SCD 14 - in a JOEVERMARKED ballroom, Oti we loved your Swansong

[PawneeParksDept]

Took the liberty of starting a new thread. Hope the title suits!

The only dance I can really remember of this series is the matrix one of seannnn and katyas

Do the pros decide on order/week that they do each dance?

Who decides which music is for them?

What I mean is ...... Pro or producer?

I like jazzy American Snoothe rather than tortured ones.

SubtitlesOn, producers, I'd wager.

Oke doke thank you

@SubtitlesOn I'm sure I've heard music being discussed before & pros can input suggestions but ultimately it's down to the producers.. I'm sure someone once said sometimes your music / dance choices you put forward (from a pro) will go to another couple!

Oke doke thank you

Crumbs that would really annoy me if I really loved a song/tune and it was given to another couple

A rumba to Maria - I just can't picture that at all...?
Stacey's will be very appealing
I actually like Joe and can't wait for that - totes amazeballs or hiding behind the sofa!

Well Lauren doing an American Smooth may extend her stay then...she is good at ballroom and American Smooth are generally real crowd pleasers she is the weakest link by a mile so annoying if Charles ends up leaving before her!

I think Charles could do a pretty good Rumba if he stands straight and, as someone else memorably said, lead with the lad.

SubtitlesOn I may be wrong but in the earlier series I believe the Pros chose the music to go with the dance they were allocated. Although in the early series pros and celebs alternated Ballroom and Latin week to week and you had the same dances in each genre danced by different couples so you could compare and contrast. In the series with Camilla Dallerup and James Martin Camilla definitely chose the music and theme for their Tango her inspiration for the choreography came from watching the film Cabaret the night before.

Now I get the feeling it is completely driven by the Production Team, they allocate the dance, the music and the 'theme' of the dance and the pros have to choreograph to fit it.

DH had to point out to me that Mr Suggs got go! go! Joseph as that is his name. D'oh!

WRT music...

short answer

1. Slebs themselves submit favourites eg Lee liking the Eagles
2. Pros submit songs to TPTB eg Brenda famously asked to paso to U2
3. Producers make 'em have it eg I'm still standing for stand-up comedian

long answer

2012 radio times: couples get 3 songs per dance to choose from
2012 Brendan said they submitted choices but also given a song or theme on occasion
2013 Kristina said they did not choose songs any more
2014 James Jordan implied producers dictating everything
2014 Tristan said they were given songs and costume but asked to suggest music and concepts when partnered up. Balance decided by producers as to concept and dance
2015 Kristina said 90% of the choices came from production, pros can make suggestions sometimes taken on board
2015 Robin said pros submit list but their choices can get given to other couples and they end up with something bizarre
2015 Jeremy Vine mentioned that Matt Howes responsible for music (he was music producer 2013-16)
2018 Kevin said they usually submit their own choices, work 2 weeks in advance, might choose to take concepts others rejected but have final veto on song

Examples of celebs getting their favourites
Craig Kelly don't let the sun go down on me
Alesha Crazy in love
Steve Backshall use somebody
Peter S mission impossible
Kara samba pa ti
Jennifer G ABBA track
Anita Rani Feel this moment (compromise - she loves Take on me)
Jeremy Vine She
Kimberley Crazy in love/Naughty girl
Susan Bring me sunshine
Ruth Mac The Knife
Lee Ryan Take it to the limit

Examples of pros getting their requests
Natalie Lowe King of the swingers
Kevin Traditional paso/AT for Susanna/finally getting his Strictly Ballroom wet dream last year with Susan after previously asking
Pash AT for Caroline
Vincent Rumour has it
Brendan Beautiful day

Examples of foisted songs or themes
Tristan mamma mia (but this was down to Jennifer loving them)
Ola rock of ages tango (here I go again)
Artem devil in me
Brendan right here waiting
Pasha hungry like the wolf

Kevin's in Rock of Ages (look up the promo shots ) while the tour's on hence not partnering Stacey.

Lol at Erin dressed as a 70s lampshade! I actually love the OTT costumes of old, they were incredible designs and so detailed. I used to adore the big reveal as they walked down the staircase at the beginning of the show. Even the daft ones (lampshades!) were something special/unique.

I have a feeling I'm repeating myself on this thread but I loved all the 'arm hankies', long gloves, winged sleeves (not sure that's the right term!), Latin bustles and fringing, tapered cha cha/rumba hems etc. So glamorous

Those kind of costumes mimic the traditional Ballroom/Latin competition costumes. Really hate all the crappy, lazy costuming in recent series (particularly this one).

I remember the Brian Fortuna controversy! Was it a white double breasted dinner jacket he was allocated? He looked like an ice cream salesman
I could well be misremembering.

Lol at James Jordan's inverse triangle haircut in that iconic pro jive (green satin outfits)

So many funny comments on this thread, I've forgotten to reference many of them. I need to go back about 3 pages

Pros can also use songs eliminated couples would have used
Example Brendan Kirsty Lady and the tramp

Celebs can try and change choices (Louisa/Russell)

Pros/slebs have tweeted for requests in the past (Natalie/Russell)

Production team have final say
Examples come from Tristan (Thanks to Macmania Site)

Tristan really wanted to do some movie week songs that got vetoed eg songs to Labyrinth/Willow
He also wanted to do a Beetlejuice routine to Jump in the line for movie week but had to do Abba instead as Jenny liked them.
He also put forward tracks Mustang Sally and for Halloween Scream but Karen was already doing a MJ number Thriller

@MozzieMagnet

Another example Jake Woods Mad Greek Paso

Also they should be dancing in the proper footwear - as many of us keep stating.
Fed up of latin in trainers/converse just because it goes with a crappy themed outfit. Wear low heels if you must but ditch the trainers!

Ditto the men, isn't there such a thing as a latin heeled shoe? It exists for a reason producers!

I think I preferred the men's Latin outfits when they were the aforementioned shoes, a pair of black trousers (with that sharp, straight cut - you see it in the earlier series) and go crazy with the shirt if necessary. I remember some great lycra mesh and sequinned numbers - slashed to the waistband of course. So cheesy but so good
I'm also partial to the loose shirt+bare chest look fyi.

They'd only need to change the shirts so surely that's more cost effective? Aaaaaand they always complemented their partner's dress

And yes tails for ballroom all the way, just change the shirt and tie to complement partner's frock.

I think they're totally cheaping out on the proper ballroom/latin designs and fabrics. Despite Vicky Giggle's efforts you can tell they don't have the proper construction or stretch bar a few exceptions.

You could definitely sense Tristan's frustration.

Pre 2012 Natalie Ian Erin Anton all confirmed they generally chose and 9/10 got what they asked for (unless wanting same track) and often thought of potential tracks/routines pre season.
But certainly by 2012/3 some pros felt they were being told what themes to do rather than them submitting three choices and the producers picking one pending copyright/repetition/clearance.
But this year Kevin said they did not have a 3 song policy, they submitted a list of songs once they knew their celeb and there was a 'conversation' but that they had a right to veto like AJ did with les mis for a rumba last year and the two couples who turned down Defying Gravity before Kev chose to run with it.
Oh and Kevin also confirmed copyright permission can be an issue.

That said the old days don't sound much easier:
The difficulty was we sometimes didn't get our music until Tuesday and I'd start to teach Denise on the Wednesday. So it was very limited time.
(Ian Waite)
(thanks Monkseal for the link to that interview)

WRT order of dances
AJ Pritchard mentioned that the producers listened to requests for Mollie not to do the Samba until it was essentially unavoidable
(thanks crimsonarrow for that snippet)

For your viewing pleasure here's Shirley and Corky Ballas jiving. Corky's outfit is something to behold. We think today's Strictly pro latin costumes are risque, check out Shirley in 1989!

Indeed Gareth

Big Love to the Macmania site for the following quotes from Tristan:
Wrt music/choreo ideas he had had....

Yeah, there are a few I’d have loved to do. I wanted to use “Is This Love” by Corinne Bailey Rae. It’s a cover of Bob Marley but it got vetoed and also "Sesame Street". I’ve wanted that one for a long time and it never gets passed for some reason. I like nostalgic ones that I guess the shows feel won't fit well. On the bigger scale I always wanted to do a Labyrinth themed number or one from Willow. I just think it would have been class - in my head anyway. My biggest disappointment though is still from last season as soon as I got Jamelia I knew what I wanted for Halloween but it got rejected and I was so disappointed about it – haha. I wanted to use “Scream” by Michael and Janet Jackson and I had all these hologram and trapdoors and dance breaks for it but they already had an MJ song they wanted to use. I also wanted “Hallelujah I Love Her So” by Ray Charles but, hey, sometimes you get it and sometimes you don't. But I’d have loved to use those songs and still wanted to do my Beetlejuice but it’s been used now and nobody wants to use songs that have already been done.

I don't know what year this was (early/mid 90s? Camilla was 15) but check out baby Brendan and Camilla Dallerup (way before the Kaplinsky scandal)!
Lolololol at Brendan's outfit but it was very much of the time
I love the proper competition costumes, they remind me of Strictly Ballroom

TRISTAN (strictly pro 2014-15)

You’re a pro and have been asked to create dances to all kinds of music – good and bad – but do you recall one time in particular when you were presented your music and dance type and thought “now what am I supposed to do with this”?

No comment........haha - yeah always. Again when we were on DWTS you could a lot of the time choose a lot more but here not so much. For sure they try help you out but ultimately it comes down to a boss’s preference. You get songs that you never heard of and you get songs you wish you will never hear again and then you now and again get lucky and get a song you always wanted. The fact of the matter is it’s not about me and what I want. I make a dance to make my partner enjoy herself and I do it to a song that someone has decided the audience will love. I’ve had a few for sure, and the fact is a great idea in your head doesn’t always play out the way you want it to and that has to be accepted across the board in every department. You can't just take the credit when it goes right. The producers need to put on a collective show. Sometimes you get the raw deal but other times you get that helping hand, but people just don't like to see it that way. People love songs and people hate songs. You hear a lot of songs being re-used but you have to remember that every celebrity is doing the show for the first time and their 'experience' is the only shot they get so you have to say ‘I like it’ or ‘I don't like it’ and if they can help, they help and if they won’t, you step back and do your job. Our music guy, Matt, is great with me though. We love a lot of the same songs.