You obviously survived to tell the tale Frank ! My mum and stepdad met at a dance in the early 60s. She was a divorcee with a child which was frowned upon in those days, and he was just coming to the end of his time in the Navy. They married when l was about 4, and he has always been "dad" to me. She is pretty unwell these days and he is her carer, you can tell by the way she looks at him, that she still loves him to bits. She said the reason she said yes when he asked her out, was because he had a car, so she wouldn't have to catch the bus ! Anyway, back to Strictly........
Watched Charles and Karen on It takes two tonight. I like the fact that when asked who he would like to see win, he replied "Joe". All too often, the answer is "Oh, they are great dancers, l can't answer that". He was quite emotional by the end.
AnniD, Survival was the name of the game, dancing was a dangerous recreation. My partners were always older because a shortage of boys meant girls danced together a lot. Our High School dances were for boy to meet girl from the school next door, Teachers put a flat hand between you to make sure only hands touched, then a couple of the women teachers would ask me to dance pulling me so close our bones melded. A girl in Wales took me home and I found the Welsh dragon exists, her Mother. Bordon Hants, my partners Father was the local poacher who let me know he was a crack shot with his 12 bore. Chester i was introduced to the table system, a Waaf and ATS camps plus a Nurses training college meant again a shortage of men. You were chosen to join a table of girls and you danced with each in turn, if another table tried to kidnap you all war broke loose. The Middle east and leave in Port Said a WVS camp run by ladies as old as my Mother who could off course dance. The Duenna's with young kinfolk would advance on you saying "You will dance with my Niece" not exactly or else but the threat was there. going over bowing and asking for a dance with this very demure young lady and off round a quite large and packed room you were suddenly dancing with an Octopus getting kissed and stroke then suddenly as Duenna came back into sight butter would not melt. I stuck with the WVS ladies one a war widow who had lived just down the lane from my Uncles Farm in Goathland she knew the family and myself from the communal Billberry picking when the whole area turned out on the Hill Side. She took me places I had never been including a Banquet, memorable indeed after months in the Desert. As a Lad a quick wit silver tongue and being able to do the four minute mile helped but best of all was the toilet in the yard. Things got sticky it was excuse me a minute while I pay a visit, a well placed bin and over the wall then sparks flew from your heels. Happy days. Frank.
I suspect that you still have the quick wit and the silver tongue Frank. I remember mum and dad going out dancing, especially around this time of year. I have her bag with the sparkly clip that l was allowed to play with now and again !
Some people just look for something or someone to complain about and denigrate.
Lots of people have innate rhythm but that doesn't mean they have the physical discipline or coordination or step memory to perform well on a show like Strictly. In our dance class there are people younger and fitter than us but they don't pick up the steps as quickly or remember them from one week to the next.
It may well be that, having had to learn routines for the Pussycat Dolls, Ashley had an inkling of what was to come but that doesn't mean she had any understanding of the demands, intricacies and deportment required to master Latin and Ballroom. She has come a long way, as has Faye who also had to jiggle to pop music in her previous career.
Having said all that, both are great to watch but neither is as appealing as Joe, Lauren or Stacey and I wish Ashley would soften her right arm in ballroom.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
I am with Obelixx on that, all top dancers started at a young age and it was practice and more practice, Bootee shaking is not dancing. My interest has sagged though I would love to see Lauren or Joe win, they have come from rabbits in the headlights to pretty competent dancers probably because they both are well practiced in concentration. Frank.
GWRS, in my young days it was Bustle shaking in a very sedate manner. Mainly Old Fashioned Dancing the ladies wore balloon skirts often with many layers of underskirt, getting close and intimate was so labour intensive you went back to shovelling coal. I was glad when I started the modern dance classes though doing the Rumba with Ruby gave you more of a sweat than shovelling coal. Frank.
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Anyway, back to Strictly........
A girl in Wales took me home and I found the Welsh dragon exists, her Mother. Bordon Hants, my partners Father was the local poacher who let me know he was a crack shot with his 12 bore. Chester i was introduced to the table system, a Waaf and ATS camps plus a Nurses training college meant again a shortage of men. You were chosen to join a table of girls and you danced with each in turn, if another table tried to kidnap you all war broke loose.
The Middle east and leave in Port Said a WVS camp run by ladies as old as my Mother who could off course dance. The Duenna's with young kinfolk would advance on you saying "You will dance with my Niece" not exactly or else but the threat was there. going over bowing and asking for a dance with this very demure young lady and off round a quite large and packed room you were suddenly dancing with an Octopus getting kissed and stroke then suddenly as Duenna came back into sight butter would not melt. I stuck with the WVS ladies one a war widow who had lived just down the lane from my Uncles Farm in Goathland she knew the family and myself from the communal Billberry picking when the whole area turned out on the Hill Side. She took me places I had never been including a Banquet, memorable indeed after months in the Desert.
As a Lad a quick wit silver tongue and being able to do the four minute mile helped but best of all was the toilet in the yard. Things got sticky it was excuse me a minute while I pay a visit, a well placed bin and over the wall then sparks flew from your heels. Happy days.
Frank.
Lots of people have innate rhythm but that doesn't mean they have the physical discipline or coordination or step memory to perform well on a show like Strictly. In our dance class there are people younger and fitter than us but they don't pick up the steps as quickly or remember them from one week to the next.
It may well be that, having had to learn routines for the Pussycat Dolls, Ashley had an inkling of what was to come but that doesn't mean she had any understanding of the demands, intricacies and deportment required to master Latin and Ballroom. She has come a long way, as has Faye who also had to jiggle to pop music in her previous career.
Having said all that, both are great to watch but neither is as appealing as Joe, Lauren or Stacey and I wish Ashley would soften her right arm in ballroom.
My interest has sagged though I would love to see Lauren or Joe win, they have come from rabbits in the headlights to pretty competent dancers probably because they both are well practiced in concentration.
Frank.
I was glad when I started the modern dance classes though doing the Rumba with Ruby gave you more of a sweat than shovelling coal.
Frank.