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Original poster

How good are the Strictly professionals?

70 replies

LoyaltyBonus · 12/10/2019 20:36

In terms of professional dancers, are they right at the top of their game?

And are they all roughly of the same ability? If not who are the most technically able?

Or do they have to dumb down so much to dance with the celebs that you wouldn't know?

I think there's one who stands out as a cut above the rest but I'll admit I know nothing about dance that I haven't learned from Strictly Grin

OP posts:
ExpletiveDelighted · 12/10/2019 23:17

Anton is the one I don't get. King of the ballroom he may be, but he is not cut out for Charleston, jive etc and you should be a good all-rounder for this show.

xsquared · 12/10/2019 23:27

There seems to be a lot of negativity about Neil on the main Strictly thread which came after the announcement of Gorka not being paired up with a celebrity this year. I find the comments about his lack of sex appeal tedious as it has nothing to do with his ability as a dancer!

He's been dancing since he was 3 and runs a successful IDTA dance school. I think it's safe to assume it's his dancing credentials that's earned him his place on Strictly.

@LoveNote would I be right in thinking that those from the dancing world would see being involved in Strictly as a step down from competitive dancing? I just get that feeling from the comments in some of the videos of their competing days.

Babybel90 · 12/10/2019 23:30

Neil is my favourite, I don’t know anything about dancing but he seems to be the best to me and I actually do find him very sexy when he dances, I’m convinced there’s something going on between him and his celeb partner. For my money Oti is the best female, I could watch her all day!

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thecatneuterer · 13/10/2019 00:05

Most of them, with the exception of Janette and Brian Fortuna from a few series back, are really not at all good at salsa though. But it's not something they're trained in - same as the Charleston and contempo-waft.

JasperRising · 13/10/2019 00:21

Do ballroom dancers have to do their own choreography when competing? I see comments about some being better at that side of things so did the others have choreographers when they competed? And do they get help with the choreography on Strictly or is it just up to the pros? I know on dancing on Ice they show them getting help with choreography but I've not seen that as much when I've caught an episode of Strictly.

Egghead68 · 13/10/2019 00:27

I think they get help with the choreography for specialist dances e.g. the Argentine tango and the Charleston.

Original poster
LoyaltyBonus · 13/10/2019 08:07

Do they really all do their own choreography? I know that's the act but every now and again I catch a little hint that someone else was involved. It must be hard to find a pool of internationally acclaimed dancers that, can be TV personalities, teach and choreograph too.

Is Neil the ginger one? I think he's very attractive but in a nice guy,boy next door kind of way rather than the more in your face way of the rest of them.

OP posts:
xsquared · 13/10/2019 08:41

I know a Lindy Jazz teacher who has done choreography for tv and film. She is in the one in the red dress in the ident that sometimes come on before Strictly.

From her Facebook posts, a dancing friend of hers does the Charleston choreography for the pros as they are not trained in that.

Vincent Simone has been credited with doing the Argentine Tango choreography a few times.

thecatneuterer · 13/10/2019 09:53

They get help with the specialist dances (argentine tango, salsa, charleston, presumably couples choice if they need it). Not all of them accept the help though apparently (I know one of the salsa choreographers).

TheJellyBabyMadeMeDoIt · 13/10/2019 10:05

Oti stands out to me as the best female dancer, plus she is so beautiful and her legs go on for days. I've zero dancing ability (I'd be voted off first if I was in the show!)

Neil isn't as entertaining to watch IMO, even though he's clearly a good dancer. I like AJ and Johannes, the latter being mesmerising to my untrained eyes.

Tojigornot · 13/10/2019 10:09

I saw the pros asked who was the best dancer, it was probably on It Takes Two. They all said Nadiya.

lynsey91 · 13/10/2019 10:09

For me Oti is the best female dancer and I love watching her dance. Flavia used to be my favourite.

My favourite male is Aljaz but I also love to watch Giovanni and AJ dance. A man that can dance really well I find very sexy

GaraMedouar · 13/10/2019 10:10

I like Oti and Karen for the ladies, and Neil and Johannes for the men. Me and DD were so excited for Neil and are rooting for him all the way!

TheJellyBabyMadeMeDoIt · 13/10/2019 10:12

Nadiya - oh she's amazing, I'd forgotten about her 😳. She's another one with legs that go on for days and is quite mesmerising to watch.

I'm a straight 40 something woman, but I would totally switch teams if she asked 😂

CoffeeChocolateWine · 13/10/2019 10:19

I think there are definitely some who are better choreographers than others. Pit and Janette stand out to me as the best female dancers and choreographers. Karen, not so much. I’m sure she’s a great dancer but I find her routines quite dull. For the men, AJ and Neil stand out as exceptional but I love Kevin’s choreography.

AmelietheAlien · 13/10/2019 10:19

How do professional ballroom dancers make a living?

CoffeeChocolateWine · 13/10/2019 10:20

*Oti not Pit!

Oh and Alijaz is great too.

Egghead68 · 13/10/2019 10:28

Re pay - I don’t think they are paid that much for doing strictly (it used to be £30K) but they get money from tours, Burn the Floor, dance schools etc.

I don’t know if Johannes is technically the best dancer but I find his dancing mesmerising.

Egghead68 · 13/10/2019 10:29

I would rate Janette low down for the women and Katya and Oti top.

SpiderCharlotte · 13/10/2019 11:10

My dad is a pro and had his own school but says it’s frowned upon in the dancing world to be involved with strictly ( even though he’s been involved with baby ballroom!)

Why is that @LoveNote? I would have thought people in the dancing world would be pleased that it's not seen in the same light as it used to be in days gone by? When I was a kid, it was thought of as dull, boring and for 'old people'. Now, I hear kids that I teach (NOT dance!) talking about it in a really positive way. 😊

Frazzled2207 · 13/10/2019 11:23

I imagine that being on strictly could be seen as a way to boost your personal/ tv "profile" while not generally being able to dance to the best of your ability?

Going back a long time but I always thought Karen Hardy was a cut above the rest.

Arnoldthecat · 13/10/2019 11:33

TBH i have barely watched this show this time round. In previous years id be right there from start to finish glued to the telly and loving it but this year its lost its touch. Im not sure what it is but it could be the Z list of so called slebs. I do love the professional dancers,,especially OTI,,wow she can move,and those legs,,they are just a whirl of activity,,and aliaj,,what a lovely guy with an infectious smile,,they are all fab,,kevin clifton and his ex,,shes great,,so many,,and the judges,,all fab. I think it started going downhill for me when we had the so called "influencer" on last year... Z listers.

Maybe there are no more real slebs to recruit?

Maybe they should get total amatuer members of the public on?

ChicCroissant · 13/10/2019 11:33

Yes they have choreographers to help with the styles that the dancers don't normally do - but I think they also have help from some others tbh. Luba has worked on choreography behind the scenes and so did Camilla after she'd won and left the series as a pro dancer.

ExpletiveDelighted · 13/10/2019 12:09

Yes, I thought that the extra pros help with choreography as well as dancing in the pro routines and being in standby for injury or illness to a competing pro.

JasperRising · 13/10/2019 12:50

I don’t think they are paid that much for doing strictly (it used to be £30K)

Does anyone know of they get the same pay if they get knocked out in week one as if they made it to the end? I always assumed that they must differentiate if some go out quickly and therefore do less work. But if they are staying on a helping out with choreography and stuff unseen, maybe not.

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