Strictly '22 Thread 7 — <cut glass accent> A Centenary Celebration for Auntie

[PolkadotsAndMoonbeams]

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As always, a reminder that this is a SPOILER-FREE THREAD, so please don't comment on the result before the result show.

Signalled? Singled. Sorry.

Yes, that never seems to occur to people! 😂😂

You're right about Tony.
He's actually using some good dance content.

And yes, I was moved by Jayde’s sister. I have empathy.

I also have a healthy dose of cynicism when emotions flip suddenly.

It doesn’t stop me being sorry she has lost a loved one. My heart aches for her.

My eyes are independent and can roll away as they wish.

Looking forward to Fleur and Vito dancing to 'Waterloo' next week. Though some of the other music is weird.

Series 5 was good, but I think overall the standard has gone up over the years, with some stand-out dancers in every series.

I wish they would do more champion of champions but it must be hard to get everyone back together. Jill Halfpenny is still one of the overall best for me and she was series 2. I don't think anyone in S1 was very good, but other than that every series has had some great dancers in it.

although if you've seen nasty comments in the DM you must be a DM reader yourself...

Nope, I was referring to comments on Facebook beneath a DM article.

I think the standard of both pro and amateur dancers and the choreo has gone down actually, especially with the addition of CGI, CC, sob stories, and overmarking. But maybe it's just that I am getting older and can't keep up with the times.

I don't care for the CGI at times but some of the studio lighting and sets are spectacular now. I don't know what CC is. They's always had sob stories.

CC is couple's choice.

Jayde made me cry on Saturday evening. It would have been my mum's birthday and I was upset and crying all day. I would have liked not to be upset watching what is supposed to be a light entertainment show.

I don't hate Jayde but I certainly not like her very much. As another poster said, she is so full of herself and is an awful dancer. It can't even be put down to her size as Hamza is so light on his feet.

The cynic in me wonders if she is being overmarked to make sure she stays in for a while. Maybe the public are not voting in high numbers for her and the producers don't want to lose their same sex couple yet do they?

CC is couples choice, which was introduced a few years ago as a choice of one of three non Ballroom/Latin dance styles but quickly became a free for all. It is impossible to mark fairly because the judges aren't experts in every dance style and it is (almost) always accompanied by a sob story and who wants to give someone a two when they have just danced in tribute to their dead relative/their overcoming disability/mental health problems.
As a watcher from the early series I can assure they they haven't always had sob stories. Even particularly gruesome injuries were glossed over. You might get a very brief mention that Nan loved to dance or Mum is a huge fan of the show but as dances weren't themed there was no space for 'this is for the neighbour's cat tragically stuck up a tree for six hours last week'.

Am really tired of everyone's feelings and MH journeys. We all have those. But can you dance?

either way, you read them too 🤷🏻‍♀️ I've seen none because I don't read that shit and it doesn't appear on my Facebook feed.

My opinion of Jayde is based on her performance in the series alone and is purely about her dancing.

Oh, I love Couple's Choice. Not every choice, of course...

The only thing I take issue with over the years is I think they should all be doing one of two dances in the same week, not several different ones. Makes it much easier to compare. As it goes on when they get to QF they should all do the same dance plus one other.

I get all manner of shit in my FB feed, a lot of stuff to do with SCD and a lot of things which are completely irrelevant to my life.

Series 5 was good, but I think overall the standard has gone up over the years, with some stand-out dancers in every series

It would be interesting to look at proportion of pop stars/people who've had dance training over the series.

I wonder if it's gone up over time. Then your good "journey" candidates (sportspeople, musical ones) lose out, because they look worse in comparison and don't get the chance to improve because the "comedy" one get more votes.

Actually, early on I don't think there were any "comedy contestants". There were the older ones and the ones who weren't as good, but without theming etc, their pros probably had to work harder on the dancing to keep them in!

They used to say that Strictly beat The X Factor in the ratings because The X Factor tried to make you cry whereas Strictly tried to make you laugh. But Strictly has gone very mawkish lately. Even the pro-dance was all about body-image, mental health and self-esteem this week. (Danced by a load of gorgeous, thin people who wouldn't have been cast on this show if they hadn't been beautiful and whose contract isn't getting renewed the day they get a wrinkle.)

Strictly is (or was) popular for the same reason Fred and Ginger films were big box-office during the Depression. People want a couple of hours of escape. They want the sequins and the lights and the big-band music. They want a dance that is dramatic followed by one that is romantic followed by one that is so funny it makes them phone someone afterwards and say, 'Oh my god, did you ever think you'd see (celebrity's name) do that?' When Strictly is on, the nights are getting cold and dark and people who are worried about their health or their bills or their jobs just want to be cheered up for a couple of hours. The Debbie Downer moments are becoming so prevalent that they risk overpowering the fun and glamour that make people tune in.

I don't think there has been anyone awful for a good few years (the ones that can't remember the steps, have no rhythm and are as stiff as a board). But early series where perhaps more of a level playing field, in that no-one had any dance experience.
I still think it's odd that if you have done a Children in Need or Xmas special that they make you start training later than other contestants but if you have been in a musical for years or were a professional ballet dancer you can crack straight on.

Excellent points, @EsmaCannonball .
That's why Tony's dance was such a tonic, and why Ellie Simmonds is a joy to watch.

Well said esma

Tis the reason I record it and watch with the benefit of fast forward.

If I want depressing I’ll clock the news.

Oh, and Jayde was the face of Sun Bingo for years so she's happy to take money from the worst of tabloids and to promote something (online gambling) that absolutely destroys mental health.

I definitely think that this is the first year for a few years where i noticed people forgetting their steps in the first week or two, which was almost refreshing! When James did his jive(maybe?) and anton commented on it.

I want to see people learn something, I just don't want all the sob stories and things, it just turns me off to be honest. Everyone has things like this, but they just don't all choose to talk about them!

I would absolutely love if they had a Strictly lottery, pick 12 random viewers or Mumsnet strictly thread posters.

strictly no mawkish stories, just an honest mix of folk who know their shit (@PolkadotsAndMoonbeams 😁) and people like me who don’t have the beautiful toned arms of Jowita and the lithe bod of Karen.

my name is Radge and I am here for the Journey. Gio, Kai or Karen please. 🤞

I love Strictly whatever it’s shortcomings (at times) but it seems that the standard shot up from series 3 - I’ve only seen bits and pieces of 1 and 2 - and has been consistently high ever since. What was better about it before; there wasn’t nearly as much unnecessary emoting about contestants private lives, the judges generally behaved in a more dignified way (I hate them dancing on, jumping and down and wearing silly hats) and it just felt more like a competition that everyone was involved in, rather than a lot of individuals making their own little show about them.