http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/strictlyc...c-e6422e0b45dc

This week we have an exciting addition to our show: the Quickstep-a-thon!

As well as our couples each performing their own fabulous routines, they’ll also be battling it out in the one and only Quickstep-a-thon! Much like last year’s Waltz-a-thon, all of our partners will compete in the Quickstep-a-thon to win extra points by performing their best Quicksteps!

The couples will be awarded points from one to seven (one for last place and seven for 1st place) and these scores will be combined with the couples’ dance scores to create their overall leader board points. So there’s a lot at stake!


Last year's Waltz-a-thon

Although there aren’t any quick steps to conquering this competition, there are 10 Quickstep-a-thon commandments which – if obeyed – will help keep our stars on track! Below are the 10 all-important rules:

1) There will be 7 couples competing in the Quickstep-a-thon.
2) There will be 7 different starting positions on the floor and each professional dancer will pick out of a hat which position they will start at.
3) All couples will remain on the floor for the whole time and dance for the duration of the track.
4) All couples must stay in hold for the entire dance.
5) Lifts and breaking hold is NOT allowed.
6) Couples will be automatically disqualified if they break hold or do a lift.
7) The Judges will be looking to see that all couples abide by the Quickstep technique.
8) Couples will be penalised for a bad frame/top line, bad footwork and bad floorcraft.
9) Couples must be careful not to break the rules of line of dance and should be aware of other couples’ positions.
10) The couples will be ranked from 1st place to 7th place at the end of the performance and allocated a score accordingly:

1st place will receive a score of 7
2nd place will receive a score of 6
3rd place will receive a score of 5
4th place will receive a score of 4
5th place will receive a score of 3
6th place will receive a score of 2
7th place will receive a score of 1

These scores will then be combined with the Judges’ scores from the couples’ dances to give a total score which will create the show’s leader-board.

Very detailed!

Looking forward to them having to stay in hold for 90 seconds, quite a few will have difficulty with that as for the majority of dances barely 30 seconds has been in hold!

You need to be a very experienced judge to judge group dancing .

3 of them haven't got a clue and I would say it's many years since Len judged group dancing on a regular basis .

Are we expected to judge this fiasco ?

That's actually quite a long time.

Ooooh no Gleb Specials allowed!

Depends on what you class as a 'regular basis'. Top worldclass judges frequently only judge 2 or 3 times a year as they keep to the most prestigious worldclass events. Len has judged the World Championships and Blackpool Open Festival in the last couple of years; he could judge 7 beginner couples with his eyes shut!

Its actually a very long time Terry, the celebs will struggle to stay in hold and keep their posture and frame for this length of time. In short, they won't be able to, for the full 90 seconds. Survival of the fittest !

Gleb is currently devising a New Gleb Special which can be done in hold

I'm pleased to see this - at least everyone should understand the rules and there should be no excuses as they've laid it out so clearly. Think both Katie (Anton) and Kellie (Kevin) will be ok, not so sure about the other girls though and Peter and Jay could both find it quite tricky - especially as they won't have done anything at all like this before. Mentions of Floorcraft and being aware of the other couples' positions and so on....

I'd reckon that the others will be led by Len in this to be honest - it's completely outside their areas of expertise.

2) There will be 7 different starting positions on the floor and each professional dancer will pick out of a hat which position they will start at.

Well that's one concession you don't get it real competitions. No jostling for start position!

In her quickstep her frame went early on and that was without six other couples barging at them. Would be very surprised if the bottom two in this aren't Katie and Peter.

I wonder if the show will gloss over how much harder it is for Jay and Peter.

I think the Judges need to be careful with this after what happened in the dance off last week, i just hope they don't make one of the Favourites to win then will look a bit dodgy

Who knows