Yes 😂

Not disimilar to his current profile pic which does raise a mixed reaction with folk I reckon. Personally I think he's got too nice a smile not to use it on profile pics. But hey ho.

I noticed that gurning seems to be a family past time😆. Saw it when Luke and Sean were at SCD studio and on the tour .

Love your virtual gift DD
Will be rooting for the Déise on Sunday and hope
that they win to make Monday extra special for you

Jay's hair is about the same length now as when he originally did the Jive and doesn't really have to cut his hair until BIG, so they may be able to use that clip-on ponytail

Just catching up on the thread now and hope that NOBODY leaves or feels unloved either.
It is a lovely escape from RL for a lot of people, (including myself a few times over the past year) and I sincerely hope it continues. I like the diversity of items posted and if I am not interested in anything I just skip over it.
Nite All and have a lovely week-end

For those interested

https://flic.kr/p/JTmVDN

Thanks jnb

Even there he seems to be in a dance stance.

Toes pointed Mr Mcg

Thank you, isih. We've been asking for a button for ages. It's lovely to think that you'd press mine, so to speak.


Thank you, BB. I really appreciate that. I sometimes wonder how my poems might be received, so feedback puts my mind at ease. I suppose confidence grows with time, but as I've only been at it, on and off, for eleven weeks or so, I'll just have to be patient.


Thank you very much, Hannah, for your kind words. RL has rather got in the way lately. I've even had to cut loose my island of unread posts. There's probably untold treasure buried there, and now I've missed it. Such is life. On the bright side, it'll be easier to keep up from now on, and hopefully join in more, too.


BIB Thank you very much, DD. You're doing sterling work with the poetry collection, it's very much appreciated. Hope your busy weekend goes smoothly, and that you're able to find time to get some rest.

Oh, just a tad interested...

Hoist that flag, Mr Smiley McBannerdrape!

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cm457x4WcAApJw3.jpg

Also, a substantive poetic contribution there, RaffertyCat.

Watched Bargain Hunt yesterday and it was from Newark. The presenter said it was where last years strictly winner was from and then up popped the lovely photo of Jay and Aliona with the glitterball! Very nice.

He looks really chilled doesn't he? 😊

Now, people who know me will see this next statement as completely out of character as I absolutely hate feet, even, or especially, my own...but I love J's feet. So slender, elegant and expressive. Can you have expressive feet? Never mind....he has expressive feet.

...and Bruno was right, when he dances he uses those feet like hands.

Thanks jnb, good to see he's getting some gaming in too.

ETA jackybob, that must have been a lovely surprise and interesting that they chose Jay's win as Newark's claim to fame. Good to hear from you btw.

Great minds there Speedy on the feet front

The feet of a dancer.
(And I'm usually the same. Don't usually like feet at all)

http://www.radiotimes.com/uploads/im...inal/94513.jpg

Oh pooh sticks ( registered trade mark Lola)

I missed it and himself forgot to tape it. Oh well

iPlayer is your friend ! Opening few seconds.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...4-15-newark-10

Oh thanks there SSL

Iplayer doesn't like my phone and whilst I'm out and about it is what I have to rely on.
So thanks again.

I think I've unearthed a hidden treasure...the website for the Strictly Band, more specifically the blog written by the band's bass player:

http://www.strictlycomedancingband.c...g/Archive.html

Unfortunately, he doesn't cover every week in Series 13 but the insight and detail he provides from behind the scenes is outstanding. If you're at all interested in the complexities of arranging, practicing, performing and recording of the music and singing in SCD this is fascinating. (Gets a little technical but he does a good job of dumbing down)

This is just a tiny taste:

"We have 3 different sound systems, the one that give you the sound you hear on the TV, The one that gives us (Band/singers)the sound we need to hear to play, and the one for the dance floor that the dancers need to hear what to dance too."(sic)

He also explains the difficulties in coping with changing tempos to match the dances and so, so much more.
"My Generation" gets a mention for those only interested in Jay related info but there's much more.
He comments on some dances, The Rumba gets special mention, some pros, guest singers...he also covers the controversial Blackpool elimination etc etc...oh just read it folks!

I won't ever criticise the music /singing again.

PS The blog goes back to 2008 and Hayley also has an out of date blog if you're interested in past series.

Thanks speedy!

I was just thinking that I didn't have any lunchtime reading, and now I do!

My pleasure, fancy another up to date pic of Jay?
Of course you do

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cm6uhKMWIAAdi5g.jpg

Oooh, thanks, Speedy - that will make interesting reading.

Great picture too. Effortlessly elegant, even in scruff order!

I love this shot ...if you can drag your eyes away from Jay and Aliona you can almost hear Hayley sighing in the background.

Right! Work beckons. TTFN or BBS, depending on your era.

In some of the Strictly Tour clips you can see J teasing or laughing with Hayley in the background.

Always thought Hayley looked really pleased when they won Look at her face the moment J and A were announced as the winners - the other singers seemed very pleased too.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment

It's funny that you register hearing your name before anything else - can see J register they'd won a split second before A as Tess says 'Jay and Aliona'.

If you slow the video down - or pause it at exactly the right split second - can see J's eyes registering 'what????' before he closes his eyes and before A looks so shocked.


Not just - as hannah says - the feet of a dancer in jnb's photo, but J's dancer's hands in speedy's photo.


Oh for a 'like' button, Rafferty, Isih - I do agree.


Do agree fatskia, that katt's compilation video is brilliant. Love the ones I haven't seen before too - thank you katt . The compilation really shows a really great - and very happy - working relationship between J and A. It made me smile too, hannah, from start to finish - except for the very last second which is very touching.

I know J said in the Red Button interview that he was the 'same person' and just 'better at being on Strictly', but he does look so very different in the early clips compared to later ones, even in these clips where they're 'behind the scenes' - not just in looks, but in confidence and manner.

Also noticed, as have said before, that J 'invites' a hug, even with A, rather than just getting hold of anyone - good manners.


Nice of Bargain Hunt to mention J and A, jackybob. Think the BBC has been pretty good at keeping J and A in the public eye 'under the radar'.

Ohh! *rushes off to read*
Thank you speedy!

Busy morning, advertised some horse rugs Becks never wore and they all sold within 20 minutes! I also have a buyer for my Horsebox and I've not even advertised it yet!

Tommy Blaize writes a blog too

http://www.tommyblaize.com/#!blog/cyhl

I look forward to reading the SCD Band blog and Tommys when they write them - they are interesting reads and its shocking how little rehearsal time these guys get!

Well I've been downstairs posting a couple of times cos I saw a couple of our friendly posters names there and thought I might feel safe and at home.
Well I don't think I'll go back. Not cos of our posters I hasten to add.
Some folk are just downright rude.

ETA Serves me right really for straying

Tiptoes in, I'm not here really.

Hannah you were very brave - have a sausage and a hug and then go and lie down in a darkened room for a while.

I sometimes wander down there, but not very often these days - it's friendlier up here .

We do know though, that J and A will be absolutely spot on for their Jive in the Launch Show . Most previous winners have slipped a bit, some slipped a lot!!

We know that J and A will be at their best

(If you don't risk going down there, a few people are surprised that J and A are dancing on the Launch Show - as the Winners don't do that )

Was a lurker for a few years on the Strictly forum, but never joined - I mostly read the Spoiler thread as I was too impatient to wait for Sunday night, even back then. Last year I really was far too impatient to wait

I do like the NAT thread though, it can be very funny and it was always tongue in cheek.

The Ikea thread is funny too - but I'm not very good at it . Been trying to think of something to add about J and A dancing on the Launch Show, but can't think of anything


ETA *waves* to Lola