Ok I know there have been threads ad nausum about this. BUT here is my take .... I don't actually mind I celebs have 'trained' previously . I like it that we have rubbish dancers , middle dancers that take take 'journey' and beautiful dancers (whether they have previous training or not). It would be very boring if everyone was same level.

I don' t think they would all be the same level anyway, even if they all started from scratch. Some would just be naturally better at it then others. You would still get variations in posture, rhythm, musicality, balance and poise, frame, various aspects of performance, etc etc. And still a variation within and between each couple and dance.

Mmmm. They should try that at The Olympics ...

What do u mean love? SCD is not the Olympics just a light entertainment show

People practice practically their whole lives to win a gold medal.

People don't practice practically their whole lives to win a fibreglass shiny ball.

I know

I like pantomimes. But SCD does have pretentions of rigour ...

Hee hee that is true xx

Oh, no it doesn't...

Getting back to the OP's point, I realised recently that my least favourite of the Strictly series was series 7 (won by Chris Hollins), and not one of the celebrities that year could be accused of having had previous dance training (might have done ballet as six-year-olds, but that would be about it). It was a tedious series (in my opinion).

On the other hand, my favourite would be series 5. That was a corker for contestants having had dance training - the most blatant being Kelly Brook, who was remarkably similar to Natalie Gumede in having originally trained to be a dancer, getting side-tracked into modelling in her late teens. But Letitia Dean, Matt di Angelo and Penny Lancaster Stewart all had previous dance training, Gabby Logan had been a competitive rhythmic gymnast and Alesha Dixon met her fellow Mis-teeq band members at dance class.

I don't know if that constitutes a scientific analysis, but it would seem to indicate that previous dance training not only doesn't matter to me, but improves my viewing experience. Possibly.

Ricky Whittle allegedly had extensive previous training - Richard Dunwoody called him out on it after he was eliminated.

(I know, I know, the SCANDALS of Series 7)

I totally agree

Or perhaps because so many of the contestants that year had some form of dance training, they all cancelled each other out to a certain extent?

Much as I enjoy watching those who have previous dance experience, I must admit that it can put those who don't at a bit of a disadvantage, so to have so many contestants who have some form of previous dance experience all in one series levels the playing field a bit and makes for cracking viewing.

We get to hate the Ringah who gets to the final and comes second or third so that's alright and the sweet boy / girl wins.

Much more fun hating somebody than liking somebody.

and yet as a ringah I found him very dull, I don't mind ringahs being there, I just don't particularly want to vote for them, don't hate them, they are just there...

I actually like everyone this year apart from one that I won't name. I admit my fave is Natallie cos she is a beautiful dancer (don't care whether trained or not) . But my other favourite was Mark (untrained). I just like who I like . Simps

I never like the Ringahs but this year my favourite is Natalie

Me too! Roll on the Ringahs ya boo ! >

I don't mind the mix but I also want to see whoever is trained, improve, just like the others but obviously at a different level.

What annoys me most is when some FM's moan when it is pointed out that some celebs don't have much dance experience. They seem to take it as an affront to their favourite.

Also some of the stage school contestants spoil my enjoyment because they 'perform' to camera and gurn, I would rather see them lost in the moment.

LOL - I don't remember that at all! Can barely remember that Richard Dunwoody was even on the show, to be honest.


I don't know if I'd agree with that last line, Mr Cynic - even Lisa Snowden had her fans - but you're right that the reason certain celebs win may have very little to do with the quality of their dancing.

And that's why it amuses me when the 'ringer' is vilified for a supposed advantage, when they are never going to escape that tag.


When you put it like that, I realise that trying to analyse the reasons I like some dancers but take agin others is an IMPOSSIBLE task.

I wouldn't watch the program if it had several celebs who could already dance very well.

Very well would be Jill, Kara, Denise V O, Natalie. I would make an exception for Kara because her dyslexia evened things up a bit.

But they were all in different series (I think). But now you mention it I would LOVE to see them lot together in a series . Wowser!

in a swing-a-thong perhaps! See them elbows fly

I think I would like to see pro's teaching celebs that could dance already, they would still be improving but the standard would be higher, like a Pro/Am comp. Have 2 or 3 couples on the floor at once, so there is a direct comparison.
I suppose that's not the idea behind SCD though.
Luckily there is still Tanzen on the German TV channels.

An important reason for liking some dancers is how much effort they put in to try to master the really difficult steps and rhythms and styles. You can look at the early leavers and you feel they are just not trying. I am tremendously impressed by some contestants who continually make big improvements. That is why I like Abbey, because she works hard and makes fantastic advances while Aljaz sets her more and more difficult routines. No wonder he says she is a "perfectionist" because it really shows (and she got her just reward last weekend).

I don't mind some of the contestants having had some training - that's pretty much guaranteed with anyone who's been to stage school, so nearly all the actors who take part.

However, I do like to see someone make progress as the series goes on - that's what it's about for me. Some previously trained celebs got better, eg. Denise Van Outen, but others haven't, eg. Natalie, so although she's enjoyable to watch and I don't dislike her, she'll not get my votes. Susanna or Abby, on the other hand, have made progress since Strictly started so I'm more interested in seeing what they can do each week.

This is my take too. Thinking about my favourites over the years they have tended to be sportsmen or those with minimal previous dance experience. What does rile me is those who downplay or are outright dishonest about their past training.