Part of me is thinking that, but according to the rules,
So in theory, it has all been chosen by now. Not sure how accurate this is, as at least one country had definitely not finished its televised national selection by 11 July.

It is all a bit odd that nothing has been announced though, last year we knew by now who it would be. And I definitely agree that any pro is going to be reluctant to associate themselves with this, not only is it pretty tacky but there's no chance of us doing well.

I can't help hoping it's none of my favourites!

My favourite so far is Portugal, I've seen their dance on youtube its [b]OUTSTANDING.[/] Sweden and Denmark are also very good as well. Austria are not good
SCD WINNERS 2007 ALESHA DIXON AND MATTHEW CUTLER SHOULD REPRESENT THE UK!

Something strange is definitely happening.
According to ESCKaz, Greece has announced their participants to be Jason Rotidis and Tonya Kosovich, famous professional couple, which also took part in the famous dance show Burn The Floor with Matther and Nicole Cutler and other top dancers.
As Azerbaijan has also selected professional couple, it looks like either the rules have been changed back, or at least some countries granted exemption.

Well even though that is grossly unfair, I kind of hope they're allowed to be on it because they're great!

I just noticed on ESCKaz, one of their pictures is actually the Viennese Waltz on the Strictly tour!
http://esckaz.com/edc/2008/concerts-events-6.jpg

Russia and the UK are now the only countries not to announce their representatives.

They have also used Matt & Flavia's oversway from their semi final perfect waltz

Where's that?

Go into website and top left inside the star is the perfect oversway

I'm not being funny but are you sure that's them? If so, that could be a bit of a tell, because the 2007 images were Ian and Camilla.

I actually thought a while ago that they were possibles, although with everything that's been in the press recently I wouldn't have thought either of them would be that keen.

Katie You are talking to a Mavia follower here
We have discussed this at great lengths (like we do) we have disected, overlayed, underlaid and whatever else laid and I think most of us are in agreement that it is, besides which we/I must have watched this a million times

Although I don't think it means anything, I shouldn't think they have the time, though it would be nice to see them dance again.

I can vouch for Spenny here! It definitely looks like them in their Waltz..but I just think it is coincidence that they used their pic. Would love to see them dance again though!

Actually, I don't think it is them. Take a look at the 2007 logo: http://esckaz.com/edc/eurotanssit_tausta.jpg

Sorry

You are probably right Katie but in our own little world it's them

... six months before they met? That must take some imagining!

Ha.......of course, the glass is always 1/2 full in Mavaria

Her partner (Kyryl, with whom she danced in Dancing With Stars 3, international edition) was unluckily injured during training sessions just one month before the contest, but they managed to escape withdrawal. Lilia will dance now with Sergey Kostetskiy, her partner from Ukrainian Dancing With Stars 2, and probably now they will face very tough month of preparations.

Greece are being represented by Tonia Kosovich and Jason Roditis. I LOVE these two, for anyone who's seen Burn the Floor, they're the Australian couple (but live and work in Greece now I think).

http://hk.youtube.com/watch?v=LCw0QbfK1rs

So am I right in assuming the couples are now all professional dancers and not professional/celeb?

It's difficult to tell. All couples that were selected before Heads of Delegations meeting on July 11th were pro/celeb. It seems, however, that some countries faced problems selecting celebrity couples and probably were granted exemption from the rule. Currently, there are 2 professional couples Azerbaijan (active dancers) and Greece (retired 7 years ago). There is absolutely no official statement on the fact of allowance of this couples by organizers of competition, and rules published still state that all couples should be professional + celebrity.
I feel it will be big disadvantage for the couples selected earlier. Greeks were amazing in their time, and the video above shows they still are strong (they were coaches and judges in Greek version of So you think you can dance last year). Azerbaijanis have particulary good choice of music IMO, Phantom of the Opera and combining it with elements of national dance should be spectacular.

Jason and Tonia are definitely pro/pro. I get the feeling other countries will get away with it, but when UK eventually choose and if they choose pro/pro rather than pro/am we'll get shot down.

One rule for one, one rule for another.

Don't really think we stand a chance either way to be honest

Can't understand why they keep entering us into these things when the snubbing and humiliation is pretty much an eventuality!

I didn't watch last year's were Brendan and Camilla deserving of 2nd last? (sorry to go off topic ) Weren't Len and Bruno commentating - did they think it was deserving? (for what it's worth )

And agree that Burn the Floor is totally fabulous! the Cutler jive

I agree Chauncy.

They were definitely NOT deserving of 2nd to last. I went to the rehearsal and I think out of all of them there, they should have been in the top 5. For one, they can actually dance. And their freestyle actually represented our country and was a damn sight more interesting to watch than the majority. I sat there trying not to laugh at some of the 2freestyle" entries..entertaining they were, representing dance and their country, they did not.

I think Len and Bruno liked B&C's routines, I mean who couldn't. Their rumba was just beautiful to watch, and their freestyle combined the majority of the latin dances, with some gimmicks but mainly just a really good dance!

Have just found their dances on youtube, can't be bothered watching the other countries , and thought they were really enjoyable - the James Bond theme was a fab touch! and there was a lot of content in both (for a dance pleb like me anyway ).

I think I read somewhere on here that some of the other competitors weren't even professional dancers (in terms of competing at Ballroom/Latin to pro standard)(correct me if I'm wrong) so find it hard to believe they could have been so much better for Brendan and Camilla to have deserved ending up where they did.

(hope the above makes sense!)

I think last year there was also the pro/am mix with the amateur being from the country's version of SCD..and although they did well, you could tell the standard was lacking.

I think from what I remember, B&C, Finland and Austria's entries were the only couples who'd competed against each other in a professional capacity..but don't quote me on it.

Last year it was free choice, either pro/pro, or pro/celeb. Top 3 were all professionals: Finland, Ukraine, Ireland. Also professional couples were representing Austria, Denmark, Spain, Lithuania, Netherlands, Greece and UK.
Pro/celeb couples were: Poland, Portugal, Russia, Germany, Sweden and Switzerland. So, majority were professionals.
Surely, Brendan and Camilla didn't deserve 2nd to last place, but to me they appeared a bit cold, like they were not very eager dancing together and their best wish was to end this story as soon as possible. I'd put them somewhere in the middle. Finland were very deserved winners, and I liked Austrians as well. I don't get why Europe is so fond of Irish dancing, I though Irish couple was not very good.

Update: I think official site has removed all archives of last year, but you can find complete information about couples here: http://esckaz.com/edc/index07.htm
And there are plenty of videos on Youtube.

I also watched the start of the Irish couple's jive (used to live there so was interested to see how the couple danced) but stopped not long after they started Maybe it's just me and my lack of dancing knowledge but I thought the woman really wasn't up to scratch (am more than willing to be corrected on that - and like I said I didn't watch the whole dance but just couldn't watch her!)

As for the fondness for Irish dancing - that can be absolutely spectacular when danced by great dancers (IMO), just look at the Riverdance troupe who tour America on US DWTS last year or of course when the company danced at the Eurovision Dublin hosted in the 90s.