Strictly

It is sad isn't it.

The BBC are responsible. They hire the dancers and nowadays they are around as part of the troupe before they end up getting a partner for perhaps a couple of years. This means they get to know them much more. It wasn't the case before.

What doesn't seem to have changed is the background training the dancers get. These are not usually dance teachers, they are still actively pursuing their careers. Some of them will never have taught before they get the job. This is a critical time and this is when the production team should have mentors in place. Not just chaperones, but actual dance teachers who have been teaching amateurs. Who are schooled in keeping it safe and happy, because that's how they make a living.

I think some passion and frustration is acceptable, let's not pretend training for Strictly is not a physical and sometimes difficult thing. Both parties can and will get angry with themselves when for the umpteenth time they forget a critical step. A step they can do. I'm not talking about a step they've never been able to master, that is where the dance teacher comes in and says OK it's Thursday let's knock that one on the head and try something simpler.

Personalities will clash, as we've said before you have a dancer who wants to win and a celebrity who wants to enhance their career. It has been reported that many celebrities like the side by side dancing best because they're facing the camera and haven't got long periods with their back to it. So there will be prima donnas on both sides. And all of us have noticed the increase in side by side dancing and commented that some dancers were 60% side by side and 10% lifts/drags/spins with only 30% being a waltz.

The cameras will help everyone. Vanessa Feltz says the cameras were always in her rehearsals all the time and there is certainly more footage available to the BBC. On that basis the cameras are only as good as the people monitoring them.

The BBC makes a lot of money from the show and it seems to have had little oversight into behind the scenes issues.

Let's have less commentary on this person being a hard taskmaster, a strict teacher etc too.

I imagine that it's a bit of both in reality, good for the celebs, good for the camera crew and often wastes a bit of time where an actual VW dance step could've been used.

You know a bit of faffing about, a bit of a rest, side steps and swaying, even a bit of a sit down, they all do it. It didn't get past Len though!

Alternatively, you can swish your partner around in a circle on the floor or drag them a bit up the dance floor.

All the tricks are in there. We always spot them and sometimes they actually are in keeping with the dance, just overdone.



Some can be technical like when it's supposed to be there in a Charleston or quick step. I'm really talking about the fill bits, the slow walk towards each other, things like that.

Will Bailey has spoken out about the injury he sustained after that jump he attempted from that table. He is quite scathing about TPTB and said that even his coach said it was not the right thing to do, he was not rushed to hospital but treated in his room and the injury has had a lasting impact.

Will seems to have beef with the casting director (I think that’s the title) who left him off the group WhatsApp and was otherwise unpleasant about him, but I can’t remember the deets. I don’t think he has made any adverse comments about Janette, but the strong implication coming through is that TPTB have a lot of input into the dances. Originally I think the pros picked both the music and set the whole routine.

No you’re right, they can’t. It all seems very very peculiar to me! I mean you expect that ski jump show and DOI to be pretty risky, but amateur dancing shouldn’t be really should it. Just as well Max is doing the show AFTER he’s retired then!

And me please.