I find it racist that the judges on Strictly continue to tell Fleur to control the power

[DailyEnergyCrisis]

As I just can’t imagine them repeatedly saying the same to a white woman. Interested in what others think…

Fleur is stompy in her dancing. She isn’t as graceful as other dancers - nothing to do with the colour of her skin!

When Helen does a 'strong' dance, it's with great delicacy and bravery. The contrast is moving. Fleur doing a strong dance somehow feels like a bulldozer.

I used to take my niece and her little friend to dance class on Saturdays. The teacher among other dance teachers always made comments like this. They of course weren't racist but every time it would break a piece of my niece thinking she wasn't as 'soft' or 'delicate' as her white friend. It's sad but as this comment shows it's ingrained to think black bodies are somehow stronger, tougher etc. Eventually she began to understand that as much as she can write off that dance teacher those attitudes of her body being tougher/stronger than that of a delicate white woman will be something she'll have to learn and live with in this life. The most abrasive part of it is that these comments aren't even made with a 'racist' thought in mind because such is this ingrained attitude it's just second nature.

The thing with dance is that you have to be able to show contrast - light and shade as the judges are want to say. Of course you need purpose in the figures/steps, but if all you do is “attack” then the effect is overpowering and comes across as aggressive or manic. Even in dances that call for more attack/power like Jive, Paso or Tango, you need to contrast it with softness or delicacy or it just becomes too much.

I’ve seen plenty of dancers on SCD over the years being pulled up on “attacking” the dances too much, it’s not a Fleur specific thing.

I always find the Salsa’s on SCD too attacking and not true to the actual style of the dance. Danced properly it is not an explosive “look at me”kind of dance - it’s a club dance, it came about being danced on confined dance floors and should look smooth and fluid. But hey, that doesn’t make for good tv I guess!

I'm guessing the judges aren't racist and as nice people would be horrified at the suggestion. But unconscious bias affects us all, no matter how well intentioned we are. I have cringed at some of the comments to Fleur, along the lines of "great dancer but so wild!" Argh. So I totally see where you're coming from, OP.

Yes OP I noticed this early on (in fact I think it started with Fleur's first or second performance)and definitely consider it racist whether unconscious or not-check yourselves, panel.

I understand what you are saying and agree it's a possibility, but are you sure that's the case with reference to Fleur? I can think of other dancers of colour who do not give that impression at all! Oti is a strong, strong woman, but she can still portray that delicacy and vulnerability. I've not seen Fleur be vulnerable in performance at all. Rehearsing and being interviewed, absolutely. Dancing, no.

I was also a 'strong' dancer. I was head and shoulders taller than all the delicate little flowers in my class, and looked clumsy in comparison. I was a strong dancer with good technique but stuck out like a sore thumb. I don't think I ever managed delicacy, either.

I'm built like a farmer, not a dancer. You can see Fleur's strength in some of her lifts- she's phenomenal. But it might be limiting her flexibility around the middle.

Reminisces about my past dance teachers and amateur dramatics choreographer being much the same.....

👆🏻

I have to disagree - if you look back at AJ or Alexandra Burke, for example, they are both powerful dancers but they never felt out of control. There was a moment in this week's charleston where Fleur hurled herself so fast into a lift it looked like she was going to overshoot her partner, and it's not the only example of her doing that.