LG, Some of the times I danced at the Hammersmith they would hold dance competitions between the regular dancing. The contestants would sweep onto the floor and strut their stuff in front of four or six judges one usual being Peggy Spencer and I presume one would be Frank (not me). Normal dancing would continue then the final with usually the last six in each category it was certainly a sight to see for a very young and keen dancer like me. A couple of times I danced with a Lady eliminated in earlier rounds and was once asked if i was interested in training as her partner, no idea how old she was but had you taken off the matt make up they all wore then I would probably have been looking at my mother?
The Frank & Peggy Spencer formation team was a sight to behold! My cousin was a member, so, when we watched the (old format) Strictly Come Dancing, we always felt duty-bound to support the South East, represented by their formations!
It was generally good fun, although I hated the dresses in the ballroom dances - ". . . and here is Betty, who sewed on the 1,000 sequins herself, on the million yards of net" Ugh - they were huge and ungainly. At least the modern costumes, still glittery, of course, are less voluminous!
I know that I shall be frustrated by all the hype, the silly lighting, the unrecognisable music and swooping camera shots. I know that there will be the contestants with two left feet, who face either the "fun" public vote or early doors - but it is still something to be enjoyed through the dark days of autumn!
And I have no idea who a lot of the celebrities are. At the end of the day, it probably doesn't matter. Last year's "Singin' in the Rain" number was my personal favourite. I hope there is another stand-out performance this year, too.
SV, I watched my Granddaughter back in May at their wedding in just such a full skirted wedding dress as the couple did the wedding waltz. They had definitely practiced though Sarah did dance when a teenager, Andrew managed to not trip over the dress or get his feet tangled in it, memories flooded back of how difficult that was as you danced in a shower of sequins.
You are correct, it will be frustrating to the older ones among us although this is not our world any more, if the younger element get entertainment out of it who are we to argue. I will watch with a big clamp on my mouth, all the cushions stacked behind the couch so I cannot throw them at the TV and my slippers glued to my feet for the same reason. We will see some good dancing around week eight as the best come to the front, until then I will take it for what it is, entertainment for the masses.
GWRS, my cushion barrage is not only for SCD it also erupts when political pundits are spouting, experts are telling us all what is good for us, and I accidentally turn on Corporation Street or any of the other soaps. That is the time I usually manage to drop the remote it vanishes under the chair somewhere and I cannot get the TV changed over fast enough. The air takes on a distinct purple haze around me as it does when the GBP vote back on Strictly some one who should never have been on in the first place.
The Blackpool weekend is the one I look forward to it brings back such wonderful memories of Dancing there from an early age to a few years ago, my Daughter has gone there just to dance for a few years now, how i wish.
My brain has been turning somersaults as I tried to remember who presented Come Dancing all those years ago, my Daughter and I were eating bacon sandwiches today when the name popped into my head, MacDonald Hobley. I can now rest easy.
Posts
LG, Some of the times I danced at the Hammersmith they would hold dance competitions between the regular dancing. The contestants would sweep onto the floor and strut their stuff in front of four or six judges one usual being Peggy Spencer and I presume one would be Frank (not me). Normal dancing would continue then the final with usually the last six in each category it was certainly a sight to see for a very young and keen dancer like me. A couple of times I danced with a Lady eliminated in earlier rounds and was once asked if i was interested in training as her partner, no idea how old she was but had you taken off the matt make up they all wore then I would probably have been looking at my mother?
Frank.
The Frank & Peggy Spencer formation team was a sight to behold! My cousin was a member, so, when we watched the (old format) Strictly Come Dancing, we always felt duty-bound to support the South East, represented by their formations!
It was generally good fun, although I hated the dresses in the ballroom dances - ". . . and here is Betty, who sewed on the 1,000 sequins herself, on the million yards of net" Ugh - they were huge and ungainly. At least the modern costumes, still glittery, of course, are less voluminous!
I know that I shall be frustrated by all the hype, the silly lighting, the unrecognisable music and swooping camera shots. I know that there will be the contestants with two left feet, who face either the "fun" public vote or early doors - but it is still something to be enjoyed through the dark days of autumn!
And I have no idea who a lot of the celebrities are. At the end of the day, it probably doesn't matter. Last year's "Singin' in the Rain" number was my personal favourite. I hope there is another stand-out performance this year, too.
SV, I watched my Granddaughter back in May at their wedding in just such a full skirted wedding dress as the couple did the wedding waltz. They had definitely practiced though Sarah did dance when a teenager, Andrew managed to not trip over the dress or get his feet tangled in it, memories flooded back of how difficult that was as you danced in a shower of sequins.
You are correct, it will be frustrating to the older ones among us although this is not our world any more, if the younger element get entertainment out of it who are we to argue. I will watch with a big clamp on my mouth, all the cushions stacked behind the couch so I cannot throw them at the TV and my slippers glued to my feet for the same reason. We will see some good dancing around week eight as the best come to the front, until then I will take it for what it is, entertainment for the masses.
Frank.
Frank , I bet you gave a lot of cushions deadly for the ?
GWRS, my cushion barrage is not only for SCD it also erupts when political pundits are spouting, experts are telling us all what is good for us, and I accidentally turn on Corporation Street or any of the other soaps. That is the time I usually manage to drop the remote it vanishes under the chair somewhere and I cannot get the TV changed over fast enough. The air takes on a distinct purple haze around me as it does when the GBP vote back on Strictly some one who should never have been on in the first place.
The Blackpool weekend is the one I look forward to it brings back such wonderful memories of Dancing there from an early age to a few years ago, my Daughter has gone there just to dance for a few years now, how i wish.
Frank.
My brain has been turning somersaults as I tried to remember who presented Come Dancing all those years ago, my Daughter and I were eating bacon sandwiches today when the name popped into my head, MacDonald Hobley. I can now rest easy.
Frank.
Frank, that's a name from the dim and distant past.
I had forgotten about him.
I've never heard of him
SGL - you are far too young to have heard of him
I've never heard of him, either. But didn't Peter West do it for a while? And, of course, in latter years, the memorable Terry Wogan.