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 💃🏻🕺🏼

What I have learned on Instagram today
Johnny and Oti seem to be getting on well
Chizzy and Pasha similarly, bit of funny banter
Katya and Joe, Katya has been trying to get Joe to stop sticking his chin out. Joe looks good!
Alexandra & Gorka and Aston & Janette are practising in the same studio as they were digging into their sandwiches at lunchtime together.
Ruth is eating very carefully, lots of protein and veg/fruit
AJ&mollie and anton&ruth are similarly sharing a studio
Diane spent all day travelling up to Scotland to see rev
And that concludes my instagram report.

And to answer the question about dance background, I loved tap growing up. If I had the time I'd join a swing dance class, it just so much fun and is nothing about wearing heels or looking sexy! Charleston would be the one dance I'd like to try with a Pro.

Hello! Mind if I join?

No dance experience but I can do a mean shimmy!!

Cannot WAIT for the new series-I need my sequin fix.

Really looking forward to the hostilities competition.

Like the cut of the new judge's gib, too.

May I join in?

Dance credentials - oh so many years ago I did Ballet and Ballroom at school. Love of dance came from my mum who was a lovely dancer, I'm not great but love watching people dance.

Watched every episode of every Strictly series.

Whilst we are waiting for lift off, what were posters favourite series of Strictly, pairings and dances?

My favourite series was Series 5 in 2007 with Alesha Dixon and Matthew Cutler the winners, in fact a number of their dances are among my favourites.

I think you Cave posted a You Tube video of the professionals doing a jive from that series that I really enjoy watching.

At a posh do a chap came up to me when I was dancing and said 'I hope you don't mind me saying this, but you have a wonderful Latin bottom'. When I asked what he meant a colleague explained he was a ballroom dancer and was saying my bottom half was suited to Latin dances.

Still not much wiser

My teacher frequently tells me I have "Ballroom feet"

I love linking to videos of Pros dancing. I know you said you weren't fond of Waltzes scrabbler but a Waltz danced well is a thing of beauty. I often link to this video which my teacher showed me to help demonstrate the use of head weight when dancing.

I just love Chris Hawkins "winding up" at the start

Well that's a new one on me iklboo! Much better than say "that's a beautiful dress, it would look even better on my bedroom floor!"

Yes that was a beautiful waltz, Cave they were perfectly together almost as if they were one entity.

I know it's obvious but for me it has to be that jive by Jay McGuinness. I adore Pulp Fiction and it was the way he captured the body language, facial expressions and downright apathy of John Travolta at the start of the sequence in the film that really impressed me! Fab-u-lous!

Sassy that's on my list too! My favourite pairings are Alesha and Matt and Jay and Aliona.

It's a while ago now but Mark Ramprakash is still my favourite male contestant

I wish I had a Latin bottom!!

I thought Danny and Oti last year were amazing. I was excited to see what they would do each week. Pleased for her to have someone so good to showcase her choreography. But I can understand that a lot felt he was just too experienced already.

My favourite dances from the past:

Jill Halfpenny's Jive
Zoe Ball's Tango & Samba
Mark Ramprakash's Argentine Tango & Salsa
Alesha Dixon's Cha Cha

Checking in!

My dance experience is mostly not like Kevin From Grimsby
I used to tease my mum about how much she loved strictly and then I lived at home for a winter and BOOM I was hooked.

Here I go with my links again! I know some people complain that they think Rumba is dull, but again when it's danced well (no gimmicks!) it's beautiful to watch.

Best Pro dances on Strictly are a toss up between two for me.

Firstly Joanna & Michael dancing the Cha Cha (I could watch videos of her on You Tube all night long!)

Secondly Vincent and Flavia, before they were dancerson the show

Marking my place.
Thanks for the instagram update MrsJamin.
Two weeks is toooooo long for the show.

Dance credentials: have watched every series of Striclty except first one. Have been to the tour many times. A couple of glasses of wine and I'm practically Widdy Natalie Lowe.

Love that Tweet Cave. Brilliant!

I love strictly and dancing. My experience is limited to a few years of weekly footsteps classes (which sadly the instructor has now stopped doing), and a couple of years of weekly swing dance classes. Whoever mentioned swing dancing, they were right - it is lots of fun. Lots of spinning and twirling involved!

I always find the 'ringer' argument difficult. Because where do you draw the line - there will be some who spent most of their childhood at a stage school full time, and others who have done a couple of Zumba classes, with every variation in between.

I read somewhere there there has only ever been one winner (the cricketer) who finished outside the top four in week one. For everyone else, being on a 'journey' might get you near the final, but you don't win. Anyone know if that's true?

LOLs at Susan's tweet. So glad they're all getting on so swimmingly.

Ola and James did a Rumba one year which was beautiful. Personally I really like the Rumba. It's such a romantic and sensual dance, not boring at all!

If I could pick a professional to do 5 dances with I would do;

Quickstep with Kevin
Rumba with Gorka
Argentine tango with Brendan (I think I could get that borderline love/hate passion going with him)
Charleston with Aljaz
And a waltz with Anton