On the road ...

The Strictly Come Dancing live tour has officially begun! Hands up whose excited!!

Ok, so having not seen the show (yet!!) I cant give a review, and wouldnt want to give spoilers so Im basically just venting a little excitement!

I have seen the Strictly Pro's twice before, with SCD live. But I feel this will be so much more. No celebrities, no judges. Just pure proffesional dancing. Its that I anticipate seeing so much. I long to dance proffesionally, I adore it and seeing those at the top of their game will truly be a dream come true for me. I am in such awe of these people what they do amazes me, the sheer talent that they possess is spellbinding.

Im so excited about this, its actually unreal.

Row B ( omgggg)

59 days.

Bring it on!

Ohhh Supadance

So many shoes, so little money! I am currently lusting over the new supadance crystal collection ...

I possess at the moment those lovely shoes pictured below ( although mine are a fair bit worn ) and I adore them. But who can resist sparkly shoes!?

My new wishlist!

Oh how I love these shoes! ... but the tragic thing is, I will NEVER own a pair. The sizing limit is 7. My dance shoes are 7.5. Foot reduction please?!

For those interested in the shoes pictured they are -
Top image

• Ballroom style 1004
• Latin Style 1516

Bottom Image -

• Crystal collection style 1544
• Crystal collection style 1058
• Crystal collection style 1542

All images and information from Supadance.com ( no copy right intended, just sharing info on their lovely shoes)

http://www.supadance.com

Daylight Robbery..

Ok so not quite.
Buut ... Things are slow on the blogging front, so Ive been trawling through my youtube favourites and found what has to be my ultimate FAVOURITE ever SCD moment.


Im talking about the genius that was ... Richard Dunwoody and Lilia Kopylova's cha cha cha.
I absolutely 100% can say that it is my ultimate highlight.

The fact that he went so convincingly wrong, yet maintianed a superb showmans smile and the attitude of a true perfomer. You can tell from the routine that both celeb and professional are totally aware of his 'talent' so the dance has been crafted to suit that. I totally admire Lilia for the fact that she still dances like she would with Darren, when with a complete amature ( and lets be honest, shes had enough practice). I personally feel that the routine encapsulates what SCD is about, the fun, the dancing and the sheer hard work that was put into it.


Lilia's routine was simple, but effective. It featured basic steps and showy elements that played to her partners strengths. Well it would have if he had done the proper one!!
As for the dance off .... I spent £7 trying to keep Richard and Lilia in the show so was GUTTED when they got knocked out by Craig Kelly.Not only because I had used nearly a weeks phone credit.... but more importantly my favourite Proffesional had been voted out in week 2! ( to make it worse, Darren closely followed suit!)
Richard I felt gave more to it, you could see that by watching him, and Craigs 'dancing' in the following weeks ... well, in hindsight, was it the right choice!


Regardless ... I still loved it, and them!
And here it is - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkDtqZfwUxc

Heading for trouble?

The future of our Strictly Proffesionals appear to be in jepordy, according to the News of the World. Desparate to win the ratings battle with the X factor ( which come on face it is looking ever more unlikely) the BBC are looking to shake up the current format of Strcitly, aiming for a fresher more appealing show. Their first move in said revamp is the rumoured axid so many of the current proffesional dancers. Those named to be in the danger zone at this point in time, include Anton Du Beke, Darren Bennett,Lilia Kopylova, Ian Waite, Natalie Lowe, Aliona Vilani, Katya Virshilas and Erin Boag. It is reported that ten new dancers are required for season eight, meaning that with the likelyhood that the number of couples is reduced on two of our current proffesionals will remian.


HOWEVER ... the article also says that, Brendan Cole, Matthew Cutler, Flavia Cacace, Vincent Simone, James Jordan and Ola Jordan are reportedly all safe. So how does that work. They want 12 couples, and are hiring ten new ones. So with the new crop, and those listed above, we are still left with 16. I sense a serious crossing of wires here. Mentioned in a previous post, I can only hope that the NOTW have also mistaken the request for 10 dancers, and taken it literally, rather than in the sense that they require those competant in as 10 dancers.


Personally, I dont see this as a strategy thats going to pull in more viewers... more likely it is going to result in a steeper decline in ratings as people will start switching off in the abscence of their favourites. I am not saying that the introduction of a few new faces will do any harm to the show, I just feel the BBC are targeting the wrong area. People have expressed how they feel areas such as the judging panel, who experienced the BBC backlash last year, are in need of a revamp,many people still being anti - Alesha Dixon.


Since the report was published many different groups of support have appeared on facebook and digital spy showing suport for our proffesional dancers. So it is clear that the public are opposed to said overhaul.


Based upon the source of the article, we can only hope that it is being stirred up in order to create publicity, and there is little to no truth in the matter. But sadly I doubt it.

My Strictly dance life

Ok, so inspired by the vt's from SCD ITT, in previous years, I have decided to track my own dance life. Seeing as Im moving away at the end of the summer, I felt now would be a good time as ever to note down what I have actually achieved.


Being an Ametur Medalist dancer, my story will obviously not be as impressive as those told on Strictly, but here it is all the same.


I first started dancing aged three, I was technically to young to attend the class, however, my Nan, having taken my Mum and Auntie to the same class, took me along regardless. It was nothing fancy, a group of older ladies teaching a group of children how to step and point for the majority of it. Every saturday me and a friend would drag our parents to sit and watch, cramped along the side of the church hall with other ' enthusiastic' audience memebers.


I remained in this class for six years, as when I turned nine years old, the main teacher retired, thus leading to the imminent closure of the dance school. Throughout the six years at Keynsham dance school, I learnt the basic, fundemental skills that would help me to develop through the examined stages of medallist dancing. I achieved tweleve rosettes, the first exam being taken in May 1995( 4 months after my 4th birthday). It seems odd to me now that the first dance exam I took was based upon the two dances that I now struggle the most with. - Samba and Foxtrot.


The other dances examined at rosette level followed within the next three years. Completing exams in Quickstep, Two step ( 1996), Rumba, Old time Tango, slow Waltz, quick Waltz and Cha cha cha ( 1997), The final three being Paso Doble, Tango and  Rock 'n' Roll taken in 1998.
Following the rosettes, I took a series of one dance exams ... which lead to what I didnt know then, a period of time that would seal my love for Ballroom and Latin dance.


My attempts at dance have not always remained within the field of ballroom and latin however, once my teahcer retired, a street dance company took over and out of habit, the ballroom class began to inhabit the new school. Speaking entierly for my self here, it wasnt a good idea. My rhythm and coordination escaped me, and I felt awkward and out of place within the class. Yet I still stayed there for a year, and managed to
take and pass one exam in that short time. Looking back now .. thats nothing short of a miricle!


Thankfully ... a year later, a friend told me she was going to ballroom lessons again - taking me with her, and its that class that I have been with for approaching on 10 years.
Ive had varied success in this class, ive competed and taken exams.

Terrys dance school 2005 - Medal presentation day. ( I am front right ( green top and glasses thankfully not looking like that now!) - medals are 1st gold bar in B/room and Latin. Im also holding my gold award in C/S)

Since joining Terrys dance school, I have taken 9 exams, the 10th approaching ever so rapidly. This works out at approximately 90 different sequences learnt so far.
Each time you are examined you get a report card, each dance you start with 100 points, and for each mistake you lose points. Looking over my reports my highest being 95/100 for Classical sequence and 85/100 for Balroom and Latin. My lowest scores have been 70/100 ( just a pass) again in Sequence ... which I will hold my hands up and say that I am pretty shocking at, the 95 points being a fluke!


Competitions havent always been my strong point either ... I usually get on the floor to dance and freak out. I did come first place in Paso Doble however, when I was about 14/15. But only because I was the only competitor. I still had to dance for it though!


Currently working towards my third stars in Ballroom and Latin, and second star in Classical Sequence ... it feels like I have been dancing forever. I suppose I have really.


Few more pictures to add - once I figure out how to get them on the pc !

Will they wont they?

Its only just April, yet the speculation has already begun as to who will return for Strictly season 8.

It has been released that the BBC are looking for new proffessional dancers, to quote " ten dancers" but thats not exactly clear. Do they mean in the literal sense, ten people, or those who compete in ten dance competitions, does it mean that the BBC will shortlist and only require one or two new comers, or is it the beginning of one of the most radical decisions yet? The dismissal of ten professional dancers, making way for a predominantly new cast ready for 2010?

Personally, I hope the latter is not the case! ... By axing ten professionals, whom of which by now will have most likely devloped their own fan base, my guess is will act against the show, leading people to switch off in the abscence of their favourite profesional dancers. It is common knowledge that many of the pro's have embarked on their own projects, thus making them no longer exclusive to SCD, so does this mean that they could be for the chop? On that basis ( purely hypothetical ) Anton, Erin, Brendan, Katya, Darren, Lilia ( sob!) Vincent, Flavia would be for it. Brian and Kristina being safe on these grounds for the work done on DOW, keeping it Beeb. If those were the grounds in which they were to be dismissed ( unfairly of course) we would see the loss of eight pros, many of them being favourites with the public.

I agree that the show does need a shake up, but is that really the way to go about it? I personally think its the panel, or the presenters that need a revamp. Many people have grown tired of Brucies "gags" and much like myself felt that having Claudia present the main show gave a freshness to the show that it now seems to be lacking.

However ... I really hope it doesnt head toward the DWTS style, loosing the dance element for a more showbiz, glitzy affair, which to be frank would make me switch off ... ( well not quite, but I would not be happy about it!!!)

On a lighter note :) ... the speculation towards the new contestants has also kicked into full swing on digital spy. People suggesting sporting names, actors, singers and the like, such examples including - Andrew Flintoff, Jamie Lomas, Linda Barker and Angelica Bell. But only time will tell.

Roll on August, when we find out the truth about whos in and whos out.

Un expected

Casting my mind back, I dont know what I thought Ricky Whittle would dance like, but I certainly wasnt expecting this ....

www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEkr1Kv6EQI&playnext_from=TL&videos=OKpT7dDuGIM


Not too sure about her on stage choreography, the whole under the arm/skirt thing doesnt do it for me ...But its a beautiful dance, and it still gives me goosebumps!

Apologies for poor qualiy picture ... print screen image.

Latin Emotion

Andrew Cuerdan and Hanna Haarala -

Names Ive not heard in a while! ...

Andrew and Hanna starred in Strictly 3, gracing out screens for a single series ...

So ... where are they now?

Currently touring with Brendan Cole, Andrew and Hanna have also put together their own cabaret show, 'Latin Emotion' performing in events across the country for a variety of clientele. Performing six dances the couple provide a whirlwind look into the world of Ballroom and Latin dance, giving the opportunity for a quick lesson before the show. Dance holidays and showcases cabarets and classes, its safe to say that they are still pretty busy!