Ship of Fools: Strictly

Thread: Strictly - new judge Board: Heaven / Ship of Fools.

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Posted by SusanDoris (# 12618) on :

I can't see a 2017 Strictly thread yet...
I would be most interested to hear opinions of the new judge in last night's show. I thought she was weak, far too inclined to give a good mark because she enjoyed it. I thought she was supposed to be strict on technique and although it was only the first show, I think she set the wrong tone.

Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on :

I have watched half. She seemed lenient, but then the first week is always a strange one - judges tend to mark either high to encourage or low because they are not very good yet.

I am surprised that she is head judge. I think it would have been better for a more experienced judge. But I will give her a few more weeks yet.

Posted by SusanDoris (# 12618) on :

Thank you - it will certainly be interesting to see how she comments and marks in future weeks. I have to say I am not hopeful, but will quickly change my mind if I am wrong! [Smile]

Posted by Sarasa (# 12271) on :

It might take a while for her to settle in, we were saying last night how much better as a judge Darcy has become since she first started. Having said that Shirley seemed a bit too much like Darcy and there was no one doing a Len saying 'Good dance but not a Foxtrot' or whatever which I missed.

Posted by Gill H (# 68) on :

She has years of ballroom experience and has been a judge on the US version.

She mentioned a lot of the steps done (perhaps to prove her credentials to the audience).

I think she approached the first week very much as a teacher - wanting to encourage in the early states.

Posted by Roseofsharon (# 9657) on :

I thought she was a bit too nice, and marked rather high, but as Shroedinger's cat said, the first week is a bit strange. It must be difficult to find the right tone, but I expect she will find a consistent line after a couple of weeks. It maybe a bit soon to judge her performance.
I did like her comments on the footwork, picking out specific steps to commend - even if most of the dance was iffy.

Am I the only one who thought she both looked and sounded a bit like Arlene Phillips did when she was judging? I found it slightly disconcerting.

Posted by quetzalcoatl (# 16740) on :

I liked her. I was fearing someone very strict, but she's not. I don't know whether she can withstand Bruno's groping, which Len put up with. She's also up for a laugh, which seems essential.

Posted by Hugal (# 2734) on :

She is a great comp judge and knows her stuff. She is very good on technique. I was very happy when she was chosen. She marks a little high to encourage at the moment, that will change as the series goes on

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :

I like her, she’s not afraid to be herself. She shows emotion when she feels it but is also critical when necessary.

Posted by Gracious rebel (# 3523) on :

I've been wondering about what the significance is (if any!) when she puts her glasses on to deliver her verdict. I think that on each of the first two shows she only did it for one couple but on this week's it happened twice.

Posted by luvanddaisies (# 5761) on :

... so now the season is over, what do you all make of Shirley Ballas?

I thought she was great. I have no idea about dance (musician, not dancer here!), but I like that she’s not afraid to use technical terms, it’s interesting and gives those of us with no clue something to google if we’re so inclined, while those who do know what she is talking about have the satisfaction of proper terminology. I also very much enjoyed her bits on It Takes Two, especially the little bits of dancing she did, those were cracking.

I do feel sad that so much of the press and so many of Twittter’s trolls feel so threatened by a successful, powerful woman who is an expert in her field and is in a position of authority that they have felt the need to treat her appallingly. It would be sad if because of that she decided to leave or the Beeb decided to let her go.

Posted by Gill H (# 68) on :

She came across as a more generous marker than I had expected. I liked her, though I'm glad we didn't have a drinking game based on 'take a drink every time Shirley mentions a step'. I think she has carved out her niche as technical expert well.

I do wish she wouldn't keep telling the (usually less good) female contestants how beautiful they look. It felt like a consolation prize. "Well, you can't dance, but at least you look nice!"

Posted by L'organist (# 17338) on :

But in the case of the parson's daughter in the mix (Charlotte Hawkins) what else could Shirley B have said? Charlotte looked good and I know from a friend she is a lovely person but she surely can't dance: her poor partner looked like a man trying to move a double wardrobe on his own.

Posted by Gill H (# 68) on :

Len usually fell back on 'You came out and gave it a good go' or 'This wasn't your dance'.

(What does 'parson's daughter' mean in this context? Literal, or is it an expression I haven't heard before? I am one, so I want to know!)

I guess I'm just as uncomfortable with 'you were awful but you look gorgeous' as I was with 'you were awful but I was too busy looking at your abs' (which fortunately hasn't figured much this year).

Posted by balaam (# 4543) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Gill H:
She came across as a more generous marker than I had expected.

Which is why, in the final, she was an utter waste of time. Scoring everyone 10 and saying how good each dance was without giving any indication that one couple was better than another gives no indication to the public, who know nothing about the technicalities of dance which was better.

As judged in a final Shirley and Bruno were a waste of time. They should be replaced with judges who will actually judge.

Posted by Gill H (# 68) on :

Could have been worse. They could have invited Donny Osmond back as guest judge again...

Posted by Roseofsharon (# 9657) on :

quote:
Originally posted by balaam:
Which is why, in the final, she was an utter waste of time. Scoring everyone 10 and saying how good each dance was without giving any indication that one couple was better than another gives no indication to the public, who know nothing about the technicalities of dance which was better.

The judges scores in the final are irrelevant.
Only the public vote counts, and the public will make up their minds according to personal preference and enjoyment. Most (and I include myself) don't notice technical errors or mistakes, unless they are blatant, once the celebs are dancing well enough to make it to the final.
At that point the judges remarks and scores only count if they are in accord with the viewer's opinion

Posted by L'organist (# 17338) on :

posted by Gill H

quote:
What does 'parson's daughter' mean in this context? Literal, or is it an expression I haven't heard before? I am one, so I want to know!

"What is says on the tin". She is a child of the parsonage, her father was a priest in the diocese of Chichester.

(I'm a parsonage child too and have never heard the expression "parson's daughter" as referring to anything other than precisely that - a daughter of a clergyman)

Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :

Although "parson's nose" is something quite different ... [Devil]

Posted by Roseofsharon (# 9657) on :

quote:
Originally posted by L'organist:
But in the case of the parson's daughter in the mix (Charlotte Hawkins)

How is being the daughter of a parson at all relevant in the context of the judges comments on her dancing (or looks)?

Posted by luvanddaisies (# 5761) on :

quote:
Originally posted by balaam:
As judged in a final Shirley and Bruno were a waste of time. They should be replaced with judges who will actually judge.

The judges are a waste of time in the final. It’d be better if they didn’t bother with their marks at all, they should just offer comment. Since they don’t count, they might as well just tell everyone they’re lovely and give them a ten.

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