Its funny cos Louisa was only something like 17 at the time and Vincent must've been about ten years older but they were brilliant together and really well matched imo.

But i think the same as Lili and Jared will get a really young celeb.

When i watch routines danced by Darren and Ian in particular i always get the sense that they are thoroughly enjoying themselves, so my guess would be it's not their choice but really who knows. I still think it's a shame Ian won't get the chance to win.

I think you're right they wanted to stay on as before... but that's not to say that when they get the full details of the pro dancing, they will automatically view it as 'second best'.

You can definitely see they enjoy Strictly, but I imagine they would also enjoy being able to do exceptional pro dances every weekend... if they are really being given the chance to shine, take creative control, be a major part of the results show and given some credit for what they create...

it really depends how serious the Beeb are about the dance troupe I guess. I don't want my favourite pros to do it if they are going to be sidelined at every opportunity by music acts or the competing pros.

Oh i hope not and i hope they are not treated like that as they certainly do not deserve to be, i just wish the next statement regarding the new series hurrys up and gets published!

I wonder if they (those in charge) realise how many of us are itching to know the details about this dance troupe!

That poses a problem for some of us though - of course I was happy that my favourite pros are still competing, but all the change makes me uneasy that Vincent, Flavia, James and Ola won't get much chance of dancing in the pro dances or doing their own solo dances (to music acts or not), which have always been my favourite parts. I don't want to see the Matt/Aliona and Ian/Natalie partnerships split either - although they don't have to be as they could still dance together in Latin and Ballroom pro dances respectively. I just wonder if the Ten Dancers will be sidelined in terms of chances to dance in the pro dances because they're not specifically Latin or Ballroom and therefore could dance either, but the specialist couples can only dance their own specialism (J&O Latin, A&E ballroom etc). I'm happy that we won't have to see Anton in a Latin pro dance again, but not so happy that we might not see James, Ola, Kristina etc in a ballroom dance ever again....no magical Blackpool VW or anything like that.

And i think Matt and Aliona get on so well that he might be happy to do the dance troupe if he could dance with her or Nicole, but perhaps not anyone else....it's pointless hiring more female pros when there are perfectly good dancers on the show already!!! (and I include Lilia in that of course)

I totally get where you're coming from but I doubt you have to worry to be honest. I suspect the outcome will be Darren, Lilia, Ian and Matt turn down the offer, and the competing pros will dance as much as ever.

I think the BBC have created a bit of a mess for themselves frankly. The premise seems to be that competing pros and dancing pros will now be separate. So I think there's a bit of a minefield in saying that although they're creating this dance troupe supposedly with the aim of having better quality pro dancing (which assumes more time spent than can be managed when the pros are also competing), Aliona and Natalie will still be dancing with Matt and Ian. Also would they then get the competing pro salary and the dancing pro salary?

If the dancing troupe is in charge of pro dances, what happens when James and Ola fancy doing a Rumba? Do the dance troupe have to stand aside even though that's the only exposure they now get on the show, or do James and Ola stand aside even though the pro dances must be a good way of attracting people to their demos?

It's not about attracting people to their demos, they are paid to compete, everything else is just gravy. Perfect example in the press with Brendan's wedding, he probably got a large sum to sell the pics, he wouldnt have got that without a profile on SCD, Nobody is bigger than the show

I don't know about that... if I was working for my employer for three months, and there was something they could do that would help me find work for the other nine months of the year whilst benefitting themselves at the same time, you can be damn sure they'd do it. They have a responsibility to me as an employee, as much as they do to external stakeholders. If they didn't realise that, I'd be off to find a twelve month contract with more stability.

James and Ola had a very lucrative career in Hong Kong, they don't need the BBC more than the BBC needs them.

The pros are self employed, they are contracted per series, they get the spin offs with the tour etc, if James and Ola had a lucrative contract in Hong Kong why would they chuck that in for a lesser paid job. The BBC have no responsibility to any of the dancers on SCD after the series finishes.

One of their fans can probably tell you more accurately than me... I have a feeling they decided to return to competing?

They're not self-employed when they work for the BBC. The BBC is their employer. The BBC increasingly expects them to be available for any money-making venture they set their sights on.

I don't doubt you're right about the BBC's attitude, but it makes them a poor employer IMO. If my employer can do something for me which doesn't adversely affect their position, it gets done. They don't have the attitude of 'do what I say and think yourself lucky to be working here at all'. I am lucky to have my job, but they are lucky to have me, and if I wasn't happy with my working conditions I'd take my skills elsewhere.

In any case I would think it's no skin off their nose if James and Ola want to continue to do the odd pro dance, if anything it reduces the role of the dance troupe which means those dancers can be paid less.

My fear is your second scenario - the competing pros have to stand aside and not do their own demos, when previously they've pretty much all had solo dances at one point in the series, and some have had more than one. The press release seemed to me to suggest that we wouldn'#t be getting any of the pro solo couple dances anymore if we had this dance troupe, and that's the problem I have with it. I don't begrude the dance troupe pros all the exposure on the show they can get, but I don't want to see Vincent and Flavia, for example, dancing only with their celeb partners and never with each other, or else only with each other in a pro dance once every 3 weeks or something like that.

I don't think pay is an issue in terms of Aliona and Natalie - the BBC would only pay them the competing pros salary I'm sure which is presumably calculated to include instances where those pros would appear in the professional dances in their specialism, as the press release says they will, therefore it's not an issue if they still dance with Matt and Ian (should they accept the BBC's offer). What I said was that I think they should still be dancing together in my opinion - and once they get knocked out of the main competition (which will probably happen early for Natalie at least, and Ola) it isn't a problem at all. The unanswered question is who partners Matt and Ian, if they accept, in the meantime?



Yeah, they decided to return to competing and wanted to set up a base in the UK again

And you#re right, when they sign a contract with the BBC they're employed by the BBC for the duration of the contract - they may be self-employed the rest of the time, but not during Strictly.

Exactly , self employed when not working for the BBC, there for the BBC has no responsibility for them when not under contract. I dont see why people think that they are owed some kind of living just because they are dancers.... their connection with the show allows them to cash in and make a good living. Take Brendan's wedding, no magazine would have paid for that had he not been the "Bad boy of strictly" and the possibility he can bring in high profile guests to his wedding. Without SCD he would be just another anonymous dancer only known by hardcore ballroom fans.

Yes, these dance shows give a pro the kind of exposure they could never get otherwise. Unfortunately in show business there are no guarantees of a gig. You can be wildly popular and sought after one year and then not get work the next. You see that with actors. They are popular in the original movie but they don't get hired for the sequel because producers want someone different. I think most entertainers know that is how the business works. They are able to work at what they are passionate about but there are risks involved and job security in the arts is not exactly like being an accountant. But I think if you are a dancer and true to your craft you dance whether it is front of millions or teaching a class with 10 students.

At some point Strictly will end and if that happens the pros will figure out how to carve out a career without the BBC.

The problem is how to define 'when not working for the BBC'. The tours are separate contracts, but they could quite easily be classed as working for the BBC when they are BBC-sponsored and approved productions. I don't want to speak for Katie, but is her point perhaps not that the BBC now take up so much of their time that they haven't got much of a chance to take up other ventures, therefore the BBC has at least a moral responsibility towards them when they're not on BBC projects, but we all know that moral and the BBC don't always come in the same sentence

And James and Ola did have a very profitable contract in Hong Kong, btw, they came back of their own accord to dance Blackpool, after which they were offered Strictly and decided then to make their already-decided return to the UK there and then instead of waiting a while.

They are my favourite dancers so i hope this is not the case

'Hysterical and OTT reactions' to the BBC are to be admired on the whole. The worst decision of all was replacing Arlene for empty headed Alesha. And the wholesale sacking of many well liked professionals may signal the end of this once popular show.

What wholesale sackings are you talking about ? nobody has been sacked as far as i have read, I think maybe your post is a little hysterical and over the top, suggest you read the OP:yawn:

I do totally understand where you're coming from when you worry that some of the competing pros will not be in the pro dances much... but bear in mind as well that those of us who are upset that our favourite pros will no longer be in the show at all are facing the prospect that they will be completely sidelined from the show. They are already going to be only in the results show. So I'm kind of hoping they will dominate the pro dances.

Hopefully the outcome will turn out to be somewhere in the middle
Speak away
Yeah, that's completely what I mean. I think it's quite old-fashioned to say an employer has no responsibility for the employee. It's certainly not the ethos of the organisation I work for, and that organisation is not known for being overly generous!

I hope I never work for you Yelsel

the only thing that would get me hysterical and OTT is if they sign Bruce Forsyth up again - because dropping him and having fewer contestants is all the change the show actually needs!

Am ok with the new dancing pros, but if despite the newest Minus ZZZ star listing Brucie still signs up, then I'll be out of the door quick as a flash to chunder.