Come Dancing in USA (more)

[DanceMentor]

By BECI WOOD
Sun Online

HIT TV show Strictly Come Dancing is waltzing over to the US.

American network ABC has signed a deal with the BBC to make six episodes of the popular series.

Andrea Wong, ABC’s executive vice-president of alternative
Programming said: "I am fully aware that this may sound like the craziest show anyone has ever heard of.

"But in a world where it’s easier for reality series to imitate than innovate, I just loved how fresh the format is."

Meanwhile TV presenter Graham Norton has defended his new spin-off show Strictly Dance Fever after it was blasted by Terry Wogan.



Graham Norton ... excited about Strictly Dance Fever



The veteran broadcaster said the BBC were "beating an idea to death" by creating yet another dancing reality series.

"Bless him", Graham said at the launch of the BBC1 Saturday night show.

"He might have a point there, I don’t know. We have to wait and see. But to me it feels different enough.”

Strictly Dance Fever will feature members of the public rather than celebrities.

Graham added: "We’re not doing Strictly Come Dancing. We have regular people this time.

"What’s nice about it is these people can do something. You can’t just turn up and show off, you have to have ability.



Blast ... Terry Wogan



"Yes, obviously everyone in the show wants to be on TV, but they’ve all been to dance classes since they were kids."

More than 80,000 people auditioned for the show - the oldest was an
89-year-old quickstepper - and they have been whittled down to 30 couples.

Ten will go through to the finals and the winning couple will land £50,000 in prize money.

Graham said: "The people who auditioned were all shapes and sizes.

"Some were just amazing. Some you wouldn’t trust pushing a shopping trolley.

"One woman came in and had a bit of a funny look on her face.

"Then suddenly she vomited into her hand, ate it and carried on dancing."

The series starts this Saturday on BBC1 at 5.55pm.

Full Story (http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2001320029-2005132093,00.html)

[DancePoet]

I don't know whether this is a good idea or not.

[pygmalion]

What's a possible down side, do you think? All I see is positive visibility for dancesport. :? 8)

[Chris Stratton]

What's a possible down side, do you think? All I see is positive visibility for dancesport. :? 8)

Well, they could manage to make it look like something one wouldn't want to be involved in, or make it look like an unreachable challenge.

But hopefully it will work out better than that.

[Laura]

"Strictly Come Dancing" was very popular in the UK, and judging from another dance board I read it has gotten people interested in competitive ballroom dancing.

[Camille]

I have to admit, it was Strictly come dancing that got me interested in ballroom and latin dancing, i saw how fantastic those people looked and i wanted a piece of it. I'm a dance addict now.
I saw Strictly Dance fever, and it is very different, SCD only showed ballroom and latin and it was a celebrity paired up with a professional dancer. SDF is all members of the public and it features a wider variety of dances including swing, disco, line dancing and freestle, as well as the ballroom and latin.

I have found a website for the show if anyone is interested, i will post it.

[Ms_Sunlight]

I saw Strictly Dance fever, and it is very different, SCD only showed ballroom and latin and it was a celebrity paired up with a professional dancer. SDF is all members of the public and it features a wider variety of dances including swing, disco, line dancing and freestle, as well as the ballroom and latin.

I saw the show last week and enjoyed it. Yeah it is different but I really like the variety of dancers. The couples that got through last week all deserved it -- I loved the swing couple and the two that did the hip-hop routine.

[Frodo]

What's a possible down side, do you think? All I see is positive visibility for dancesport. :? 8)

Well, they could manage to make it look like something one wouldn't want to be involved in, or make it look like an unreachable challenge.

But hopefully it will work out better than that.

I think the fact they take non dancer celebrities (for SCD) means its unlikely to look like an unreachable challenge (SDF may be another matter, and I agree that may be a risk). But SCD was unquestionably very successful and I came across lots of positive comment and no negative comment in the generic press.

I disliked the "Come Dancing" predecessor which ended years ago, and thought it did non-competitive ballroom no favours, but SCD has been really helpful, and looks to be improving the ballroom options available.



"Strictly Come Dancing" was very popular in the UK, and judging from another dance board I read it has gotten people interested in competitive ballroom dancing.


I'm not into the competitive dancing side, but local beginners ballroom group classes ( these are social in focus and advertised as such ), have seen a huge increase in the number of beginners due to this show.

(Inevitably some will go on to do competitions).

[pygmalion]

I disliked the "Come Dancing" predecessor which ended years ago, and thought it did non-competitive ballroom no favours, but SCD has been really helpful, and looks to be improving the ballroom options available.



Because it focused primarily on competitive dance? *shrug* No idea. Just asking. 8)

[Frodo]

I disliked the "Come Dancing" predecessor which ended years ago, and thought it did non-competitive ballroom no favours, but SCD has been really helpful, and looks to be improving the ballroom options available.



Because it focused primarily on competitive dance? *shrug* No idea. Just asking. 8)

Yes and no.

A focus on competition / performance would seem pretty inevitable for TV, so I don't know what else it could focus on.

It’s probably true that the amateur competitions, sequins, tanning etc. may not be the best advertisement for social dancing, and excessive competitions/standards can help kill off a dance as a socially popular one.

However the old fashioned music, tired format, and the fact it was let go on so long meant it was arguable (IMHO) whether the benefits of (non peak time) exposure outweighed the resulting image of dancing.

[pygmalion]

Ah. 8)

[devane]

I saw Graham Norton's show on saturday.
Except for one couple those guys weren't dancing "the cuban salsa" . I know they only had a week to practice but it should at least look like salsa. No wonder the judges are so nasty.
At least the show made a effort to get the music vaguely right. There was nothing cuban about the music but it was a lot better than that other show that dances the tango to "another bites the dust" by Queen.
Why is the music never right?
If it promotes dance fine , but I can't watch it.