I can just about remember the original Come Dancing, the ladies with their hair piled up high on their heads, the guys with winklepicker shoes, just amazing, I would have been about 6 years old, I can't remember the guy who used to be the compare then, but I know he was a tall slender chap, would anyone else have an idea who he was.

My grandma used to dance with me round our front room, she was about in her late 60's and I used to love it. Very fond memories of the original show.

I like SCD because of the various celebs that are now entering and this makes for a different type of show, however, the professional dancers are just as much a celebrity as the celebs are themselves.

As for the types of dance I find myself leaning towards the Latin section, but also like the Military Two Step and the Waltz.

Hiya

I used to be allowed to stay up late to watch Come Dancing as a treat - especially as I was taking lessons myself at that age and was into all things dancing. Terry Wogan used to present it and I think Noel Edmunds did too at some point (correct me if I'm wrong there). Angela Rippon did a stint too I believe.

I totally loved Come Dancing and I seriously wish someone would bring it back, or at least televise the competitions they do have so we can all see the Pro's dancing with their real partners and showing us what they are really capable of.

Hi Puffle, yes, your right Noel Edmonds did compare the show for a short time, and as it happend I was and still am a massive fan of his.

I would love to see televised competitions too. Heaven forbid that we get to see any sport except athletics, rugby, cricket or my most hated, football. All the satellite channels are buying up all the popular sport, so why can't we have more fun ones like polo, ballroom dancing and skateboarding on the BBC?

I live in a glittery world of my own, really...

i loved the orginal! but the format got bit old and borin! the celebs and competition brings a better egde to it!

As a dancing programme of course come dancing is the best one were all the countries top amateur couples fought it out every week - Strictly come dancing is an entertainment show the dancing nearly takes a back seat to the celebs and the pros egos so if I had to pick gotta be come dancing

I'm just sad that Old Time seems to have vanished from the Ballroom - with the honourable exception of the Viennese Waltz - why can't we see the Veleta or the Saunter Revee or the Military 2 step in SCD? I used to love watching the old time dance section in Come Dancing....

Old Time is a dying branch unfortunately although V Waltz is technically old time has always been included in Modern Ballroom hence its inclusion in SCD

Wow, that brings back some memories - I remember learning the Veleta, all that getting your feet in the correct position, nightmare. I did love it though - it was great fun.

Perhaps SCD could do a slot highlighting the old dances when the show is nearing the end and the couples are down to 4 or something like that - it would be interesting to see it being danced by professionals.

is highly unlikely the professional on the show do Old Time - Ballroom and Latin go together but Old Time is branch apart maybe Darren will know some highly unlikely the foriegners do it is something danced and performed mainly in UK with NZ and Aus doing some

I think there could be room for both of them - SCD has ignited the interest and a more Come Dancing type show could keep it going. Obviously dancing has moved on in the years since CD was last aired - I'm totally in awe of the fitness of the dancers (well, to be honest more like athletes) - and I think to see a pro competition televised would be fantastic.

I still do the Valeta and the Saunter Revee and all those dances, they are the ones that I am best at! The Valeta is a VERY popular ones for competitions that I do! I like seeing all the dances that people make up themselves though, makes it more interesting!

I couldn't agree more.

I used to watch them years ago on Eurosport and the German channel DSF, but I don't think either do them now - anyway, these days I have only got Freeview.

It would be lovely to see some of the top children's comps as well - puts all us oldies to shame!

Not sure about Noel Edmunds, but another presenter even earlier was Keith Fordyce.

Also, we used to go to Peggy Spencer's classes at the Fairfield Halls in Croydon and she would quite often use us as a target audience for the Penge Latin Team's rehearsals - wonderful stuff. Oh happy days!!

Didn't I hear somewhere that ballroom dancing was being included in the Olympics? We'd have loads of televised stuff if it was!

It has been whispered about for years, but nothing ever happens.

i heard it on the news though and since ballroom dancing is becoming so popular and London are gonna host them, you think they might add them?? Fingers crossed!!

i never saw the original

was reading about it in the SCD book though, and i wish i hda seen it now

yea i neva saw it either i think im too young!

That would be great! i find most of the Olympics so boring, with gymnastics and horse riding as the notable exceptions, that it would be lovely to have just one more sport I could actually bear to watch. I love the skating in the Winter Olympics too, so Ballroom could be like the summer version.

Both partners would have to be British, wouldn't they? That would be interesting because they might have to put the best dancers from different partnerships together. It would make a great documentary, seeing them getting selected and training together. That would make a great show!

I think it depends where you are in the country. Old Time is still big in the North of England... then again, I believe it always was. Lots of Old Time Champions come from the north. The children love it. We teach Old Time, Ballroom & Latin in one class so they all do it all. I think it is a beautiful form of dance. I'd hate to see it die out. Luckilly it is thriving in our school and i will continue to encourage it.

Maybe there is potential in Strictly Come Dancing to do one Old Time dance per week. It would be a lovely finish to make all the couples dance around the room together. (Like the effect of them all doing Viennese Waltz last year).
Any thoughts?

I think the time is right to televise the events the likes of Anton/Erin Darren/Lillia take part in or some other show with Wogan back at the helm
or at least a dvd

And on the thought of Come Dancing or Strictly Come Dancing... I am LOVING SCD! Angela Rippon was the presenter when I was little. I used to adore it! When it changed to Rosemarie Ford I didn't enjoy it so much. I don't even think it was so much her as the show just seemed to fizzle out. It wasn't exciting anymore (even though I still watched it avidly.) There was always one outstanding couple and one not so great which kind of made it non-exciting to watch. I did used to really enjoy the formation teams and off-beat sections.
The format of SCD is wonderful... having the professionals every week is a real treat. The whole show including of course the marvellous Claudia and ITT is wonderful. I have not been so excited about anything for a long time. It is marvellous to watch something with a huge grin on my face; to laugh out loud at the TV; to be emotional.. it's all ... just too much... *sob*

oh dear I actually remember the original preseter - My parents were ballroom and latin champions so I have been and and around it all by life and hate to admit that is half a century.

Even in the North Peach (Our school is in the North) Old Time is dying out to what it was say even 20 years ago - I like it as a dance form and know many past champions unfortunately it is not taught in our school now.

the only hiccup to adding it to SCD is if the pros know old time would imagine Darren B would but the other ? somehow dont think so

in answer to the threads up above it was included as an exhibition event at the sydney games as yet has not been adopted as olympic event - yet