Becca I find your posts quite arrogant in assuming that we're all stupid or "narrow minded" and you are just soooooo knowledgable about *Dancesport*.

Do excuse the rest of us for merely giving our opinion as was requested in this thread.

I find the way you denigrate the other Pros on SCD, other than *your* personal faves whom you consider to be superior, rather narrow minded myself, but at least you've been consistent in several threads throughout SCD 4 so congrats on that. The fact that I can challenge your views is called debating and discussion on a public forum - tiresome isn't it? FYI I've been watching and participated in many forms of Dance since childhood, I have a very open mind, and am a follower of skating, which has an athletic element to it, so I can, and do, appreicate acrobatic exhibitions. I thought Hanna's bodyshape looked totally unaesthetic, and their performance was not to my personal taste. That's my opinion, and I object to your accusations of ignorance and narrowmindedness.

i didnt realise theyd changed music...what is the original track? not beening very 'up' on dancing itself i didnt notice mistakes and that it didnt fit so i thought it was lovely...loved the gladiator one too tho (guessing thats the one they did last series)

I do consider myself to be fairly knowledgable about dancesport, yes, but only because I follow competitions so avidly. It's my main interest and therefore I devote the majority of my time to it. Compared to the average member of the public who is only familiar with those people they've seen on TV, then yes, I do know a hell of a lot more. Is there a problem with that?

It's true that I don't admire or idolise any of the dancers on the show other than Matthew and Nicole. None of the others move me emotionally or create a feeling for me when I watch them perform. And competitively, yes, they ARE far superior to the other professionals. That's a well known fact.

You can challenge my views as much as you like, I don't object to that, but I don't say anything on here without valid reason, just ask me if you'd like me to clarify or explain anything.

If you look at any of the world's leading Exhibition couples, such as Remco and Charissa, the majority of them have the same body shape as Hanna, extremely slim and muscular, it's certainly what I'm used to seeing in competition.

Right watever not gettin into that ^^^^

My fav was the quickstep

But why is there never any tango routines???

The track they normally use is one from the Gladiator soundtrack, called 'The Battle'.

Probably due to the absence of Standard professionals, which is something I really think they should correct for the next series.

I think that's the point though Becca. Plenty of the other dancers DO create a feeling for other people here, and it does seem like you're unwilling to recognise that at times. I would also argue that Karen's achievements are at least as impressive as those of Nicole and Matthew (I would say moreso but I don't want to get into an argument about it...lol), and while it has been longer since she danced professionally, it seems wrong to me to state in such a manner that they are "FAR" superior without at least adding some sort of clarification or admission that the others are talented. For what it's worth, I really like Nicole and Matthew too. It just seems as though you're being dismissive though... which is the very issue you seem to have with how many people viewed the showdance which triggered this discussion.
Last edited by lhme65 : 06-01-2007 at 23:32

Oh, I agree that Karen is incredible, the standard of her technique is out of this world, she's fantastic.

Yes, all of the others ARE very talented and have had brilliant success within their careers, I don't deny that.

Yet, they are still not on the same scale as the other three.

There are many factors which contribute to liking or disliking a couple / person / performance, and for me, I decide what I do or don't like on the technical accuracy, as every other dancer I know does, and therefore I can't see there being any comparison.

I for one, can't see it rational to rate a performance for being great just because the person dancing is a nice person, as I know others do.
Last edited by * Becca * : 06-01-2007 at 23:34

That's cool. And for what it's worth, I'm glad you were able to so thoroughly enjoy Hanna's performance. I think that's the great thing about the show. With so many dances from so many different pro/celeb couples with some pro group dances and guest appearances thrown in... we're all going to get hopefully at least a few dances that really impact on us. Fantastic stuff...

I hope so.

I'm not saying that the performance was the best I've ever seen, as it definitely wasn't . . . I've seen many better performances from Hanna, and others.

But out of this series, it was the one that I enjoyed the most, purely because of how much I adore and idolise Hanna and after not having seen her for two months, it meant a lot to me and had a great emotional impact on me when I watched it. The fact that I cried tears of happiness throughout the whole thing is irrelevant, but true nonetheless. I loved it not because of what it was, but because of how it was done, and because of the dancer that Hanna is, and to me, that made it so beautiful.

Becca
The thread title is "What was your favourite professional dance" which you answered. It seems a shame someone posted such a negative response. I was amazed by Hanna and Victors performance but is wasn't my favourite, but I could appreciate its musicality and the body form that made it quite obviously dance.

You certainly shouldn't have to defend these world champions, but I thought it might help to list a few of their dance achievements.

Current
World Professional Exhibition Champions
British Open Professional Exhibition Champions (which they defended)

Hanna’s Achievements
Won: World Series Champion Award
Japanese Open Champion
Dutch Open
U.S. Open
U.K. Open
International Championships
World Masters
4 x British Champions
The World Dance and Dance Sport Councils award for “Professional Excellence”
The Ballroom Dancers’ Federation award for “Most Outstanding Professional”

Slightly tongue-in-cheek but her humour and grace in partnering Christopher Parker in Series 1 deserved a medal.

Victor’s Achievements
Victor has been dancing professionally for the past 11 years. In this period he has achieved the following:
British Open (Blackpool) 2002 Champion
Millenium 2001 Dance Exhibition Champion
USCSC Dance Sport Championships
Holland Hassen World Dance Exhibition Champion
South African Dance Championship
Heritage Exhibition (North Carolina) Champion




They've appeared on SCD in South Africa, USA, Italy, Russia UK
How many of our other professionals have been invited to appear on other series.

I don't think you're so different from a lot of the posters here after all...hehe. You have an emotional involvement when you watch Hanna dance, and it's that emotional involvement from watching training and getting to know the personalities of the pros and celebrities involved that causes so many of us to enjoy particular performances on the show. A great dance is a great dance, but it's elevated to another level if you have that emotional attachment to the people who are performing it... IMO anyway.

Thank you for that .

For what was supposed to be such a happy and light hearted thread where we could look back on the series in a nice way, I feel so disappointed.

Oh, and it's true about the emoitional attachment, that's a very valid point.

Because I know Hanna's personality the way that I do, and because of the things that she has done for me in the past purely out of kindness, it just upsets me so much to read when people say bad things about her.

My favourite pro dances have to be the quickstep, I loved it!

And also, for comedic value, the cha cha routine the men did with Girls Aloud

Ah I forgot the QS, very fun and upbeat, I loved the entry of the boys.

yeah the girls aloud one was pretty entertaining .....those girls were bloody lucky!

Good grief, I'd like to know what I said that was considered "bad things about Hanna" - I merely gave my view on their exhibition, probably as strongly as you Becca always give your view on how superior your faves are compared to the other pros who you dismiss out of hand.

As it turns out, you're personally involved with Hanna, that's nice for you, but it would be helpful if you didn't always state your opinions as *indisputable fact* rather than the *opinions* of a Dance Fan, which is what we all are.

We're all expressing our own feelings and responses to a performance, and should be allowed to do so without being shouted down by a few forum members who think their views matter more.

Body shape matters alot, for instance watching Giselle over Christmas, I found I enjoyed the performance of Marianella Nunez who played the Queen of the Willis more than Alina Cojocaru in the lead role, even though Cojocaru is a technically very accomplished dancer - that's my personal preference, I found Nunez more aesthetically pleasing, dramatically compelling and interesting. I'd be happy to discuss that with anybody, that's why I post on forums, I'm rather sad that gritty felt the need to chastise me for posting a view in response to your post. I frankly don't understand this forum sometimes.

It just came across as though you didn't understand what you were talking about, as you dismissed Exhibition dancing as being just gymnastics and acrobatics without even considering the artistry and technique behind it, it confused me greatly. I don't understand why as a self confessed dancing fan, you didn't notice that at all. The only possible explanation of that for me would be narrow-mindedness, which is exactly what I suggested that.

I agree that many performers don't demonstrate these qualities within their performance, but with Hanna's previous Latin and Ballet training, she actually does . . . and to an extremely high standard as well, which must be why she is regarded as such a model exponent.

Talking of body shape though, when you look at the majority of Exhibition ladies they are the same build as Hanna, it seems that it is the standard way to be within the discipline. This is also quite commonly seen within Latin as well. I wouldn't expect to see anything else while watching an Exhibition performance.

I think I could back up any of my opinions with valid facts, when I say that I think person A is superior to person B.
Last edited by * Becca * : 07-01-2007 at 00:17

[quote=La Rhumba]Ugh! That was truly awful and ugly, and bore no relation to Dance as far as I could see.
Just gymnastics and acrobatics with a few random steps thrown in. If that's considered *world class* spare me!

QUOTE]
Have to say i agree, what they did was amazing, but i don't feel it fitted in at all with the show, which is all about dancing and i for one wouldn't count that as dance but like you say gymnastics and acrobatics!

What makes it dance it not what is actually is, but it is in the way that it is executed.

You hear the judges say that on SCD all the time, don't you, though?

Just 'placing' an arm is not enough, it is part of a figure within a dance, but it is not danced without the fluidity and control and artistry behind it.

Surely somebody has to understand what I mean?

Becca, please can you answer a question for me. How long has Hannah and Victor's style of dancing been 'Exhibition'?

They began their partnership in September 2004.

Thanks, Becca, just trying to take in all thats been posted.

Oo, goodness - a really heated debate there! Interesting stuff though ...

As a complete layperson, despite having my very definite favourites , I revere, admire and am in awe of ALL the professional dancers and would only ever comment that I didn't particularly enjoy a routine, rather than judge the performance, because all the professional dance performances were just fabulous to my untutored eye.

Even though Hanna and Victor's dance wasn't (dare I say it) my favourite and I know nothing of that particular artform, I could still see that it was superb, and their execution of it first class. It just wasn't my favourite!

Btw - who's better at the AT than Vincent and Flavia? I'd love to see them!