Genuine question.

Seems you can say whatever you like about a Clifton, Gleb and Janette and actually be quite nasty as well. But God forbid you say anything negative about one of the others.

I got jumped on for saying Tristan was a poor teacher for not managing to do very much with Jamelia. I've been attacked for saying I don't like Giovanni (I just don't like him, and think he's punching way above his weight Georgia, sorry).

Why is it one rule for one and another for everyone else?

Good question. I guess its likeability. He is with Alijaz and Natalie, the three kost likeable pros. (Not that everyone likes them but a big number do like them.

Up to this year, Aliona was also always criticised for everything.
But if you critise Natalie for doing some of the exact same things Aliona has done with her less able celebs, you are shot down with Natalie is a goddess and can do no wrong.

I love Tristan, but I don't think he is a great teacher and/or choreographer. But then we have had only two series with him on, and one had a duffer and the other had a "pop" singer which look better than she actually was.
I don't think he is Alijaz, Artem or Aliona caliber of teacher/choreographer but I would give him one more series before I make my mind up as a pro.

I feel like that as well. Just because someone may like/ not like a particular pro, doesn't mean someone feels the same way. I personally am a big fan of the Cliftons and some of the hate they and the others you mentioned get is awful.

Joanne is someone who gets a ridiculous ammount of stick, despite being an excellent ballroom dancer and former world champion. Give her someone half decent this year and she could very well win with them, we saw how good she can be with Harry Judd in the Xmas special.

I follow Janette on Twitter and she seems so lovely, always so supportive of the other celebs and pros. She and Alijaz seem like genuinely nice people. Karen always throws herself into it, even if she gets a duffer. She was great with Jeremy. Kevin hasnt be tested yet, but I see no reason why he woulndt be nice with a duffer as well.

very good question!

DS always has been a place that takes a particular dislike for a certain pro (for really bizarre reasons) and nothing can make them change their minds

others can do whatever the hell they like and some people will always think the sun shines out of the backside!

baffles me

The OP asks a good question - one that probably covers all walks of life, not just Strictly. We all have different opinions, likes and dislikes, but it does seem as if some people feel some pros (Natalie has been mentioned) should be above criticism.

I don't think anyone should be above criticism, but what I am against is when people start getting really personal about the pros, or the celebs for that matter, and then aim that dislike at any poster who disagrees with them.

People have favourites. Sometimes its for no apparent reason.

Mmm, let's guess, lining up a pot-shot at someone, huh?


Nasty. And weirdly inane.


This is just another one of those unpleasant DS BPD posts AFAIC

Your post highlights my point though, Craven. Why am I not allowed to say I dislike Giovanni, but others are allowed to be really personally nasty about others, especially the Clifton family? Im also intrigued to know why you've singled out my about Gio and not Tristan? One rule for one, eh?

I hope Joanne gets a chance with a celeb with potential next year, I think she will get that chance and I think she will do well.

Harry though was already a class dancer, natural talent and well taught previously by Aliona.

Look some of the pros dancing will appeal to some for example the Clifton families loud and brash approach some people love but me personally I despise I really can't stand it not saying I'm right because it's personal taste, I like the more understated but at the same time giving us actual dancing to enjoy so that is why aliona has always and will appeal to me.

Rather, why do so many DS posters sit in judgment, black silk squares on their heads, typing away with venom just because they "cannot warm" to a person?

If people can sue for libel and detraction for stuff that is printed, but are totally helpless before anything that is on social media opinion boards, why cannot more people just stay kinder?

Answer, we live in the wrong generation. Go back 35-40 years, people had manners then. They don't now. Just "opinions" that have to be heard and Gawd 'elp yer if yer doan think the same. Being jumped on and squashed flat, virtually speaking, is the price you pay for Internet 24/7. And I have found myself doing some of this jumping, so don't think that I am innocent as snow; but many times I do apologise afterwards. Other times - no.

Different people like different things.

What you see depends on how you look at it.

If everyone was the same, the world would...

Opinions are like arseholes - everyone's got one.

etc.

So you are always going to get differences.

In terms of discussion, then people can trade reasons for their opinions - if they have reasons.

Manners, kindness, consideration, respect. All seem to be in short supply on the internet and, regrettably, the trend spills into daily life - oh, and reality shows ........

David Mitchell's recent programmes on Radio 4 about "manners" included an interesting segment about social media and it was suggested that in ten years time we'll look back on this era of social media and cringe, as the wheel turns full circle.

Joanne didn't particularly impress me in her first year - I know she had a duffer and it was her first series, but she came across as too over the top to me. However, last year when she was doing Choreography Corner on ITT, I thought she came across really well and I thought her explanations were much clearer than Karen Hardy's. Maybe she is settling into appearing on TV? If she is partnered with a celeb this year, I hope we see calm Joanne and not OTT Joanne.

Wrong thread!

I don't think it is. All of the professional dancers have their fans and their detractors.


People can be sued for comments on a message board, forum, the internet in exactly the same way as they can anywhere else. The same rules for libel and slander apply.

They are all fair game. You just notice the opinions that don't mesh with your own more.

On the other hand, 35-40 years ago we had blatant racism, sexism and homophobia. So people had 'manners' as long as you were white, male and straight. Otherwise you were fair game for racial slurs, discrimination on gender grounds, and so-called hilarious 'poof' jokes. What some like to call political correctness today is really just an extension of good manners to these groups. Now if we could just extend it across the whole of society, making it unacceptable to vilify anyone for reasons of petty spite or casual amusement, we might be getting somewhere.

People can sue for libel for things said on internet forums, but if someone says something along the lines of they just "can't stand someone" etc etc (i.e. a pro dancer) that isn't libel. It's only libel if someone is accused of something they didn't do. OK that is over simplifying a bit, but you know what I mean. Also taking someone to court for libel/slander is mind-blowingly expensive!

I'm not sure that people's manners have worsened in the last 35-40 years to any great extent. I teach all age groups and with very few exceptions, manners are always more than acceptable. But the thing is we didn't have the internet forums 35-40 years ago, so if anyone wanted to say something about another person they had to do it to their face, not as an anonymous forum user.

Personal taste pure and simple.
Its the same as the celebs too. We have numerous people saying 'So and so is fake' or 'I just can't take to so and so'.
Its human nature we are all guilty of it.

Have you been "jumped on" and "attacked", or have people expressed a different opinion to you?

One person's "been attacked" is another person's "been disagreed with".

I don't think that they are "above criticism"; it's just that they have fewer supporters and their comments get drowned out amongst the greater number of critics.

Aliona used to be a figure of hate on here, and it was never justified. It cooled down when The Cliftons joined and all but disappeared when she was paired with Jay last year.

That strikes me as odd, well no it doesn't actually.

It's just how it is with some people.

Hmm I disagree there, I for one loved her as a dancer before she even step foot on the strictly Dance floor I knew she was different from any other generic pro dancer.. I think people who 'hated' her were never keen on her anyways from the start so they had to look for something to kick her with just like how they did with Jay.. Now put those two together and bingo a punch bag for quite a few vile people, and as for the cliftons there an odd one I don't know them personally so I can't say if their horrid people but I'm just not a fan of their dancing or some of their chreography and I've said that countless times.