The weirdest thing about CCs is that wild rollercoaster of tone. It's like if anybody's got any trauma they might not mind having to talk about, they have to dance it, and you might get a lovely tribute to a relative that transcends the show. But if they don't, they might also just have a nice rejuvenating walk, like Krishnan, or move some hats across a table in a pleasingly synced hip-hop style.
Or weirder, a strange blend: Eddie tasering aliens for his family, or Adam watching back a potted history of his life's ups and downs then going out there to... emotionally jump around in a big jacket to Backstreet Boys.
When Chris Ramsay did his tribute to Clearasil via the medium of PJ and Duncan, really it should have been realised that CC had peaked and that could never be topped.
Sara Davies heartfelt sex dungeon does come close though.
This has to be the weirdest one, right? Except maybe Molly's mash-splattered Grange Hill moment in honour of her... having once attended a school?
But I like to think of that BBC theme night as a separate fever dream experience.
I'm not sure Molly's one was weird, so much as naff and unfair. I could see why there was a desire to shoehorn in a reference to a classic BBC kids' show, but the theme was totally unsuited to a good dance, and the choreography was awful. I wonder if another pro with more time on the show might have been able to steer the dance slightly further away from the rocks. I got the impression that Carlos might have gone, OK, I'm new, I don't know the style, this is what we have to dance.
I don't understand Sara Davies's CC. There was obviously the dragon reference, but beyond that... shrug.
I wonder if celebs have it written into their contracts to say they have to do what they are asked. I understand they have obligations like attending ITT and appearing on various shows to profile Strictly, but can they just flat out refuse to participate in some of the more inane schemes that Strictly PTB present? I'm thinking here about Mollie's CC - she can't have wanted to do that, and it was unfair to present it as a couple's choice when people like Fleur got to bounce around doing what clearly suited her style and talents. Actually even if they can't flat out refuse, why don't they? What are Strictly going to do?
I think that, to a large degree, yes they have to do what they've given.
I think some pros have (or had) more say than others. Anton mentioned that he used to try to get an American Smooth or Quickstep for the Blackpool show. I think he had more "stroke" than many others, having been there from the start, but even so he couldn't demand exactly what dance it was. (Although, if he could, he'd probably not say that on ITT!) Even Kevin, who seemed pretty popular with TPTB, had to wait years until he got to do his dream Blackpool Paso Doble. Be careful what you wish for.
I guess that if a pro said no, this routine/theme/song is utter trash and it's going to look terrible on the show, there might be some scope to put on the emergency brake (we've had a couple of last-minute changes of dance), but realistically I don't think it's possible once the training's started, especially with Couples' Choice because of the external choreographers. That goes double on a theme-heavy dance, like the Grange Hill one.
Where part of the problem lay, perhaps, was that Carlos was new and unfamiliar with street dance. Someone with a few more years on the show (like Gorka, perhaps) might have been able to tweak the routine with Lizzie and Tommy to give it more pep. But as the music choices have to be sorted a long time in advance, and there was a need to reference a BBC show, I don't think there was any chance to refuse a Grange Hill dance completely.
It's crossed my mind that perhaps the producers hoped Molly would repeat Tilly's CC triumph, but of course almost everyone thinks that the latter was overmarked and Tilly wasn't trying to do street dance to Alan Hawkshaw's Chicken Man tune.
In the furthest reaches of my (admittedly unreliable) brain, I seem to recall Louisa Lytton changing the song for one of their dances. The VT showed Vincent playing the song to her on his phone and she was all No no no I don't like it! Let's use this one (after a brief search on his phone). Does anyone else remember this or have I completely made this up??
The weirdest thing about CCs is that wild rollercoaster of tone. It's like if anybody's got any trauma they might not mind having to talk about, they have to dance it, and you might get a lovely tribute to a relative that transcends the show. But if they don't, they might also just have a nice rejuvenating walk, like Krishnan, or move some hats across a table in a pleasingly synced hip-hop style.
Or weirder, a strange blend: Eddie tasering aliens for his family, or Adam watching back a potted history of his life's ups and downs then going out there to... emotionally jump around in a big jacket to Backstreet Boys.
When Chris Ramsay did his tribute to Clearasil via the medium of PJ and Duncan, really it should have been realised that CC had peaked and that could never be topped.
Sara Davies heartfelt sex dungeon does come close though.
This has to be the weirdest one, right? Except maybe Molly's mash-splattered Grange Hill moment in honour of her... having once attended a school?
But I like to think of that BBC theme night as a separate fever dream experience.
I'm not sure Molly's one was weird, so much as naff and unfair. I could see why there was a desire to shoehorn in a reference to a classic BBC kids' show, but the theme was totally unsuited to a good dance, and the choreography was awful. I wonder if another pro with more time on the show might have been able to steer the dance slightly further away from the rocks. I got the impression that Carlos might have gone, OK, I'm new, I don't know the style, this is what we have to dance.
I don't understand Sara Davies's CC. There was obviously the dragon reference, but beyond that... shrug.
I wonder if celebs have it written into their contracts to say they have to do what they are asked. I understand they have obligations like attending ITT and appearing on various shows to profile Strictly, but can they just flat out refuse to participate in some of the more inane schemes that Strictly PTB present? I'm thinking here about Mollie's CC - she can't have wanted to do that, and it was unfair to present it as a couple's choice when people like Fleur got to bounce around doing what clearly suited her style and talents. Actually even if they can't flat out refuse, why don't they? What are Strictly going to do?
I think that, to a large degree, yes they have to do what they've given.
I think some pros have (or had) more say than others. Anton mentioned that he used to try to get an American Smooth or Quickstep for the Blackpool show. I think he had more "stroke" than many others, having been there from the start, but even so he couldn't demand exactly what dance it was. (Although, if he could, he'd probably not say that on ITT!) Even Kevin, who seemed pretty popular with TPTB, had to wait years until he got to do his dream Blackpool Paso Doble. Be careful what you wish for.
I guess that if a pro said no, this routine/theme/song is utter trash and it's going to look terrible on the show, there might be some scope to put on the emergency brake (we've had a couple of last-minute changes of dance), but realistically I don't think it's possible once the training's started, especially with Couples' Choice because of the external choreographers. That goes double on a theme-heavy dance, like the Grange Hill one.
Where part of the problem lay, perhaps, was that Carlos was new and unfamiliar with street dance. Someone with a few more years on the show (like Gorka, perhaps) might have been able to tweak the routine with Lizzie and Tommy to give it more pep. But as the music choices have to be sorted a long time in advance, and there was a need to reference a BBC show, I don't think there was any chance to refuse a Grange Hill dance completely.
It's crossed my mind that perhaps the producers hoped Molly would repeat Tilly's CC triumph, but of course almost everyone thinks that the latter was overmarked and Tilly wasn't trying to do street dance to Alan Hawkshaw's Chicken Man tune.
In the furthest reaches of my (admittedly unreliable) brain, I seem to recall Louisa Lytton changing the song for one of their dances. The VT showed Vincent playing the song to her on his phone and she was all No no no I don't like it! Let's use this one (after a brief search on his phone). Does anyone else remember this or have I completely made this up??
They'd have to copyright clear the song - I have no idea how long that takes - I'd be surprised if you can do it in a few days, but maybe you can.
Katya has just answered a question about dance order and how they feel about getting rumba this week. She said it was a big team decision and there has to be a spread of dances on each show and every couple has to have a fair balance of latin, ballroom and speciality dances.
I wonder if TPTB have even bothered to do any background on This Woman’s Work?
Kate Bush wrote it for a movie and it’s from the point of view of a man outside the labour ward.
Reminds me of how some silly Americans think Born in the USA is an anthem to how wonderful and lucky they are.
Bobby had apparently said before the show that was the song he wanted to dance to. Of course, whether he had really internalised all the lyrics is another question.
I wonder if TPTB have even bothered to do any background on This Woman’s Work?
Kate Bush wrote it for a movie and it’s from the point of view of a man outside the labour ward.
Yep it was for She's Having A Baby, staring Kevin Bacon and Elizabeth Mongomery, who'd gone into crisis in the labour room and there was a fear neither would make it. Of course, being a John Hughes film, all was well
The weirdest thing about CCs is that wild rollercoaster of tone. It's like if anybody's got any trauma they might not mind having to talk about, they have to dance it, and you might get a lovely tribute to a relative that transcends the show. But if they don't, they might also just have a nice rejuvenating walk, like Krishnan, or move some hats across a table in a pleasingly synced hip-hop style.
Or weirder, a strange blend: Eddie tasering aliens for his family, or Adam watching back a potted history of his life's ups and downs then going out there to... emotionally jump around in a big jacket to Backstreet Boys.
When Chris Ramsay did his tribute to Clearasil via the medium of PJ and Duncan, really it should have been realised that CC had peaked and that could never be topped.
Sara Davies heartfelt sex dungeon does come close though.
This has to be the weirdest one, right? Except maybe Molly's mash-splattered Grange Hill moment in honour of her... having once attended a school?
But I like to think of that BBC theme night as a separate fever dream experience.
I'm not sure Molly's one was weird, so much as naff and unfair. I could see why there was a desire to shoehorn in a reference to a classic BBC kids' show, but the theme was totally unsuited to a good dance, and the choreography was awful. I wonder if another pro with more time on the show might have been able to steer the dance slightly further away from the rocks. I got the impression that Carlos might have gone, OK, I'm new, I don't know the style, this is what we have to dance.
I don't understand Sara Davies's CC. There was obviously the dragon reference, but beyond that... shrug.
I wonder if celebs have it written into their contracts to say they have to do what they are asked. I understand they have obligations like attending ITT and appearing on various shows to profile Strictly, but can they just flat out refuse to participate in some of the more inane schemes that Strictly PTB present? I'm thinking here about Mollie's CC - she can't have wanted to do that, and it was unfair to present it as a couple's choice when people like Fleur got to bounce around doing what clearly suited her style and talents. Actually even if they can't flat out refuse, why don't they? What are Strictly going to do?
I think that, to a large degree, yes they have to do what they've given.
I think some pros have (or had) more say than others. Anton mentioned that he used to try to get an American Smooth or Quickstep for the Blackpool show. I think he had more "stroke" than many others, having been there from the start, but even so he couldn't demand exactly what dance it was. (Although, if he could, he'd probably not say that on ITT!) Even Kevin, who seemed pretty popular with TPTB, had to wait years until he got to do his dream Blackpool Paso Doble. Be careful what you wish for.
I guess that if a pro said no, this routine/theme/song is utter trash and it's going to look terrible on the show, there might be some scope to put on the emergency brake (we've had a couple of last-minute changes of dance), but realistically I don't think it's possible once the training's started, especially with Couples' Choice because of the external choreographers. That goes double on a theme-heavy dance, like the Grange Hill one.
Where part of the problem lay, perhaps, was that Carlos was new and unfamiliar with street dance. Someone with a few more years on the show (like Gorka, perhaps) might have been able to tweak the routine with Lizzie and Tommy to give it more pep. But as the music choices have to be sorted a long time in advance, and there was a need to reference a BBC show, I don't think there was any chance to refuse a Grange Hill dance completely.
It's crossed my mind that perhaps the producers hoped Molly would repeat Tilly's CC triumph, but of course almost everyone thinks that the latter was overmarked and Tilly wasn't trying to do street dance to Alan Hawkshaw's Chicken Man tune.
In the furthest reaches of my (admittedly unreliable) brain, I seem to recall Louisa Lytton changing the song for one of their dances. The VT showed Vincent playing the song to her on his phone and she was all No no no I don't like it! Let's use this one (after a brief search on his phone). Does anyone else remember this or have I completely made this up??
It's before I watched, but you seem to have a clear memory of it. It might have been made up for the VT.
There was talk back in 2017 that Mollie King's Rumba (Musicals Week) was going to be to some dirge from Les Miserables, and that was switched to a track from the little-known musical, Grease, after AJ Pritchard objected. Stacey did a Les Mis dance the following year (I'm not sure, but it might well have been the same song), so there might have been something in that story.
It might also be the reason why AJ's request to swerve the Samba was refused: he'd already used his get out of jail free card.
Re : Bobby, I'm far more worried about the VT than the dance - it's Strictly contempowaft, whatever story they're supposed to be representing, unless you really concentrate and parse it out it's just going to look like a lot of jumping about in M & S pyjamas.
Nah! Don’t think the budget runs to M&S pjs these days. More likely to be Primark.
Re : Bobby, I'm far more worried about the VT than the dance - it's Strictly contempowaft, whatever story they're supposed to be representing, unless you really concentrate and parse it out it's just going to look like a lot of jumping about in M & S pyjamas.
Nah! Don’t think the budget runs to M&S pjs these days. More likely to be Primark.
I might be wrong, but I got the impression from Bobby and Dianne on ITT that there is a short reference to Jade right at the start of their dance. Bobby said that in the opening sequence, he's portraying a small child, and Dianne said that she can't look at Bobby in the first ten seconds without welling up.
What??? I don't know this song so I may be completly wrong, but is this a good choice for Bobby as a CC? Think I'll just mute the music on Saturday, can't be doing with this emotional blackmail, and Bobby has not mentined his mother before, is this to up his scores?
I'm just a cynic but I'm in a bad place at the moment.
The weirdest thing about CCs is that wild rollercoaster of tone. It's like if anybody's got any trauma they might not mind having to talk about, they have to dance it, and you might get a lovely tribute to a relative that transcends the show. But if they don't, they might also just have a nice rejuvenating walk, like Krishnan, or move some hats across a table in a pleasingly synced hip-hop style.
Or weirder, a strange blend: Eddie tasering aliens for his family, or Adam watching back a potted history of his life's ups and downs then going out there to... emotionally jump around in a big jacket to Backstreet Boys.
When Chris Ramsay did his tribute to Clearasil via the medium of PJ and Duncan, really it should have been realised that CC had peaked and that could never be topped.
Sara Davies heartfelt sex dungeon does come close though.
This has to be the weirdest one, right? Except maybe Molly's mash-splattered Grange Hill moment in honour of her... having once attended a school?
But I like to think of that BBC theme night as a separate fever dream experience.
I'm not sure Molly's one was weird, so much as naff and unfair. I could see why there was a desire to shoehorn in a reference to a classic BBC kids' show, but the theme was totally unsuited to a good dance, and the choreography was awful. I wonder if another pro with more time on the show might have been able to steer the dance slightly further away from the rocks. I got the impression that Carlos might have gone, OK, I'm new, I don't know the style, this is what we have to dance.
I don't understand Sara Davies's CC. There was obviously the dragon reference, but beyond that... shrug.
I wonder if celebs have it written into their contracts to say they have to do what they are asked. I understand they have obligations like attending ITT and appearing on various shows to profile Strictly, but can they just flat out refuse to participate in some of the more inane schemes that Strictly PTB present? I'm thinking here about Mollie's CC - she can't have wanted to do that, and it was unfair to present it as a couple's choice when people like Fleur got to bounce around doing what clearly suited her style and talents. Actually even if they can't flat out refuse, why don't they? What are Strictly going to do?
I think that, to a large degree, yes they have to do what they've given.
I think some pros have (or had) more say than others. Anton mentioned that he used to try to get an American Smooth or Quickstep for the Blackpool show. I think he had more "stroke" than many others, having been there from the start, but even so he couldn't demand exactly what dance it was. (Although, if he could, he'd probably not say that on ITT!) Even Kevin, who seemed pretty popular with TPTB, had to wait years until he got to do his dream Blackpool Paso Doble. Be careful what you wish for.
I guess that if a pro said no, this routine/theme/song is utter trash and it's going to look terrible on the show, there might be some scope to put on the emergency brake (we've had a couple of last-minute changes of dance), but realistically I don't think it's possible once the training's started, especially with Couples' Choice because of the external choreographers. That goes double on a theme-heavy dance, like the Grange Hill one.
Where part of the problem lay, perhaps, was that Carlos was new and unfamiliar with street dance. Someone with a few more years on the show (like Gorka, perhaps) might have been able to tweak the routine with Lizzie and Tommy to give it more pep. But as the music choices have to be sorted a long time in advance, and there was a need to reference a BBC show, I don't think there was any chance to refuse a Grange Hill dance completely.
It's crossed my mind that perhaps the producers hoped Molly would repeat Tilly's CC triumph, but of course almost everyone thinks that the latter was overmarked and Tilly wasn't trying to do street dance to Alan Hawkshaw's Chicken Man tune.
In the furthest reaches of my (admittedly unreliable) brain, I seem to recall Louisa Lytton changing the song for one of their dances. The VT showed Vincent playing the song to her on his phone and she was all No no no I don't like it! Let's use this one (after a brief search on his phone). Does anyone else remember this or have I completely made this up??
It's before I watched, but you seem to have a clear memory of it. It might have been made up for the VT.
There was talk back in 2017 that Mollie King's Rumba (Musicals Week) was going to be to some dirge from Les Miserables, and that was switched to a track from the little-known musical, Grease, after AJ Pritchard objected. Stacey did a Les Mis dance the following year (I'm not sure, but it might well have been the same song), so there might have been something in that story.
It might also be the reason why AJ's request to swerve the Samba was refused: he'd already used his get out of jail free card.
Or, you know, because it was AJ!
They announced it then recanted a few hours later - you can relive the magic here. AJ puts his foot down somewhere around page 6 (God, you can tell how much I hate Grease).
The weirdest thing about CCs is that wild rollercoaster of tone. It's like if anybody's got any trauma they might not mind having to talk about, they have to dance it, and you might get a lovely tribute to a relative that transcends the show. But if they don't, they might also just have a nice rejuvenating walk, like Krishnan, or move some hats across a table in a pleasingly synced hip-hop style.
Or weirder, a strange blend: Eddie tasering aliens for his family, or Adam watching back a potted history of his life's ups and downs then going out there to... emotionally jump around in a big jacket to Backstreet Boys.
When Chris Ramsay did his tribute to Clearasil via the medium of PJ and Duncan, really it should have been realised that CC had peaked and that could never be topped.
Sara Davies heartfelt sex dungeon does come close though.
This has to be the weirdest one, right? Except maybe Molly's mash-splattered Grange Hill moment in honour of her... having once attended a school?
But I like to think of that BBC theme night as a separate fever dream experience.
I'm not sure Molly's one was weird, so much as naff and unfair. I could see why there was a desire to shoehorn in a reference to a classic BBC kids' show, but the theme was totally unsuited to a good dance, and the choreography was awful. I wonder if another pro with more time on the show might have been able to steer the dance slightly further away from the rocks. I got the impression that Carlos might have gone, OK, I'm new, I don't know the style, this is what we have to dance.
I don't understand Sara Davies's CC. There was obviously the dragon reference, but beyond that... shrug.
I wonder if celebs have it written into their contracts to say they have to do what they are asked. I understand they have obligations like attending ITT and appearing on various shows to profile Strictly, but can they just flat out refuse to participate in some of the more inane schemes that Strictly PTB present? I'm thinking here about Mollie's CC - she can't have wanted to do that, and it was unfair to present it as a couple's choice when people like Fleur got to bounce around doing what clearly suited her style and talents. Actually even if they can't flat out refuse, why don't they? What are Strictly going to do?
I think that, to a large degree, yes they have to do what they've given.
I think some pros have (or had) more say than others. Anton mentioned that he used to try to get an American Smooth or Quickstep for the Blackpool show. I think he had more "stroke" than many others, having been there from the start, but even so he couldn't demand exactly what dance it was. (Although, if he could, he'd probably not say that on ITT!) Even Kevin, who seemed pretty popular with TPTB, had to wait years until he got to do his dream Blackpool Paso Doble. Be careful what you wish for.
I guess that if a pro said no, this routine/theme/song is utter trash and it's going to look terrible on the show, there might be some scope to put on the emergency brake (we've had a couple of last-minute changes of dance), but realistically I don't think it's possible once the training's started, especially with Couples' Choice because of the external choreographers. That goes double on a theme-heavy dance, like the Grange Hill one.
Where part of the problem lay, perhaps, was that Carlos was new and unfamiliar with street dance. Someone with a few more years on the show (like Gorka, perhaps) might have been able to tweak the routine with Lizzie and Tommy to give it more pep. But as the music choices have to be sorted a long time in advance, and there was a need to reference a BBC show, I don't think there was any chance to refuse a Grange Hill dance completely.
It's crossed my mind that perhaps the producers hoped Molly would repeat Tilly's CC triumph, but of course almost everyone thinks that the latter was overmarked and Tilly wasn't trying to do street dance to Alan Hawkshaw's Chicken Man tune.
In the furthest reaches of my (admittedly unreliable) brain, I seem to recall Louisa Lytton changing the song for one of their dances. The VT showed Vincent playing the song to her on his phone and she was all No no no I don't like it! Let's use this one (after a brief search on his phone). Does anyone else remember this or have I completely made this up??
It's before I watched, but you seem to have a clear memory of it. It might have been made up for the VT.
There was talk back in 2017 that Mollie King's Rumba (Musicals Week) was going to be to some dirge from Les Miserables, and that was switched to a track from the little-known musical, Grease, after AJ Pritchard objected. Stacey did a Les Mis dance the following year (I'm not sure, but it might well have been the same song), so there might have been something in that story.
It might also be the reason why AJ's request to swerve the Samba was refused: he'd already used his get out of jail free card.
Or, you know, because it was AJ!
They announced it then recanted a few hours later - you can relive the magic here. AJ puts his foot down somewhere around page 6 (God, you can tell how much I hate Grease).
It’s interesting to look back on this in hindsight - bet nobody’s questioning a Samba to Money Money now 😄
The weirdest thing about CCs is that wild rollercoaster of tone. It's like if anybody's got any trauma they might not mind having to talk about, they have to dance it, and you might get a lovely tribute to a relative that transcends the show. But if they don't, they might also just have a nice rejuvenating walk, like Krishnan, or move some hats across a table in a pleasingly synced hip-hop style.
Or weirder, a strange blend: Eddie tasering aliens for his family, or Adam watching back a potted history of his life's ups and downs then going out there to... emotionally jump around in a big jacket to Backstreet Boys.
When Chris Ramsay did his tribute to Clearasil via the medium of PJ and Duncan, really it should have been realised that CC had peaked and that could never be topped.
Sara Davies heartfelt sex dungeon does come close though.
This has to be the weirdest one, right? Except maybe Molly's mash-splattered Grange Hill moment in honour of her... having once attended a school?
But I like to think of that BBC theme night as a separate fever dream experience.
I'm not sure Molly's one was weird, so much as naff and unfair. I could see why there was a desire to shoehorn in a reference to a classic BBC kids' show, but the theme was totally unsuited to a good dance, and the choreography was awful. I wonder if another pro with more time on the show might have been able to steer the dance slightly further away from the rocks. I got the impression that Carlos might have gone, OK, I'm new, I don't know the style, this is what we have to dance.
I don't understand Sara Davies's CC. There was obviously the dragon reference, but beyond that... shrug.
I wonder if celebs have it written into their contracts to say they have to do what they are asked. I understand they have obligations like attending ITT and appearing on various shows to profile Strictly, but can they just flat out refuse to participate in some of the more inane schemes that Strictly PTB present? I'm thinking here about Mollie's CC - she can't have wanted to do that, and it was unfair to present it as a couple's choice when people like Fleur got to bounce around doing what clearly suited her style and talents. Actually even if they can't flat out refuse, why don't they? What are Strictly going to do?
I think that, to a large degree, yes they have to do what they've given.
I think some pros have (or had) more say than others. Anton mentioned that he used to try to get an American Smooth or Quickstep for the Blackpool show. I think he had more "stroke" than many others, having been there from the start, but even so he couldn't demand exactly what dance it was. (Although, if he could, he'd probably not say that on ITT!) Even Kevin, who seemed pretty popular with TPTB, had to wait years until he got to do his dream Blackpool Paso Doble. Be careful what you wish for.
I guess that if a pro said no, this routine/theme/song is utter trash and it's going to look terrible on the show, there might be some scope to put on the emergency brake (we've had a couple of last-minute changes of dance), but realistically I don't think it's possible once the training's started, especially with Couples' Choice because of the external choreographers. That goes double on a theme-heavy dance, like the Grange Hill one.
Where part of the problem lay, perhaps, was that Carlos was new and unfamiliar with street dance. Someone with a few more years on the show (like Gorka, perhaps) might have been able to tweak the routine with Lizzie and Tommy to give it more pep. But as the music choices have to be sorted a long time in advance, and there was a need to reference a BBC show, I don't think there was any chance to refuse a Grange Hill dance completely.
It's crossed my mind that perhaps the producers hoped Molly would repeat Tilly's CC triumph, but of course almost everyone thinks that the latter was overmarked and Tilly wasn't trying to do street dance to Alan Hawkshaw's Chicken Man tune.
In the furthest reaches of my (admittedly unreliable) brain, I seem to recall Louisa Lytton changing the song for one of their dances. The VT showed Vincent playing the song to her on his phone and she was all No no no I don't like it! Let's use this one (after a brief search on his phone). Does anyone else remember this or have I completely made this up??
It's before I watched, but you seem to have a clear memory of it. It might have been made up for the VT.
There was talk back in 2017 that Mollie King's Rumba (Musicals Week) was going to be to some dirge from Les Miserables, and that was switched to a track from the little-known musical, Grease, after AJ Pritchard objected. Stacey did a Les Mis dance the following year (I'm not sure, but it might well have been the same song), so there might have been something in that story.
It might also be the reason why AJ's request to swerve the Samba was refused: he'd already used his get out of jail free card.
The weirdest thing about CCs is that wild rollercoaster of tone. It's like if anybody's got any trauma they might not mind having to talk about, they have to dance it, and you might get a lovely tribute to a relative that transcends the show. But if they don't, they might also just have a nice rejuvenating walk, like Krishnan, or move some hats across a table in a pleasingly synced hip-hop style.
Or weirder, a strange blend: Eddie tasering aliens for his family, or Adam watching back a potted history of his life's ups and downs then going out there to... emotionally jump around in a big jacket to Backstreet Boys.
When Chris Ramsay did his tribute to Clearasil via the medium of PJ and Duncan, really it should have been realised that CC had peaked and that could never be topped.
Sara Davies heartfelt sex dungeon does come close though.
This has to be the weirdest one, right? Except maybe Molly's mash-splattered Grange Hill moment in honour of her... having once attended a school?
But I like to think of that BBC theme night as a separate fever dream experience.
I'm not sure Molly's one was weird, so much as naff and unfair. I could see why there was a desire to shoehorn in a reference to a classic BBC kids' show, but the theme was totally unsuited to a good dance, and the choreography was awful. I wonder if another pro with more time on the show might have been able to steer the dance slightly further away from the rocks. I got the impression that Carlos might have gone, OK, I'm new, I don't know the style, this is what we have to dance.
I don't understand Sara Davies's CC. There was obviously the dragon reference, but beyond that... shrug.
I wonder if celebs have it written into their contracts to say they have to do what they are asked. I understand they have obligations like attending ITT and appearing on various shows to profile Strictly, but can they just flat out refuse to participate in some of the more inane schemes that Strictly PTB present? I'm thinking here about Mollie's CC - she can't have wanted to do that, and it was unfair to present it as a couple's choice when people like Fleur got to bounce around doing what clearly suited her style and talents. Actually even if they can't flat out refuse, why don't they? What are Strictly going to do?
I think that, to a large degree, yes they have to do what they've given.
I think some pros have (or had) more say than others. Anton mentioned that he used to try to get an American Smooth or Quickstep for the Blackpool show. I think he had more "stroke" than many others, having been there from the start, but even so he couldn't demand exactly what dance it was. (Although, if he could, he'd probably not say that on ITT!) Even Kevin, who seemed pretty popular with TPTB, had to wait years until he got to do his dream Blackpool Paso Doble. Be careful what you wish for.
I guess that if a pro said no, this routine/theme/song is utter trash and it's going to look terrible on the show, there might be some scope to put on the emergency brake (we've had a couple of last-minute changes of dance), but realistically I don't think it's possible once the training's started, especially with Couples' Choice because of the external choreographers. That goes double on a theme-heavy dance, like the Grange Hill one.
Where part of the problem lay, perhaps, was that Carlos was new and unfamiliar with street dance. Someone with a few more years on the show (like Gorka, perhaps) might have been able to tweak the routine with Lizzie and Tommy to give it more pep. But as the music choices have to be sorted a long time in advance, and there was a need to reference a BBC show, I don't think there was any chance to refuse a Grange Hill dance completely.
It's crossed my mind that perhaps the producers hoped Molly would repeat Tilly's CC triumph, but of course almost everyone thinks that the latter was overmarked and Tilly wasn't trying to do street dance to Alan Hawkshaw's Chicken Man tune.
In the furthest reaches of my (admittedly unreliable) brain, I seem to recall Louisa Lytton changing the song for one of their dances. The VT showed Vincent playing the song to her on his phone and she was all No no no I don't like it! Let's use this one (after a brief search on his phone). Does anyone else remember this or have I completely made this up??
It's before I watched, but you seem to have a clear memory of it. It might have been made up for the VT.
There was talk back in 2017 that Mollie King's Rumba (Musicals Week) was going to be to some dirge from Les Miserables, and that was switched to a track from the little-known musical, Grease, after AJ Pritchard objected. Stacey did a Les Mis dance the following year (I'm not sure, but it might well have been the same song), so there might have been something in that story.
It might also be the reason why AJ's request to swerve the Samba was refused: he'd already used his get out of jail free card.
Or, you know, because it was AJ!
They announced it then recanted a few hours later - you can relive the magic here. AJ puts his foot down somewhere around page 6 (God, you can tell how much I hate Grease).
It’s interesting to look back on this in hindsight - bet nobody’s questioning a Samba to Money Money now 😄
Haha yes, I remember that thread from the time, and how I thought it was going to be disastrous but it's one of my favourite SCD performances ever, so fo figure.
Unappreciating that I rooted more for Jordan to win Big Brother, and Jamie Lynn Spears to do well in the trial in I'm a Celebrity than any of the celebrities left on Strictly.
Unappreciating that I rooted more for Jordan to win Big Brother, and Jamie Lynn Spears to do well in the trial in I'm a Celebrity than any of the celebrities left on Strictly.
There I said it.
i dont really mind who wins strictly this year but i think it will be ellie
Unappreciating that I rooted more for Jordan to win Big Brother, and Jamie Lynn Spears to do well in the trial in I'm a Celebrity than any of the celebrities left on Strictly.
There I said it.
i dont really mind who wins strictly this year but i think it will be ellie
I just don't have any strong opinions on the ones left. Ellie is good and Annabel is nice and all, just a lack of hugely likeable, distinctive personalities.
I've just been looking at the song list for this Saturday and I unappreciate Bobby and Dianne's song being listed as "This Woman's Work by Maxwell". It's not by bloody Maxwell, it's by Kate Bush - she wrote it and produced it, and released it as a single. Maxwell just did a cover version of it (and a shit one at that).
Yes, I know, the song list always lists the version of the song they're using, but it still grinds my gears. Still, on the plus side, if they're doing a Maxwell then one of the blokes will be singing it and I won't have to suffer Daggers trying to be Kate.
Sorry… late to the party. I’ve just listened to that Maxwell version of a fabulous song.
That’s not a cover, it’s an abomination. May I never have to hear it again after Saturday. Whatever next? Ladbaby singing The Sexual World?
The weirdest thing about CCs is that wild rollercoaster of tone. It's like if anybody's got any trauma they might not mind having to talk about, they have to dance it, and you might get a lovely tribute to a relative that transcends the show. But if they don't, they might also just have a nice rejuvenating walk, like Krishnan, or move some hats across a table in a pleasingly synced hip-hop style.
Or weirder, a strange blend: Eddie tasering aliens for his family, or Adam watching back a potted history of his life's ups and downs then going out there to... emotionally jump around in a big jacket to Backstreet Boys.
When Chris Ramsay did his tribute to Clearasil via the medium of PJ and Duncan, really it should have been realised that CC had peaked and that could never be topped.
Sara Davies heartfelt sex dungeon does come close though.
This has to be the weirdest one, right? Except maybe Molly's mash-splattered Grange Hill moment in honour of her... having once attended a school?
But I like to think of that BBC theme night as a separate fever dream experience.
I really quite enjoy the crazy arse routines that defy logic. But as soon as a couple comes out with bare feet in pastel matching pyjamas, that’s me heading for the kitchen until the cessation of all gusset wrangling and general wafting.
Well Dotties, I have just realised that I won’t even see the show on Saturday night because I will be halfway across the Atlantic. My lovely son in law has put some new fangledangle thing on our laptop so we can watch live ( I’m sure I won’t know how to work it ) … but I had completely forgotten that I am travelling this Saturday.
I will look forward to getting the gist of how it all unfolds here, so I’m hoping there’s loads of unappreciation from you lot this week.
I had a whole conversation, thinking I was being all chill and knowing, with a youth about how I was putting a VPL on my laptop to watch stuff when we were away. The youth looked politely bemused but my husband loves to remind me that I told him I was giving my laptop a visible panty line rather than a virtual private network!
The 2 default settings for cc these days are matching suits jigging street and as you say pastel pyjamas barefoot mournful wafting. I dislike the latter a lot more and often fantasise I am sitting in the front row with a handful of drawing pins.
The 2 default settings for cc these days are matching suits jigging street and as you say pastel pyjamas barefoot mournful wafting. I dislike the latter a lot more and often fantasise I am sitting in the front row with a handful of drawing pins.
Drawing pins for the barefoot mournful wafting. LOL.
I think the problem is that Strictly bills itself as fun and sparkly, but then gets all a bit worthy at times. I am not opposed to stories and narratives, but I don't understand the thinking that every dance needs a message, which sometimes seems shoehorned in. I think this is especially true of the group numbers. I thought JoJo was fabulous in the group number but my eyes glazed over at the discussion about the 'story' being Luba was his friend who helps him come out of his shell etc. etc.
Same for this weeks rhumba for Katya and Nigel. Just dance it, and let people decide how they interpret it (if at all). You can still dance with emotion.
I’m a complete philistine and can never ‘get’ the story of dances and have to wait for @Cadiva to translate for me … however, I feel the ‘story’ of Bobby’s dance will be visible from outer space possibly with photographs and Cliff notes just to hammer it home that little bit more. I also feel I will be stoically unmoved.
The 2 default settings for cc these days are matching suits jigging street and as you say pastel pyjamas barefoot mournful wafting. I dislike the latter a lot more and often fantasise I am sitting in the front row with a handful of drawing pins.
Drawing pins LOL.
I think the problem is that Strictly bills itself as fun and sparkly, but then gets all a bit worthy at times. I am not opposed to stories and narratives, but I don't understand the thinking that every dance needs a message, which sometimes seems shoehorned in. I think this is especially true of the group numbers. I thought JoJo was fabulous in the group number but my eyes glazed over at the discussion about the 'story' being Luba was his friend who helps him come out of his shell etc. etc.
Same for this weeks rhumba for Katya and Nigel. Just dance it, and let people decide how they interpret it (if at all). You can still dance with emotion.
I couldn't understand why the pro dance on the results show didn't go full on competition level jive in that Harry Styles montage during As it Was. When my daughter and I went to the tour last year at the 02, they put As it was on in the interval. Two children who were sat in the floor seats starting full on jiving to it in the aisle and they were brilliant (obviously top level juniors). It's one of my best memories of the whole show and they got an enormous round of applause from the whole audience.
I just don't understand why they have these top level ballroom and latin champions and make them do commercial or contempowaft or street type dances for the pro dances. Sometimes it works but often it falls flat. Can't they do more dances based on their expertise?
The 2 default settings for cc these days are matching suits jigging street and as you say pastel pyjamas barefoot mournful wafting. I dislike the latter a lot more and often fantasise I am sitting in the front row with a handful of drawing pins.
Drawing pins LOL.
I think the problem is that Strictly bills itself as fun and sparkly, but then gets all a bit worthy at times. I am not opposed to stories and narratives, but I don't understand the thinking that every dance needs a message, which sometimes seems shoehorned in. I think this is especially true of the group numbers. I thought JoJo was fabulous in the group number but my eyes glazed over at the discussion about the 'story' being Luba was his friend who helps him come out of his shell etc. etc.
Same for this weeks rhumba for Katya and Nigel. Just dance it, and let people decide how they interpret it (if at all). You can still dance with emotion.
I couldn't understand why the pro dance on the results show didn't go full on competition level jive in that Harry Styles montage during As it Was. When my daughter and I went to the tour last year at the 02, they put As it was on in the interval. Two children who were sat in the floor seats starting full on jiving to it in the aisle and they were brilliant (obviously top level juniors). It's one of my best memories of the whole show and they got an enormous round of applause from the whole audience.
I just don't understand why they have these top level ballroom and latin champions and make them do commercial or contempowaft or street type dances for the pro dances. Sometimes it works but often it falls flat. Can't they do more dances based on their expertise?
100% with you there. But that comes back to who is the Creative Director. There have already been comments, including from me, about it being time for Jason G to move on.....
The 2 default settings for cc these days are matching suits jigging street and as you say pastel pyjamas barefoot mournful wafting. I dislike the latter a lot more and often fantasise I am sitting in the front row with a handful of drawing pins.
Drawing pins LOL.
I think the problem is that Strictly bills itself as fun and sparkly, but then gets all a bit worthy at times. I am not opposed to stories and narratives, but I don't understand the thinking that every dance needs a message, which sometimes seems shoehorned in. I think this is especially true of the group numbers. I thought JoJo was fabulous in the group number but my eyes glazed over at the discussion about the 'story' being Luba was his friend who helps him come out of his shell etc. etc.
Same for this weeks rhumba for Katya and Nigel. Just dance it, and let people decide how they interpret it (if at all). You can still dance with emotion.
I couldn't understand why the pro dance on the results show didn't go full on competition level jive in that Harry Styles montage during As it Was. When my daughter and I went to the tour last year at the 02, they put As it was on in the interval. Two children who were sat in the floor seats starting full on jiving to it in the aisle and they were brilliant (obviously top level juniors). It's one of my best memories of the whole show and they got an enormous round of applause from the whole audience.
I just don't understand why they have these top level ballroom and latin champions and make them do commercial or contempowaft or street type dances for the pro dances. Sometimes it works but often it falls flat. Can't they do more dances based on their expertise?
I agree. When one goes to see the pros on their own tours, what they dance bears only the slightest relationship to what they're doing with celebs on Strictly (like Gio and Lauren doing a flat out full on jive) and it's breathtaking. I suspect it's a combination of not wanting to make it too obvious how simplified the celeb dances actually are, and Jason Gilkison having disappeared up his own sense of creative self importance. I do wish he'd stop TELLING A STORY in all caps with subtitles in all available languages and an accompanying pamphlet to explain what's going on - whatever the dance style.
Comments
In the furthest reaches of my (admittedly unreliable) brain, I seem to recall Louisa Lytton changing the song for one of their dances. The VT showed Vincent playing the song to her on his phone and she was all No no no I don't like it! Let's use this one (after a brief search on his phone). Does anyone else remember this or have I completely made this up??
ETA Safe travels @Button63 !
They'd have to copyright clear the song - I have no idea how long that takes - I'd be surprised if you can do it in a few days, but maybe you can.
Katya has just answered a question about dance order and how they feel about getting rumba this week. She said it was a big team decision and there has to be a spread of dances on each show and every couple has to have a fair balance of latin, ballroom and speciality dances.
Kate Bush wrote it for a movie and it’s from the point of view of a man outside the labour ward.
Reminds me of how some silly Americans think Born in the USA is an anthem to how wonderful and lucky they are.
Bobby had apparently said before the show that was the song he wanted to dance to. Of course, whether he had really internalised all the lyrics is another question.
Yep it was for She's Having A Baby, staring Kevin Bacon and Elizabeth Mongomery, who'd gone into crisis in the labour room and there was a fear neither would make it. Of course, being a John Hughes film, all was well
It's a gorgeous song - when KATE's singing it!
It's before I watched, but you seem to have a clear memory of it. It might have been made up for the VT.
There was talk back in 2017 that Mollie King's Rumba (Musicals Week) was going to be to some dirge from Les Miserables, and that was switched to a track from the little-known musical, Grease, after AJ Pritchard objected. Stacey did a Les Mis dance the following year (I'm not sure, but it might well have been the same song), so there might have been something in that story.
It might also be the reason why AJ's request to swerve the Samba was refused: he'd already used his get out of jail free card.
Or, you know, because it was AJ!
Nah! Don’t think the budget runs to M&S pjs these days. More likely to be Primark.
I like a primark PJ
They announced it then recanted a few hours later - you can relive the magic here. AJ puts his foot down somewhere around page 6 (God, you can tell how much I hate Grease).
It’s interesting to look back on this in hindsight - bet nobody’s questioning a Samba to Money Money now 😄
BIB Very likely!
Haha yes, I remember that thread from the time, and how I thought it was going to be disastrous but it's one of my favourite SCD performances ever, so fo figure.
There I said it.
i dont really mind who wins strictly this year but i think it will be ellie
I just don't have any strong opinions on the ones left. Ellie is good and Annabel is nice and all, just a lack of hugely likeable, distinctive personalities.
Sorry… late to the party. I’ve just listened to that Maxwell version of a fabulous song.
That’s not a cover, it’s an abomination. May I never have to hear it again after Saturday. Whatever next? Ladbaby singing The Sexual World?
I had a whole conversation, thinking I was being all chill and knowing, with a youth about how I was putting a VPL on my laptop to watch stuff when we were away. The youth looked politely bemused but my husband loves to remind me that I told him I was giving my laptop a visible panty line rather than a virtual private network!
Have fun in Florida.
Drawing pins for the barefoot mournful wafting. LOL.
I think the problem is that Strictly bills itself as fun and sparkly, but then gets all a bit worthy at times. I am not opposed to stories and narratives, but I don't understand the thinking that every dance needs a message, which sometimes seems shoehorned in. I think this is especially true of the group numbers. I thought JoJo was fabulous in the group number but my eyes glazed over at the discussion about the 'story' being Luba was his friend who helps him come out of his shell etc. etc.
Same for this weeks rhumba for Katya and Nigel. Just dance it, and let people decide how they interpret it (if at all). You can still dance with emotion.
I couldn't understand why the pro dance on the results show didn't go full on competition level jive in that Harry Styles montage during As it Was. When my daughter and I went to the tour last year at the 02, they put As it was on in the interval. Two children who were sat in the floor seats starting full on jiving to it in the aisle and they were brilliant (obviously top level juniors). It's one of my best memories of the whole show and they got an enormous round of applause from the whole audience.
I just don't understand why they have these top level ballroom and latin champions and make them do commercial or contempowaft or street type dances for the pro dances. Sometimes it works but often it falls flat. Can't they do more dances based on their expertise?
100% with you there. But that comes back to who is the Creative Director. There have already been comments, including from me, about it being time for Jason G to move on.....
I agree. When one goes to see the pros on their own tours, what they dance bears only the slightest relationship to what they're doing with celebs on Strictly (like Gio and Lauren doing a flat out full on jive) and it's breathtaking. I suspect it's a combination of not wanting to make it too obvious how simplified the celeb dances actually are, and Jason Gilkison having disappeared up his own sense of creative self importance. I do wish he'd stop TELLING A STORY in all caps with subtitles in all available languages and an accompanying pamphlet to explain what's going on - whatever the dance style.