I think it's all that poor me I hurt my foot thing. Plus even when she's not that good she always gets good comments and scores compared to the others. I like Ali as I think she could be really good but could be doesn't really cut it does it? It's a pretty level playing field but when it's clear one couple is the judge's favourites who can do no wrong it's really off putting.
Ali and Brian in the dance off...what???
4 of 5
Originally Posted by diddygirl:
“She was there from the ages 10 - 13, I went to gymnastics for that period of my life, I doubt I could do so much as a forward roll these days!!!
PMSL at the lame attempt at the traditional "oh, they've had dance lessons" line. ”
“She was there from the ages 10 - 13, I went to gymnastics for that period of my life, I doubt I could do so much as a forward roll these days!!!
PMSL at the lame attempt at the traditional "oh, they've had dance lessons" line. ”
She also took ballet before dance school, so danced for considerably more than 3 years; and dance school is considerably different to an hour or two of gymnastics once or twice a week.
I'm not sure whether your 'lame comment' referred to me or the Daily Mirror. If it was me, please note I made no comment about an unfair advantage etc. I merely pointed out that her dance training will be responsible in part for the grace and elegance of her arms and feet in the ballroom dances. Remember Cherie, her ballet training also stood her in good stead despite her more mature years.
Originally Posted by Abbasolutely 40:
“I did Irish dancing from age 5 till I was about 10 .
I am quiet sure that I wouldnt be the lead dancer in RiverDance on the back of it !!! LOL”
“I did Irish dancing from age 5 till I was about 10 .
I am quiet sure that I wouldnt be the lead dancer in RiverDance on the back of it !!! LOL”
You're not comparing like with like. No one is suggesting that at the end of this series Ali's dance experience will bring her to the standard of Erin and Lilia et al. However if you were to go into a similar contest to SCD, based on Irish Dancing, your early training would come back and you would pick up the steps etc. more quickly than a complete novice.
Originally Posted by Ignazio:
“She also took ballet before dance school, so danced for considerably more than 3 years; and dance school is considerably different to an hour or two of gymnastics once or twice a week.
I'm not sure whether your 'lame comment' referred to me or the Daily Mirror. If it was me, please note I made no comment about an unfair advantage etc. I merely pointed out that her dance training will be responsible in part for the grace and elegance of her arms and feet in the ballroom dances. Remember Cherie, her ballet training also stood her in good stead despite her more mature years.
You're not comparing like with like. No one is suggesting that at the end of this series Ali's dance experience will bring her to the standard of Erin and Lilia et al. However if you were to go into a similar contest to SCD, based on Irish Dancing, your early training would come back and you would pick up the steps etc. more quickly than a complete novice.”
“She also took ballet before dance school, so danced for considerably more than 3 years; and dance school is considerably different to an hour or two of gymnastics once or twice a week.
I'm not sure whether your 'lame comment' referred to me or the Daily Mirror. If it was me, please note I made no comment about an unfair advantage etc. I merely pointed out that her dance training will be responsible in part for the grace and elegance of her arms and feet in the ballroom dances. Remember Cherie, her ballet training also stood her in good stead despite her more mature years.
You're not comparing like with like. No one is suggesting that at the end of this series Ali's dance experience will bring her to the standard of Erin and Lilia et al. However if you were to go into a similar contest to SCD, based on Irish Dancing, your early training would come back and you would pick up the steps etc. more quickly than a complete novice.”
My apologies, you've clearly mistaken me for someone who gives a toss!
Originally Posted by diddygirl:
“My apologies, you've clearly mistaken me for someone who gives a toss!”
“My apologies, you've clearly mistaken me for someone who gives a toss!”
So indifferent you felt compelled to respond to my post.
How strange.
Originally Posted by Ignazio:
“So indifferent you felt compelled to respond to my post.
How strange.”
“So indifferent you felt compelled to respond to my post.
How strange.”
I didn't say I didn't find it funny!
Originally Posted by fredster:
“I am afaid sadly "Strictly" is not about who are excellent dancers, it is all about "Favourites" and it has become a bit of a joke.
There are several left in who should not be and I am afraid worse is to come.”
“I am afaid sadly "Strictly" is not about who are excellent dancers, it is all about "Favourites" and it has become a bit of a joke.
There are several left in who should not be and I am afraid worse is to come.”
I'd query the several people in it that shouldn't be I think there's only really one. Apart from Martina Hingis we've not really lost anyone who I'm convinced would have got much better - Richard Dunwoody and the two Jo(e)s were all pretty poor and Rav and Lynda weren't amazing either. Arguably Craig should have gone instead of Lynda but I don't think her departure was a great loss. Chris has potential possibly and Ricky G is capable of some entertaining performances I look forward to his salsa - Tuffers and Nat Cass aren't terrible either. However I do share you worries and hope the GBP having given Craig his bone do the right thing and ensure he leaves on Saturday - I could be wrong but I see him being the worst again.
Originally Posted by ESPIONdansant:
“Oh, the old "envious older women" accusation.
Louisa Lytton was lovely and I found her enthusiasm delightful. I liked Kelly a lot!
Ali is just dull. So was Rachel. How does that square with the hypothesis?
Nothing to do with youth or attractiveness. All about personality. Or perceived lack thereof.”
“Oh, the old "envious older women" accusation.
Louisa Lytton was lovely and I found her enthusiasm delightful. I liked Kelly a lot!
Ali is just dull. So was Rachel. How does that square with the hypothesis?
Nothing to do with youth or attractiveness. All about personality. Or perceived lack thereof.”
Just to be clear I said nothing of 'jealousy' nor 'age' - these are your assumptions.
And I know there are people who supported Ali so I'm not speaking of them.
But I've observed from this forum & voting patterns in general, that the mainly female voters tend to favour male contestants, & tend not to favour certain types of women - Kelly, Rachel Stevens, Lisa Snowdon, possibly Ali.
I don't think they're jealous so much as they don't identify with them. Kelly, Rachel & Lisa came in for a massive kicking on here.
Ali's not the most exciting person in the world, but she's not as dull as Craig or Ricky & she's a good dancer. She didn't deserve to be in the dance off.
Mark R could dance but he, Matt Dawson & Darren Gough were really dull. That didn't affect their popularity...
Originally Posted by Ignazio:
“She also took ballet before dance school, so danced for considerably more than 3 years; and dance school is considerably different to an hour or two of gymnastics once or twice a week.
I'm not sure whether your 'lame comment' referred to me or the Daily Mirror. If it was me, please note I made no comment about an unfair advantage etc. I merely pointed out that her dance training will be responsible in part for the grace and elegance of her arms and feet in the ballroom dances. Remember Cherie, her ballet training also stood her in good stead despite her more mature years.
You're not comparing like with like. No one is suggesting that at the end of this series Ali's dance experience will bring her to the standard of Erin and Lilia et al. However if you were to go into a similar contest to SCD, based on Irish Dancing, your early training would come back and you would pick up the steps etc. more quickly than a complete novice.”
“She also took ballet before dance school, so danced for considerably more than 3 years; and dance school is considerably different to an hour or two of gymnastics once or twice a week.
I'm not sure whether your 'lame comment' referred to me or the Daily Mirror. If it was me, please note I made no comment about an unfair advantage etc. I merely pointed out that her dance training will be responsible in part for the grace and elegance of her arms and feet in the ballroom dances. Remember Cherie, her ballet training also stood her in good stead despite her more mature years.
You're not comparing like with like. No one is suggesting that at the end of this series Ali's dance experience will bring her to the standard of Erin and Lilia et al. However if you were to go into a similar contest to SCD, based on Irish Dancing, your early training would come back and you would pick up the steps etc. more quickly than a complete novice.”
The link you provided states she went to stage school for 3 years aged 10-13 and PE was substituted with Dance.
How has that now turned into her attending dance school
All of the actors on the show who attended stage school will have had some form of dance training. If they want to have actors on the show then this is going to be a fact for every series to come :yawn:
Ali is a good dancer, but she has ballet school/dying swan written all over her, lacks a great deal of the drive or attack that goes with the latin dances, or the sharper lines and shapes of a lot of the ballroom. Darcey Bussell is going to love her. I just wish she'd stiffen up the sinews and grow a bit of a central core.
Originally Posted by bobbla:
“The link you provided states she went to stage school for 3 years aged 10-13 and PE was substituted with Dance.
How has that now turned into her attending dance school
All of the actors on the show who attended stage school will have had some form of dance training. If they want to have actors on the show then this is going to be a fact for every series to come :yawn:”
“The link you provided states she went to stage school for 3 years aged 10-13 and PE was substituted with Dance.
How has that now turned into her attending dance school
All of the actors on the show who attended stage school will have had some form of dance training. If they want to have actors on the show then this is going to be a fact for every series to come :yawn:”
quoted directly from the link.
Strictly star Ali Bastian has sparked a bout of backstage bitching after it emerged she attended a specialist dance school for three years.
The actress, now 26, went to stage school for three years from the age of 10 where she was taught dance instead of sports and gym.
note: I did not say it gave any advantage - I simply pointed out why, imo, her arm and leg lines and extensions are both graceful and elegant.
If you're tired why don't you quit the boards and go to bed?
Originally Posted by Ignazio:
“quoted directly from the link.
Strictly star Ali Bastian has sparked a bout of backstage bitching after it emerged she attended a specialist dance school for three years.
The actress, now 26, went to stage school for three years from the age of 10 where she was taught dance instead of sports and gym.
note: I did not say it gave any advantage - I simply pointed out why, imo, her arm and leg lines and extensions are both graceful and elegant.
If you're tired why don't you quit the boards and go to bed?”
“quoted directly from the link.
Strictly star Ali Bastian has sparked a bout of backstage bitching after it emerged she attended a specialist dance school for three years.
The actress, now 26, went to stage school for three years from the age of 10 where she was taught dance instead of sports and gym.
note: I did not say it gave any advantage - I simply pointed out why, imo, her arm and leg lines and extensions are both graceful and elegant.
If you're tired why don't you quit the boards and go to bed?”
A "stage school" is not a "specialist dance school" & the Mirror can't seem to make their mind up which.
Either way 3 years from the age of 10 is nothing.
I don't know why people make such a fuss about the contestants with some dance training...
Originally Posted by bobbla:
“The link you provided states she went to stage school for 3 years aged 10-13 and PE was substituted with Dance.
How has that now turned into her attending dance school
All of the actors on the show who attended stage school will have had some form of dance training. If they want to have actors on the show then this is going to be a fact for every series to come :yawn:”
“The link you provided states she went to stage school for 3 years aged 10-13 and PE was substituted with Dance.
How has that now turned into her attending dance school
All of the actors on the show who attended stage school will have had some form of dance training. If they want to have actors on the show then this is going to be a fact for every series to come :yawn:”
For some mysterious reason the Mirror article says it was a "specialist dance school".
However, all it offers that's concrete is that she went to a "stage school for three years from the age of 10 where she was taught dance instead of sports and gym".
What's the evidence that it was anything other than an ordinary stage school?
Has anyone worked out what school it actually was? (Normally, that's known.)
Originally Posted by Veri:
“ Has anyone worked out what school it actually was? (Normally, that's known.)”
“ Has anyone worked out what school it actually was? (Normally, that's known.)”
I understand it was Redroofs. The only others I know of who went there are Kate Winslett and the bloke off the BT ads, neither of whom I've ever thought of as dancers.
Originally Posted by Christa:
“I don't know why people make such a fuss about the contestants with some dance training...”
“I don't know why people make such a fuss about the contestants with some dance training...”
Quite simply it means they don't start on a level playing field. Some of us want to see the contestants learn on the show, not prior to it.
For anyone playing down the fact Ali had previous dance training, it will do little use. Even us Natalie C's of the world can see that 1) she didnt teach herself those body shapes in her bedroom and 2) she has had sufficient training in one discipline it has been impossible for her to unlearn.
Originally Posted by Smokeychan1:
“Quite simply it means they don't start on a level playing field. Some of us want to see the contestants learn on the show, not prior to it.
For anyone playing down the fact Ali had previous dance training, it will do little use. Even us Natalie C's of the world can see that 1) she didnt teach herself those body shapes in her bedroom and 2) she has had sufficient training in one discipline it has been impossible for her to unlearn.”
“Quite simply it means they don't start on a level playing field. Some of us want to see the contestants learn on the show, not prior to it.
For anyone playing down the fact Ali had previous dance training, it will do little use. Even us Natalie C's of the world can see that 1) she didnt teach herself those body shapes in her bedroom and 2) she has had sufficient training in one discipline it has been impossible for her to unlearn.”
I agree. Without knowing where she trained, it's very obvious that she has had a lot of ballet training - her posture, extension and arm placement all point to it, and these are the aspects of her dancing the judges constantly praise. So she's not learning any of that from Brian, it's just an inbuilt advantage. On the other hand she is unable to adapt to freer and particularly pacier demands, which is why she will not go the distance.
Originally Posted by Smokeychan1:
“Quite simply it means they don't start on a level playing field. Some of us want to see the contestants learn on the show, not prior to it.
For anyone playing down the fact Ali had previous dance training, it will do little use. Even us Natalie C's of the world can see that 1) she didnt teach herself those body shapes in her bedroom and 2) she has had sufficient training in one discipline it has been impossible for her to unlearn.”
“Quite simply it means they don't start on a level playing field. Some of us want to see the contestants learn on the show, not prior to it.
For anyone playing down the fact Ali had previous dance training, it will do little use. Even us Natalie C's of the world can see that 1) she didnt teach herself those body shapes in her bedroom and 2) she has had sufficient training in one discipline it has been impossible for her to unlearn.”
None of them start on a level playing field. Its unrealistic to expect it when there are actors included in the line up. Anyone with a stage school background will have had some form of training.
Originally Posted by Smokeychan1:
“Quite simply it means they don't start on a level playing field.”
“Quite simply it means they don't start on a level playing field.”
they don't anyway, given all the fuss about voting for your 'favourite'. Any mediocre soap star is always going to be vastly more popular than lots of much more interesting (and probably talented) people.
I'm not surprised that Ali and Brian were in the dance off.
The dance lacked the drama that I like to see in the paso and I was put off by her smiling through it.
Yes , it is about "favourites" for the viewers - after all, that is who we are encouraged to vote for each week. Clearly Ali was not the favourite of enough people.
The dance lacked the drama that I like to see in the paso and I was put off by her smiling through it.
Originally Posted by fredster:
“I am afaid sadly "Strictly" is not about who are excellent dancers, it is all about "Favourites" and it has become a bit of a joke.
There are several left in who should not be and I am afraid worse is to come.”
“I am afaid sadly "Strictly" is not about who are excellent dancers, it is all about "Favourites" and it has become a bit of a joke.
There are several left in who should not be and I am afraid worse is to come.”
Yes , it is about "favourites" for the viewers - after all, that is who we are encouraged to vote for each week. Clearly Ali was not the favourite of enough people.
Originally Posted by Christa:
“A "stage school" is not a "specialist dance school" & the Mirror can't seem to make their mind up which.
Either way 3 years from the age of 10 is nothing.
I don't know why people make such a fuss about the contestants with some dance training...”
“A "stage school" is not a "specialist dance school" & the Mirror can't seem to make their mind up which.
Either way 3 years from the age of 10 is nothing.
I don't know why people make such a fuss about the contestants with some dance training...”
Did I do that?
I was at pains to point out that I saw no clear advantage as these posts surely indicate.
Originally Posted by Ignazio:
“I'm not sure whether your 'lame comment' referred to me or the Daily Mirror. If it was me, please note I made no comment about an unfair advantage etc. I merely pointed out that her dance training will be responsible in part for the grace and elegance of her arms and feet in the ballroom dances.”
“I'm not sure whether your 'lame comment' referred to me or the Daily Mirror. If it was me, please note I made no comment about an unfair advantage etc. I merely pointed out that her dance training will be responsible in part for the grace and elegance of her arms and feet in the ballroom dances.”
Originally Posted by Ignazio:
“quoted directly from the link.
Strictly star Ali Bastian has sparked a bout of backstage bitching after it emerged she attended a specialist dance school for three years.
The actress, now 26, went to stage school for three years from the age of 10 where she was taught dance instead of sports and gym.
note: I did not say it gave any advantage - I simply pointed out why, imo, her arm and leg lines and extensions are both graceful and elegant.”
“quoted directly from the link.
Strictly star Ali Bastian has sparked a bout of backstage bitching after it emerged she attended a specialist dance school for three years.
The actress, now 26, went to stage school for three years from the age of 10 where she was taught dance instead of sports and gym.
note: I did not say it gave any advantage - I simply pointed out why, imo, her arm and leg lines and extensions are both graceful and elegant.”
In fact I would go further - her latin is evidence that if any advantage exists it's strictly limited.
I have no problems with those who disagree with me, but please do me the courtesy of taking on board my actual comments, not a misinterpretation of them.
Originally Posted by brompton:
“they don't anyway, given all the fuss about voting for your 'favourite'. Any mediocre soap star is always going to be vastly more popular than lots of much more interesting (and probably talented) people.”
“they don't anyway, given all the fuss about voting for your 'favourite'. Any mediocre soap star is always going to be vastly more popular than lots of much more interesting (and probably talented) people.”
All the soap stars went out early last year.
It's interesting that a few weeks ago people on the forums were criticising Ricky W for having a few salsa dance lessons. How the worm has turn.
Originally Posted by brompton:
“they don't anyway, given all the fuss about voting for your 'favourite'. Any mediocre soap star is always going to be vastly more popular than lots of much more interesting (and probably talented) people.”
“they don't anyway, given all the fuss about voting for your 'favourite'. Any mediocre soap star is always going to be vastly more popular than lots of much more interesting (and probably talented) people.”
I disagree. Obviously some celebs will have a higher profile than others going into the show, but neither sporting achievements or characters played are going to win them that glitterball.
Two or three weeks, in whatever was done before is forgotten in favour of what we learn about the contestants as people - how much effort they make, how they interact with their pro partner, how genuinally nice they seem. That can take them a long way in the show, just as those with little personality but great technique can go a long way in the show too.
Once it comes to the final stages, the voting audience will choose its winner by finding a satisfactory medium between those two needed attributes.
I was surprised at first and then thought, well it happens every year about this time, plus with the new scoring system it is more likely to keep happening. All I can do is vote to try and keep a couple out of the dance off. I thought it made the show very exciting, but maybe I'm easily pleased.
[quote=BuddyBontheNet;36453511]I was surprised at first and then thought, well it happens every year about this time, plus with the new scoring system it is more likely to keep happening. All I can do is vote to try and keep a couple out of the dance off. I thought it made the show very exciting,
QUOTE]
ROFLMAO.....ok saying nothing....
Quote:
“but maybe I'm easily pleased.[/”
“but maybe I'm easily pleased.[/”
QUOTE]
ROFLMAO.....ok saying nothing....
Originally Posted by Smokeychan1:
“Quite simply it means they don't start on a level playing field. Some of us want to see the contestants learn on the show, not prior to it.
For anyone playing down the fact Ali had previous dance training, it will do little use. Even us Natalie C's of the world can see that 1) she didnt teach herself those body shapes in her bedroom and 2) she has had sufficient training in one discipline it has been impossible for her to unlearn.”
“Quite simply it means they don't start on a level playing field. Some of us want to see the contestants learn on the show, not prior to it.
For anyone playing down the fact Ali had previous dance training, it will do little use. Even us Natalie C's of the world can see that 1) she didnt teach herself those body shapes in her bedroom and 2) she has had sufficient training in one discipline it has been impossible for her to unlearn.”
As others have said - there's no such thing as a level playing field. Sports people have the advantage of being fit, disciplined, used to physical training & competing under high pressure. And they, like actors, may bring some support with them.
There's no guarantee that a sportsperson can dance, but there's no guarantee that Ali, who's had some classical ballet training, would be good at latin for example - which she's not particularly.
I like the mixture of trained & untrained, different levels, I think it makes it more interesting.
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