Strictly Come Dancing '24 Thread 1 : Who will be our celebs and Pros?

[EineReiseDurchDieZeit]

Starting a new SCD thread for chat prior to the series as the last is about to fill.

These threads are usually helmed by @PolkadotsAndMoonbeams and I normally deputise, but I haven't seen her around in a while

This thread will discuss who has been chosen for the show, but not who has been paired with who as that's a spoiler for the first show.

This is a NO SPOILER thread

Get Ready To KEEP DANCING.

I wondered this too, and you have put it much better than I could ever have done.

I completely agree with this. I love Strictly too much to ever give up on it, but it needs rewinding. I'm sick to death of all the back stories and the hosts wringing every last ounce of emotion out of everything. We've come a very long way from reasonable critiques from the judges and a bit of lightheartedness, then moving swiftly on to the next couple.

It’s turning into a spoof of itself.

@onlyconnect and @Bluffinwithmymuffin
I couldn't agree more.
It seems to be about back stories and emotions rather than dance. Some of the standards are ridiculously high, and there's nowhere for the performers to go. I think just dial it down a bit.

Checking in. Gutted about Graz as didn't see that coming. Also makes it all the more strange with what's going on with Gio as we still don't know what he's accused of and it's all taking so long to come out.

I'm another hoping it gets back to basics & brings out the best in people without any bullying.

I have no idea what Gio is accused of. I keep seeing quotes from Amanda Abbington, but they're very opaque. It seems to be taking ages to come out.

So I just checked, Zoe Ball got 8, 9, 9, 9 on week 1. That’s crazy.

I know, it does stop it being fun. So many ringers.

I think slim attractive fit young women with no rhythm sometimes get tough treatment from male pros.

If you're allocated Allison Hammond then you're not expecting fabulous technical dancing and a place in the final.

But I think that the audience and the pros look at someone who looks like Zara, who's pretty, and physically fit, especially if she's not particularly famous to start off with, and think "She's probably a ringer". I remember Monkseal assuming that Vick Hope was a ringer because why else would they cast someone with no Wikipedia page.

When it becomes obvious that they have a fundamental lack of talent then a pro with a character flaw sometimes gets nasty, either just with personal insults, or by overdoing training in the belief that they "should" be able to do it.

See also, Sarah Manners, Georgina Bouzova. Every year there's a woman cast who looks like a Barbie doll and dances like one too, and how the pro copes with this situation is a test of their character.

Just to be clear: having no rhythm is not a character flaw. Lots of these young women work their socks off trying to improve, and they've done nothing wrong - our/the pro's stereotypes are not their fault.

Morning!
Ooh, yes, it happens quite a lot.
Brendan always wanted the ringers but ended up with tall, willowy women who weren't that coordinated. Not terrible but not as good as you might have expected.
Kirsty Gallacher
Victoria Pendleton
Charlotte Hawkins
Gorka and Nikita/Graz and Zara last year.

It's funny you mention Vick Hope. Monkseal (I stalk him occasionally on Digital Spy to see what he thinks about Strictly stuff now he's no longer on X) said:

The big question for me now is honestly around Vick Hope, because that all looks very dodgy - why did their relationship deteriorate so badly, why was he then benched for two years, why did he come back so self-consciously acting like Clifford The Big Red Dog on uppers? There's not necessarily anything there, but it should be looked into tbh. The show's failure to notice this with Zara is bad enough, but if this is someone on a second chance...

Interesting post @EvilRingahBitch

Vick Hope reveals she went into therapy due to 'stress' from being on Strictly Come Dancing | Evening Standard

She says she didn't think she was good enough and was unkind to herself.
So yes, that impossible standard again.

Yes that first year for Graziano was a car crash, and I don't actually think Vick was that untalented - she had some lovely lines.

I think that if she'd looked like Judi Love then she'd have had a much better time, but instead she got a load of flack for laziness (also Graz for poor choreography tbf)

Graziano's statement stinks. It's very self indulgent, he only regrets being sacked and is not at all an apology. I'll be waiting to hear about the private issue he can't currently share that excuses his hitting, kicking and spitting on another human being.

Think she would have done better if she had been given another pro.
If I remember, that was Graziano’s first year on SCD and his choreography wasn’t good

Vick Hope constantly looked like she was on the verge of tears, it was uncomfortable to watch.

No one knows, it’s just been reported as ‘gross misconduct’ supposedly towards Zara but she didn’t report it, staff did.

It’s worse in a way as people will now fill in the gaps and potentially make whatever he did out to be worse than it was. Or maybe it really was that bad.

To be honest, with all this swirling maybe they need to skip a year.

DelectableMe was refering to Giovanni and Amanda not to Gratz.

Thank you, @Runningupthecurtains . I think in the case of Graziano, it's been spelled out.
Not so with Gio.

Lots to catch up on and lots of comments about "the old days"

The first SCD was part of Sport Relief and then it took off in a big way on its own but the whole point was

A) Amateurs learning a skill
B) IT WAS A BIT OF FUN

It was supposed to be a laugh and have duffers and such

It's very manufactured now, casting people into roles. Deliberately booking ringers so there are amazing dances week one as opposed to "Didn't he do well for a sportsman?" Round of applause.

A lot of us last year were against Layton being involved due to the high level of ringerness and I hope there isn't a contestant on the same level this year. He's the EMCEE in Cabaret now.

Couples Choice can do one. Yes it's produced SOME good dances but the majority of them are just rolling about on the floor street dance or contempowaft crap.

Hallowe'en week can also fuck off

And Musicals or Movies NOT BOTH

Humph!

I like Halloween week 🙋🏼‍♀️

Oh yes, please get rid of the Contempowaft dance, usually interpretating someone's personal challenge, so can't be marked low.

I think the costumes and makeup on Halloween week are amazing, so for that reason I enjoy it!

Its the barefoot I can't stand just stop it.