Zoe just does not look as though she is enjoying herself.

It all looks as though she is desperate to win it and so is doing all she can but there seems to be no enjoyment of her efforts, just relief to be top and getting praise.

At least with previous winners they looked as though they actually liked being on stage and savoured the experience.

I just feel that for Zoe, getting it right is an opportunity of resurrecting her career rather that living the experience.

Even if Colin and Darren are professional sportsman, they do look as though they are having fun, and that why I would rather either of them would win it than Zoe.

This should stary with Why Zoe should not win.

Is this thread meant to test the comprehension/and/or mental orientation of forum members? 'Who' shouldn't Zoe win??? What on earth is 'stary'????
I think I've worked it out and couldn't agree less that Zo doesn't seem to be enjoying it .. she certainly looked happy enough on the tiny screen I watched the show on last night!
Yes, it's me ... Aida ... back from a scary emergency admission to hospital in the middle of Thursday night and allowed to post for two minutes while the husband gets my bed ready to fall into! Back later for more laughs!

Don't agree either. Zoe looks like she's having a whale of a time, she certainly wants to win, they all do, but she also looks like she's loving it. Sometimes she looks very nervous, but always looks like she's enjoying it. The only one who didn't look like they were having any fun is the not missed at all Ms Phillips.

She looks fab and is really starting to enjoy the whole thing her and Ian look very good together and imho if they keep going like this, they will win

I disagree that Zoe isn't enjoying this experience - I genuinely think she's having a good time. However, I agree that she's absolutely DESPERATE to win and her desperation is unattractive. She also craves praise and HATES any form of criticism, even if it's constructive, so fragile is her ego! Darren, on the other hand, is an absolute STAR. Yeah, he's a big bloke and, even though he's lost weight, he's still looks beefy, but he manages ALL the complicated steps given him by Lilia - he's BRILLIANT. Absolutely loved his hip movement in the saucy Salsa!! DARREN TO WIN - NOT ZOE!!!

Aida!! How are you? Poor poppet - I hope you're ok - I was worried when I read that, you said you had a flu-ey type thing right? Well get well soon

OT - I disagree strongly. Zoe is always saying she loves it and she really does seem to. Apart from Patsy and Darren, I can't think of anyone who seems to love it more.

I think she is finding being top difficult. Staying there must add confidence but also nerves.

What I don't like is the story she was supposed to have Brenden, refused, and was given Ian (knowing how well they danced together from SDF). That is wrong. Very wrong. If its true.

Darren is doing brilliantly. Colin too, but he doesn't seem to have the same rapport with Erin (good but not as good as Lilia and Darren (who seem to have a rapport like Darren and Jill had last year).

When I said that Zoe isn't enjoying it, I meant that because she is so desperate to win, that it probably takes from any enjoyment of the dances.

She may be smiling and laughing but at times there is a manic edge to it.

Having being lucky enough to have been to SCD 4 times this series - all I will add is - 'off screen' body language oozes over confidence !!! I agree she is desperate to win to resurect a flagging career.

Does it ever occur to the "desperate to win" mind-readers that they might be seeing their own beliefs rather than the celeb's?

Somehow it just as to be that she's "desperate" to win, rather than determined or just wanting to win.

Strange that she seems to be enjoying it then.

No, just normal emotion.

Sorry Veri - but that argument could be used the other way too!!

Yes, it's true. Zoe talked about it in an interview.

[quote=Veri]Does it ever occur to the "desperate to win" mind-readers that they might be seeing their own beliefs rather than the celeb's?

This is a really good point and Tallulah is right, too. It works both ways, all ways. We all tend to see what we want to see and to make judgments on the basis of our own experience, assumptions, fantasies. I relate to Zoe's ladette into swan scenario and I fancy Ian rotten, so when I interpret their behaviour, it is usually very positive and sympathetic. If Ian reminded me of my annoying little brother, I might make something different of it. This is just one example. I think that the people we like on SCD and the ones we dislike say alot about us. Thats partly why I find the forum so interesting.

And you guys often make me laugh and also make me think and re-evaluate my own judgments.

Yes, it can. But the popularity of "desperate" makes me suspicious, as do cliches and stereotypes. When someone's being seen as a mere instance of a type (so to speak), that suggests that the details that might show the type didn't fit are being ignored.

It also seems that women are seen as "desperate" more than men are, which again makes me suspicious.

Thank you for caring! My 'cold' turned rapidly into a chest infection which at 1:35 am morphed scarily into that exciting little syndrome known to us as status asthmaticus - soooo much fun for me and the husband and a real entertainment for the neighbours ... the blue-light dash for the hossie .. the surprise on the faces of my pals in A&E at such a late night visit from me ... the IV's in both arms .. the cardiac monitoring electrodes which have left deep marks on me which I think will never fade ... enough Salbutamol via nebulisers to send me into a sinus tachy ... the energy expended in self-pity, tears and insistence on being moved to a ward which had a Patientline telly for Saturday night (which made me the curse of the HDU) ... aarghhh ... never mind .. like Gloria Gaynor, I survived .. and lest I forget in the melee of catching up on forum news, very best of luck to you and Becks(hope I got that right) in your Finals this week!

Okay .. now on to Zoe (and also Colin).. why is it that anyone who contents themselves with working hard, listening to their partner and the judges and striving to be as good as they possibly can be is considered 'desperate' and 'arrogant' by some of the forum members. I appreciate that it is rather dull of them to get along well with their partners, learn, practice and 'polish' their dances and not rely on stunts, puerile impersonations of currently-popular comediennes and BBC-generated publicity to get them votes, but for God's sake .. sometimes reading the glowing opinions on the performances of certain graceless celebrity hoofers on these threads is like a 2005 re-mix of the old fairytale 'The Emperor's new clothes' ..

Wouldn't Ian really be the only one tall enough to look good with zoe the rest all seem not all that tall

Can't say how much I agree with this - personally I want them all desperate to win, to care and give it their all. I'd much rather that then someone just turning up and not giving it their all *coughFionaPhillipscough*. The majority are in it to win it - and good luck to those who work so damm hard and give it their best.

I sometimes think that we as viewers/fans etc are reading too much into what we see, hear about and read.
Zoe is doing brilliantly and enjoying herself. She's gone from wearing and practically living in jeans & trainers, to wearing extremely femine clothes and is relishing the novelty.
Yes, I agree that the judges seem to be favouring her and she and Ian can do no wrong, but I'm not letting that detract from what I see.

You're using the D word again, Indya. Please explain why you think she's so desperate to win. She has said she'd like to win. Who wouldn't? But where do you get desperation from?

Or is this all based on the fact that you don't want Zoe & Ian to win?

But she said in her post-dance interview how much she enjoyed the quickstep.

Do you not believe her, or something?

looks like she's enjoying it to me

Me, too. And what's with the 'desperate' stuff? They all want to win. Good for them. Its okay. After all, it is a competition as well as an entertainment. What is not okay is that we get drawn into thinking that when men are competitive they are determined or strong or motivated or trying really hard. When women are competitive, they are seen as 'desperate' or driven or manipulative.

couldn't agree more - i don't understand the 'desperate' comments - no-one says that about the men!!