To think that Layton shouldn't be allowed.....

[TyrannasaurusJex]

Layton Williams is not only a trained dancer in the West End but has been the lead in two shows with a huge dance element (Billy Elliot and Everyone's Talking About Jamie). AIBU to think that it's massively unfair for him to compete in Strictly? It's like a chef taking part in Bake Off! I know they'll claim it's a different type of dancing but the techniques/learning methods/muscle memory are SO transferable....

We have the same discussion every bloody year. Yes he is a professional dancer and there have been others over the years.
Let us be honest, he will not win

@Vistada It was more the things he was saying rather than his manner saying them if that makes sense. I cant explain it (without people picking up on things that are not relevant), maybe it was just a level of overconfidence? which thinking about it he would have more confidence than a TV newsreader and I didnt know until this thread how much dance experience he had.

I like the fact that some of the celebrities are already good dancers - it would be terribly dull to watch if they were all total novices. And the comparison to Bake Off doesn't work - Strictly is a celebrity entertainment show that is ostensibly a competition, Bake Off is an amateur baking competition that also happens to be entertaining.

My daughter dances and has been to a few events where he has been there as a dancer, teaching dance workshops and performing. So he definitely falls into the category of professional dancer, as opposed to someone who has had some dance training/experience in their past. It is undoubtedly a massive advantage.

In saying that, his style is very flamboyant and acrobatic, so it will be interesting to see how he performs in some of the more controlled dances.

I tend to go off to fill my wine glass up or have a wee etc when the ringers are on. I don’t agree they make it more entertaining - it’s boring watching the instantly good ones continue to be good imho.

There are always ' ringers' on strictly , but I don't think any of them actually win it.
It should be that the bottom person is voted off straight away. The whole judges deciding after a dance off is just rigged anyway !

In the end it won't really matter, it's really just a celebrity popularity contest with some dancing thrown in. And he won't be popular because he is seen as having an advantage.

Meanwhile he will be entertaining, which is the point.

Its going to be the Layton show until he's voted off isn't it. He was so ott in the first show.
Angela Rippon to win!!

I always skipped Ashley’s dances - I don’t find the ringers entertaining. I actually find them quite forgettable

It does feel as though they have pushed the boundaries a bit too far to include him given that he has been earning his living dancing! That said I'm sure he will be entertaining and irritating in equal measure - it is an entertainment show after all. I would probably rather watch him than Les Dennis week after week.........

The public will have their say in the end. He won't win.

Just feel the need to clarify. The ONLY issue I have is that Layton is a current, professional dancer with a vast amount of formal dance training - above any other contestant that I can think of, and I think it's unfair to the amateur celebs (even those who have previously done some dance lessons).
Anyone hijacking this thread to spew poorly concealed homophobia needs to jog on and take a look hard look at themselves.

He is lying when he says he hasn't had Latin training.

Yes but half of bake off are semi professional bakers now anyway, it’s no fun if people are too good!

I always feel slightly sorry for the slebs with a dance background on this show. They will never win because the audience ultimately doesn't like it, but they will virtually never go out before the finals either because, even if they're constantly in the dance-off, they will always dance better than the other person. So they have to work their guts out for the full series knowing they realistically stand no chance of winning.

I think it would be interesting to see him having a decent crack at a slow foxtrot.

I think if Nikita's wise then he'll roll back from the "we're going to Laytonise" everything plan, which totally undermines the "but B&L is soooooo different from what he's done before. ACTUALLY it's more difficult because he has to unlearn old techniques" narrative which makes me want to hurl things at the TV.

I think he'd be better advised to try a "I'm going to teach him impeccable classic Anton-esque ballroom even if it kills both me and him" approach. Of course that's much trickier with two men, but I'm up for seeing a perfect Viennese Waltz with them in matching dove grey tailcoats.

As long as you can keep it quiet or hide behind a more obvious Designated Series Ringer it doesn't have to be fatal.

Kara, Jay, Caroline, Alesha, Jill, Tom, and Joe all had significant dance training. They didn't fail the "did it say Dancer on your passport?" test like Debbie, Ashley, Danny JJ or Layton, but they had a lot of experience.

He has a lot of ballet training - he can do flamboyant and acrobatic but I don’t think he’s going to struggle to hold that in for the more restrained ballroom dances. Think he will be fantastic - I enjoy watching the decent celebs as it’s a dance show and I want to see good dancing! Seeing a pro dance around a useless celeb is so dull.

I think Nikita will have his work cut out trying to reel him in. It wouldn't be Strictly without the ringer!

I am totally here for it.
Nikita is my favourite 😍
This year I'm voting for Amanda though, because I very much agree with her views.

Ooh, I don't know. I think he's going to be damn good and really disciplined- I think he understands precision.

His flamboyance and extroversion will be great for lots of things.

No one's explained why Im not allowed to be irritated by 'camp' though.

In unaware of any male dancer or celebrity wearing a dress (the nearest garment, maybe the occasional kilt but a kilt is just that) when in the competition.
I don’t believe that people who don’t like Layton’s involvement because of his dancing credentials are homophobic. The homophobic commenters have made themselves known already, and those are the viewers that are most likely to take issue with Layton wearing a dress.
I do wonder why, considering how little we’ve seen of all the contestants there is so much negativity towards Layton and some of the other competitors I think everyone looks promising and until they do their dance on week one I have no idea who I’m voting for.

She was in a group that did dance routines all tbe time though. That us training. She knew gow to learn choreography quickly etc. Nit qyitw the same a the politician or newsreader contestants.

Don’t think he’ll get many votes. He’s very annoying so people will not warm to him.

Have you watched any Misteeq video? Not much dancing in any of them. Gyrating in a pop video isn't dance training.

She did do dance routines. She had dance lessons. She had dance training. She was a ringer.

Then, the most ridiculous bit of all, was making her a judge. So she was a dance novice, but qualified to judge? And to dump Arlene for? I stopped watching for years in indignation.