Now that we know our finalists, I was wondering what partners each pro should / would hope to get next year (provided they're back of course).

Brendan - hoping he'll get someone decent, it was a shame Kirsty turned out to be a bit rubbish.
Anton - back to having a dud please. Better still, retire and replace him with someone else.
Kevin - well overdue a dud. One that is definitely a dud, and not an 'unexpected success' like Susannah and Kellie... we need to see less of this limelight hogging man.
Aljaž - a middler probably. Was possibly expected to get to the final this year so maybe someone ok, but without obvious potential.
Pasha - served his time with a dud so possibly due a middler like Aljaž.
Giovanni - a middler again. Maybe someone a bit older with potential.
Gleb - I'd like to see what he can do with dud / middler. Is he like Aljaž, perfect with any type of partner, or more like Artem, who could only do well with a ringer and got irritated with the duds?
Tristan - due a definite ringer. He did well with Jamelia and is obviously a very relaxed and supportive partner. I want to see what he can do.

Natalie - overdue a ringer. She does well with the duds but I don't want to see the lovely Natalie become the female Anton. She is way better than that.
Oti - it's probably only right she gets a better partner next time, but I wasn't keen on what I saw of her so I wouldn't be bothered if she was replaced.
Aliona - I have a feeling this year will be her last, especially if she and Jay win - she might decide to go out on a high as the only double winner. If she's back, she'll likely be saddled with a dud again as 'punishment' for Jay.
Kristina - again, I've got the feeling this'll be her last year, but if not she's probably due a middler with potential.
Janette - was probably expected to do better with Peter. Could go either way, maybe a middler with potential, or a complete ringer.
Karen - served time with a dud so due someone with potential - after all, she has to represent the Cliftons in the latter stages of the series if KFG gets a dud, as deserved.
Joanne - I think she'll be back, and most likely with a ringer, more's the pity...she's had a dud in Scott Mills and suffered having to sit out of this year - all the signs are there.

On a similar note, I think the turnover of female pros will noteable next year. I can see a few leavers and newcomers whereas I can't see this with the male pros.

I'll worry about next year when next year comes.

Just want Tristan and Natalie back and given ringers who are popular despite being ringers or real potential they can nature .

Love both of them and would like to see them in the final next series.

I suppose Kevin is due a dud but I think he'd get the best out of them, he's a good teacher.
Like to see Joanne back too, see what she can do with a middler/ringer

Only Pro IMO who deserves a good chance of getting to the final next year is Natalie.

You never hear her bitch or moan about her partners, she always looks excited when her partner is revealed. No matter how much of a dud her partner is, she always finds their strengths and works on them.

She is a beautiful teacher

It's about time she got someone who is half decent

Oti and Natalie for ringers please!

It'd be interesting to see Tristan with somebody good. Kevin's definitely overdue a non-contender. I think we'd see more of Gleb's actual personality with a duffer too.

I'd quite like to see Aliona with a middler, or at least a amiable Komedy Kontestant type. She's never had one, her duffers have always been the dufferiest obvious first boots. I suspect she'll pull a Camilla and not return if she wins this year though.

Assuming they're all back:

Ringers/contenders for: Natalie, Oti

Middlers/journeys/comedy contestants for: Aliona, Karen, Kristina, Aljaz, Pasha, Tristan, Brendan, Gleb, Giovanni

Duffers for: Janette, Anton, Kevin

I've been thinking about this for quite some time but more especially this season as ppl seemed to be quite annoyed at the amount of celebs who had at some dance background even if it was not always ballroom or latin based. What would happen if ALL pros were given someone who had never danced before. Use the three weeks in between launch and show 1 to see who can teach an absolute novice then improve week by week?

Contenders:
Natalie, Oti, Joanne, Kristina, Brendan, Tristan, Karen

Fillers:
Aljaz, Gleb, Aliona, Giovanni, Anton

Duds:
Janette, Pasha, Kevin

It's very unlikely we'll have seven contenders next year, so some will have to drop down to fillers/duds, however I would be unhappy to see any of those in the filler/dud sections get a contender over anyone in the contender section... They're all due a decent partner - Tristan, Oti and Joanne haven't had the chance to show us what they can do yet, whilst Natalie hasn't had a contender since Scott (six years next year). As for Brendan and Kristina, I feel they get a pretty hard time, too. In the past four years, they've had duds bar Sophie and Simon. I'd put Anton with them, but he can't handle contenders, and Brendan's going the same way, to be honest, but I want him to have one last chance to see whether he really is just there for the money, or whether it's because he's not been feeling his partnerships recently.

Even though Aliona's got the winner this year, I hope she doesn't revert straight back to a dud - she's had more than her fair share of leaving early these past few years. Hopefully she gets someone where she bows out in the middle.

Edit: The female celebs have been dominating the guys in recent series. We had Dani/Kim/Denise, then the all girl final of Natalie/Abbey/Susannah/Sophie and this year we've got Georgia/Kellie/Katie/Anita/Helen in the top six, so no wonder half of the female pros have had it rough these past few years. Producers need to look for some male contenders for 2016.

Natalie and Tristan deserve a contender

Kevin & Gleb with a duffer - you can tell a lot about a person with how they treat a duffer

Assuming they're all back (though I have my doubts as to whether Gleb, Kristina or Anton will be)

Contenders: Natalie, Oti, Karen, Tristan

Duffers: Kevin, Janette and Giovanni

Middle of the road for everyone else. Wouldn't be surprised to see Joanne get a contender and Janette and Aljaz both get middle of the road contestants though. The only one I really want to see getting a duffer is Kevin.

I feel exactly the same. I think Tristan is great and so funny and I really like Natalie. Joanne has been ill-served on Strictly so far - one dud and then bits and pieces.

Aliona- Think she'll retire if she wins again but if she is back a middler, she's had enough duds.

Natalie- Time she had a good dancer or middler with potential, so hopefully they can find a good tall male dancer.

Joanne- Middler with potential, she deserves a proper chance.

Karen- Time she has a ringer after two duds in the last three years.

Janette- Must be her time for a dud, plus as I find her annoying it will hopefully mean she has less screen time.

Kristina- Not sure if she'll be back but if she is I'll go middler.

Oti- Ringer or high middler.

Ola's not coming back anyway

Anton- Think he might retire but will be back on the show anyway. If he's dancing it will be back to lower middle/duffer.

Brendan- High middler. Think the producers expected Kirsty to do better and he'll get a decent partner next year.

Pasha- Can't see him getting another middler but I think he'll be near the top again.

Tristan- Probably due a ringer but I wouldn't be too upset if he left.

Aljaz- Duffer. He seems to be able to do well with all types of dancer so producers may take that in mind.

Gleb- Stick him with a duffer or get rid of him.

Kevin- As much as I like him he must be due a duffer next year.

Giovanni- Duffer/Middler with potential, doubt they'll give him a ringer after his success with Georgia.

It's pointless really to speculate which pro's "deserve" particular celebrities.
The partnerships are not created for the professional dancer's success - there are more important factors in the mix before whose turn it is to lift the glitterball.
The professionals are hired hands who work on a series by series contract - and I suspect are only really confirmed after most of the celebrity negotiations are concluded.

I want Oti and Tristan to have the best. Kevin is obviously due a terrible one.

Gleb getting a Judy Murray must happen.

Other than that I'll have a think. We don't know which females will be back. Karen might be pregnant. We'll see.

Assuming that Ola is out and everyone else returns what do people think the pros should get between contenders MOR and Duffers
my guesses
Aliona Duffer
Oti Contender
Kristina Contender
Natalie MOR
Brendan Duffer
Pasha MOR
Karen MOR
Tristan Duffer
Jeanette Duffer
Aliaz MOR
Gleb Duffer
Anton Contender
Kevin Duffer
Giovani Duffer

I loved strictly when the contestants were all differs. They learned and improved. That was what the show started out being. Darren gough?

I agree. None of the celebs should have prior dance training from stage school or other sources. I first became aware of that with Denise van Outen, though maybe it was happening earlier. The show should be about someone's journey < ! the J-word > from ignorance to mastery. If people are already competent, it gives them an unfair advantage.

Celebrities who learn from scratch and who learn to dance really well aren't popular with the producers or the judges now, perhaps , if they haven't got a big fanbase and are not getting as many votes as those who have.
If someone took part and was absolutely, exceptionally, brilliant and had learned from scratch but didn't have a lot of fans or votes from the public, compared to those who do, it would be very interesting to see how the judges would manage to mark them fairly on the basis of their dancing, knowing that the dancer would be leaving due to not enough votes, without exposing the show as being almost totally now, a popularity contest.
I think the producers now cover that possibility by booking people with fanbases and dance training as well so that whoever wins, at least it will look like a dance competition rather than like a voting exercise similar to Big Brother etc. Without that, they could end up with a winner who can't even walk a straight line and someone out in the third round who is superb.
The public no longer votes for best dancer, necessarily. They vote for who they fancy, or who they know best, or in the recent past who makes them laugh. The show now takes that into account. The final result is going to look credible no matter what, the public does.
The only thing missing is the thrill of seeing a non dancer learning to dance really well and winnng. I enjoyed that very much but the show is now more managed - as are the public who vote.

Aliona.....MOR
Aljaz.......MOR
Anton......Duff
Brendan...Cont
Giovanni...MOR
Gleb.........Cont
Janette....Duff
(Joanne)...MOR
Karen.......MOR
Kevin........Duff
Kristina....Cont
Natalie.....Cont (long overdue!)
Oti.............Cont
Pasha.......Cont
Tristan.....MOR


For the record I think the mix of celebs was just about right this series!

I like the mix of beginners and more experienced.
But I expect the more experienced to make as much progress as the beginners.

If they are both back then Kristina and Oti to both get contenders please. Other than that I'm not bothered

Think it would be impossible to avoid already trained dancers as most stage schools teach dance. Strictly has had them from the very first Series - makes a variety.

Perhaps the 3 week lead in could adjusted? Beginners given a few weeks extra training in the basics by any competent dance teacher - won't make a huge difference but will help.

To me the dance-off favours the already trained though. Don't think it matters early on when the public will vote for those who try hard or at least have a knack, but when there's only 5 left the 2nd most popular can end up in the dance-off and go out.

Some Pros are better at teaching absolute beginners than others.

Think back to Kevin with Susanna - who was a marathon runner, but a beginner - and he got her to the final 3.

Or wonderful, patient Aljaz - he's very good technically too.

Understand Gleb was patient with a duffer on DWTS, but don't know how well he'd teach the basics.

I would like Natalie to get a contender and Joanne. Other than that, not bothered.

Aside from questioning the need for this thread that I'm replying to, you assume only three contenders amongst the cast of celebs, which I doubt. Your beloved Anton is not due another contender after this year. He helped and hindered Katie in equal measure. It's time he moves off with Ola but as he's not done a farewell then he probably hopes to return next year. I wonder if he's a Mason ...

Out of interest why do you think Anton is a mason Maggie?