that a couple of the female celebs have had years of dance training at stage schools? Although this may be a new style of dance, it does make getting the basics right much easier. I was shocked that Emma and EE's Ruby are being given the same status as some of the men who may not even have danced at weddings!

When the judges put so much store on leg and arm extensions, facial expressions and pointed toes, it seems very unfair that someone with 10-15 years experience is judged in the same way as someone with 3 weeks.

I tend to agree.
The best bit about Darren Gough winning was the fact he had to make to complete journey from novice to winner.
But those with previous expertise have a habit of not getting the support of the voting public, so it ahould all level out in the end.

Yes I agree. For me, each season it isn't the most 'spectacular' dancer which I want to win, but the one who has improved the most.

I didn't think much of Darren last year at the start - but by the final few weeks he really shone and got my vote (a few times!!) it was a joy to watch him and Lilia

The other thing about so many years of training is that it is much easier to learn and hold a routine in you head, as you have had so much practice at learning them. It does really give you a huge advantage in the early stages. People will get knocked out who may have improved dramatically, given the chance.

Emma is starting to get a little irritating with her constant reminders of how awkward and clumsy she is. Her 'I was in the Spice Girls but I couldn't dance, honest' routine is getting old already.

She's learnt dances before, that gives her an advantage and there's no point in trying to hide that.

and so it begins..........Tess brought up the clumsy thing, not Emma, so I think we should all give her a break - I cant be bothered with all the complaining this year -or with another Zoe situation where everyone is on someones back because they are 'too good'.
You are surely entitled to your opinion Claire but emma actually came across as very self deprecating and not diva ish at all. Spice girl dances were standing in a line pointing -thats about it!
Lets just enjoy the show and support our faves -not slag the celebs off.

Is life ever fair??????


ff999 is right, it's all in the hands of the voting public who do tend to go for the dancers who improve rather than the ones who have been taught.


After watching the group Mambo, I think there's going to be some very tough competition ahead Mind you, the blokes all did well tonight (in their own ways) and there was no completely 'Quentin' character

I didn't say she was diva-ish. There's just no point in her going on about it because she's actually drawing more attention to the fact.

Emma was talking about it in her little clip. She's said it in every single interview I've seen from her prior to the show. She seems to be afraid that people are going to not vote for her based upon this and absolutely desperate to convince people that she doesn't have an advantage. Personally I don't see the need for her doing that - she should just let her dancing do the talking. Jill had experience before but no one minded too much about that because she was very good.

Alright fair enough
I just felt bad for zoe last year, surely you can understand?
I can see what youre saying now.

If they are going to make this Programme totally fair then they need to seperate the celebs with dancing experience from those with absolutely none.

That's the only way we would get a true picture.

It usually comes down to hero worship as well though cos people vote on their favourite dancers rather than the most improved. If a popular professional was paired with a banana I'd bet they'd still win!!!!

Perhaps if they altered the format to shows for celebs with and without dancing experience it would suit all audiences?

I dont think that would be a possibility -most tv types have had dancing experience and most sports type shavent. However, NONE of them have ballroom and latin experience -we are all tying ourselves up in knots here! Lets just vote for who we like and forget about all the silly controversy for once!

yeah i really hope emma doesn't win its totally unfair

I think things level out as the series draws on, because they have to do such a wide range of dances.

Even if they had done some dance previously, very few would have professional experience of all the styles. Why complicate things - just vote for who performs best and improves the most!

The first series, people got slated by having like one dance lesson, and now it's become acceptable for people like Emma and Louisa who have obviously had more dancing experience to join the show.

But hang on, these celebs don't ring up the BBC and ask to go on do they? Someone in a back room at the Beeb comes up with a list of celebs/sportmen & women who they would like to see, then someone else rings them/their agents up and asks if they will do it.

The ones with a little dance training will obviously say yes quicker than the ones who haven't. In any case, the voting British public like an underdog, so having some training is not necessarily helpful.

Anyway, don't the sports people also have some advantage? In that they are used to punishing physical schedules and getting up early to train?

That's what I was thinking. Isn't it unfair for some of the dancers that haven't got as big a following, because anything left down to the audience will always be a popularity contest...


You can see it in the 'who are you going to support' thread, people had made their minds up on the basis of the person dancing with Brendan, or Anton or Camilla...

In the end though I think we'll get a deserving winner, people will like the celeb that improves most or something, I don't think anyone really has that much of an advantage...

(Although I don't want Emma to win, I just don't like her though )

In the second series I thought Jill was just leagues above everyone else and thought it unfair that she had had so much dance training... and I think following series 1 which contained complete beginners in dance it was a big shock to have someone like Jill in the competiton.
However by the final few weeks.. it was irrelevant what dance training she had had in the past because she had worked so hard and had improved so much from how she performed at the beginning and proved herself a competent Ballroom dancer.
I have now concluded as we are at Series 4... that I am happy for anyone to have a go as long as they have not done Ballroom dancing or are primarily a professional dancer (Jill was primarily an actress). Although they are at an advantage.. it will all level out by the final few weeks and a true and worthy winner will emerge
Last edited by PeachUK : 08-10-2006 at 22:19

You ask is it fair and possibly it is not but neither is the fact that most people on this thread are voting already based on their favourite professional from previous years ( or who is their current dance teacher).

I don't know if I am a typical SCD fan or not to be honest but I can recognise good dancing, skilled movement and approrpriate choreography and I vote each week along the lines of who set my TV alight (and I admit towards the end of each series that tends to be a certain couple).

As for tonight, I could see who was reasonable, I could see who was crap and I know who entertained me.....

Maddi

Here we go again

I'm sick of hearing about peoples so called Jorneys on these celeb shows

I want the best dancer to win as its a dance show regardless of who/why/how

Life isn't fair some people go to better schools than others some peoples parents are richer than others it life

The voice of reason I totally agree

I know some of the pro dancers have a certain amount of support at the beginning of the series and will be voted for however well their partner dances but as what happened in the case of Brendan last year, it may keep you in a bit longer than you probably should be but in the end you will be voted out and the better dancers will be left in the competition.

I think at the moment Louisa and Emma are at an advantage to the other female celebs but hopefully over the coming weeks we'll see an improvement in all the celebs performances. Hopefully by the end of the series the best dancer will win

If previous form in dance for some of the women is the only thing we get to moan about round here for next few weeks then we will be very lucky... and bored.

AND previous is not a sign of quality and certainly no indication of how the GBP will vote or even how the judges will mark, heck they might take a dislike to someone cos they don't 'live up to expectation'.

Personally I will be surprised if it has any bearing on the final result.

I think this is the only way you can approach it, all of these shows (Ice Dancing, Fools on Horses, Celeb X-Fcator etc) have a mix of experience & ability.

Often though, appearing too good too soon can backfire - remember Claire Sweeney in SCD, John Barrowman in the Ice dancing? Both excellent, both hoofed off!

I have to agree I was thinking about Claire Sweeny throughout reading the above posts. She was clearly better than her fellow competitors but she was booted out quite early on.
Emma is the bookie's favourite, but a question how do the bookie's favourites fair at the end of the day ? Remember Zoe bookie's favourite ? and Bonnie in ice dance.
In general we all like an under dog and someone who has struggled to find their inner dance diva is always a more entertaining prospect.