When it comes to Strictly I much prefer the latin dances to the ballroom and this year has been one big disappointment. The only two great latin dances have been Jade's Jive and Ricky W Paso, and for entertainment Ricky G's Paso, that's it. None of the competitors left in can deliver a latin dance worth a 10, or can they? Is they're hope for a great latin dance this series?
Where Are All The Great Latin Dances?
1 of 2
Having witnessed the performance of Ali's Charleston, combined with her excellent footwork, bounce and hip action... she may yet pull out a samba we can be proud of! 
Where are all the great dances full stop?
I hate to be a misery guts, but this series isn't going to be remembered for producing anything spectacular.
Ricky's Quickstep and Ali's VW were good but I think other Quicksteps and VW's performed in previous series are more memorable and special.
I hate to be a misery guts, but this series isn't going to be remembered for producing anything spectacular.
Ricky's Quickstep and Ali's VW were good but I think other Quicksteps and VW's performed in previous series are more memorable and special.
I think she is too gangly for the samba (will be willing her to do well) but doubt it I think we could (if Natalie does a good routine - which Im not sure about) see a good cha cha from Ricky
Originally Posted by Psychosis:
“Having witnessed the performance of Ali's Charleston, combined with her excellent footwork, bounce and hip action... she may yet pull out a samba we can be proud of!”
“Having witnessed the performance of Ali's Charleston, combined with her excellent footwork, bounce and hip action... she may yet pull out a samba we can be proud of!
”
I hope so. To be honest the samba's my least favourite latin dance so I'm not holding out much hope. I love the jive and the paso and they've been such a let down.
Originally Posted by -Sid-:
“Where are all the great dances full stop?
I hate to be a misery guts, but this series isn't going to be remembered for producing anything spectacular.
Ricky's Quickstep and Ali's VW were good but I think other Quicksteps and VW's performed in previous series are more memorable and special.”
“Where are all the great dances full stop?
I hate to be a misery guts, but this series isn't going to be remembered for producing anything spectacular.
Ricky's Quickstep and Ali's VW were good but I think other Quicksteps and VW's performed in previous series are more memorable and special.”
I feel the same there are no standout dances yet for me
Originally Posted by -Sid-:
“Where are all the great dances full stop?
I hate to be a misery guts, but this series isn't going to be remembered for producing anything spectacular.
Ricky's Quickstep and Ali's VW were good but I think other Quicksteps and VW's performed in previous series are more memorable and special.”
“Where are all the great dances full stop?
I hate to be a misery guts, but this series isn't going to be remembered for producing anything spectacular.
Ricky's Quickstep and Ali's VW were good but I think other Quicksteps and VW's performed in previous series are more memorable and special.”
Chris and Ola's Rumba will be one of the memorable dances for me.
I agree with the OP, the Latin dances (other than that Rumba) have been pretty dire.
Originally Posted by -Sid-:
“Where are all the great dances full stop?
I hate to be a misery guts, but this series isn't going to be remembered for producing anything spectacular.
Ricky's Quickstep and Ali's VW were good but I think other Quicksteps and VW's performed in previous series are more memorable and special.”
“Where are all the great dances full stop?
I hate to be a misery guts, but this series isn't going to be remembered for producing anything spectacular.
Ricky's Quickstep and Ali's VW were good but I think other Quicksteps and VW's performed in previous series are more memorable and special.”
Ali VW is my favourite ballroom dance on Strictly full stop.
The Latin dances last year (aside from Austin's jive, Tom's salsa, and a couple of the rumbas) weren't exactly anything you'd put in the notes of dispatches either.
I have to agree -the standard of latin dances this year is disappointing isnt it?
Some of them have been okay but no real standout that I can remember.
I wonder why this is? Ricky Whittle looked a good bet for latin to begin with -cant be sure if its his ability or choreography letting him down. Natalie is mainly a ballroom dancer and her routines for ballroom have been lovely(QS, AS).
Ali is also a lovely ballroom dancer but lacks the earthiness for really standout Latin -her Chacha for example was technically good but lacked all the feeling of the dance.
Chris and Natalie -well, this is down to ability. However, Chris showed early promise. I like him and Ola but again, the choreography isnt memorable -lots of knee slides and wiggling arms.
Laila -well, lets not getinto the Anton debate.
However, I previously thought he was to blame for her Latin shortcomings but in hindsight its a mix of his lack of knowledge about Latin choreography and technique and also a lack of real fire in her. Their paso looked promising but ended up a bit haywire with a few lifts?
A strange season for sure.
Some of them have been okay but no real standout that I can remember.
I wonder why this is? Ricky Whittle looked a good bet for latin to begin with -cant be sure if its his ability or choreography letting him down. Natalie is mainly a ballroom dancer and her routines for ballroom have been lovely(QS, AS).
Ali is also a lovely ballroom dancer but lacks the earthiness for really standout Latin -her Chacha for example was technically good but lacked all the feeling of the dance.
Chris and Natalie -well, this is down to ability. However, Chris showed early promise. I like him and Ola but again, the choreography isnt memorable -lots of knee slides and wiggling arms.
Laila -well, lets not getinto the Anton debate.
However, I previously thought he was to blame for her Latin shortcomings but in hindsight its a mix of his lack of knowledge about Latin choreography and technique and also a lack of real fire in her. Their paso looked promising but ended up a bit haywire with a few lifts?
A strange season for sure.
Originally Posted by Monkseal:
“The Latin dances last year (aside from Austin's jive, Tom's salsa, and a couple of the rumbas) weren't exactly anything you'd put in the notes of dispatches either.”
“The Latin dances last year (aside from Austin's jive, Tom's salsa, and a couple of the rumbas) weren't exactly anything you'd put in the notes of dispatches either.”
But there were a few. The highest scoring latin dance this year is 35. Last year you has Rachel's rumba, Tom's salsa, Austin's Paso all as stand outs, you also had a few more decent effort that are nice to watch back, Christine and Jodie's Jive's, ridiculously overmarked as it was Lisa's cha-cha.
Originally Posted by jill1812:
“But there were a few. The highest scoring latin dance this year is 35. Last year you has Rachel's rumba, Tom's salsa, Austin's Paso all as stand outs, you also had a few more decent effort that are nice to watch back, Christine and Jodie's Jive's, ridiculously overmarked as it was Lisa's cha-cha.”
“But there were a few. The highest scoring latin dance this year is 35. Last year you has Rachel's rumba, Tom's salsa, Austin's Paso all as stand outs, you also had a few more decent effort that are nice to watch back, Christine and Jodie's Jive's, ridiculously overmarked as it was Lisa's cha-cha.”
And we could argue that these have been stupidly overscored.
Originally Posted by dinosaur05:
“I have to agree -the standard of latin dances this year is disappointing isnt it?
Some of them have been okay but no real standout that I can remember.
I wonder why this is? Ricky Whittle looked a good bet for latin to begin with -cant be sure if its his ability or choreography letting him down. Natalie is mainly a ballroom dancer and her routines for ballroom have been lovely(QS, AS).
Ali is also a lovely ballroom dancer but lacks the earthiness for really standout Latin -her Chacha for example was technically good but lacked all the feeling of the dance.
Chris and Natalie -well, this is down to ability. However, Chris showed early promise. I like him and Ola but again, the choreography isnt memorable -lots of knee slides and wiggling arms.
Laila -well, lets not getinto the Anton debate.
However, I previously thought he was to blame for her Latin shortcomings but in hindsight its a mix of his lack of knowledge about Latin choreography and technique and also a lack of real fire in her. Their paso looked promising but ended up a bit haywire with a few lifts?
A strange season for sure.”
“I have to agree -the standard of latin dances this year is disappointing isnt it?
Some of them have been okay but no real standout that I can remember.
I wonder why this is? Ricky Whittle looked a good bet for latin to begin with -cant be sure if its his ability or choreography letting him down. Natalie is mainly a ballroom dancer and her routines for ballroom have been lovely(QS, AS).
Ali is also a lovely ballroom dancer but lacks the earthiness for really standout Latin -her Chacha for example was technically good but lacked all the feeling of the dance.
Chris and Natalie -well, this is down to ability. However, Chris showed early promise. I like him and Ola but again, the choreography isnt memorable -lots of knee slides and wiggling arms.
Laila -well, lets not getinto the Anton debate.
However, I previously thought he was to blame for her Latin shortcomings but in hindsight its a mix of his lack of knowledge about Latin choreography and technique and also a lack of real fire in her. Their paso looked promising but ended up a bit haywire with a few lifts?
A strange season for sure.”
Anton progressing must cut the likelihood - fewer people are doing Latin at the stage when they should be getting good anyway any series and that becomes fewer who might nail a Latin with Anton taking his share of turns.
Only one good really male celeb there (actually they only found one good male to put in at the start which is also unusual since series 3) and the lack of two of the top 3 females can't help either. Nor does Ricky's other commitments or choreograhy.
The females have been more reserved and the break out of romances has actually made some more self conscious. Ricky has been cool rather than passionate and the other alpha males have gone leaving Chris who is no Austin/Darren/Matt or Mark and just can't look macho.
Ali might have had one Latin where the music and routine came together but for injury that week. That might have given her momentum but it broke it. jade as getting there but she was hit by injury at the crucial time too. Nat had the spirit but not the feet.
There's also the problem with the music where umpteen efforts have been sabotaged at the start with unexciting music leading somewhere else.
I don't really enjoy the latin dances anyway, but I agree, this year - and last year - have been lacking in anything stand-out.
I think Ricky certainly has the potential to do a very good latin, but he has struggled with the speed and complexity of Natalie's routines in the past.
Ali, too, has struggled with complexity, but Brian's since toned down his choreography and technically Ali's pretty good. With her performance breakthrough in the charleston, she could wow us yet.
Laila's charleston also showed us a performance side which had been lacking in her latin routines thus far, and if she attacks her latin like she did her charleston, then we could be looking at another surprise here.
As people have said, Chris did a very good rumba, and he certainly performs. If he can either hitch up his technique, or produce a latin with the same level of performance as his charleston, then he could be good to go.
I think Ricky certainly has the potential to do a very good latin, but he has struggled with the speed and complexity of Natalie's routines in the past.
Ali, too, has struggled with complexity, but Brian's since toned down his choreography and technically Ali's pretty good. With her performance breakthrough in the charleston, she could wow us yet.
Laila's charleston also showed us a performance side which had been lacking in her latin routines thus far, and if she attacks her latin like she did her charleston, then we could be looking at another surprise here.
As people have said, Chris did a very good rumba, and he certainly performs. If he can either hitch up his technique, or produce a latin with the same level of performance as his charleston, then he could be good to go.
Originally Posted by dinosaur05:
“And we could argue that these have been stupidly overscored.”
“And we could argue that these have been stupidly overscored.”
Ricky's Paso deseverved it. That's it. Though Jade's Jive was undermarked at 33. I think Jade was the only contestant who had the potential to deliver a brilliant latin dance.
Originally Posted by bendymixer:
“I think she is too gangly for the samba (will be willing her to do well) but doubt it I think we could (if Natalie does a good routine - which Im not sure about) see a good cha cha from Ricky”
“I think she is too gangly for the samba (will be willing her to do well) but doubt it I think we could (if Natalie does a good routine - which Im not sure about) see a good cha cha from Ricky”
Zoe Ball did an excellent Samba .. so gangliness is not necessarily a drawback
I think the music is key
Originally Posted by daziechain:
“Zoe Ball did an excellent Samba .. so gangliness is not necessarily a drawback
I think the music is key”
“Zoe Ball did an excellent Samba .. so gangliness is not necessarily a drawback
I think the music is key”
Don't know about Ali, but Ricky's cha cha cha music is an Eric Clapton remix.
My mind's still boggling at that one.
Originally Posted by fancynancy:
“Don't know about Ali, but Ricky's cha cha cha music is an Eric Clapton remix.
My mind's still boggling at that one.”
“Don't know about Ali, but Ricky's cha cha cha music is an Eric Clapton remix.
My mind's still boggling at that one.
”
That should be another stellar performance then.
Ugh.
Eric Clapton meets Dave Arch. I have no words.....
I think it will be Sunshine of your love (Spanky Wilson version).
If so, I think it will work really well for the cha cha cha.
If so, I think it will work really well for the cha cha cha.
Originally Posted by cymrugirl:
“I think it will be Sunshine of your love (Spanky Wilson version).
If so, I think it will work really well for the cha cha cha.”
“I think it will be Sunshine of your love (Spanky Wilson version).
If so, I think it will work really well for the cha cha cha.”
Hot funk! - so agree it should work really well & you've put my mind at rest (previously imagining a Cha Cha to "I Shot the Sheriff"
)
The Latin dances are almost all rubbish anyway.
The best Latin dance is the tango, which is classed as ballroom.
The second best is the Argentine tango, which we haven't seen yet.
The others can occasionally be made good by an exceptionally good dancer (as in Rachel's rhumba), but are more often excuses for ham acting, posing, gurning, or forgettable "party" dancing.
The Samba should simply be eliminated.
However, I would agree that the quality of the dancing is noticeably down this year, especially the Latin.
The best Latin dance is the tango, which is classed as ballroom.
The second best is the Argentine tango, which we haven't seen yet.
The others can occasionally be made good by an exceptionally good dancer (as in Rachel's rhumba), but are more often excuses for ham acting, posing, gurning, or forgettable "party" dancing.
The Samba should simply be eliminated.
However, I would agree that the quality of the dancing is noticeably down this year, especially the Latin.
Originally Posted by Veri:
“The Latin dances are almost all rubbish anyway.
The best Latin dance is the tango, which is classed as ballroom.
The second best is the Argentine tango, which we haven't seen yet.
The others can occasionally be made good by an exceptionally good dancer (as in Rachel's rhumba), but are more often excuses for ham acting, posing, gurning, or forgettable "party" dancing.
The Samba should simply be eliminated.
However, I would agree that the quality of the dancing is noticeably down this year, especially the Latin.”
“The Latin dances are almost all rubbish anyway.
The best Latin dance is the tango, which is classed as ballroom.
The second best is the Argentine tango, which we haven't seen yet.
The others can occasionally be made good by an exceptionally good dancer (as in Rachel's rhumba), but are more often excuses for ham acting, posing, gurning, or forgettable "party" dancing.
The Samba should simply be eliminated.
However, I would agree that the quality of the dancing is noticeably down this year, especially the Latin.
”
Thank god I'm not the only one!! I didn't reply to this thread earlier for fear of being shot down in flames!!
The ballroom dances have grace, elegance and 'romance'. The only latin dances that have any real 'feeling' are the Paso and the Argentine Tango with their passionate overtones. The Tango, like the Jive, has been emasculated and shoved in with the ballroom section.
I would be quite happy to see most of the latin dances dropped and the more passionate traditional Tango and raw energetic 50s style Jive reinstated- but the the show would suffer from lack of variety and would also be a few weeks shorter (after this years marathon would that be a bad thing?) !!
Originally Posted by daziechain:
“Zoe Ball did an excellent Samba .. so gangliness is not necessarily a drawback
I think the music is key”
“Zoe Ball did an excellent Samba .. so gangliness is not necessarily a drawback
I think the music is key”
Zoe was tall yes but IMO not gangly
Originally Posted by Veri:
“The Latin dances are almost all rubbish anyway.
The best Latin dance is the tango, which is classed as ballroom.
The second best is the Argentine tango, which we haven't seen yet.
The others can occasionally be made good by an exceptionally good dancer (as in Rachel's rhumba), but are more often excuses for ham acting, posing, gurning, or forgettable "party" dancing.
The Samba should simply be eliminated.
However, I would agree that the quality of the dancing is noticeably down this year, especially the Latin.”
“The Latin dances are almost all rubbish anyway.
The best Latin dance is the tango, which is classed as ballroom.
The second best is the Argentine tango, which we haven't seen yet.
The others can occasionally be made good by an exceptionally good dancer (as in Rachel's rhumba), but are more often excuses for ham acting, posing, gurning, or forgettable "party" dancing.
The Samba should simply be eliminated.
However, I would agree that the quality of the dancing is noticeably down this year, especially the Latin.
”
just to make it correct - the tango danced in ballroom has NEVER been a latin dance and was developed in Europe as a ballroom dance.
It is Argentine Tango that was/is classed as latin
Originally Posted by Pentax20:
“Thank god I'm not the only one!! I didn't reply to this thread earlier for fear of being shot down in flames!!
The ballroom dances have grace, elegance and 'romance'. The only latin dances that have any real 'feeling' are the Paso and the Argentine Tango with their passionate overtones. The Tango, like the Jive, has been emasculated and shoved in with the ballroom section.
I would be quite happy to see most of the latin dances dropped and the more passionate traditional Tango and raw energetic 50s style Jive reinstated- but the the show would suffer from lack of variety and would also be a few weeks shorter (after this years marathon would that be a bad thing?) !!”
“Thank god I'm not the only one!! I didn't reply to this thread earlier for fear of being shot down in flames!!
The ballroom dances have grace, elegance and 'romance'. The only latin dances that have any real 'feeling' are the Paso and the Argentine Tango with their passionate overtones. The Tango, like the Jive, has been emasculated and shoved in with the ballroom section.
I would be quite happy to see most of the latin dances dropped and the more passionate traditional Tango and raw energetic 50s style Jive reinstated- but the the show would suffer from lack of variety and would also be a few weeks shorter (after this years marathon would that be a bad thing?) !!”
There is nothing wrong with the latin dances when they are danced well, a good cha cha or rumba can have loads of feel as can a well danced samba - what ruins these dances on the show is the music - I firmly believe the music for the ballroom with the exception of tango converts better if the bbC played good latin music at the right tempo would be much better to watch.
As I have said elsewhere the tango danced in ballroom was developed as a ballroom dance, the AT was the one that was included in latin
1 of 2
