Looks like Darcy is going to take her judging responsibilities seriously. Looks like she is going to learn the finer points of technique in all the dances so she can comment effectively. Congrats to her if so. I wonder if this is one for Ian's help....
They did seem to get on very well when they jived together. It would mean she'd have to come over from Australia earlier than planned though so I imagine she'll have some lessons in Australia first. Good for her - at least it shows she's going to take it seriously.
I'm delighted Darcey is taking her role as judge seriously but then again you wouldn't expect anything less from a great professional .
I loved watching her in that documentary where she recreated the female roles in dances opposite Fred Astaire . She worked really hard to get the dances as near perfect as possible.
I'm sure she'll put in the same dedication in preparation for her role as judge.
So she's already in the UK and is going to be living in SW London with her family for at least the next two years. So it's quite possible that she will have some lessons with Ian before SCD starts!:D
Bumping this thread because there was an interview in yesterday's Sunday Times ( Culture section ) with Darcy. Asked if she ( as a judge ) could steer a path between Arlene and Alesha, she replied " I'm probably painfully, annoyingly positive " and " I'll be desperately annoyed if someone has potential but they don't know the music or haven't given themselves enough time . "
She also said the show's producers are planning an increased focus on theatricality. Even more props and wacky costumes perhaps ? Heaven help us !
Bumping this thread because there was an interview in yesterday's Sunday Times ( Culture section ) with Darcy. Asked if she ( as a judge ) could steer a path between Arlene and Alesha, she replied " I'm probably painfully, annoyingly positive " and " I'll be desperately annoyed if someone has potential but they don't know the music or haven't given themselves enough time . "
She also said the show's producers are planning an increased focus on theatricality. Even more props and wacky costumes perhaps ? Heaven help us !
Oh dear, just when you thought it couldn't get any worse........:D
Bumping this thread because there was an interview in yesterday's Sunday Times ( Culture section ) with Darcy. Asked if she ( as a judge ) could steer a path between Arlene and Alesha, she replied " I'm probably painfully, annoyingly positive " and " I'll be desperately annoyed if someone has potential but they don't know the music or haven't given themselves enough time . "
She also said the show's producers are planning an increased focus on theatricality. Even more props and wacky costumes perhaps ? Heaven help us !
I'll be even more annoyed if someone has 'potential' but spends most of their time waving stupid bloody props around while 'dancing' round a lamp post...
I'll be even more annoyed if someone has 'potential' but spends most of their time waving stupid bloody props around while 'dancing' round a lamp post...
I'll be even more annoyed if someone has 'potential' but spends most of their time waving stupid bloody props around while 'dancing' round a lamp post...
Jeez! :mad:
Please less props not Fecking more of the timewasting articles. :eek::(
Good on Darcey for studying so she can do the job right. The pros should be studying AT, Salsa and Charleston so they dont need anyone to come in and help them do their job.
Thats unfortunate if the producers are going even further down the dumbing down route. IMO they have benefitted from the props and less dancing being a change. It wasn't an improvement. Its no longer a change and they need to get a better celeb lineup for this year than last to keep the show where it is.
Amazing how suddenly Alesha has become popular as a judge
I guess Karen wasn't chosen because she is too gushy, opinionated and loud.....and we already have those qualities on the judging panel
And because she is ten times better qualified than Len Goodman (2nd in the World Professional Latin Championship for several years) and would show him up as a very ordinary elementary dance school teacher no better qualified than hundreds of others. He was obviously chosen for his entertainment qualities and could do a good impression of Stanley Holloway - I would love to have him sing "Get Me To The Church On Time" from My Fair Lady.
So she's already in the UK and is going to be living in SW London with her family for at least the next two years. So it's quite possible that she will have some lessons with Ian before SCD starts!:D
If she is going to have lessons, she should go to someone better qualified than Ian Waite, like Marcus Hilton, Donnie Burns etc. There are loads of professional ads of former champions in Dance News, a weekly newspaper specialising in ballroom dancing..
So she's already in the UK and is going to be living in SW London with her family for at least the next two years. So it's quite possible that she will have some lessons with Ian before SCD starts!:D
If she is going to have lessons, she should go to someone better qualified than Ian Waite, like Marcus Hilton, Donnie Burns etc. There are loads of professional ads of former champions in Dance News, a weekly newspaper specialising in ballroom dancing..
But John you have to remember the ballroom and Latin on Strictly is significantly different from that seen in a competitive side. Darcy needs an all round Strictly knowledge rather than an all round competition knowledge. Dont forget that ballroom pair who were on ITT a couple of years ago in Choreography Corner who tried to go into so much detail and criticise everything so much that Claudia had to try to inject a touch of jokey humour.
All Darcy needs to be able to recognise for Strictly are some of the basic figures and that they are correctly done - although I dont doubt that whoever she gets advice from will be asked to go further than they think - she is such a perfectionist.
But John you have to remember the ballroom and Latin on Strictly is significantly different from that seen in a competitive side. Darcy needs an all round Strictly knowledge rather than an all round competition knowledge. Dont forget that ballroom pair who were on ITT a couple of years ago in Choreography Corner who tried to go into so much detail and criticise everything so much that Claudia had to try to inject a touch of jokey humour.
All Darcy needs to be able to recognise for Strictly are some of the basic figures and that they are correctly done - although I dont doubt that whoever she gets advice from will be asked to go further than they think - she is such a perfectionist.
Perfectly true - I had forgotten that SCD is really about disguised stage dancing, and that nobody connected with the show (including the audience) is interested in ballroom dancing at all.
I still think Karen would have been a better choice. Besides being in the top 6 of the World Professional Latin Championship for many years, she is also capable of choreographing something like this:
She danced at the Olympics closing cerermony which was suprising as I wasn't sure how that fitted in with the flame going out but I'm sure I missed the meaning, lol.
She danced at the Olympics closing cerermony which was suprising as I wasn't sure how that fitted in with the flame going out but I'm sure I missed the meaning, lol.
Darcey made a pantomime entrance from the sky, dressed like a phoenix I think. Coming at the tail-end of a pop concert, this very beautiful woman was upstaged I think, by the super cool design of 208 flames.
All 200 dancers of the Royal Ballet turned out, and Darcey was carted like an injured athlete with poise hither and thither by four young men as if an ambulance had run out of stretchers so 4 paramedics improvised a human trolley. Choreographed as well, daft.
Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell et al did make an impression. I don't think ballet did.
I still think Karen would have been a better choice. Besides being in the top 6 of the World Professional Latin Championship for many years
It is not widely known that Karen has a problem with her left ear:
"Despite numerous successive operations, the cancer returned three times, before a last-ditch operation when she was twenty one cleared the cancer permanently. As a result of the cancer Hardy has lost 70% of the hearing in her left ear."
Karen does not intentionally shout at the audience, but persons with imperfect hearing sometimes do not realise the decibels they produce.
Karen with Bryan Watson recorded latin dance DVDs now free on YouTube. I like these very much, not least Bryan's priceless wit and way with words. Karen is gifted at dance but not necessarily as gifted with language. Even in the lessons DVD she shouted things like "Don't panic, don't panic" which would not charm students even though she has no intention to antogonise.
Karen, former latin world number two, is much under-appreciated and under-loved. I would really like a lesson from her in Fulham after I win the lottery -- on condition she does not shout "Don't panic, don't panic" at me.
Comments
http://dancelines.com.au/darcey-bussell-star-london-olympics-closing-ceremony/
They did seem to get on very well when they jived together. It would mean she'd have to come over from Australia earlier than planned though so I imagine she'll have some lessons in Australia first. Good for her - at least it shows she's going to take it seriously.
So she has signed at least a two year contract for SCD.
I'm glad she is putting in the research into each of the dances and hopefully this will make her a credible judge.
I loved watching her in that documentary where she recreated the female roles in dances opposite Fred Astaire . She worked really hard to get the dances as near perfect as possible.
I'm sure she'll put in the same dedication in preparation for her role as judge.
So she's already in the UK and is going to be living in SW London with her family for at least the next two years. So it's quite possible that she will have some lessons with Ian before SCD starts!:D
She also said the show's producers are planning an increased focus on theatricality. Even more props and wacky costumes perhaps ? Heaven help us !
Oh dear, just when you thought it couldn't get any worse........:D
I'll be even more annoyed if someone has 'potential' but spends most of their time waving stupid bloody props around while 'dancing' round a lamp post...
Jeez! :mad:
Abso-flipping-lutely :eek::D
Please less props not Fecking more of the timewasting articles.
Thats unfortunate if the producers are going even further down the dumbing down route. IMO they have benefitted from the props and less dancing being a change. It wasn't an improvement. Its no longer a change and they need to get a better celeb lineup for this year than last to keep the show where it is.
And because she is ten times better qualified than Len Goodman (2nd in the World Professional Latin Championship for several years) and would show him up as a very ordinary elementary dance school teacher no better qualified than hundreds of others. He was obviously chosen for his entertainment qualities and could do a good impression of Stanley Holloway - I would love to have him sing "Get Me To The Church On Time" from My Fair Lady.
If she is going to have lessons, she should go to someone better qualified than Ian Waite, like Marcus Hilton, Donnie Burns etc. There are loads of professional ads of former champions in Dance News, a weekly newspaper specialising in ballroom dancing..
I hope so in some ways - it should prove an interesting series if Len has to be on his toes with Darcy metophorically breathing down his neck.
But John you have to remember the ballroom and Latin on Strictly is significantly different from that seen in a competitive side. Darcy needs an all round Strictly knowledge rather than an all round competition knowledge. Dont forget that ballroom pair who were on ITT a couple of years ago in Choreography Corner who tried to go into so much detail and criticise everything so much that Claudia had to try to inject a touch of jokey humour.
All Darcy needs to be able to recognise for Strictly are some of the basic figures and that they are correctly done - although I dont doubt that whoever she gets advice from will be asked to go further than they think - she is such a perfectionist.
Perfectly true - I had forgotten that SCD is really about disguised stage dancing, and that nobody connected with the show (including the audience) is interested in ballroom dancing at all.
Danielle Cato - So You Think You Can Dance UK
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXAlbWNaQbQ
Incidentally, this is Karen in the year I first saw her dancing, and met her and bought one of her dresses (for my wife, in case anyone is wondering):
Karen Hardy 1991
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bjNiINvj9w
Darcey made a pantomime entrance from the sky, dressed like a phoenix I think. Coming at the tail-end of a pop concert, this very beautiful woman was upstaged I think, by the super cool design of 208 flames.
All 200 dancers of the Royal Ballet turned out, and Darcey was carted like an injured athlete with poise hither and thither by four young men as if an ambulance had run out of stretchers so 4 paramedics improvised a human trolley. Choreographed as well, daft.
Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell et al did make an impression. I don't think ballet did.
It is not widely known that Karen has a problem with her left ear:
Karen does not intentionally shout at the audience, but persons with imperfect hearing sometimes do not realise the decibels they produce.
Karen with Bryan Watson recorded latin dance DVDs now free on YouTube. I like these very much, not least Bryan's priceless wit and way with words. Karen is gifted at dance but not necessarily as gifted with language. Even in the lessons DVD she shouted things like "Don't panic, don't panic" which would not charm students even though she has no intention to antogonise.
Karen, former latin world number two, is much under-appreciated and under-loved. I would really like a lesson from her in Fulham after I win the lottery -- on condition she does not shout "Don't panic, don't panic" at me.