Just remembered on Friday watching ITT that Jason Gilkison said the celebs only had a hour each to rehearse with the backing dancers. Doesn't seem enough really. Might explain some of the obvious mistakes.

A nay from me as well. Very distracting.

No. Don't want a group dance unless it's billed as a group dance. If they ARE going to employ extra dancers, why not have a week where everyone gets two pros in their routine, taking them from the ones that are already out, or haven't been partnered up that year. Or is that a terrible idea?

They only work if they are actually BACKING dancers, but sadly they seem to be part of the whole routine. They ruined many dances last night. they worked in Dannys dance and Eds, but the rest were a let down.

Nay from me - they are too distracting.

It's a YAY from me but only at Blackpool where an inability to cover the large dance floor can expose celebs' limitations like no other

Very good point. With Danny, the dancers just kept pace and performed the same steps, which looked fine because Danny can easily match the Pros in his routines.

With Claudia, they completely overshadowed her and outperformed her and with Louise they were sometimes , to me, in danger of obstructing the flow of the dance

I think they must also be off putting for the dancers, I know if it was me instead of concentrating on what I was doing, I would be wondering what they were doing and watching them and wondering if I was dancing the wrong steps etc.

Nay. It can work well like with Gleb and Anita's Paso and tango but on the whole they should leave them out. they are too distracting.

Hah! I had a similar thought except I was thinking in Tesco trying to get through the aisles, but thinking about it Louise probably be more likely to be headed to John Lewis

NAY

They are a distraction and take away from the celeb dancer.

Please, please get rid of them!

NAY, Just way too busy and with all the flashy lighting, and on top of the patterned wooden floor, was sometimes impossible to make out who was the dancer, nevermind see the actual footsteps.

Blackpool is a big dance floor and this is a competition, the celebrities need to go through various different tests, so dancing with backing dancers is another test.

It's very limited, on this show and the series so to me it's a non issue.

Some celebrities work well with it, others do not, but think of it as a new challenge or a new hurdle on the " journey ".

SCD would be less interesting if it was the same each and every week and ratings shot up yesterday.

It's a blend how some will look impressive with dancers and others just get lost in the water, all part of a competition.

A bit like masterchief some is studio based cooking but it's livened up with restaurant challenges outside.

It's just one week.

I don't think backing dancers are really necessary in a ballroom the size of The Tower, it really isn't that huge, and they can be distracting. But in some of the dances, I found they were a lot more preferable to watch than the celebs, which isn't quite the point, is it?

This. They shouldn't actually dance with the celeb. (What on earth happened with Judge Rinder at the start of his dance?!). I too, found them incredibly 'in your face' for some of the dances - struggled to see the actual couple at times. Plus, even when they were dancing the same steps in the background, it shows up any faults the celeb may have even more.

NAY! They were just a massive distraction and I couldn't concentrate on what the actual couple were doing - particularly Louise and Claudia. They aren't needed to fill the larger floor - if a couple can't fill the floor on their own that's a problem with their dancing and choreography. These dances at Blackpool covered the floor brilliantly and would in no way have been improved by having extras running around in front of them

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_jIbaF53vrM

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=G640SgVv7Ic

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6peTah69j54

I miss dances like these

A big no from me it put me off watching, too much going on

NAY from me, I find them a distraction, to the detriment of the celebs we are supposed to be watching.

Nay, just nay, the dance floor at Blackpool isn't that big and people managed perfectly well prior to the dancers coming in the last few years.

The only dance I think they actually improved was Richard Arnold and Erin and her send off to Erin Island, from an actual Island.

This is the first one I thought of, it was at Wembley - even bigger I think. Vincent and Dani doing a quick step.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbs-CGWN04A

its a yay from me, Neil was in every dance tho

i thought they worked well in ores and Joannes dance

I did enjoy last night's show, or at least what I have seen of it so far. But it did feel like it should have been called Strictly Musical Theatre.

Occasionally they enchance the perormance; sometimes they simply perform a suitable background; then frequently they obscure the issue for TV viewers.

All could be different for the audience on site.

Nay.
Get rid.

Sometimes it works well ... Caroline's Charleston and Jive, Jay's Salsa and Anita's Paso etc but on the whole .. NAY!!