If that's correct perhaps they could pass their 'discovery' to
the producers of S.C.D. !!!

Well said and totally agree..some of the music choices are awful, they dont match the dances, and as for the singers!!

We've done this so many times.

Any serious criticism of Dave Arch shows a lack of understanding of the situation.

With many of the contemporary choices, the band and singers are asked to replicate the performances of a diverse number of artists who've had the benefit of hours or even weeks in a studio, with every possible enhancement from auto-tune to over-dubbing.

THE SCD band and singers do all this with not much more than a day's rehearsal of a truncated version, (to suit the length of a dance) for a total of maybe a dozen or more songs.

To compare them to what you hear on some contemporary records is a bit unfair.

The stupidity of the situation is entirely the fault of the BBC.

Or perhaps, more accurately, the fault of the producer. Obviously the BBC is pouring money into this programme but surely the buck stops with the producer. If he really knows about ballroom dancing then there should not be a problem.
But if he knows nothing about it then what the hell is he doing producing the programme?

One aspect that really does impress is the lighting (at least on television). They do a terrific job on this. But all those time-wasting props should be ditched - along with the producer.

The producer, "is only following orders" well... I suspect just one order.....
"Maximise the ratings."

I'll agree the lighting effects are superb, now if only they could get someone to hold the camera straight and someone at the control desk in charge of switching cameras stopped playing with the buttons like a five year-old in a lift.

The producers are two women and one man with the boss a woman.

Executive Producers Andrea Hamilton and Glenn Coomber to join BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing

And the "music controller" is a bloke called Ben - according to a Brendan tweet saying how helpful Ben is when Brendan can't think of suitable music.

They should be careful they don't alienate dance lovers who require matching music at the expense of pop music lovers who would prefer some other form of dancing.

SCD could disintegrate at trying to be all things to all people in the pursuit of ratings and satisfy nobody.

There is room for pop music and matching disco and break dancing; also space for ballroom and latin dances with matching music.

This hybrid is getting annoying.

I have said that it is NOT Dave Arch's fault but as it happens I don't particularly like any dance band that accompanies every melody with wailing singers especially when they accompany people doing competitive ballroom dancing.
Please can the programme decide what is wants i.e. ballroom dancing to proper dance music OR a band with singers entertaining an audience. The both combined simply don't work and what's more annoy, intensely.
SCD is simply on the tip of that slippery slope towards mediocrity.

I quite like a live band when I am dancing. But the problem for a TV show is that it isn't easy to switch between the band and singers and the dancers.

It would be much cheaper and easier and get better dancing if they did some suitable 90 second editing of recorded music and use the same to train and live dance.

Dani finished one dance "early". Whose fault was that?

But on balance I would prefer a live band - but tat is difficult given the crass music choices unsuitable for the dances concerned.

I've lost count of the number of fellow dancers who have long since given up watching due to total exasperation. There's no doubt that some of the programme has been so dumbed down that it's now a cross between Watch with Mother and a Christmas Pantomime.

Perhaps that's the result of having three producers. With expense no object at the BBC why pay for one when you can pay for three!!

A very apt choice of word or typo, I suspect.

Oops!. But I'll use that typo again

My spell-checker didn't pick it up!

In the days when ballroom dancing was the choice of millions, the band was part of the enjoyment. That's why they had "bandstands" so the dancers and those around the fringe of the ballroom could see enjoy them as part of the experience.

Now Dave Arch and the singers might as well be "in the cupboard under the stairs."
Bring them out and feature them instead of the continual use of pop artists in the results show, totally unrelated to ballroom dancing.

I'd rather see more of the band and singers rather than all the "non dancing" elements brought into the show.

That would be good

If you can think back to the days of "Come Dancing" for ten years the band was led by Ray McVay (whose been "Glen Miller" now for year)s.

The band was always highly visible, although not dwelt on by cameras that did not do a lot of irritating switching around.

You can say that again. All these prancing pop singers are totally unconnected to ballroom and latin dancing. Why don't they feature the band in their own slot and let's see what they can do with some wonderful real swing or foxtrot music. And then we can all see if the man in the funny hat can really play those drums!

He may be able to, but he's the bass player!

You only see his head and his hat but he looks as if he is always sat down!
Perhaps he's on day-release.

However, he's always got a smile - same as Mr Arch with his earmuffs!! Is it really that cold up there?

I will look more closely next time.

Sorry Doghouse, I think times have changed. Them coming to the forefront to do other people's songs would nowadays probably look cheesy or like a tribute band. People would just be wondering why the show couldn't book the originals. I think the live band must add to the sense of occasion for the dances, though. When you start off from the steps and they use the bass drum you can probably feel it, no?

I think its hard to beat a live band.

Times have changed, but SCD is more nostalgic than some realise. Many people I'm sure would like to see the band presented as were the "big bands" of yesteryear. For much of the time Dave's band are trying to emulate them when they play "standards."

Many songs are timeless and are still being recorded long after many contemporary songs and their singers have passed into distant memory.
The classic ballroom dance tunes have been sung by countless artists over the years and few tunes could they consider they "owned." So it ain't a question of singing "other people's songs".
The quality of a song of any era, is judged by the number of singers who want to record it.

The classic Ballroom "standards" are still being sung by contemporary singers, Michael Bublé, Stacey Kent, Diana Krall, Jane Monheit, (even Rod Stewart, if you like) are probably known to many and many more singers are coming along, like this one.

However with SCD, I don't think it necessary to have singers with nearly every tune, the big bands didn't, the singers were just an added element, as were individual instrumental soloists, which gave the band some variety,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ccKrMpGK1Y

The don't say that at The Royal Opera House or The Royal Festival Hall. The original bands and singers died centuries ago.

My favourite current band though is

Pink Martini (with guest singer Storm Large) - Amado Mio

Pink Martini (with guest singer Storm Large) - Brasil

They play some oldies but I wouldn't regard them as a tribute band.

From a dancer's point of view a live band is wonderful provided that the band is experienced in correct dance tempos. Surprisingly enough many are not. We dance on cruise ships quite regularly and the Cunard bands (Queen Mary 2 has the largest dance floor at sea) are renowned for straying from the correct tempos for each dance. Maybe because they have mostly American musicians.
On the other hand most dance bands on P & O are very good at keeping the right tempos for the international style of dancing (used for World Professional Championships).

Sometimes competent dancers prefer dancing to recorded strict-tempo dance music because they know it's going to be correct. Of course, big bands add to the sense of occasion, especially for the viewers and casual listeners and there are quite a few big-bands still playing for social dancing throughout the UK. Some are good, some are a little erratic, but at least they are carrying on the tradition of playing the great standards of yesteryear. Will bands be playing today's music in fifty years?? I fear not.

Well, Dave Archer or more correctly his advisors are guilty of playing foxtrots that are too fast, Smooth dances that are too quick and Viennese dances that have similarly distorted tempi. And of course we have dreadful music chosen for those individual dances that are very off-putting for the amateurs to dance to.

Brendan's show has a live band - quite a large one - and they are fab at playing all sorts of stuff, but all of it designed to highlight the dancing and provoke the right atmosphere for the show.