Anton said on ITT that he doesn't work with a cape as 'the lady is the cape'. Is this because Anton isn't good at cape work? I think that, when it is done well, it looks great.

I'm sure he would work it fine. Perhaps like me he finds it gimmicky (and thus overused on Strictly).

A few years back I recall one of the judges, maybe Craig, also commenting that he wasn't a fan of literal cape work.

Once Nancy has been your cape, there is nowhere left to go.

This is true!

He is absolutely correct. In a proper Paso the follower plays the part of the Cape, Bull and Flamenco Dancer in various parts of the dance. Using a real cape misses the whole point of the dance. The interesting thing about the dance is seeing how that is actually represented in the shaping of the lead and follower (i.e. what is being represented). I think some versions of the dance can be quite literal In telling the Story. I.e. Cape first to get attention of Bull. Bull slain. Dancer appears in last part (presumably to celebrate and congratulate the Matador).

I remember one of the judges also saying they didn't really like all the mucking around with a real cape. Edit: just noticed Smokeychan mentioned Craig.

If I remember rightly I believe that it's Len who doesn't like all the 'mucking about' with the cape.
He's essentially a purist who thinks that the lady should act as the cape.

Ah! But we are talking the BBC's version of the truth.
If they think it adds to the spectacle then anything goes.
I still haven't forgiven them for the debacle they made of the Queen's Jubilee Pageant on th River Thames.

I hate the faffing with a cape it plays no part in actual paso dances and suspect it used to use up time which makes me surprised Anton does not use it

He's probably not going to bother with a cape since instead he has a real bull this week to lead around on a leash, following on from the success with the dalmations.

That did make me laugh.
Good one.

Good God Spin turn. I hope the producers don't read this. We will get a Paso with a baby bullock danced to Tommy Steele's Little White Bull if you aren't careful.

Jayne was the cape in Torvill and Dean's Olympic Paso. One only wishes that Judy could be a zillionth as good. It's the dance to look forward to though .... them pasoing to The Clash .... TV gold

Sounds like a load of bullocks to me.

haha nice one spinny

Sounds as though the general consensus is no cape, but a bullock might be fun!

Can't remember the exact words but Judy said in ITT that Anton had told her she would be the bull - in a china shop! Love those two!

I have to confess that I'm beginning to look forward to each weekend's "Judy and Anton" exhibition with a guilty enthusiasm that I've previously only achieved for a "Vaughn and Lowe" Latin week. (Chris Parker was before my time, but I'm sure I'd have enjoyed him as well!)

Now Judy no longer looks terrified and - amazingly - appears to be enjoying herself, the sheer incompetence of the whole thing in combination with Anton's ham-acting is unbeatable for entertainment.

Very informative thanks

I suppose I should have googled or asked a dancer at some point over the last x years Strictly has been on but it actually didn't occur to me. I always thought it was cape OR bull so I couldn't always work out what was going on

The sawdust on the floor might be a bit of a handicap for other dancers

I only know because my dance teacher was talking about it as we are doing a full routine with all three parts. However, you don't have to do all three and you don't have to do them in any prescribed order or tell the full story of the bullfight. So OR or AND Is ok.. I don't think you would normally have a paso without the follower playing the cape at some point (?), but you might have one without the other two parts.

Also the other interesting point is that the music of a Paso is usually very structured in terms of phrasing with breaks and highlights at certain points of the dance (structuring based on Espana Cani the most well known Paso music). Paso dancers will usually go into a dramatic pose at these points although some competitive dancers rebel and just walk though them.

"I'd be Johnny Two Capes" was my favourite du Beke witticism for quite some time.

I think he will be sweeping the floor with his cape, dragging it about, twirling it and hoisting it and any other devices to cut down on dance content this week. There will be an awful lot of cape work.

It's not a case of competitive dancers rebelling, it's just that a lot of paso music nowadays, especially that played by a live orchestra, does not always include highlights. I remember the first time I danced at Blackpool many years ago and was really thrown because there were no highlights in the music.

As for a paso routine, the lady can do some steps as Spanish Lady, especially using the hands, but she still always represents the cape. Never ever the bull.

The point about dancers walking through it came from my dance teacher who is a competitive professional dancer.

I knew someone would raise the point about the female dancer not ever representing the bull, because I know it is a point of view. I thought of pre empting it with a comment in my post. It isn't a view which is uniformly held by everyone and indeed, most of the descriptions of paso on the internet refer to the three roles which is what I've been taught.

Kaycee, I really can't be bothered to post on here about anything technical any more. I feel you only ever respond to my posts if you want to contradict something I have to say. Fair enough. I know you are a teacher, but as I say, I am only quoting what I have been told by someone at least as well qualified as you.

Fair enough; You have the right to post anything you like whether it is technical or not, but then so do I. Sorry if that offends, but that is what these forums are about.

However, I promise never to respond to any of your posts again.