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 dont beleve this for a second! She went to see his show to support him surely shes not that stupid to go and support someone if she was bullied to that degree?
I heard it was more he didnt want her to have too many breaks and she was tired and fell asleep in the rehearsal room, and no before I'm asked again I wont say where I heard thisbut again this is heresay.
Lets all wait and not accuse someone of someone and ruin their lives before we know the facts
As usual the BBC should come clear and tell us really what happened they are handiling this very badly both for Zara and Graziano.

I also like Halloween week it's my favourite.

What I don't like about Hallowe'en week is the songs not matching up to the style of dance and it all being a bit disjointed

Why should Graziano and Zaras employer tell the public what he was disciplined for??

And again, a poster going straight to attacking Zara despite also saying we don't know the facts.

Who do you all want to win? My head says Gorka because I think he is the most exciting male dancer with very innnovative choreo, and has been in the final 3 times, so put in his hard work.

My heart says Karen or Amy because they have had hard times the past year in their personal lives. Karen is also such a joy to watch when she gets a ringer ( which I think she hardly ever has)

Karen deserves to have a good run, definitely, but I wouldn't necessarily say Give Her The Ringer, they tend not to win.

yes, I should rephrase that. Let her get someone good, but not too good! A hunky semi-ringer.

I’d add to the list:

• No AT’s until the semi final
• Bring back the group elimination dance (in the quarter finals)
• Start being strict about the amount of time in hold/out of hold/illegal lifts again

I'd like them to do only 2 or 3 dances each week, so it's a more level playing field and nobody is doing a much more technical dance in the early weeks

You have a point!

Yes! @CaveMum Yes!

I meant to add sticking to the rules and being deducted points for a lift and bracing yourself for a telling off from Len, who isn't having it!

@awaynboilyurheid are you suggesting there is footage of him kicking her, spitting on her while she was asleep?!

Which might explain why she didn't know or wasn't the one to report it?

Surely that's as bad, if not worse.

I'd be slightly surprised if Amy got a celeb at all tbh: it's such a hard job. But if she's well enough to manage it that would be excellent

Yes Week 1 : Waltz/Cha Cha
Week 2 : Waltz/Cha Cha

And no Jive or Samba until at least week 4! It’s not fair, and usually not that nice to watch!

I get people saying that Zara did not want to damage her upward career trajectory and go up against the Strictly machine by speaking up last year but what I don't get is why she apparently said last year:
'Bless Graz, I have started with literally no dance or performance experience whatsoever and he has been putting all of his energy into teaching me, with so much kindness, patience and passion.'

Why talk about kindness as the first description if his treatment was not at all kind? Why not just say patience and passion? I couldn't tell the nation someone who was abusing me had shown 'kindness'. I don't understand her word choice. Maybe he was a Jekyll and Hyde type of abuser who she kept forgiving for the relatively infrequent abusive incidents? Who knows.

I know it's impossible but Bring Back Len.
Or at least someone who marks dancing against dancing rules, and not emotional outbursts because of dead nans.

But what Zara said is literally The Strictly Script. They all say it. It's the "done thing"

Well I’m skeptical about those particular accusations as firstly, to date, Zara hasn’t made them herself (this is all from “sources”) and secondly she stayed good friends with him AFTER strictly. Graziano posted a tiktok in February this year (still on his page if you want to see it), of her dancing around his hotel room with his wife and another friend before they went off on a girls night out & him looking disheveled as he was on tour & had another show.

It also seems suspect to me that hitting, kicking and spitting were all caught on camera, seen during the editing process and was so distressing that it brought people to tears, yet the BBC (in 2023) chose to cover it up.

Obviously something has happened but I’d rather reserve judgement on Graziano until we’ve heard from Zara who is the victim in all this.

But this is the real issue, I guess. Why do women feel they can't speak up? Why do they almost defend their abusers?

Was it seen in 2023? Or did it only just come to light?

Re Zara being friends with him, there could be any number of explanations for that.
Remember Zara didn't make any allegations, she was called for interview after the allegations were brought to light.

I'm obviously projecting based on emotional guesswork here, but if you're a perfectionist who's objectively a bit shit then it's really easy to blame yourself for your teacher's behaviour. And a teacher who blows hot and cold with affection and blame could really do a number on your self-esteem.

I'm repeating myself here, but Zara isn't a trained performer so she probably doesn't know what's reasonable behaviour for professional dancers: she's heard Strictly jokes about "ooh, X pro is really really strict, we call her Miss Whiplash, but it's all worth it in the end" since she was a small child. The hard painful work you need to do to dance beautifully is legendary, so how does someone with no experience know what's realistic?

Amanda by contrast has extensive dance and stage training: she does know what is and is not normal.

Agree with all of this.
Additonally, Zara is a vulnerable person, and has been suicidal in the past, so possibly an easy target, and her lack of self belief would affect her ability to speak up

Zara strikes me as an extremely vulnerable person. So much easier to draw your boundaries when you are older and have had a bit of experience.

She's unfollowed him on social media now and has instructed lawyers which suggests there is some weight to the accusations. Graz hasn't denied anything in his statement or even mentioned Zara. It's all about him. This particular part of his statement shrieks of minimising but acknowledges he understands the accusations "My intense passion and determination to win might have affected my training regime".