I cannot wait to see the tour.
I think Rachel, Jill, Gethin and Tom will be the four standout but it will be interesting to see which of the girls is more popular.
I think rachel will be as shes just as good technically as Jill but also has the advantage of just recently being on.
Also Gethin V Tom will be a good one as they both have the same pro partner. I like them both Gethin slighly edges it for me but i still think Tom will win most the dates.

I think Jill will be far more popular despite winner a few years back. She has never really lost her popularity and she has far more personality than Rachel, who is nowhere near her level technically. I think she stands a chance of winning the most venues.

I think you may have a point as far as personality is concerned....but Rachel can outdance Jill in certain dances and to say she's 'nowhere near' technically is at best an exaggeration IMO.

Rachel isn't a patch on Jill, imo.

Rachel is good, but Jill is something else, both technically and personality wise.

Sorry, Endemoniada, but as a dance teacher I have to disagree. Technically Jill is far superior to Rachel in my opinion and I do not believe she can outdance Jill at all. Still, we will see on the tour.

I think in terms of the boys, Gethin has the edge because he has got amazing technique as well as performance. But I have to say Gethin is paired with Flavia on the tour next year because Tom obviously has Camilla.

From Hayley

My other half is going and she is paying most of her money to see jill, she loved her
She liked rachel, but rachel just didn't do anything for her, and as for gethin, I think she would run off with him anyday, in spite of my love for Christine

I know a dance teacher who disagrees with you...but I'm well aware that being a teacher doesn't absolve someone of human failings like errors of judgment or bias or exaggeration.

Well at least I am basing my opinion on first hand knowledge, not acquired second hand knowledge. And why should I be biaised or having an error of judgement, just because you do not agree??? I am stating my opinion, as I am entitled to do and basing it on my own expertise and not someone else's opinion. I accept that you are entitled to your own opinion, based on whatever. Obviously you do not feel that I am entitled to do the same.

I am going to see the live show for the first time in the new year
Can someone explain to me what happens - from this thread it sounds as though it will be a competition, whereas I had thought it would just be a display of different dances (not that I mind either way!)

It is a competition, marked as usual by the judges who again mark out of 10 as in the show. The audience in the auditorium then vote by mobile (like the public do in the real show) and the two marks are added together to give the winner. They keep it as close to the format of the show as possible, with group dances and a pro dance (Matthew and Kristina in 2009)

So where did your knowledge come from?

And don't try to put words in my keyboard....I've not tried to deny your entitlement to anything.

Thank you Dancingles! I'm even more excited now!

My knowledge comes from the fact that I have been dancing since six years old, have been teaching for around 20 years, and know most of the pro dancers on the show personally. I have even competed against some of them in the past.I am also qualified to judge. So I think my credentials for judging technique are probably reasonably good.

I will not be answering any future responses, as it is clearly a waste of time, and we are not discussing from an equal knowledge base.

Come on guys! Its Christmas!

Good...I get the last word.

There's no reason at all why useful discussions can't proceed between parties whose knowledge is unequal. For all I know you discuss dancing technique with your students despite the fact they may have less knowledge than you.

Well put Dancingless and I totally agree. Jill had the personality and technical expertise. Alesha had attitude and excitement, but nowhere near the skill of Jill.

Last night Jill was amazing, Alesha more what Craig would call lumpy and clumpy, but as always fun to watch.

Tom blew me away, but again not technically as good.

So for me:
1st Jill
joint 2nd Ramps and Tom
4th Alesha
5th Natasha
6th Darren - if only Colin hadn't done the dummy routine!

Whats alesha got to do with this thread. Shes not even doing the tour.
why is it jill fans ALWAYS have to bring alesha into everything. Can you not just support your favourite without bringing someone else down. Oh well i suppose its a compliment to Alesha that you cant stop talking about her even in threads that dont even involve her.
This thread is about rachel v jil by the looks of it NOT alesha.

I'd like to see it again but, I thought Alesha and Jill were quite heavy footed and sluggish last night. I actually thought Darren Gough was the best out of the 4 celebs! Maybe after a few weeks Jill might catch up but, at the moment I think Rachel is more than a match for her!

Rachel is just so bland even if she is technically good. Personally i think Jill would beat her hands down because she lights up the floor when she dances, rachel leaves me cold.:yawn:

It will be interesting to see what dances they all end up doing - I presume the tour producers will tell Jill she has to do her Jive.

I think last year they tried to have a real variety of dances and not have too many of the couples do the same ones - that's the only reason I can think of for why poor Letitia had to do the Jive rather than her fantastic Paso since Darren & Chris Parker both did their Paso's.

I think they both have relative strengths and weaknesses. I don't think comparisons always have to be black-and-white.

In any event, both were very consistent perfromers.

I was lucky enough to see Gethin recently and he told me he was probably doing Waltz and Salsa on tour.

I loved his waltz but i think i prefer Toms salsa to his.

No contest Tom or Jill or Gethin are going to win every single tour date. I don't think Rachel comes close.