I'm really curious to know what percentage of SCD fans actually do partner dancing, as well as enjoying watching it.

Those who do:

Did you dance before the show started, or did you decide to learn once you got interested in the show? What dances do you do and how often to do go? Does your partner also dance?

Those who don't:

Have you thought about giving it a try? If you'd like to try but haven't, what is stopping you?

Or, are you totally not interested in doing it, and just love watching it for the entertainment?

I'd really love to hear everyone's views on this.

I don't dance, but would have loved to, alas I am too old to begin now.I have granddaughters who all go to dancing lessons as I wish I could have done as a child.Begin young, keep it up and you have exercise and pleasure for life

Jay in thegarden, i don't think age is a barrier, unless you have a physical problem.

I don't do any of htedancing that is featured in SCD, becasue I never had the opportunity when I was younger and now I couldn't get Mr Shimmyqueen to give it a go, though I would love to!

As the name suggests, I'm a semi-pro bellydancer, so i settle for that and get a lot of fun out of it.

never danced, well apart from the usual pop on the disco floor, but none of the latin / ballroom dances.

Wouldn't ever rulle it out, guess at the moment i prefer to spend my time and money on other things.

I dance but only started around the same time as SCD started.
Had dance partner at first but that didnt work out : so ploughed on with various classes and private lessons.

My husband doesnt dance, wont dance and has no rhythm in his soul.

I now go once a week as i travel a fair way to get to the teacher I have chosen and who I have been with for most of the last 5 years. We do ballroom and latin to medal standard. currently I have Gold ballroom and Silver Bar Latin. Should have been taking Gold Bar ballroom this weekend but I withdrew because I dont think I am ready and would rather wait and do it properly.

Dancing has kept me fit and well and I can maintain a healthy weight without dieting, in fact I can eat whatever I want and still stay size 12 and 9 st.. It helped me when I was ill with a prospect of 6 months to live and hey I am still here 5 years on though there have been a few bumps along the way.

So come on tell us about you? do you dance etc.?

Went to ballroom dasnce classes with my husband many years ago now as I (not exactly sure it was ever a 'we') thought it was an interest we could both share. Loved the atmosphere and the friendliness of the other dancers and eventually one evening we waltzed right round the dance floor.

We were delighted with ourselves and the instructor told us he'd seen us do it, we'd done well but the small problem was we'd danced the wrong way round the floor so hung up our dancing shoes.

Oh this is interesting as I didnt agree when Stu asserted that this forum was composed mainly of dancers/dance-fans. We thought about polling it, but couldnt be arsed.

In my case, no I have never done any kind of partner dancing and am not a fan of dance outside of SCD (DoI, SYTYCD).

I did consider going to Latin Nights, when they started popping up all the over the place in the 90s, but my friends and partner at the time werent interested. Shame.

Like pootlemum, I havent ruled out taking up some type of dancing. Maybe when I retire

I just like letching at the fit women on it

Yes I do dance. I did some ballroom dancing along with jazz and tap when younger then gave it up and only really took up the ballroom and Latin dancing again once the Strictly bug caught me.

I usually dance 2 or 3 times a week and Im working through the dance medals.

Try Argentine Tango. there are classes popping up all over the place and I have two friends who do it and love it. Just one dance to learn and it is apparently a good social night.

You are never too old. I have three granddaughters and a grandson still in the oven When I have been doing the school holiday child minding I used to take grandaughter with me.
Some of the people at my school are older people and we are all in favour of it, everyone is friendly and we have a weekly social night when all the dancers who never usually meet each other get together.

You're never too old to start to learn to dance - go on, you know you want to

I would love to learn the tango/AT but I have osteo arthritis so the spirit is definitely willing but the flesh is week.

I don't dance, but if time and money were no object, I would. Trouble, what with SYTYCD also now on, I'm going through a midlife crisis and want to learn Hip Hop instead of ballroom

I did the childhood tap, ballet and 'character' dance thing. I'm still not sure what the latter was about, but it involved some cloggie-type shoes which was nice. I've also done some Irish and Scottish (Ceilidh). I wouldn't call myself a dancer though, and am no where near qualified to make any kind og judgement on those competing. I watch it as I appreciate the level of difficulty (as I do with cricket) and enjoy the asthetics. I have friends in the profession (West End stuff, mostly, some compete at Latin internationally). Most of them don't watch Strictly as they get a bit ticked off as they think that getting a Sleb to parrot moves isn't quite the same as teaching them how to dance properly. It takes years of intense training and competing (as apparently you only learn quite a lot about the performance part during a competition - that includes aspects of rejection etc) to call yourself a 'professional dancer' and some Slebs have put it on their CVs after appearing in Strictly.

... But yessir, I can boogie!

I didn't dance from giving up Irish dancing as a child up until this year, but have now caught the bug and am dancing on the uni circuit, and can honestly say I've never had so much fun. It's very different to taking individual lessons (although I do that alongside it sometimes) but there's a lot of camaraderie and it's intense but fun. (and competitive )

Are you sure you couldnt?

I have arthritis which afftects my knees and other joints and also have osteoporosis. The exercise is good for the latter but the arthritis gets in the way a bit. I am determined to carry on as long as ever I can, my family raise their eyebrows and shake their heads but I do what I want.
Just have to be careful to not fall over because of the osteoporosis ,

Bravo elizabeth Maybe when I have had my hip replacement I will give it a go. I know that excercise would help but the only thing the medics have recommended is swimming.

Yes, I do. Salsa and ceroc/modernjive are my strong dances, but I can do basic latin/ballroom, argentine tango and westcoast swing.

I started 10 years ago, before it all started to take off in popularity. My hubby is a total non-dancer but I have loads of dancing friends, so I just go on my own and dance with whoever is there.

I found dancing helpful in recovering from illness - it helped me physically and also helped me feel happier.

I'm loving reading all your replies, by the way!

My husband and I, both retired now have been having "social" dancing lessons at a local club along with several other couples.
There is no intention to ever be like professional dancers but we can now get around the room doing a waltz, foxtrot, quickstep and a bit of jive.
We have been to a few "big band" dances together and are all having great fun.
So if anyone out there gets the opportunity then go for it.

I have met some people locally who have had hip replacement and they joined a group of pool walkers. Apparently walking around in a swimming pool holding hands to help the movement is brilliant for hip replacement because of the water resistance. It is good for all the joints and I am intending to look into it as it could be helpful.

I don't dance, except maybe the odd reprise of the start of Austin's paso for my kids!

TBH, I frequently trip up whilst standing still, so I'm not exactly promising dance-floor fodder. I keep fit by running, and fantasise about dancing with Erin to pass the time...

Thanks for your kind comments but I would feel silly at my age and having had 2 hip replacements the only exercise recommended is gentle swimming

I used to dance ballet and tap as a child and into my teens, and also took part in quite a bit of English country dancing stuff, and a bit of clog dancing.

I'd always wanted to learn ballroom dance, long before SCD, but my ex-husband flatly refused to consider it. Happily my current husband is made of sterner stuff, and we started learning about six months ago. We're never going to be competition standard, but we enjoy it (well I do, anyway) and it does add an extra level to our viewing enjoyment too

If you cant for medical reasons that is that I guess but dont let your age be a barrier. Why should you feel silly?

There are senior competitions for over 50's and a lot who do them are over 60.
You are as old as you feel really.
There is a lady I see every week at my school who is 74 and she sambas like she was born to it.

I am not about to reveal my age but I am no spring chicken and honestly the dancing has made me feel younger and younger.
The chemo has left me with the osteoporosis which is a real nuisance but I am not about to let it stop me dancing.