You need passion for the dance. It would be embarrassing to a heterosexual and reek of falseness.

Nothing to do with homphobia. I just don't want to see it.

Would it? Lots of the male pro dancers seem to be gay and they don't like passion when dancing with the women.

Fair enough. Nor do I.

Fair point, but public opinion is not yet so advanced as to be able to make the leap of imagination it would require. If gay people want to dance together I don't have a problem with it but, like darts or snooker, I don't want to watch it. That's not to say there isn't scope for a programme on another channel.

The problem here is that we are expecting too much of people and I include myself in that. Being gay is pretty mainstream as far as I'm concerned and I have no prejudice concerning gay anything, including gay marriage. But - and it's a big BUT - I have yet to make the leap where I consider homosexual relationships in the same light as I view heterosexual ones. This is nothing to do with homophobia, it's just that adapting in life takes quite a long time once you're over thirty. I understand completely why for many people gay marriage is a step too far, even if I don't agree with them. I would like to see those people treated gently and gradually brought to understand an alternative lifestyle. What I hate is people being branded as bigots or homphobes because they have not yet decided that gay lifestyles are as acceptable as heterosexual ones. The gay lobby wants everything too fast and sometimes I think it enjoys branding people who don't always agree with their point of view. A little more tolerance on both sides would, over time, work wonders.

Maybe seeing gay relationships portrayed in an equal light to straight ones in a light entertainment setting... might help you and others gently get over your totally non-homophobic aversion to seeing alternative lifestyles.
A bit of tolerance, might work wonders.

That's a bit of a sweeping statement which I don't agree with. Most of them either have girl friends or are married.

Why are you assuming a SS dance partnership equates to a gay relationship?

Again, orientation <> gender.

Penelope was. I was just answering her concerns.
All dancing is pretty gay to me anyway.

Good point. I had, of course, assumed. But I don't really see why two same sex people would think their dancing together would be particularly appealling to the audience.

I think your response absolutely illustrates my point!

@penelope That sentence was the point were your killer: "The gay lobby wants everything too fast and sometimes I think it enjoys branding people who don't always agree with their point of view" The use of the word "gay lobby" is almost as bad as the people who talk about the Zionist Occupied Government.

And one thought: How can we know if the majority of the public is ready to accept it if we don't do it?

I believe that Saturn is talking about pro dancers in general, not the current strictly pros.

Oh, do behave. This is the sort of hysteria that gets people down. There is a gay lobby and I've certainly lobbied on behalf of gay marriage. Don't be so prejudiced about people who express a differing point of view.

It's simply that the term "gay lobby" can be misinterpreted.

And people on this thread seem very keen to throw around accusations of prejudice and homophobia.

But if you get what you're given, statistically you could just as likely have a same sex pairing

It's a very important question - diverse groups make up the world. No special gay programme needed. Just an inclusive one.

Competition ballroom/latin dancing is exclusive not inclusive.

During the 20th century American dance influence crossed the Atlantic, and to protect European dance characteristics the British dance establishment laid down rules which were adopted around the world, e.g. no lifts. To this day in USA there is American cha cha cha and world standard cha cha cha.

Fenia Vardanis and Jane Lush invented Strictly ten years ago from nothing. Based on the original template DWTS beame a nice little earner for BBC Worldwide. Argentina had total nudity one week but it was swiftly banned. Israel had a girl-girl couple very well received in their rumba week (on YouTube).

UK Strictly has not yet aspired to showcase ALL dance, or to be statistically representative of the UK population. If a muslim couple were to appear on Strictly with the girl wearing Strictly costume there would be riots and BBC would be burned down. It is not Loosely Come Dancing -- for now,

The de Fazio brothers no idea of their sexual orientation, I could watch them all day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1L0l...eature=related


Two guys dancing swing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDhui...eature=related

I have no problem with same sex couples, good dancing is good dancing. Women have been dancing together for years in a social setting especially in the UK where a lot of men don't do dancing.

But on SCD, no, they can't do anything with class and it would be awful to have a couple as a point and giggle example, can you imagine the innuendo, it's bad enough now, but our toes would be well and truly curled.

This rumba is a case in point it would have been much better if Artem had stopped playing the ooh I am totally straight fool and just danced.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiX0bSspyQs

Admitting you do not see gay relationships in the same light and you think it would be 'hideous' is prejudice, it's not like the poster was jumping to an irrational conclusion and he was in the end, right to call it.
And I will say again since I was deleted, complaining that a same sex dancing couple would be in any way too gay is ironic given how camp and filled with gays scd is.

The reasons against it are decent enough, without having to bring homophobic ones in to it.
Of course it's an old fashioned show and Brucie is not equiped to handle it and neither are the audience, but other countries have managed it and they need to get over themselves. I also happen to think it would be a fiasco, embarassing and indeed hideous. But I am quite homophobic and not ashamed of that.

The sensible reasons are the dances are designed for mixed couples, two men might have an advantage in not having high heels or no frocks, two women the opposite and the change in leads would mean the dance couples were not judged equally.
Many dancers are gay and they dance very well with women. It's acting and not sexual.

And some are very keen to throw the around the word 'hideous'.

The Party Whip never said "You gay pleb."

I remember that!

Not entirely true; in the professional Ballroom & Latin world a huge number of pro & amateur dancers - both male & female - are gay. Particularly among the Latin dancers where gay dancers probably outnumber straight dancers two to one!

I don't think having the same sex couples on Strictly would work, simply because - judging by a lot of posts on this thread alone - it would not be accepted without outcrys.

But same sex dancing is huge in US and the Continent, both competitive and social, and in the UK competition is strong and coaching is excellent (some continental same-sex couples regularly come to UK for lessons). Same-sex dancing is included in the Special Olympics; and they have world championships etc.

People who dance seriously are usually happy to see same-sex couples dance and can appreciate their skill in the same way as they would appreciate the skills of a straight couple. Watching 2 guys do ballroom can be fascinating - invariably they start a routine with one guy leading, and halfway round the floor you will notice the other guy leading but it can be difficult to spot the change. Very clever.

Having said that, it isn't necessarily homophobic for someone to say they don't like to see 2 guys or 2 women dance together. I know many gay dancers who say the same and will only dance as a mixed couple.