We all know that music is subjective but, for crying out loud, some of the so-called strict tempo music has been wholely innapropriate for the dance in question. Why not a Viennese Waltz to a Viennese Waltz .. instead of some insipid pop music? Likewise, ludicrous music for tango and cha cha cha. And how does one do an elegant slow-foxtrot to a really upbeat song? Do the couples not realise that the right tempo music makes the dance? And it's easier for the contestants to follow! Every ballroom dancers I know has commentated on this anomaly. But not a word from the judges! One wonders if some of them have ever done ballroom dancing- it really would be nice to know.

I believe the professional dancers have a say in the music so presumably they are happy with the music and the tempo. I have to say I find some of the music absolutely awful, but maybe it is chosen for the viewing public, many of whom have preconceived ideas about what they may think is boring oldfashioned ballroom dancing, so the producers have decided to jazz it up and use pop music.

I think the music's been alright actually. Apart from Pretty Woman for the Tango!!!!

Half the fun is singing along IMO. It's not a serious dance competition, it's an entertainment show!!

And why tamper with the tunes in the first place .. they hacked Golden Brown about to make it a waltz .. why? surely there are enough pieces of music in the correct time/tempo without having to take the scissors to make one fit. It just makes the dance seem odd to watch too.

while not averse to some of the 'not strictly ballroom' music I have felt there have been some couples who have had music whether chosen by them or not, has been shall we say odd. I did mention on another thread of the piece of music Erin and Colin had for their viennese waltz on Saturday - very hard to dance to. I even Suggested people watch back with the sound turned down.

With some beautiful music about it both modern and more traditional to choose from - perhaps next series they can have a couple of weeks were tradional choice of music has to be used, and that doesn't need singers?

The choice of music that Is made is vital - possibly why I particularly liked Camilla and James dance so much this week - it sounded as good as it looked - in my opinion

Thinking about it, I watched Zoe & Ian's foxtrot on mute!! Because it's a lovely graceful flowing dance but the music sounded jerky. Spoilt it for me, even though they're not my faves anyway.....

Pretty Woman for the tango was a catastrophy, it could have been converted to make it slightly more appropriate, but it wasn't and I do agree some of the choices of music have amazed me, but then I am not music/dance expert (waltz has three beats to a bar about covers it.)

I would like to heare some of the more 'traditional' music used for the dances but then I like that sort of detail and would like to know the music that the dance developed from.

I suppose the use of popular and well known tunes is another of the 'alterations' that has been made in order to bring it to a wider audience, or maybe I'm wrong and these ballroom dance competition judging there is a bit where modern music adaptation is a major part.....

we use popular up to date music for our classes but they are done mostly by german big bands and are in strict tempo. I know for a fact the professionals are in on the music choice and its they who should ultimately be blamed some of the choices dont even have the right tempo!!!

Lauri Holloways Pretty Woman was awful but the strict temp tango Pretty Woman on Cd is very good

ps if we used what some of you think of as traditional music the pupils would go to sleep the use of modern tunes is not an alteration for the show I hate to say this but I feel the band is not one of the best

That's true. I teach to all kinds of music but it is always strict tempo.

Nothing will ever top the Paso week in terms of bad music choice. Oh it was soooo wrong!

although I hate thriller done as a paso Eclipse the cd version is ok again Im afraid its down to the band

wrong post, sorry

Do you reckon? It just doesn't make sense to me as a song to dance the Paso to however it is played and Erin chose it. However I have to say 'Eye of The Tiger' for the paso sounded much better on the USA DWTS than UK SCD.


But it was the same band last year and I never had a single criticism about the song choices. They were brilliant and the same band too. I think they have been too extreme this year.

Sorry to keep harping on, but what about Golden Brown .. I always thought that it was done in tempo which was nigh on impossible to dance to, I think it was that which made the waltz seem odd .. they must have cut some beats out to make it 'danceable' but hearing the original in my head over the version being played just made it bizzare!

I think Im just spoilt by the music we use in the school (we never bought the SCD Cd) and the modern stuff is done brilliantly even if I dont care for all of them. I love some of the old bands Gunter Norris especially and have just turned all the old vynals to mps3 and cds.

Yes eye of the tiger much better as a paso but whats up with La comprasita i must admit for paso I like the old traditionaol stuff

I think the original is in 6/8 but with bits of 5/8 (such as the introduction) which they will have had to cut out / modify.

I think one of the worst choices this year has definitely been 'Pretty Woman' for the Tango - I'm sure that maybe the strict tempo version is fine, but I don't think the concept of the song really works with such a dramatic and passionate dance. I really think it contributed to people's overall impression that Will's (very good) Tango wasn't up to scratch. Also very bad was 'Carnivale de Paris' (sp?) for the Paso - I'm sorry, but whatever you do to that song, it's just 'My Darling Clementine' with whistles. It made me think of football hooligans and tacky souveniers (and miners from the American Old West, but that's incidental), not passion and strength.

I agree, the CD versions are spot on! I think it's the arrangements that are ruining the songs, not that they're bad choices in the first place.

I think they shoulkd try and modernise some of the songs because that make sit more fun and less ballroomy for the public! Like sometimes in dancing we do the samba to rock ya body (mic check 1,2) just to warm up and its really fun! I think Pretty Woman for the tango had to be the worst though!

I thought that the version of Golden Brown was better than the original.
But I have loved the traditional music for the tangos!

I've got that song and always thought it would be great to dance to, but I never think they will do it.

I dislike most of the music I have heard on SCD. Call me a dinosaur (OK OK I'm a Dinosaur) but I think there is nothing better than proper dance music to dance to. The fact that they are teaching these couples in such a short space of time, decent music would probably help no end with getting the pupils to understand the dance...wouldn't it?

Yes, you are absolutely right. Every ballroom dancer knows that the right music at the right tempo is essential for teaching people to dance. How on earth these pupils dance to some of this ludicrous music is beyond me. Why make things twice as difficult? If we had more than one judge who knew anything about ballroom dancing then perhaps they may comment on this glaring anomaly!

I seem to remember discussing this in Music A level - believe it's 3/4 but the intro includes a single bar of 4/4 - so must be tricky to dance to unless the extra beat is choreographed in.....