Does gurning or dance-mouth improve or detract from the quality of a dance?

Karen Hardy pulled some champion mouth-shapes, but it didn't ruin her sublime dancing.

We all know facial expression is key to how a dance is delivered; the problem is that people's facial expressions are often beyond their control in moments of high drama or emotion.

I know when I perform (though I'm a singer, not a dancer) I make faces as stupid as any that Karen, Camilla and the rest of the 'gurners' have been accused of - but that's because they fit with the emotion I'm trying to convey. I'm sure there are loads of people out there who think I look a right wally. But then I'm not on TV.

So my answer would be that if people are making stupid faces, it's probably a sign of being a better dancer, rather than a worse one. At least it shows they're getting into the swing of things.

For me, it detracts. I found KH to be a vibrant and energetic dancer whose dancing was utterly spoiled for me by her gurning - there are many other dancers who have equal energy and vibrancy but who know how to set the levels of subtlety needed in the facial expression in relation to the dance. Spoils it for me, although I know others like it.



Singing is very different to dancing - and I can understand what you are saying about feeling the emotion etc since both are telling a story - but with dancing you are not only performing the "feel" of what the dance should be, but the actual specific steps as well so there is another dimension.

I feel it most DEFINITELY is not a sign of being a better dancer if a dancer over-exaggerates the expressions.

It's all about balance and if, as in the case of KH, a dancer OVER exaggerates the expressions, that is what stands out rather than the dance as a whole - I can't help staring at that one particular thing.

All components of the dance should balance, allowing you to enjoy the dance as a whole without being aware of specific things like over expression.

s'just my opinion though - it really does spoil my enjoyment of a dance.

It ruins the whole thing for me - and I didn't like Karen from the first time I saw her on the show, just because of the gurning - I noticed she was still doing it on ITT last night . . . . so for her its nothing to do with her dancing cos she was sitting on the sofa

A romantic dance should have a romantic expression. A dramatic dance should have a dramatic expression. Gurning really doesn't appeal.

Totally agree with you tangoqueen. One the of things I loathe about ballroom is the awful fake gurning. It has always put me off. Granted I was trained in classical ballet before I taught ballroom and while emotion was encouraged in ballet, you'd never resort to the facial contortions of KH.

Flavia seems to be able to convey every possible emotion without grimacing, but then again she also does Argentine tango - which is suffused with emotion but not stage-school rictus grinning and pouting!

I have never seen the point of faking emotion when dancing, and certainly not to the extent that you see in SCD. Their idea of sexy pouting is ridiculous, never mind the pretend snarling. It's vile. They look like demented air hostesses on speed!