The Charleston is certainly not Latin (it's origins are linked with the quickstep and foxtrot).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6KDtr_RP5Q

As Chris and Ola are already doing the foxtrot as their ballroom dance, they need another option for their Latin category.

I think they should do a Charleston based Showdance and do a traditional Latin as a contrast to the Lindyhop.

I'm sort of 50/50 on it. I wouldn't mind seeing the Charleston or the RnR again and I'd rather they do their best dances and make a more interesting final. I can see what people say about it technically being ballroom but considering there's no hold involved it certainly blurs the line between the two a great deal.

I've posted this previously regarding the origin of dances but it seems that it needs to be repeated. There are two loose categories of dance as far as the ballroom dancing community are concerned - Ballroom & Latin American. The latter refers to Latin AND American dances. Charleston, Lindy, Ballroom Jive & Rock n' Roll are members of the family of dances that are referred to as American (If you want to get picky Quickstep could be as well as it decends from Charleston / Shag as well as Foxtrot).

It's worth noting that the Charleston predates The Quickstep & is close the same age as Foxtrot. Lindy arrived way before Cha Cha Cha / Rhumba / Jive so any discussion of "traditional" dances is a very moot one.

My take on it is that Charleston is Latin American so fair enough BUT as Ricky never had the opportunity to dance it, I don't think that it is entirely fair for COLA to be able to repeat it (likewise RnR for Ricky). However at the end of the day it is only a light entertainment programme

Chris's choices if right are so wrong out of the 4 dances only one from the ballroom or latin world??

Your categories for the dances may well be correct but in terms of Strictly surely Ballroom and Latin American (which the professionals are qualified in) are the 5 dances of each section that we all know. Lindy, Charleston etc are not taught or indeed part of the teaching exam that the professionls take and are treated as totally different in the dance world - my opinion has always been that Strictly should stick to the dances the professionals are qualified in

Ricky will have a big advantage doing the Lindyhop as it is one of Natalie's favourite dances.

I doubt if Ola has ever danced it before - she'd never done the Charleston or the AT before.

she had never done AT on Strictly before but would be surprised if she had not attempted to dance it even if just socially

We'll just have to wait and see. Chris did say on Breakfast TV that it was up to the BBC as to whether he and Ola would be able to dance the Charleston so they might say No.

Could be - I was just going but her saying on ITT she had never danced the AT before.

course he'll be allowed .. it's a different rule for him isn't it.

That I'd agree with, as well as them doing 1 proepr Latin, which I think they should, their Chaleston wasn't that long ago, it could easily be a let down if it doesn't catch fire like the first one.

Thing is you can start to get silly at this point - should they not be able to do the AS because it's not all in hold like a 'proper' ballroom dance and it allows you to do lifts which could be an advantage?

Maybe they should just say that you have to do one dance that's done in hold and one dance that isn't which hopefully would accomodate anything they could add.

anyone know rickys dances???

I would imagine the quickstep and the cha cha

I have tweeted him but no reply so far

Has he ever replied to you welwyn? I tweeted him about the lift in the waltz but dont know if I did it right.

He hasn't replied to me directly but there has been a general response when I've asked about music before

Just watched the linked lindyhop and I've got to say that it is undoubtedly the most hideous dance I've had the 'pleasure' of watching. Why are they putting it in the final???

I have absolutely no idea! It really isn't fun. They might prove me wrong, though.

Surely..

Ricky;
Quickstep
Cha Cha Cha
Lindyhop
Show Dance

Chris;
Foxtrot
Samba
Lindyhop
Show Dance

Will be unfair if he does Charleston :|

For some reason I think it's going to be hilarious...from both of them! Especially considering they will be dancing side by side. I'm getting visions of the boys giggling at each other like James and Vincent were during the hairspray routine!

Surely not if Ricky does the RnR?? Given that Craig said his dance-off was the best he'd ever danced, it may be his one shot at getting a 10 from him.

????? Damn stupid forum!!

Here's what I think of when I think of the Lindy Hop (Neil and Lacey from SYTYCD):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBoTjrXqyjk

It's much more frantic, but then the music sort of calls for it.