Strictly Come Dancing 2018

[Cleoriff]

It's that time of year again folks.

From Monday August 13th they will start revealing the candidates for this years show. I understand the first one will be on that nights episode of the One Show.

Many names being bandied about and people are even putting bets on them? (A bit stupid when there's been nothing official yet)

Anyway names in the mix so far

Cheryl Cole (can't see that happening)

Ashley Roberts  (former Pussycat Doll)

Lee Ryan (from Blue)

Faye Tozer (from Steps)

Les Dennis

Tom Daley

Steph Mc Govern BBC Newscaster.

Dan Walker (Sports Presenter)

Colleen Rooney (can't see that as they have just upped sticks and moved to the US for Waynes football career)

Michelle Keegan (Corrie and Our Girl)

Mark Labbett (The Beast) from The Chase.

Kate Silverstone (BBC Newsreader)

That's all I've got so far and probably half of them are wrong but hey...

What is certain , the judging panel and the presenters remain the same.

Also the guy who will replace the lovely Brendon Cole is Neil Jones. He has been on the show as a back up dancer and is married to last years winning professional Katya Jones

[Glory1]

---

@Cleoriff wrote:

Anyway, it's good to differ with opinions.

It would be boring and pointless if we all agreed.

---

So true and personally I hate to be bored. So the more lively discussions the better. It's good to hear other people's views even if you disagree.

[dgilbert2]

Blimey, its more entertaining in here than watching the dancing (...head down!!)

[sheepdog]

And semi-final week theme is Lauren's got no chance of staying in: (copy & pasted from BBC)

• Ashley and Pasha Paso Doble to 'Spectrum (Say My Name)' Florence + The Machine AND American Smooth to 'Ain’t That a Kick In The Head' by Dean Martin
• Faye and Giovanni Samba to 'I Go To Rio' by Pablo Cruise AND Argentine Tango to 'La Cumparsita' by Machiko Ozawa
• Joe and Dianne Argentine Tango to 'Red Right Hand' by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds AND Viennese Waltz to 'This Year’s Love' by David Gray
• Lauren and AJ Tango to 'Nutbush City' by Limits Tina Turner AND Samba to 'Rock The Boat' by The Hues Corporation
• Stacey and Kevin Charleston to 'Five Foot Two Eyes Of Blue' by Spike Jones AND Viennese Waltz to 'You’re My World' by Cilla Black

Also: could be the DAO's worst week of singing yet!

[Cleoriff]

Thanks for that @sheepdog

Blimey TWO people doing the Argentine Tango

What a night to do that when they have TWO dances!!....

I see Ashley is doing a Paso. Good.

As for Lauren, I hope she goes but I'm not so sure. I belong to a SCD forum (of course I do)

and I can tell you Ashley is disliked due to her previous dance experience.

People seem to love Lauren.

They admit she can't dance as well as the others, though like her 'as she has overcome a disability'

I have had a few 'discussions on that forum as well!!

Bring on Saturday.

[Glory1]

---

@Cleoriff wrote:

Thanks for that @sheepdog

Blimey TWO people doing the Argentine Tango

What a night to do that when they have TWO dances!!....

I see Ashley is doing a Paso. Good.

As for Lauren, I hope she goes but I'm not so sure. I belong to a SCD forum (of course I do)

and I can tell you Ashley is disliked due to her previous dance experience.

People seem to love Lauren.

They admit she can't dance as well as the others, though like her 'as she has overcome a disability'

I have had a few 'discussions on that forum as well!!

Bring on Saturday.

---

Ashley's 'previous dance experience' consisted of her jigging about on stage.  I don't recall her doing a Paso, Argentine Tango or Quickstep while singing The Pussycat Dolls latest chart hit. Clearly I missed that 

Honestly  

[jonsie]

Meooow

[Glory1]

Speaking of the wonderful Lauren, she who has overcome.....interesting choice of music for both her dances. I can see her making a right old so and so of both dances, which she'd do even if she had decent music.

It'll be interesting to see who goes, which won't be Lauren if she's not in the bottom 2!

[Cleoriff]

In fairness, I have read about Ashley's dance history via Google (today).

She has had a lot. Starting at the age of 3. She did ballet, tap, some choreography and starred in musicals

However, she has never had any type of ballroom experience

All that aside, she was asked by the BBC to appear on SCD. A lot of other people appearing on the show at various times have had the same level of experience as her.

Faye Tozer, currently on the show, has a similar dance background as Ashley

No-one should be penalised for being able to dance. In some ways it's far more difficult for those who have had a background in dance as they have to forget everything they knew before and learn a new discipline. Ballroom.

So, as the show is about 'Ballroom Dancing', I shall continue to vote for the best dancer. OR the best dancer on the night.

Cleo 'drops mic'

[Glory1]

---

@Cleoriff wrote:

In fairness, I have read about Ashley's dance history via Google (today).

She has had a lot. Starting at the age of 3. She did ballet, tap, some choreography and starred in musicals

However, she has never had any type of ballroom experience

All that aside, she was asked by the BBC to appear on SCD. A lot of other people appearing on the show at various times have had the same level of experience as her.

Faye Tozer, currently on the show, has a similar dance background as Ashley

No-one should be penalised for being able to dance. In some ways it's far more difficult for those who have had a background in dance as they have to forget everything they knew before and learn a new discipline. Ballroom.

So, as the show is about 'Ballroom Dancing', I shall continue to vote for the best dancer. OR the best dancer on the night.

Cleo 'drops mic'

---

Well said @Cleoriff and you won't be surprised to learn I agree with you. Unless a celebrity has previous ballroom dancing experience they deserve the same chance as every other celebrity. After all previous dance experience doesn't mean they'll be any good at ballroom. Faye wasn't to begin with, she's only recently come into her own. So, like you, I'll be voting for the best dancer on the night. And not the 'she's deserving because she's disabled' dancer. She's not nor never has been the best dancer. And I'd like to think she's too much of an athlete to want to win due to her disability, which is really an insult to her, if you think about it. At the end of the day, as I keep saying over and over, it's a dance contest, and nothing else should matter.

[sheepdog]

Having examined Ashley's routines in PCD videos, I can safely say she has no clue in ballroom and probably before now, couldn't string together a coherent choreography move with a close partner. However she knows how to train which gives her the advantage over a lot of people. Except Lauren who trains professionally so swings and roundabouts over the underlying skills.

And we've seen people who should be able to go far completely fail because they don't have the aptitude for it or not put the effort in. Don't forget Harry Judd was neither an athlete nor was in the realm of "previous dance experience" and was one of the best winners in my opinion.