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 💃🏻🕺🏼

@MaryZ

I assume the tambourine element was in homage to Fergie in Nine (they start doing a Linda McCartney three minutes in)

but meccatamborine part of the original if this is owt to go by. Enjoy!

yesbutnobut Thanks so much for such a great insight into the Strictly experience Shame to hear how Eamonn acted. I love Claudia but I agree, she is naturally funny and doesn't need so much of the silly stuff.

Yesbutnobut - great post!

I was pleasantly surprised by Debbie and Susan.

Thought that Gemma would have been better but she's a tall athletic woman so maybe unsuited to dance. Also, opening the show can't be easy.

Brian is more competitive and focused than I thought he'd be. I reckoned he'd be deliberately silly, but he gave it a good shot.

I don't want anyone to leave next week! Always feel sorry for the first to depart!

What did Shirley correct darcy on? I missed that.

Rev Richard to win! He seemed to be really trying.

Was it me or did the singing seem really screechy? They've done some lovely versions of songs in the past but last night they all just seemed really harsh.

I can't remember, but I remember Shirley also correcting Bruno . I liked her, she is very technical though, I didn't know all the steps she was mentioning. Claudia said the same!

I loved Janette's dress and she got Aston into shape very well indeed. Liked the Holby City boy's jive. What was Craig on giving 2 8s fgs!

Shirley corrected Darcey when she said the Holby guy's jive should have been more on the balls of his feet. Shirl said it should actually be flat.

I was surprised as I thought he looked too flat footed too (but I freely admit to knowing nothing!)

I think Shirley said some specific steps should be from a flat foot, not that the whole dance should be.

I don't remember her correcting Bruno.

Why did Chizzy need helped upstairs by a production person?

I wonder whether Chizzy had sore feet? I have found even wearing heels quite a challenge over the past year or so, let along dancing in them, I was wondering whether any of the lady celebrities, especially those in middle youth, were suffering with all those hours of dance practice, especially if a lot of it has to be in heels.

Really want this to be Brendan's year. But there's several this year who have the potential to have a "journey".

Just caught up with the programme and this thread, I think it was overall a pretty good show, no-one stood out as really exceptional or really awful.

I think words must have been had about the scoring, it seemed far more realistic last night. When you look back at earlier series and see what couples had to do to achieve 8's, 9's or 10's with pure dancing and no props some of the high scores handed out on recent series seem ludicrous.

I really like the new Head Judge Shirley Ballas, constructive criticism and advice with praise for what aspect of the dance went well. I am wondering about a comment she made to Katya when she congratulated her and said "You always bring it" - is that secret dancey code for something? Is she implying the other professionals need to up their dancing or choreography? Or am I just reading far too much into it?

The stand outs for me were Charlotte, Jonnie, Aston, Joe and Debbie.

I agree with another pp who said about AJ being far too fast for his partner, he is an excellent dancer but doesn't seem able to adapt down iyswim.

I never though I'd say this but I am warming to Tess.

Reading the above comments about Chizzy needing help on the stairs reminded me that during her dance it became apparent that she was wearing supportive strapping around one knee. She did well to perform if there was a problem there.

Thanks @yesbutnobut, great to have a real inside glimpse!

Oh excellent. I nearly broke my marriage obsessing over his sodding quiz though.

@CalmanOnSpeeddial what the hell was the answer to question 1? I gave up on that one entirely. My husband refused to indulge me with spreadsheet-making.
I have already screwed up the boot list. And Craig has already screwed me by using his 2 paddle (I was so close to writing 2 but changed it to 3 at the last minute).
The only answer I am proud of was Never Can Say Goodbye as exit music (Communards for the Rev obvs). I will be very disappointed if he goes with something else.
@Maryz you have to add Shirley's technical terms as a swig.

OMG I can't believe I didn't remember Never Can Say Goodbye for exit music. It's so obvious now you say it.

Didn't get the link in Q1 I'm afraid. Tried for ages but just couldn't get it.

Now watch Revvo sashay away to something else entirely while my dreams of Quiz Domination shatter to dust. I copied out all the pros in q1 and wrote how many seasons they'd done blah blah to no avail. It made no sense numerically, alphabetically or on a fuckability level and I can only assume dear Chris has some fiendish stats up his sleeve.
Thanks for alerting me to the first recap maryz It cheered me up.

yesbutno may I ask what order things happen in? It surprises me how they fit so much in and with you mentioning you watched the prerecord of a performance for next week, I'm intrigued to know how it all unfolds for the studio audience compared to us at home.

GorgeousLady yes, Susan and Debbie got a really spontaneous reaction but I'd also say Davood did: he looked amazing and his partner is seriously sexy, and I think Davood had a lot of Eastenders fans in the studio. Having said that, just before Debbie's dance, and while her training VT was being shown, the warm up man came out to tell the audience we were falling asleep and could we keep up the clapping and cheering etc. So some of the response for Debbie was because we'd just been given this reminder! The atmosphere is so good, though, that you really want them all to do well, and some of the dancers were very nervous (like Charlotte and Gemma).

Maryz your question about the dancers lending support to whoever is on the dance floor, it's genuine and not added afterwards. Where we were sitting I could look up and see the dancers' area and quite a few gathered round and watched - particularly Giovanni, Debbie, Brian and a few others who i can't remember now. Whether this was to be supportive or to check out the competition I don't know. Having said this, there is a real sense of 'right, we're on' when the couple who just danced go up to Claud's area: then everyone jumps up and starts the back slapping and cheering.