For me, every series after Series 7 has been littered with 'extra's' and 'props'; chief example: Blackpool Week, and do you like these in a dance? Or, like me, do you find it tedious and a way to do as little dancing in a dance as humanely possible?

I've never once enjoyed props and extra's/backing dancers in a performance - I like to see people dancing. From Series 8 onwards, I think there's been far too many of these! (Especially in the last two series).

Apart from dances that warrant it, like using a cape in a Paso Doble for example, then no. I'd prefer they didn't lace loads of the dances with gimmicks and pointless props. Makes some otherwise good dances look tacky imo

nope - hate the props and hate the extras

stop faffing about, wasting time and just dance!

I much preferred it when they had no props and extra dancers and they created a mood/story just with their dancing. If the producers felt they had to freshen things up, series 8 seemed like a reasonable compromise - I remember occasional props like a rugby ball/chair/chemistry set but they didn't really get in the way. After that series it got more ridiculous until we have the whole dance floor covered with huge obstacles like in Caroline's quickstep or Jennifer's jive, when they seem so distracted trying not to trip over something that the dance suffers. I also hate the extra dancers they have introduced - they add nothing and either distract from the celebrity or make them look worse in comparison. Having them in a rumba last year seemed particularly stupid. It seems to be largely Jason Gilkison's influence .

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props and extra dancers are neither required or desired - its just distracting for the dancers and the audience

People invariably *say* they hate props/backing dancers/staging but a lot of the more popular dances of recent years have them. Caroline's Charleston is an obvious example - it was jam full of both and very popular, and when she performed a slightly stripped down version in the final it was less positively received. Jake's salsa had a hammock, Sophie's Charleston had a champagne bottle, Louis' showdance had a wacking great concrete ball... I suspect people respond more to gimmicks and themes than they'd like to admit, although obviously we can all think of dances that have been ruined by obtrusive uses of both. Bad music remains for me a more serious problem.

There needs to be a half way rule.
Up to Blackpool then extra's and props can really help the poorer dancers and those with less confidence.
After Blackpool everybody has a core of training in their legs so the dance can be stripped back to the basics.
I feel the same over the themes, they can help get us through weeks 3 to 7 when really its just weeding out the weakest and waiting for the contenders to find their feet.
This way if the showdance has all and sundry as usual we will have had a break and enjoy the spectacle more
OK all enjoying the showdances is a push I know

When the props are necessary or used correctly it is grand as Monkseal said Caroline's charleston is the perfect example of this but when they are used to waste time like a swing in a Viennese waltz or extra dancers to bump into during an Argentine tango or a wall to sit on at the start of a jive (yes I'm talking about Alijaz and his need to start or finish a jive sitting down) then I don't see the point of it

and guess who is in charge this series as well - props ahoy!

Extra dancers definitely not.

Usually the dances are telling a story, so to a limited extent and as an assist to that, then props and even someone doing an assist to help set the scene but not involved in the dancing.
I think they should dance for 90 seconds and have 5 to 10 seconds at the start and finish for some kind of scene setting or ending.

I don't mind a "props week" because the use of a prop can be a challenge. But the dance should speak for itself.

I don't mind prop week it's a one off and it's something different, but every week no I don't like that. Blackpool week I don't mind props or extra dancers because the dance floor is huge but in the studio no I just want to watch the pro and celeb.

I don't mind a one-off props week. I also don't mind if props are used in the Charleston or the showdance. The Charleston is designated a "fun" dance and the showdance isn't a particular style, so props can work better with those dances than with the regular Latin/Ballroom dances. I'd far rather see all the other dances without any gimmicks. However props have to enhance the dance, or be a part of the storytelling. If they're there just for the sake of it, then they're utterly pointless.

As for backing dancers, I can appreciate that, as curvybabes said, they can help fill the large floor in Blackpool, but there have been some amazing dances in Blackpool that didn't need the extra people - Kara & Artem's American Smooth comes to mind - so, in general, I'd rather not have backing dancers.

props ok
movie week and halloween
showdance
charleston

props not ok
every other dance

Being fired out of a cannon in a jive - not ok!
pretending you are the kid from ET in a paso - not ok!

If they enhance the dance, it's fine - a chair can be used to great effect in an AT, a cane or an umbrella in a Charlseston.

But when it's an excuse for a weak contestant to not dance for 10-15 seconds, I'm not a fan. I'd be deducting marks for more than 5 seconds of faffing...

Props are ok sometimes:

Halloween
Movie Week - if they are trying to create a specific scene then sometimes they need props
Blackpool - with the bigger dance floor, sometimes they can look a bit lost, so props or even some backing dancers can work, but they shouldn't overshadow the main performers
AT/Charleston - both work with props
Showdance

Pretty much anything else - then no, not really

I'm torn. Yes and No.
Yes because we have had so many memorable dances due to props or extra dancers : Chelsee Healey QS and Jive, Pixie Paso, Waltz, Samba, Susanna Paso, Abbey Salsa, showdance, QS, foxtot ; Simon AT, Louis charleston, tango, foxtrot and how could I forget Sophie Charleston and Frankie Paso and Tango. ....those dances wouldn't have been THAT unique if it were not for the props or extra dancers.... Imo

On the other hand , we have had disastrous and I mean disastrous dances caused by the extra dancers or props : how about that Greek AT last year, Jennifer mana mia , Mark freestyle, ......so many

So it depends op. It's ALL about finding the right balance

Only in the theme weeks, like Halloween/Around The World. So I voted no.

I think Props have helped make dances much more memorable and in a way helped better dancers stay on the show.

Just basic routines every weeks favour the worst contestants as they're more memorable to the casual viewer without a kind of "Story" for each dance.

Backing dancers do annoy me, they only work in tiny amounts. EG, Caroline's Charleston.

I voted yes, but only because there wasn't an "It depends" option; as said by many other people, sometimes props are used fantastically (Sophie's Charleston, Pamela's Quickstep, Chelsee's Jive), sometimes terribly (Caroline's Quickstep), sometimes the extra dancers work (Caroline's Charleston, Simon's Waltz, Michael's American Smooth), sometimes they don't (Jake's Greek Tragedy). I don't think there's a hard and fast rule.

No props, no superfluous dancers, in fact no gimmicks whatsoever. Just get back to basics.

Well, I like props and a storyline, shoot me.
If Alison on a ghosty swing and Aljaz in breeches and boots counts as a story line.
I do watch DWTS though, and their huge sets, contempojazzinsertstylehere, and trio dances etc make SCD look positively minimalist.
Pirates of the caribbean pasodoble, anyone? (Watch it, it's seriously good )
That said, Rumer's trio paso which got back to basics was wonderful (and should not have worked for three but it did, it was brilliant choreo). Both available on you tube.
I am easily pleased. I also liked Props week on Dancing on ice. Boa, top hat, cane, umbrella, twirly russian ribbon thing, wheely suitcase. SUITCASE?
The only Strictly Prop I ever hated was Robin and Deb's table.

Agreed. Sometimes it seems the props are judged as much as the dancing.

No hallowe'en, no poppies, please.

The only time extra dancers work is when they are at Wembley.

i agree.