Hello this is my first attempt at a thread, please be nice

So from what I keep seeing on the boards, the audience prefers a contestant who's had a journey and that's why it's more difficult for the 'ringers' on Strictly. This year's designated ringers are Pixie and Frankie (though I don't understand why people are forgetting about Caroline and Dancing on Wheels, but anyway) because they've been (mostly) good from the start. But what about Jake? He's been top of the leaderboard 3 weeks out of 4, and he got the first 9s on the show. Doesn't that mean that he can't have the 'journey' that people are looking for? His scores are about the same as Pixie's or Frankie's and sometimes higher - so if people believe Pixie can't have a journey, won't it be the same for Jake? Or does he get a pass because he isn't perceived as a ringer?


ETA: I hope people won't start tearing each other to shreds again as is prone to happen the words 'ringer' and 'journey' are put in the same post

It is all relative, even the most competent can learn and grow. It is how you come across to folk that you cannot control.

I must say that the journey contestant this year seems to be THAMMMMM . If he keeps improving, I can easily see him sailing through the finale and forcing either Pixie, Caroline and Frankie in a Dance OFF at the Semis

I think it would be naive to assume that people generally are consistent in applying their own rules.

So I take it with a large pinch of salt when people state the principles on which they make their judgements because experience tells me such principles are invariably highly flexible in practice.

Any girl celeb who has so much as taken part in an English Country Dance at a school village hall = treat with suspicion and prepare to upgrade to ringer if appears too good
Girl celeb who has ever taken a dance class = Ringer.
Girl celeb who has been to drama school/pop princess = semi pro.
Guy celeb who is a sportsman = journey
Guy celeb who has been to drama school/pop prince = grey area 'cos it's harder for boys.

(Lessons learnt from series 3 tend to stick with a person)

Plus:
Guy celeb who is a sportsman but also elegant and talented = "airy fairy".

Lesson learnt from series 3 for me was "Len talks a load of bollox". Nothing he's said since has caused me to change my mind.

Thanks everyone for your answers!

Arcana, I definitely agree that people aren't always consistent in their judgement, but I wonder what's the factor in them choosing to get upset over certain people (i.e. Pixie or Frankie) and not others (i.e. Caroline). Just personal preference I guess?

Thanks to aggs and Muggsy for those 'lessons learnt' The pop princess/girl celeb who's been to drama school automatically resulting into a 'ringer' or 'semi pro' tag attached to them is something I've noticed a lot. The guys seem to be let off more easily.


BIB: I must admit that I'm surprised by how quickly Thom is improving, and while I'm not sure he'll be in the final, I do think he'll go far.

I'd substitute "stage school" (wiv dancin' an' stuff) for "drama school" (just acting) but otherwise - yep, that's about right.

For me the journey I want to witness is that of a complete novice who starts maybe hesitantly but with an obvious aptitude (which he maybe didn't even realise he possessed) and progresses through the weeks gaining in confidence, prowess and speed in picking up the routines. In later weeks flair and flourishes can be added.

I do not dislike watching someone who has never danced start perhaps a little stiffly with an error or two and in fact would like everyone hired to be at this novice stage. I certainly would not be bored or embarrassed watching them grapple with the basics. Those with no musicality at all would not make the final.

It's also so heartwarming to see an absolute beginner fall in love with dance.

I do not wish to see ringers, especially those who each week profess to find their training so hard and then go on to produce a good performance. If I want to see near-perfect dances I look on YouTube.

Honesty and fairness forever!

Jake does seem to have done things wrong every week, which have been picked up, but his overall performance has been good. So he has plenty of technicalities to perfect, but his level of performance and physical fitness are already there leaving him free to work on details.

I think, just speaking for myself, I like people to surprise me, and if I think of someone from the beginning as already good, I have higher expectations of them, and so it's harder for them to do something I didn't think they could do. Not that I don't like them for it or I don't think they should be there, just that I already expect them to be good. So if I think of someone as already trained, I think, 'Well, of course they just did a very good rumba, I knew they would, but it wasn't amazing,' and if someone's started off pretty ropey and gets better, I'll be thinking, 'Didn't fall over! Great job! Give them a nine!'

I'm not saying that's fair, at all, just that I sometimes feel that.

I don't think Chelsee got flack for being a ringer, did she? She had great arms and a lovely jive, which I always think of as signs of stage school previous. But there was something very vulnerable about her and she did seem to develop through the series, and she had a lovely partnership with Pasha - both things that the 'good when they start' people can sometimes struggle to show.

The public like to pick their own 'journeys.'

Lisa Snowden was marketed by the judges as a journey. The public were not interested. They bought into Ramps and Gough though who were not necessarily 'marketed'. It's early to say on the voting but I can easily see them supporting Thom. On that basis it would seem that male journeys are easier to sell than female ones but;

You could argue journeys can mean some different things, and not just the obvious one of a complete novice finding a talent that they never knew they had and falling in love with dance while progressively improving. A journey could be the development of a childhood dream and therapeutic recovery from a bad marriage/career on skids (Alesha). Or ironically a gifted dancer (Tom) who found a second career in Top Hat after his win. There has been as many 'ringers' as 'journeys' winning or have done very well, so I am not sure which the public prefer in the end. I think the basic ingredients for a winner are the same for each, ability, chemistry with the pro, memorable routines and stage persona, a warm personality and ability to chat/backchat with Claudia. If a contestant can do all that, they stand a good chance.