SCD 24 #16 The Final Countdown. Who Will Make It? NO SPOILERS

[EineReiseDurchDieZeit]

KEEP DANCING

I agree with you @FagsMagsandBags. I like a mild ringer - JB, Danny Mac, Alexandra, etc - but RingerDingerDingDongs shouldn't be on the show. If you teach dance then that's you out (unless you're one of the professionals).

There have been some amazing novice dancers - AJ Odudu, Montell this year (IMO) - who have surprising natural skill from the beginning, but they're pretty hard to find, so I do understand why the producers sign up ringers for the show. It's no fun to watch everyone scoring 4 or 5 for the first three weeks. I want a few good dances right from the start.

Loads of fora and paps look at their form pre-series.
Tasha - ballet lessons as a child, training at Creative Academy in Slough. Has performed in competitions. Commercial dancer.

But it doesn't mean she hasn't had to work nor does it negate her cochlear implant (which fell out in one routine).

For me, Tash/Sarah/JB have all been good to watch and have all worked hard but obviously all three had some edge over their fellow competitors.
That's why I'm fine with Chris winning, who's had it in the bag since the start.

Totally with you @FagsMagsandBags

If you were just a casual viewer watching on Saturday night then you'd know that Chris and Pete had NeverDancedBefore™️ because their pro partners have rammed it down our throats non stop. And also, to be fair, they have visibly improved
since week 1.

Tasha and Sarah were dancing brilliantly since week 1. I think it's obvious that they weren't "learning to dance" in the same way.

I've gone a bit statty after seeing something on Lauren's Wiki page which had her and JB's scores each week in the competition. I went off to see all of JB's scores for the series. When he was with Amy their highest score was 32. With Lauren their lowest score has been 35. Of course one could argue that it's because they hit the midway part of the show and he was always going to get better but I think it really shows how better matched he is with Lauren. Absolutely no criticism of Amy. She's a fine dancer - not one of my favourite dancer/choreographers but that's down to taste - but sometimes a put together couple just don't fit as well as they could. This has been an interesting series because we're able to see exactly how that can impact the celebrity dancer. Probably.

Luckily Chris will make sure that win’t happen 😉

JB would have had to learn lots of choreography when he was in a boyband. Obviously not Latin or ballroom, but having performed dances on stage, and being a performer in that way, must be a huge advantage. Someone like Chris sits or stands on a stage and talks for a living - hardly the same is it? Chris for the win - he's funny, kind, seems like a lovely bloke and what he's achieved is amazing.

I do and also for them all to do the same 2 dances

It's no fun to watch everyone scoring 4 or 5 for the first three weeks

I disagree @GrouchyKiwi, learning and progressing was always the point. Layton had no journey and neither has Tasha. Layton also reacted badly to any critique or technical advice.

I wonder whether Amy will be back as a full time pro dancer that gets allocated a celebrity in future series. I have nothing against her but I think she needs to look after herself and I think she tried too hard and too fast to get back to being on the show following her cancer treatment and she would be better off perhaps taking a year or two off from the show to be back to full strength.

I don't disagree about there being nowhere to progress to, but I think there's a midway point between that level of ringer and graceless novice and I personally prefer that midway point to be there from the start.

(ETA: I class Layton, Tasha and Ashley Pussycat as RingerDingerDingDongs who shouldn't have been cast.)

Yep ringer defenders tells us the challenge for ringers is to learn ballroom/Latin but Layton continued to dance Layton style throughout.

@GrouchyKiwi

Don't forget Chambers! A ringer that managed to win!

I honestly wouldn't mind if everyone was a bit not so great for the first few weeks. There'd never be a year where everyone had the skill and grace of a Paul Merson so it's never going to be awful and we do often have celebs who have a natural talent that they never knew about. I'm with you @GrouchyKiwi re AJ and Montell. There have definitely been others but they really stand out, especially AJ. I think we're all happy to have a mixture of some previous experience and none whatsoever because I think what we all really love seeing is people falling in love with dance and bringing joy to the dancefloor. JB has done that for me this year and it's been such a pleasure. Then again, so has Chris and I'm chuffed for him that he has a few really good dances under his belt so that he's not winning by the sympathy vote but because he's inspired us and brought us joy.

I'm also so pleased that despite there being so few women in the competition this year we have ended up with two in the final.

Totally agree. I just want to see novices dancing and improving.

Yes, they were the A* ringers

I didn't know at the time he was a ringer (I think I first learned the term when Danny Mac was on)! I loved his showdance, but Lisa was my favourite that year. Until SnowDance.

No I only realised about Smuggy Chambers afterwards when a video of him doing Fred Astaire was put on YouTube predating the show by some way.

People have also said Jill Halfpenny was a ringer when she won.

Wasn't there some story during the show about Chambers wanting to learn to dance for his wedding? Shameless.

🤮

I like to see a journey, so if they’re brilliant at the beginning, then there’s no where to go. When they look like a pro in week 2, it’s not that interesting.
The best dancer rarely wins.

Poor Lisa. I've just watched it again. It never fails to be truly awful.

Chambers' show dance remains on of my favourites but like others I had no idea of the ringing noises he was making until after the fact.

Watching on catch up, thank god for that 🤣

I wonder what Tasha would have been like if she had been with Kai
Aljaz seems so old and unfit ( I know he isn’t)
I find ringers annoying.