Strictly Starts Tonight

I’m looking forward to tonight. I skipped the pairings episode as it doesn’t add anything for me, I like to watch them master the steps and the actual dances - and of course the outfits. I’m going to miss Aljaz and Oti though, they were two of my favourites.

Giovanni asked for a same sex pairing. Neither he nor Karen is gay and I think that it is irrelevant in the 21st century as it's the dancing being judged.

I thought Kaye Adams looked the most stiff in the group dance.

Yes, it's the dancing that's being judged - nobody gives a fig if someone's gay, but certain moves and lifts are not physically possible with same sex pairings.

Jayde intends to lift Karen.

John lifted Johannes last year.

Everything's possible. ?

John was super fit and worked out.

Jayde may intend to lift Karen but .....

Time will tell.

So if John was able to lift Johannes, that kinda disproves your point?

Also, Jayde physically lifted Karen last night.

Running out of excuses... ?

He did lift her , but it wasn’t exactly elegant!

As I said, time will tell......

I don't have to justify anything to you volver or make "excuses". I'm out.

Ok, now I'm totally confused so I'm away for my breakfast.

Who's "he"?

It was great to see Giovanni and Rose dance again last night. I'm also disappointed that he has a man to dance with this time.

His long run of coming first on Halloween week may not happen this year.

lemsip

won't watch it, disappointed that Giovanni is partnered with same sex celeb!

Why?

There are some male celebrities who can't do the lifts.....I'm sure the judges make allowances as there isn't a level playing field. The public vote isn't skewed to technicalities, it's just who you like!

I love the show and look forward to it every year. However, I just thought the pairing of the two women was ridiculous despite their gender. I found it nauseating how Karen was ‘fawning’ all over Jade. Don’t believe for one minute she’s remotely happy about any of it. They must be paying her well!

It seems the show needs to be seen to be more ‘politically correct’ every year.

I'm a dancer of sorts. You'll never see me on Strictly though. . And not Ballroom or Latin.

Dancers do it to express themselves. Not to be able to fit in with the made-up rules of one style or another. Dancers come in all shapes and sizes, and dance according to what their body allows them to do.

It makes me happy to see the same sex pairing and the pairing of people who have physical differences. Nobody complaining about Ellie Simmonds I see. Good. Because it doesn't matter. I'll be watching the dancers enjoying the dance and not being hidebound by artificial rules.

And anybody who thinks it should only be men dancing with women and anything else is disappointing, they are missing the point and need to open their minds a bit.

Lifts seem to be an integral part of some of the dances, and are marked, so it seems strange to me to select a contestant who flatly refuses to be lifted, for whatever reason.
I fell asleep before the end, tired out by the endless effusion, but was sorry to have missed the group dance which is generally the best laugh of the evening.

I also watched the show last night. The contrivance of the meeting of partners was mostly ridiculous, though I did enjoy Ellie Simmons getting her partner into a wet suit and a cold lake! But that was the first meeting and after that it all began to pall. Who thinks up these crazy scenarios?

So from reading these posts coming from someone whose not a fan and doesn’t normally watch strictly it seems no one really enjoyed last nights total overkill and pretence and doesn’t agree with the various pairings
That went well then

so it seems strange to me to select a contestant who flatly refuses to be lifted, for whatever reason.

Who is that contestant?

I can’t stand it and I am not even sure why. One reason is that we visit relatives who love it and while we are there we have to watch it. Obviously it’s just not that but it is so overhyped and syrupy though that’s not even the word.

I decided to skip the OTT pairings and will enjoy tonight, watching them learn and of course the costumes.

3 have apparently had serious dance training in their past and I personally think that is unfair.

If I do not like it I can always switch off instead of bleating on about it.

What did you think? Some of the contestants were very good for the 1st one of the series.

Will's jive was terrific, and I liked Ellie & Johannes' quickstep, Hamza's foxtrot, and Helen's American Smooth.

Worst was Jayde in my opinion, and Tony - both were stompy - but overall I thought it was a great evening.

Looking forward to reading everyone's comments.

I agree Sparkle.

I'm worried about Nikita's back as he has to do a lot of crouching.
DH has asked how Ellie Simmonds has managed to run from Strictly to Blankety Blank so quickly?!?!

Well I loved it all. Some of the contestants really surprised me. Can’t wait to see them all improve. They seem a great bunch.
I do wish that Shirley would sit down an remember that she is there to judge.

I liked Will,Helen and Hamza best. Some surprises and some as I thought. First week though so a long way to go. I’m looking forward to seeing the improvements among the way.
I like Jaydes attitude.

Yes, I agree about Nikita's back Pittcity. How will they manage to dance in hold?