I was watching some of the series 1 dances recently and I noticed the standard seemed much lower in series 1 than now. Natasha looked to be clinging on for dear life in a few of the dances. Yet at the time I thought they looked wonderful.

Have our expectations and standards raised so much, or is it just looking back with a more jaundiced eye?

I think she would struggle now, Jill Halfpenny set the standard high and it hasn't some down since.

Personally, I don't think Natasha would come close to winning now, the standard of dance has gone up so much she would really struggle.

I quite agree.On ITT last night they showed quite a lot of her dancing and frankly I thought how bad she looked.I really don't think she would stand a chance if she were in the competition now. Also born out by her result when she was against Jill in the COC show.No offence meant and this is purely my view but she didn't look much better last night that Jan or Georgina. Think people were in love with the whole "Natasha and Brendan"are they aren't they? story that her dancing got overlooked.The standard has definitely improved a huge amount since the first series.

The standard has gone up.... but who's to say that she also wouldn't have risen to the occasion had it been higher. Remember also the first series was only 8 weeks and they didn't have the month's training beforehand that the celebrities get now (at least I'm pretty sure they didn't). An extra week can mean 20+ extra hours training at a time... that makes a BIG difference.

I watched Natasha & Brendan's Series 1 highlights on their DVD last night. I thought her foxtrot WAS gorgeous. She had heel leads!

She was on the Christmas Champion of Champions the year Jill Halfpenny won. I remember she didn't do very well at all. This was partly due to the fact that she hadn't been practising for a year, and the others (Jill and Denise) had just finished Series 2, but I think it was also because both of those ladies surpassed Natasha in ability and performance.

I thought Natasha's waltz with Brendan was lovely in that Christmas Special.. I thought the judges were particularly cruel to them... but yes.. you are right the others had just had several months intensive training and it had been a year since Natasha had danced.

Also, I don't think that anyone can deny that she deserve to win as she was clearly the best in that series.

I didn't see series 1 so have only seen Natasha dancing in various clips, but didn't think she was anywhere near the standard that we see now.

She must have looked good at the time to win though.

She didn't just look good, she was the best. True, standard wasn't as high as they have since become but she deserve to win.

In the first weeks she didn't like it much as I recall. She didn't want to do anything that would impact on her public image as a serious news presenter and told Brendan that she really only banked on being in for two weeks. Remember she hated her jive dress because it was short and had fringing that flipped up and showed a bit more than she was used to.

The reason why her Foxtrot was gorgeous, was because that was the week that she 'got it.' She loved the music, loved the elegance and enjoyed dancing it. It makes a difference!

I do think though that the bar has been raised with each series.

Absolutely. But she wouldn't win now.

Anyone noticed that ITT is showing way more clips of previous series than ever before. It's fab! They're finally admitting that Series 1 happened, becuase sometimes it feels like it didn't...

I thought it was just me

At the time she was really good but now she looked terrible on the bits they showed.

Jill is still amazing

Natasha's initial attitude to the show was so negative I don't know if she would have lasted in another series. She was certainly nowhere near the standard of Jill Halfpenny.

Errm the Xmas special dance she did was a Foxtrot (Lesley and Anton did the Waltz)
She insisted on doing it as Brendan wanted them to do a Latin number..... and the lack of practice showed even if she had been presenting for the first half of the series....

But yes - standards are MUCH higher now - although I do wonder how she would have fared in the final if they had been up against Lesley and Anton rather than Chris P????
Last edited by CaroUK : 01-11-2006 at 13:37

I'm glad I wasn't the only one who saw those clips and was confused - I remember her being better than that. But it was probably because in terms of who she was competing against she was very good, but we've seen better since.

I must admit the first series is but a distant memory, mostly nightmarish about Chris Thingy being SO bad.

BUT I do think that this years crop of celebs are way better than anything before, yes we have had the iffy three in Jimmy (could we expect anything else from a fat, old comedian), Jan (it's the nerves) and Georgina (but she is in Holby/Casualty), BUT the rest all are far better than most groups in the past, that means 11 celebs have been actually rather passable at ballroom dancing at least once. And with the exception of a couple they are all improving to a level never seen before on SCD. "In No Particular Order". We have Ray, Mark, Emma, Carol, Louisa and probably the likes of Claire and Matt would make the semi's or even the final in previous years. And but the GBP being a bunch of total muppets Spoony should be added to the list of excelent celebs.

I thought she was OK (looked OK, danced OK), but I hate her; consequently, my opinion of her dancing is sort of biased...

Natasha was very good!! and if she had been dancing for full year coming into the xmas special then it wouldhave been different!!

also how can you compare a jive toa foxtrot!?

I'd run & hide, CaptainSensible ~ if the fwuffy bunnies get a sniff of a negative comment anywhere on the forum you'll be for it!

More like fwuffy bunny stew for dinner and a new fwuffy bunny waistcoat...

By OK, I meant really rather good actually (it was obvious why she won); I'm not going to let my feelings about someone prejudice my view of their dancing (if I can help it). I don't like Emma, but if she gets good enough to win (fairly), then so be it...

Natasha really was the best of series 1, but the subsequent standards, and not just Jill Halfpenny, have been so much higher. The pros have totally upped their game, and are bringing the best out of their celebs.

I wonder if everyone is just taking it more seriously now as they didn't expect series 1 to actually be a hit, but more of a time filler between better shows?

But they do.
Like last week - how can you compare a Foxtrot to a Paso?

I agree with this post. I think it is difficult to compare contestants from one series to another because the circumstances are very different now. Training makes a lot of difference and the celebrities from this series have access to better facilities and more time. There is no doubt that standards have improved – but given the circumstances Natasha Kaplinsky did a good job in the first series and she improved a lot throughout the show.

I really loved the first series – I know some people seem to like to pretend it never happened – but I think it was great fun. And without it’s success the current series wouldn’t have happened.

She always seemed to have the loveliest outfits.Some of the frocks now are strange.