Strictly Speaking

Sadly I know this greatnan but hey as I say it was 1972 I was a teenager....
I continue to try to make up for it in other ways...

I fear ( should I fear?) I am turning into the Brendan Cole of these forums...

My Parents were wonderful ballroom dancers. No lessons - they simply danced together lots. When they took to the floor other dancers would stop to watch, it was so beautiful to see them. My father would have been very vocal in decrying Strictly because he hated 'set piece' dancing, preferring to go with the flow and the music.

Greatnan is right. When DF was left a widower he had queues of older women wanting to dance with him which was a blessing as I, often his escort at dances, can't ballroom dance for toffee. (but you should see me jive!)

We didn`t do much ballroom dancing at our school, more country dancing, eightsome reels and all that, but I loved Strip the Willow. One dance I did learn, and am still quite good at, although it`s never seen these days, was the Polka, I loved it!

I like The Gay Gordons, but it is difficult to keep your feet after a few glasses of wine! I wonder if it is still called that?
We also did old time dancing in our PE lessons - the valeta and military two step.
I think the nuns would have had heart attacks if they had seen us jiving at the Ritz!

I hate the Gay Gordons - makes me so dizzy all that twirling round : give me the Dashing White Sergeant or Strip the Willow, any day

Gally don't you find that all 3 are standard at Scottish weddings? We taught them to P7 pupils as they always had a leavers' ceilidh. They thoroughly enjoyed it and it was super to hear from anyone who went to a wedding that they'd been delighted with the comments from the relatives. They also found there was a bonus as lots of grans and aunts would give them cash 'to put in the sporran'.

We seem to have diverted from the thread! Though that's pretty standard here. Sorry to say that tonight's result was probably the right one, given that several couples are on a fairly equal level. Sorry about Holly being in last two again because her foxtrot was really entertaining. I hope Robbie is next to go because Ola's choreography is really overdoing the 'sexy' performances. Do we see him as a 'stud'? Not in my eyes! But then, what do I know?

Agree Annobel ... well done BBC for showing Ola's reaction to being sent off first in that swing/thing!

I think I'd have been happier to keep Anita and lose Robbie. I'm no prude but I too am finding this blatant sexiness more tedious than exciting.

Totally agree em did you see him on ITT Friday?...going on about Radio 1 and his fan base?

But events today must have hit Robbie hard with his friend and Wales manager Gary Speed being found dead, apparently by his own hand. Robbie sounded almost inarticulate on 5 Live this evening.

I was disappointed to see Anita go tonight, I was hoping it would be Robbie, but yet again he wasn`t in the last 2. I think I would have liked Holly`s dance last night, but am not really certain, because the music was so loud and strident it gtook my attention away from the dancing.

Dh played at a wedding in Glasgow last Friday. American bride, + her family, English groom + his family and some Scottish friends. The entire company were up learning and dancing the Scottish Country Dances amid loads of laughter. The Gay Gordons was very popular - especially as the groom was called Gordon.

I have always wondered why SCOTTISH country dance bands include such dances as the Virginia Reel, Boston 2 step, Britannia 2 step, Pride of Erin, Canadian Barndance and will often throw in the odd Quickstep or Foxtrot, a Square Tango, a Viennese Waltz even the Birdie Dance and Hokey Cokey! Makes for a great party but I am sure the purists must be fuming.

sorry to see Anita go, would rather it had been Holly who I can't warm to, glad Robbie got through again he is our local boy and I think he is fun
He must be devastated today over the loss of his friend who was in the audience just a few weeks ago! condolences to all the Speed family.

I think Granny23
that "american" dances turn up in "Scots" dances because there is more common ground between american and british cultures than we might think - many of those dances already existed when scots people emigrated in huge numbers to North america in the 19th century they took their dances with them and in some ways american folk culture has preserved bits of what we were like in these islands

( oh please don't ask why I know - it's overtly geeky/nerdy and I'll be embrrassed))

on Ola's reaction to being "sent off"

The one thing that isn't obvious on SCD is just how deadly seriously no sense of humour the professional dancers take the competition!

The eastern european women like Ola Aliona and Kristina have got back bones of steel running through them they really want to get the trophy!
they see it like it's the battle of Stalingrad!
I remember Kristina being genuinely livid with John Sergeant for quitting.

The southern hemisphere dancers are the same
they might be wearing sequins and high heels but Natalie Lowe is really an australian cricketer who will send the ball straight at your head at 100 mph without a second thought.
Erin Boag is a New Zealand All Black front row forward who'll slip a blind side punch in the scrum

the attitudes of Brendan Cole and James Jordan aren't "bad boy" acts for our entertainment they mean it!

I was sorry to see Anita go and I think it would have been fairer for Robbie to go - but I really love Harry!

We did Country Dancing at my school too and the first dance I had with my husband was the Gay Gordons (cue much hilarity from the children!!)

There are rumours skittering around about Robbie and a tall, blonde, Australian SCD professional.

The final seems to be shaping up for Harry, Chelsee & Jason, which feels about right. Harry's quickstep was brilliant, I hope he wins!

Gosh... Harry!!!!
We had dancing lessons at my large comp too. They were on a Thursday after school but pupils had to be in the 5th form ( 'O' level year!) I really enjoyed them.. the dancing NOT the 'O' levels! We learnt to waltz, quick step and sqaure tango and had favourite partners for each dance but the last waltz was a dead give away as that was when little 'romances' blossomed!!!
We also had a few Saturday night 'hops'. Apparently the then Headmaster was hoping to keep us off the streets! I do wonder whether he enjoyed watching the dancers... this was the same head who read my diary back to me (it had been so say handed in as lost property!) I NEVER forgave him!!!

P.S. Sorry to digress!

I never thought I'd hear Craig saying it was getting boring because they were all too good! But they really were.

Very hard to choose tonight, they really were all good. If I was pushed, I think that Harry and Jason were exceptional.

Tonight I did actually vote - for Jason. I'm unable to judge the technical stuff but found his 'Singing in the Rain' hugely entertaining.

Once Robbie goes, as surely he must, I think we are down to real dancers - getting hard, I feel like Bruce would say "They are all my favourites!"
Still rooting for Harry for champion though!

Had been looking forward to the wonderful Alfie tonight but am a bit disappointed. The grammar and lyrics of pop-type songs seem so cringingly crass when sung by a proppa singa.