Ok, so another series of SCD has now finished and I am left wondering what changes (if any) we would all like for next years show. In all honesty, this latest offering left me rather cold for the most part, so personally, my list is quite extensive..
*The judges - Lets stick to four, there is no time nor need for a fifth. As for which four, well of course I would love to see Karen come in but I very much doubt she will. One woman I certainly hope does not appear again is Darcy. She says nothing of interest and comes across insipid and bland. If either Karen or Arlene were to judge, perhaps they could replace Bruno. Two male, two female is a nice balance and Bruno has (in my opinion) started to go overboard with his loud, smutty ways.
* Presenter - Enough is enough, Bruce has had his day. As for who should replace him, I have no idea..
* Number of contestants - Lets reduce them. Of the 40 that started this year, I hadn't heard of most of them and hardly any had a basic grasp of movement. There was no need for such overkill, other than greed from the BBC and as a show it suffered for it.
* Better contestant balance - Far too many celebrities never have a chance in hell of reaching any real level of ability. On the American version, theres more younger, fitter people, with only the occasional John Sargent etc. So whilst I have nothing against the token clown, I feel the current mix is a little off.
* No more Charlestons, Lindy hops or Rock N Rolls. These aren't real dances, they are gimmicky performances that I don't enjoy.
* Lets loose the early weeks group dances. They are always a mess and a bit pointless.
* Blackpool - It was the one highlight for me. It would be great to go back there but for the Final this time.
* New Pros - Some simply aren't good enough, others are stuck in a rut.
* Add the Bolero, it's a nice dance
* New band. They usually do a good job, occasionally struggle. But it's rarely great is it? Certainly not compared to DWTS. A show should always look to improve and I'm sure there must be better options out there.

Your ideas?

Get rid of Alesha. Bring back Arlene. Definitely no Darcey.
Less couples. 12 is plenty.
Keep Bruce.
No more gimmicky dances. Although I did love Chris and Ola's!
Get rid of Tess. Not sure who I'd replace her with. Maybe Kate Thornton.

Some original changes are required....here are a few of my suggestions

1. 16 celebrities and professional partners have to prepare for friday and saturday episode 1. They have to work on a latin and ballroom dance. Judges votes only. The top 12 then progress to weekly judge/voting mix. Wild Card vote for 13th pairing - voted for by public.

2. 5 or 3 Judges - good idea. But..the end mix isnt currently right. It does need changing. Suggestion; Craig, Len, Paula Abdul,

3. New influx of younger edgier professional dancers.

Start with couples on a roughly equal footing regarding age/fitness and availability of time to train

Get rid of the boring Samba/ChaCha/Salsa - they do nothing for me - no story or emotion. Keep the Lindy Hop/Charleston/Rock'n'roll and introduce the Jitterbug. All perfectly valid dance forms that would really test the couples fitness and ingenuity with fast complex moves. The current 'latin' dances with the exception of the Paso are just a few swaying twists and no energy.

Have an unequal number of judges, with no deciding vote
OR
No dance off - in the event of a tie then the lowest public vote leaves just as in the semi-final this series

Three couple final - with less padding and more content

1. Keep the Charleston, Lindyhop and Rock 'n' Roll... they may have been gimmicky but they brought so much entertainment to the show... and they are real dances!!!

2. Keep Brucie and Tess.. Wouldn't be the same without them!!!!

3. Ditch Alesha, bring back Arlene... or get Karen or Camilla.

4. Sort the singers out... the band are great but the singers are terrible!!!

5. Sort the guests out!! Most of them this year were dire...

6. Minimise the number of contestants... I love it but Strictly did push it with 16 this year... go back to 14 or even 12.

7. Have the Blackpool week halfway through... then again for the final...Its the best place in Britain for dancing IMO

and the most important...

8. Keep Anton in it forever and ever lol

Anton and Tess to present

4 Judges - Craig, Len, Bruno and Shirley Ballas

12 couples

Both to do a ballroom and latin before being able to be voted out

The eliminated pro to do the "guest slot" pro dance the week after elimination so we get to see all the pros getting a fair turn

the Beeb to make it equally a dancing/entertainment programme and get better celebs and once more make the actual dancing a higher priority and therefore giving the pros proper respect, rather than heading down the "entertainment route" only

Better choreography than we have had this year for some of the pro dances - exceptions being the early pro quickstep, Hip Hop samba (as a one off) and Natalie and Ian's foxtrot - wish we could go back to the sharpness of Nicole Cutler and Karen Hardy's choreo again - all seems too "loose" and without proper pause between frenetic moves - so its hard to appreciate. Recent choreo has been all "sexed up" constantly as well - fine here and there but do like to see a lovely classic dance as well. With the exception of Natalie Lowe, I don't think the new pros have been quite up to the standard of the others.

Get rid of the Lindy Hop, Charleston and Rock N Roll - I prefer the show with the original 10s and to sharpen the quality of those dances rather than introducing the above dances to the show again, therefore giving the celebs longer to be more confident in performing the dances and giving us hopefully better quality rather than having too many dances to learn - entertaining though they may be.

Final to be in Blackpool

Have an hour long ITT the Monday after the final to "tie up all loose ends"

Go back to four judges by getting rid of Darcy- she was terrible as a judge.
I wouldn't want there to be less celebrities taking part but it would be nice to have some more well known people.
Keep the dance off, but instead of Len having the deciding vote, if the judges can't decide on who to get rid of then it should be whoever has the least amount of votes, like the X Factor.
I don't mind Bruce or Tess but I also wouldn't mind if they replaced.
Have more of the live shows in Blackpool.
Keep the band but get rid of some of the singers, I don't know much about singing but even I can tell that some of them are dreadful.
Keep the Lindy Hop, Charleston and Rock and Roll, I really enjoyed watching them.
All the celebrities should get to do a ballroom and latin before being eliminated.
Get better guests to sing on the show- more modern artists that are likely to appeal to younger generations rather than the ancient guests we had this year.

No bitchy posts from those whose favourite hasn't won?

Or is that too much to ask?

(This is someone whose favourite won this series, but not always in previous series.)

12 couples and a shorter run - start later but still finish just before Xmas
6 couples dance two dances in each of the first two weeks but nobody goes till week three
Double eliminations - one in week three and at least one other later to narrow the field before the final
Use the group dances as "last couple standing" contests and award points accordingly
Keep the crowd pleasing dances in an "offbeat" section like the old Come Dancing but equally offset them with some more traditional stuff from the CD days e.g. Old Time dances like the military two step - sort of a compulsory dancing round like in competitive skating, for those who look for technique

Hopes for 2010:

That they get some real celebs

That viewers will appreciate dance skills

am quoting myself here because I wanted to add one more thing!

I would love to see the reigning champion/s (if at all possible) hand over the Glitterball to the new champions - that would be fab!

*Keep Bruce.
*Claudia replacing Tess
*Alesha ditched for somebody more qualified.
*Less celebrities. There should be no more than 12.
*No more "two week divides." They should ALL dance on the same night from the start.
*All couples dancing the same dance. For example, week one should be all waltzes, week two should be all cha-cha-chas etc.
*Give us a brief rundown of the dance BEFORE the dancing begins, so those of us who are clueless () know what to expect and to look for.
*Split up the main show and results show like they did in the latter stages this year.
*Ditch the dance off after there are only six couples left.
*No judge should have a deciding vote in the dance off.
*Blackpool for the final.

1-13 contestants..each perform a Latin and Ballroom....in wk1 and 2...scores tallied and then audience vote...first elimination week at the end of week 2....the extra celeb is a back up should there be any withdrawals
I don`t want to sound ageist...but the BBC should think long and hard about the fitness of the celebs it invites onto the show....There are plenty of fit 50 somethings out there...so no more no hopers

2-Double elimination if no withdrawal when 5 or 6 celebs left

3-Keep the Dance off until 5 celebs left...Then elimination by audience vote only

4-No deciding vote by Len...if it`s a tie...deadlock and audience vote takes precedence.

5-Keep The Charleston/Rock n Roll...or Jitter bug...their entertaining and Audience pleasers

6-Samba or Salsa...but not both....Likewise Waltz and Viennese Waltz

7-Mid season trip to Blackpool.....it`s a huge logistical exercise but well worth the expense...it`s our money remember....It would be great to have the final there as well but no doubt The Tower Ballroom is booked up a couple of years in advance over the Christmas period...so this ain`t going to happen

8-Don`t mind the judges...even Alesha....but I`d rather see them being a lot more positive like Len...who always looks for the best in a performance and not the worst.

9-I quite like Brucie.....But if he goes his replacement will still get slated on this forum.....Even the ultra slick Dermot O'Leary gets a pasting from some on the x-factor forum

My favourite didn't win but I am not sure that my remarks will be considered bitchy...

* No rule changing midway through the series. I am hoping the BBC are intelligent enough to think of most possible situations so there should be contingency plans in place before the series starts. Everyone knows where they stand then.

* Dare I ask for either no BBC employees or BBC employees only? The publicity machine behind both Natalie and Chris has got on my goat no end. Admittedly they were not the only employees/ex employees in the show, perhaps it was just because they made the latter stages. I like things to be fair and I felt I heard more about these two than anyone else, loads of background and focus on their personalities. Nothing against the two themselves, its the BBC I have the arse with.

* Time for Bruce to go. I never have liked him and his jokes leave me cold.

* Replacement for Alesha please. Again nothing against her, she could only do the best of her ability, but I ended up not paying any attention to what she said or what mark she gave as I just don't think she had the experience behind her.

1. No more than 12 couples, and don't eliminate anyone in the first couple of weeks, so we can actually get to know a few of the contestants.
2. No more Bruce - Anton to present, then that solves the problem of which male dancer to drop.
3. Definitely no more Alesha, and no more Darcey - bring in Karen or Camilla.
4. Keep the Charleston, ditch the other two new dances.
5. How about letting the couples do the same ballroom and latin dances for the first few weeks, so we can really compare ability?
6. Bigger name guests please.
7. Superglue Bruno to the chair.
8. Ensure a three couple final.

Oh, and could we possibly NOT have the BBC presenter/Eastender/etc. etc. standard format they seem to have been following? Thanks.

I'd like to see a thtree couple final, as it's supposed to be but, over the last four years-to my recollection- someone has left, making this impossible. Maybe one couple more or one week fewer. We could even have a four couple final!! Why not?

Less couples.
Different presenters - I found Bruce's comments more and more intrusive and annoying this year and I have never warmed to Tess.
Change some of the judges and if you can't do that then do not allow them to hand out 9s and 10s until the celebrities actually deserve them!
And please stop padding out the shows with endless repeats of the celebs saying how much they are loving it and don't want to go!

1. Fewer couples - I like the idea of 13 with a possible double elimination if there has been no withdrawal. Have the double elimination at the six couple stage if necessary.
2. I don't think Alesha's really worked as a judge although she's done as much as she could ("enduregate" notwithstanding ). Replace with a female who has proper Latin/ballroom credentials please and it doesn't have to be someone we already know!
3. I'd love to have the final at Blackpool although, as someone else has said, it may be logistically impossible. Definitely keep middle show there though.
4. No casting vote - revert to public vote in the event of a tie.
5. Get rid of dance off at four couple stage.
6. Would quite like ratio scoring system a la DWTS.

Ditch Alesha, the dance-off and the Lindy Hop.

Same number of couples (16) or 14...

BUT LESS WEEKS (DWTS manages 16 couples over 10 weeks max).

and at least 2 or 3 double eliminations..

Keep last double elimination to be SF week so if someone has has to withdraw at the latter stages, then no need for double elimination (to keep 3 in final).

Get rid of dance off but if keep dance off if no judges majority no deciding vote for Len... (but deadlock like in XF - about the only thing I do think is good on XF). - but certainly get rid of it when last 5 or 6 (or at least the QF stage).

4 judges maximum but only 3 permanent ones... (4th judge is a guest judge every week - ie the pro who left the previous week). 3 permanent judges Len, Craig and a woman... either Camila, Karen, Arlene or Darcy (def no Alesha).

2 shows from the start (therefore loads of chances for pro dances).

Keep Lindy Hop and Charleston, ditch rock n roll and either Samba or Salsa (preferrably Salsa).

Make Argentine Tango a dance earlier at the QF stage or previous week to allow us to see more examples of it.

Keep the 2 dance thing at the start of the series to allow us to see all celebs do both a ballroom and a latin before any voting takes place.. Keep 2 groups (and I like them split like this year) but no elimination until everyone has danced. Ie week 1 - 1st Friday - group 1 do a ballroom (preferably the same one), 1st Saturday - group 2 do a latin (preferably the same one - 2nd Friday group 2 do ballroom, 2nd Saturday group 1 do a latin and then voting happens with a double elimination (1 from each group), then week 3 everyone do either ballroom or latin etc.

Do at least one or two preview shows of ITT to allow us to meet all the celebs and see more than a quick vt of them in action with their pro.

Bring in Derek Hough as a new male pro (sorry but get rid of Anton and at least 1 other male if 14 in total).

Claudia to do the Tesspit (I thought the week she was there was excellent).

Do not allow Bruce to sing in the final under any circumstances

Get better musical artists to sing in results show or none at all (save the money and have more pro dances/showdances.... (after all that is what most of look at). Apart from anything else, its been shown on at least 2 occasions this year that Simon Cowell has a stranglehold on musical artists and can pay much more than the BBC.

A post final ITT to tie up the loose ends of the year to interview the champs etc... (so we know where they will appear unlike now when we have to listen out and guess.

Oh yes... celeb guests (audience) limited to one visit per year unless they are personal invitees of celebs or pro dancers... (give us TGP more chance of getting tickets.)


OK there are a few of mine... Im sure I will come up with a few more...

_____

PS: 14 couples of which 12 are made up of celebs and 2 are made up of 2 fans/members of the pubic - one male, one female - just to see if the public would have a chance in such a competition. If its celeb status or any kind of dance ability that is the key to the viewing public.

[LIST][*]10-12 couples[*]Basic ballroom and latin dances. Extra 2 dances to be the American Smooth and salsa[*]Ballroom and latin dance to new choreography in the semi final[*]No more dodgy latin group dances that always turn out looking like the hokey cokey.[*]Ditch Alesha and bring in Camilla or Shirley Ballas. Leave Karen in CC.[*]Each couple gets to do a ballroom and latin. No elimination in the first week.[*]Separate results show on Saturday night.[*]Better costumes. Less tassling, less random pieces of material sewn on, less dresses that are inspired by what's on the catwalk and more dresses that actually suit the celeb. Also I don't know if those colourful shirts are cheaper but they sure are awful, even worse when the male celeb gets sweat patches. Go back to the black ones.[*]Oh and I'm missing seeing any decent pro rumbas[*]No more contrived journeys[/LIST]

Imo...

LESS VT! And less padding. If they can't fill up their allotted time, then have less allotted time.

More emphasis on dance is needed. I've said it before, but it's getting too Xfactor.

More variety of dances – I don't need it, but in terms of attracting a wider demographic and retaining interest it will help.

Trying to judge a couple between a jive and a waltz is just plain silly. I understand why the producers do it, as a show with just one style of dance for a whole episode would be boring for most viewers. But, as a compromise, 2 or 3 similar styles of dance would perhaps be better to judge against.

LESS VT!

The judging panel needs a shake up... and I don't mean by adding another pretty young thing to it!

LESS VT!

I was somewhat underwhelmed with most of the singing guests. I get that they won't be able to pull in the types of guest singers that the Xfactor does... but they are obviously trying to compete and copy the Xfactor, so what do they think happens when your Xfactor demographic tunes in to see Rod Stewart? Lol! Keep some of the oldies, but if they can't compete with the XFactor in terms of music guests, then be innovative and get some edgier, upcoming bands that possess some music industry snobbery and kudos. And by upcoming, I don't mean Amy Winehouse's teenage god-daughter doing a cover... that was a low! They really should exploit and spin the music snobbery vs XFactory gap.

LESS VT!

It needs to find its direction again.

As much as I like to overdose on Strictly, a good motto to run by is to always leave your audience wanting more. I want to see less dragging out of the reality side (I'm not sure I could stomach another 'I want it so bad, I just love it' comment). Of course, it will need an element of reality, but year by year, the focus on it is becoming monster like in proportion and imo overwhelming the show now. I'm personally not interested in, nor do I need to know the minutiae of every single thing that these contestants do behind the scenes. I don't need to be told verbally just what an 'amazing bond' these people have ad nauseam; they can express it through the medium of dance!

LESS VT!

I like seeing Bruce on there, but he needs pulling in. Give him less control, and make the transitions between segments slicker – sometimes it's just painful to watch him. He's good with a live audience, but he has lost his TV edge.

Just generally tidy it up, pull it in, get it slicker, and find a balance between dance and reality.

Oh, and LESS VT!