Strictly Come Dancing 2012 - who's getting excited?

[CeliaFate]

Just read that Katya Virshilas isn't returning to the show, a new dancer Karen Hauer is taking her place.

Who will be in this year's line up?

I agree that it is a shame Colin and Kristina got paired up. I find her scary to look at, but some of the choreography she does is lovely - perhaps that might help. I suspect Colin will do alright but possibly not all the way.

Could anything be creepier than Brucie gurning "Ooh,I don't know where to put my hands!" over that little Dani ?

No, there is simply nothing creepier. It was just seedy.

The dance off is back so I dont think there will be a results show anymore

Paddy McGuinness to replace Bruce

In fairness has Tess been in anything else where we can judge in a different context to being a second rate sidekick ?

Please not Paddy McfeckingGuinness I'd have to eat my own eyes & garrotte myself with my innards.

I love Paddy McGuiness. No likey no dancey!

I thought Tess is fine when Bruce is off sick and she just turns up and read the autocue. She's not as good as Cat Deeley but she's perfectly OK as long as she doesn't have to talk to another human being.

Loved the rumba, the paso entrance was them showing off too over the top for my liking.

I don't mind Tess and Bruce, but her interviewing is dire. I think after accidentally striking gold with Matt and Flavia* she's desperate to catch out another showmance romance!

*Which, by the way, was not classy. You just shouldn't ask questions like that when their (as far as you know) long term boyfriend is a. working on the same show and b. standing right behind you.

Gettingeasier - Paddy mcGuinness - are you smoking crack????
Tess is crap crap crap. After all these years, how come she still know sod all about the dances? Why can't she stand still?
Yy to her obsession with showmances (although tbf she's usually right about Flavia ).

Why didn't Flavia look happy when she got paired with Louis? Has anyone heard/seen anything?

Marking my place. As you were.

I love this picture, the ballroom kids really give it some welly in the facial expressions department

That makes Karen Hardy look positively restrained

My dance teacher used to lend me the IDTA magazines, I loved the pictures of all the juvenile class winners for that reason. (Although I still think under 4s are a bit young to be competing.)

I get the ISTD magazines. You can become a "Friend of the ISTD" for £30 a year, which gets you the quarterly magazine plus a few other bits and bobs.

I came to dancing late in life (started salsa at 23 and ballroom/latin at 27) so never got the chance to compete. I'm training for my tracing qualifications now so am not allowed on the competition floor as an amateur, and I'm not good enough for the pro competitions!

Btw, if you want a look a lot of the SCD dresses are on that website, here. I'm sure all the pros are delighted you can find out their waist measurements!

Ooooo, you can buy Chelsee's Shrek Dress

I'm not entirely sure I believe her waist measurement is the same as Erin's though

Sadly I am firmly in novice at the moment, but hope one day I will move up to intermediate and have a proper competition dress like that

Coooeeee Frankel - step away from the pretty dresses

What are your thoughts on the Flavia not looking happy thing? Chatting to friend on way to tap tonight and first thing she said about SCD was how not happy Flavia had looked after getting paired with Louis?

Or are we both imagining it? (Although my younger sister and my niece also said the same thing)

Aww, but they're soooo pretty! [gets hypnotised by the glare off the rhinestones]

I'll be honest, I didn't notice Flavia's reaction. Perhaps she tried too hard to tone it down, knowing her reputation and all

Yep, " I know what you are all thinking....and rather like the inevitability of tragedy...it's gunna happen again! Ciao." Was going through her mind.

Perhaps she's already seen him dance and he's that great. I thought they'd already been training together and the who's with who reveal is just for the tv.

Is the dance off definitely back? Hopefully we should lose the suffers early on.

*hes not that great.

They changed the format because some couples were training 2 months before the show started. By not paring them up until 3 weeks before the first show it, sort of, levels the playing field. Of course there is nothing to stop the celebs taking lessons of their own accord.

They all trained together for the group dance so all the pros must have had a very good sense of who has and has not got rhythm by the time of the launch show.

It was said (I think on the show on Saturday) that the celebs are contractually banned from taking lessons between signing up and the launch show.