Exactly!

I can remember the final days of Come Dancing, it was treated as a bit of a joke by most people.

I agree, but I was just guessing what the nature of the disruption was.

I think more people would enjoy seeing proper latin and ballroom dancing televised than you expect, sofakat. I don't think necessarily people would become totally fanatical about it and follow dancers careers like those with a pre existing interest do - but I know a few people who would definitely watch out of curiosity.

I was saying to my dad the other day, any dance competition is more exciting than some sports which are televised... golf, darts, snooker... opening a can of worms here, LOL.

I would definitely watch competitions of other sorts of dancing though I don't dance it myself and used to watch a lot of the ballet they put on sky arts too.

The Albert Hall seats about 5000 but if there is dancing on the floor then I presume the capacity will be a couple of thousand. That is a tiny audience by TV standards.

The Albert Hall also sells out tickets to lots of other events that are not likely to get on one of the mainstream TV channels.

No, you're quite wrong Jennifer. I don't find world class ballroom or Latin boring, but competitions, well yes - as does the average tv viewer. unless they happen to do it/follow it.

However, I was in fact speaking from my experience of working in the media for over 20 years - and that includes television. If there was an audience for competitions they would be on tv. It is as simple as that.

TV is about bums on seats and healthy viewing figures.

It is indeed. Thank you for your reply Sofakat.

It was! It was very stilted. Cannot imagine it working now

I work in media so I am not voicing the opinion of a dance fan, but of a media expert. It's my actual job, although some assume otherwise.

Despite the digital TV age there are many people aged 50+ (who make up a large percentage of BBC1s audience) who seem to find it near impossible to navigate their way past the first three channels.

I also go and watch, it's worth the numerous night buses home when staying to the end means missing the last tube!

Probably a question for the ballroom thread rather than here, but I've always wondered what it would be like to compete in that kind of atmosphere and on that floor - did you enjoy it or prefer dancing elsewhere?

Fabulous atmosphere at the RAH of course, although small floor, the Blackpool Wintergardens for both the Open and Closed. Probably the best venues I have been to for atmosphere, but you can't beat the floor at Blackpool for dancing on. Just fabulous. Its also exciting dancing overseas but the Wintergardens just can't be beaten. Best dance venue/floor in the World.
Yes, the late finish means we have to stay overnight nearby, so not a cheap weekend, but worth it.

So from a media perspective is there any way of screening world class ballroom dance that the public might enjoy? Strictly gives a distorted perspective. I agree that competitions would not be very mainstream. (Although I would have thought they could show something just once or twice a year for those interested, a bit like darts!)

Exactly, they just have to add the human element to it and start showing as a competition. Might not work at the beginning, but once people start having favourites,
might work. I am sure the organisers will like it, more money and promotion for them.

I would think you would need to interest a minority channel on satellite or online and the organisers not expect to make much money out of them. One problem is what type of channel, unless there are some dance channels.

I remember SCD bloody hell the commentary from that pissed me off totally, dancing around a ballroom judges standing at one end clipboard in hand ,painted on smiles (god them grins AJ still has it) then the commentary soso is ..wearing with.... it has ....,

To me the dancing has to become more accessible, it aint about the costumes or grins, have them dress down (street clothes) and just dancing shoes then i might try it again

You can see that if you go on to YouTube and look at some demos, especially the studio based ones or the ones associated with lectures or training videos. I very much prefer dressed down dancing too. However, I actually think the sparkly dresses and all the fake tan, false eyelashes etc appeal to many Strictly viewers (although not me) and so I don't think that is the issue. I think the issue is partly what Sarah says above, that the viewers don't know the dancers and don't engage with them. I think there is probably a presentation style issue as well.

Yes, it would probably be a minority channel.

The financial side of things is interesting. There does have to be some give and take, and probably some sponsorship. Snooker for example has moved from a low key, late evening televised sport to a fully sponsored one. I actually don't like it now, but it is the price paid for a wider audience.

Thinking about it, maybe it is not worth the hassle.

Not to disagree with you Ann but I like dancing, and that is what I want the broadcast to reflect, It is so annoying when you view some competitors dressed to gunwale, how the hell does that encourage the guy/girl on the street to say im going to try that , all the competitions speak off is exclusivity, not inclusion, to me which the dancing competition should be " hey we like this, and you could to"

You see my gripe I want more guys/girls to think yes it easy to partake at a high level, with hard work dedication and a pair of shoes in hand

Yes, I completely see your point. I don't have any suggestions for addressing it at the moment. It's a difficult one.

Ps: that's not to have a go at competitiors. I think it is great if as many people as possible can be encouraged to participate in dance in a way they enjoy.

For Ballroom particularly I think the traditional dress is absolutely a key part of what makes it so special. Nat gliding around in a posh frock, accompanied by Aljaz or Ian or Trent (or even at a push, Anton) is just magical!

Dutch TV is no longer broadcasting Ballroom dancing... The only ones who can be bothered are the Germans.. But you really have to search for it. Mostly around Christmas time.. Not sure if Eurosports over here (NL) is still covering the Kremlin cup. Last time I watched it, the coverage was bad though... Bad sound and amateuristic filming...

I have not seen coverage on Eurosport for a while but i always live in hope and look through the TV listings at Xmas !. With regard to German channels, yes you have to search quite a bit but luckily my partner is German and has many German relatives still there, we rely on them mainly to let us know when its on.

I've seen a new dance show starting in the New Year called Dance Dance Dance - well thats original - not sure what its about or whether its on the same lines as Lets Dance.

show is from Holland originally (have enjoyed some of the dances - relative sends dvd of them) and is now shown across Europe. Basically celebs recreate famous video or movie dance sequences and is not similar in anyway to Strictly - but I have enjoyed what I have seenn of the Dutch onne.

from itv press office http://www.itv.com/presscentre/press...night-away-itv

Sounds interesting, worth a look anyway, thank bendy.

Plenty of full length dance competition on YouTube. If you do not have a Smart TV get Google Chromecast to link into your HDMI socket and USB on the TV and that will broadcast via your Android phone or computer.

Job done.

It!s the celebs that attract me

I'm just the opposite as it happens. That's why when I eventually realised that the show was about Celebrity Journeys I only started watching from the quarter finals a few years ago.

I just don't get the concept of watching people I've never heard of learning to become basic at something.

Imagine Premier League football or Wimbledon tennis on a profession + complete beginner basis. The Celebs in Strictly aren't even the highly experienced amateurs in Golf Pro-Ams and these are never shown on television.