also started ballet, modern and rap dancing classes aged 3.

Aged 10 I began to represent GB in my ice skating, and still studied dancing and ballet. Age twelve I dropped the modern and tap dancing to focus more on my skating. I was 'allowed' to continue ballet because it was considered beneficial to my skating.

Age 12 I began to learn traditional ballroom to compliment my ice dance.

At age 15 ish I moved from the traditional ballroom to Latin.

Aged 18 I eventually gave up ballet lessons as my ice skating took up too much of my time along side trying to study (and really I'd learned all I was going to I have my grade 8 and without any great talent wasn't about to go anywhere else)

I stuck with Latin dance lessons and master classes alongside my skating until I retired from international competition aged 24. 2 years later I retired from competition completely.

I do the occasional ballet or Latin class for fun and love them still but don't regularly take any lessons.

[ManicUnicorn]

I like Gorka, at first I was sceptical and assumed he was just a poor replacement for Gleb, but he's actually quite cute in his own right.

I like Kevin as well, I know that's not a popular opinion. I wonder how long it will take before the haters find out that Shirley is a Clifton family friend?

[RTKangaMummy]

I have absolutely 0 dance experience or training myself

I am very experienced in watching strictly & dance moms and commenting on the dancing to DH as an armchair judge

I love watching it on TV though

Hope that is ok?

[CaveMum]

Perfect RT

Soup I went to school with a girl who skated competitively until she was about 13. From memory I think she was something like British under 10 Champion. She used to get up at stupid-o-clock to skate before school.

ManicUnicorn the dance world is very incestuous and the everyone seems to know everyone else! My teacher knows Len and Anton, she said she gave Anton his first "job" after he turned Pro in taking a workshop at her dance school.

[Cherrypi]

I was thinking that too Cowgirlsareforever. I suppose Erin was the closest but she left to have a baby. Maybe she could rejoin?

Oti and Johnny are already giving good Instagram story. Definitely a great pairing there.

[Clawdy]

Just checking in......

[soupforbrains]

RT I think that probably makes you better positioned to predict the public votes tbh.

cave I would probably know her name if you told me, as long as our 'eras' were vaguely overlapping I'm 31 now. Yes the stupid o'clock rising is a standard in the world of ice skating. I used to be on the ice from 6-8 two days a week before school and from 5-8 two a week after school and from 9-midnight once day a week plus I used to be on the ice from 4am-11am on Sunday mornings. I don't miss those tbh.

[CaveMum]

I'm 36 soup, her name was Kerry and she was of Afro-Caribbean descent. Racking my brains trying to think of her surname!

[TheSassyAssassin]

Blimey! Sounds like we could have a MN vs Strictly-off with some of the talent on this thread. Did a bit when younger (ballet and modern) and during school, however I got on a horse aged 5 and nothing mattered apart from mucking out, being kicked and cleaning filthy tack from there on in. However give me a Porn Star Martini and I will set the dance floor on fire embarrass myself hugely but won't give a stuff! So am armchair enthusiast

Soup - you learned to "rap dance" from 3 yrs old? Yo yo yo gansta in da house!

[GrouchyKiwi]

My dance experience consists almost entirely of hours spent trying to get colicky babies to sleep.

[Theromanempire]

Absolutely no dance experience here other than an enthusiasm for dancing to cheesy tunes at Christmas parties

However I have not missed a single episode of Strictly since day 1 if that counts as 'dance experience'

[MoonriseKingdom]

Did ballet until I was 13. Loved it but was clearly never destined to be a ballerina and puberty did me no favours. Did some basic dance classes in my 20s on and off (contemporary, tap, flamenco). Now I just dance round my handbag whenever I get the opportunity (rare since having children). My 3 year old is starting her first dance class tomorrow night!

Not experience of ballroom but I love Strictly and I love hearing from you knowledgeable lot.

[cowgirlsareforever]

I would be the Ann Widdicombe of mumsnet in a dance-off.

I am seriously loving reading the comments of posters who are very knowledgeable.

[soupforbrains]

LOL sassy my auto correct clearly thinks I am FAR more gangster than I am. That should have been 'tap dance'

The thing that is so gray about Strictly and in fact dancing in general is that it doesn't matter how many lessons you've had, or if you've never learned. Or if you're any good or if you're crap. It makes absolutely no difference to how much you can enjoy dancing or watching others dance.

[scrabbler3]

I know nothing about dance. I enjoy the faster, stompier dances. Not so fond of waltzes. I'm disproportionately influenced by the music and by whom I like.

[ellenanora5]

Thanks for the new thread, my dancing experience is at zero, but I've never missed strictly since it started, I'm very committed