Originally Posted by doormouse1:
“Oh wouldn't that be nice?
An even playing field where we can see EVERYONE'S journeys as they move from hesitancy to confidence, not just carefully placed stage-school alumni, who have had years of dance training as part of their course work, and so make it seem effortless.
But I suppose the judges have an innate fear that someone they snobbishly regard as a 'non-dancer' or 'comedy act' makes good. They have their little pet favourites from the start who are shamelessly lavished with praise and high marks (despite obvious mistakes, which are NEVER mentioned in case it loses them votes), and it leads to a mighty boring semi-final and final. I won't be watching either.”
I think the mix works. All learners and you run the risk of them never getting good, and not having enough people willing to try. All stage school people and then it's a real popularity contest, and gets bitchy. What I think they simply need to do is make the public vote count more. Either only the public vote counts at first, the scoring is just a guide, and then the judges can save someone, or my preferred option no dance off after half way, the one with the lower support goes. This way the judges have two bites of the cherry and it's too much. These dance offs where one knows they are dancing their last dance are miserable. (That is not about Ore and Robert, btw. Either might have got more votes than the other, I'm not assuming that one way or the other. I'm thinking generally.)