Strictly Swizz.

[erastes]

Bwah?  Obviously something went wrong with the BBC phones tonight.... They had to make a snap decision obviously!  Stupid BBC.  I bet the dancers - although pleased to be all going through, rather think that the entire week was a waste of bloody time.  All the votes still count and will be carried over to the final. That's STUPID too - because you don't necessarily vote for the same couple each week. Not that I vote at all, but I vote on the dancing not just "he/she's my favourite. BAH HUMBUG!

MERLIN!  OMG I didn't even realise that was the finale! ARGH! Can I have the next series now please?  It's such wonderful slashy nonsense.

Comments

[geishawhite.livejournal.com]

I have a problem with the way Strictly's devolved over the years. Back when it first came on television (the revival, not the seventies bit!) I was just learning ballroom and latin myself. Watching the routines meant seeing seriously high-level steps, executed with a decent amount of precision - or even steps I myself had just learned, involved in a more stylish routine. Basically, if you do any type of dance that isn't exhibition (i.e. showing off dancing) lifts are totally banned from ballroom and latin. It's all about footwork and spirit and control. Jill Halfpenny's jive waaay back when was all gold-level steps - danced by a beginner to the sport and you really thrilled along with her. Everyone wanted to learn the routines - I think i had an adapted cha-cha for comps back then.

Now, it's become a case of how much showmanship can they cram into two minutes of dancing. The judges keep talking about how little actual dancing happens, in favour of made-up steps, lifts and turns and it's really sad. American Smooth is dreadful danced by amateurs - the reason it worked in films was because it was made for that medium and it has none of the same criteria as the English/International dances. I listen to the music, the costumes are beautiful and so very very expensive, but it's no longer a dancing competition. So I don't watch any more - and you'd think, having taught ballroom and latin, danced in competitions and university-level teams, I'd be the insanely-committed audience.

[the-sea-to.livejournal.com]

i think you need amusement.

from latest story... set in 15thC Florence. Guiseppe is the young apprentice sculptor, he rather fancies his mate, Tomasino, who is a novice monk at San Marco under Savonarola.

Excerpt (note: first pass. no editing.)





“Buon’giorno, Tomasino, come’ stai?”

Tomasino looked up, a guilty flush staining his checks. “I’m okay thanks. You? Just had another session with Fra. Benedetto.”

No wonder Tomasino looked so down. Fra. Benedetto was Tomasino’s novice master, and an evil bully of a man. Under the old Benedictine regime, Fra. Benedetto had been a licentious novice master, always feeling up the novitiate, and giving them ‘special favours’ in his room at night. Now, with the Domincans, and most especially with the Vicar General resident under his roof, he took out his repressed sexuality on the boys in his care. Most especially on those whose beauty inflamed him. Tomasino was a frequent butt of his lusts.

“I’m not bad. Fra Benedetto huh? Old pederast.” Guiseppe looked up to see Tomasino’s face trying not to grin. “Speaking of old pederasts…” Tomasino started to smile, “Battista finished his latest massacre of Grecian culture. Or at least the preparation for it. It is supposed to be Leda and the Swan.. it looks more like Transsexual with demented Chicken!”

Tomasino started to giggle out loud, propelling himself away from the wall, from the monastery and all it stood for. “I’m guessing you were the ‘inspriation’ for this?” he said.

“Of course. My physique lends itself to feminine grace,” said Guiseppe flexing a bicep. “I wish the old pervert would make up his mind. I am both girl and boy to him.”

Tomasino paled. “Really?” Guiseppe realised he’d put his foot in it. He was about to reply when Tomasino reached out and laid a hand on his shoulder. “Caro, if the old pervert has laid a hand on you….”

“No, no. Not like that.” Guiseppe was touched by the endearment. “I just meant that one day I am Achillies, or Atlas. Or at least the boy who does the rough work on the marble. And then, I am asked for four days to pose as if I was a girl whom a swan was fucking. Do you know how insanely stupid I felt, four days lying in the sun with my legs splayed open and only a little bit of cloth covered my privates from sunstroke? I have no idea what Battista was thinking!”

“Probably that you looked very good in that position.” Tomasino blushed.

[suryaofvulcan.livejournal.com]

Merlin wa fantastic, esp after last week's lackluster episode. I was nearly in tears when Uther carried Arthur out to the other knights. But everyone was awesome this week - from Merlin being heroic and conflicted to Morgsna slowly descending into madness. From Uther's understated grief to Gaius ... well just knocking my socks off really. Loved it! Squee!!

[souliesoul.livejournal.com]

I feel disappointed because tonight was the first time in the series I had cast a vote!

I imagine we will probably be waiting until this time next year for more :( I wish the BBC did longer series - it can run Eastenders several times over 52 weeks of the year, but things like Merlin, Doctor Who, Torchwood etc, only get 10-13 episodes a year which seems rather unfair.

[annephoenix.livejournal.com]

MERLIN! OMG I didn't even realise that was the finale! ARGH! Can I have the next series now please? It's such wonderful slashy nonsense.

Forgive me if I say -- I TOLD YOU OMG!! What an awesome series finale :)

[zipcity.livejournal.com]

Edit: Whoops, just looked back through your journal and realised you've seen it - somehow I missed that post!

Happy squeak!!!

[erastes.livejournal.com]

It's very true though, from my researches I've done on Michelangelo (the old pederast...) they did use boys for both sexes of models, as they couldn't use girls. I'm loving it! It will be the gay Agony and Ecstasy!

"transexual" though?

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I agree, and I feel Len's frustration when he talks of all the "mucking about" - my Dad used to dance - not competitions, simply dinner and dance level on a weekly basis, and he watches it and can hardly recognise the dances at all.

As for that "show dance" that the experts did. BAH! I remember seeing them (or someone like them) doing a show dance last year and last time and this, I was going, "WHERE'S THE DANCING?" it's just a bloke winding a girl around his body and throwing her into the air.

Similarly I did like Austin's Paso, but only for the performance - even as a person with the merest knowledge through my parents being able to dance - could see there was little actual content in it.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

GUH! The whole carrying thing was divine. Only one thing missing: it should have been raining a la the carrying scene in Hornblower. But then the rain would have not been appreciated so much in the final scene i suppose.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I'd be happy if the situation re: Eastenders and other series were reversed...

[erastes.livejournal.com]

You did! Utterly wonderful. And God, Arthur does good "dying" (although he does do it a lot)

[erastes.livejournal.com]

No worries!

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Although I've only seen the first episode, for some reason my PC doesn't like to play hulu and I'm having trouble finding other sites.

[geishawhite.livejournal.com]

Ugh, yes. 'Mucking about' is an excellent way to describe it. I've actually just finished a uni module on media and politics (Mickey Mouse though it was) and we discussed this idea of 'serious competition' meeting 'entertainment the public can control' and how they don't mesh. But yes; it used to be that I could recognise the steps. I'd watch and be like, 'oh! chicken walks!' or 'oh! Reverse corte turn and done beautifully' and you'd understand how the judges came to their conclusions.

The problem is that real dancing takes talent, if not years and years of experience. Brandon whatever ran a dancing competition/class here - and man, he is good. You could also instantly tell who the dancers were in the class; the way they picked up the steps, moved their bodies, etc, etc. Strictly has been lucky in the past; Jill Halfpenny, Kelly Brooks and Alicia Dixon all were very very good at picking it up. Incidentally, all had dancing backgrounds and it's very very easy to cross discipline into ballroom/latin.

I just can't watch it anymore. Here they have an opportunity to really charge the communities involved. Around the time Strictly began up, there was a huge revival. We had dance shops opening up in town, massive numbers of people in classes, the tea dances and dance nights were wonderful. Instead of slow progression with the celebrities; teaching them the basic step and showing how they evolve as dancers - from the beginning, they're doing 'showy' easy steps, with very little technique. Having been made to work for three hours in front of a mirror on pushing my feet into the floor, using every muscle in my foot to straighten and bend my leg - I watch the feet. Half the celebrities when they do those 'extend the leg' things don't bother to articulate the feet. It's awful - in a competition, they'd fail over someone who did a simple routine beautifully.

If I wanted 'wind a girl around his body/throw her into the air' I'd watch Ballet Rombert. They'd do it a damn sight better and the muscle control would be beautiful. Instead, yeah. You watch the professionals because they do something that takes years and talent and work to learn. It's why some of the bigger celebrities on the comps have managed in earlier series; because it's been about dedication, not how light you are so you can be thrown around.

I used to like the Pasos that were all ridiculousness - like the one done to Evanescence that was supposedly vampires >.> But that was because they were a contrast. Fed up with gimmicks and the stupid, stupid tunes they keep selecting. Jive to Abba? Give me strength; what happened to Elvis's 'Rock Around the Clock'?

Re: Happy squeak!!!

[the-sea-to.livejournal.com]

thanks for the heads up - i have coe across (rarely) the use of female prosititues or poor people. but if that is not clear and looks wrong, I will have to change it. On the other hand I get to run around in circles trying to figure out what the appropriate term for nancy boy is in 15thC italian. Thank god one of my friends did his masters thesis on the era!

I apologise - I am absolutely shite at spelling when I'm just typing. Unless you did not mean that? Was I not clear! Battista's sketch looks like a sort of flannel lesbian with a demented chicken. *panics*

Glad you like it - it amused me. Figured that not every artist in Florence would have been under the patronage of the Medici, and and so there must have been some absolute dreck being produced in hope of making the big leagues.

Thinking about it - that does sound familiar.

I've wandered over into church politics too. Because, why write when you can write AND need to verify exactly what the book burning son of a bitch (Savonarola) was doing every month or so!

[zipcity.livejournal.com]

I get it here (http://www.seriesgringas.info/search/label/Crusoe), if you don't mind downloading rather than watching streamed, or it's on megavideo (http://www.megavideo.com/?c=search&s=crusoe) if your PC will play that.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

the trouble with megavideo is that it only allows me to watch a certain amount before kicking me off, but I'll try again! Thank you!

[zipcity.livejournal.com]

:) hope it works!

Re: Happy squeak!!!

[erastes.livejournal.com]

No - i was just wondering if transsexual was an appropriate term - hermaphrodite perhaps instead? Or Castrato? People will assume you need people who are changing sex and not much chance of that in 15th Italy?

And yes, you aren't going to be able to avoid bringing the church and the state and gawd knows what in! I think you'll have your work cut out but it will pay off! Well done!

Re: Happy squeak!!!

[the-sea-to.livejournal.com]

Bah. You are right. Now I need to think up a way of saying what I want to say in English as opposed to the slightly different connotations it has in my head in Italian. IT WILL BE DONE though.

I'm finding it fascinating. But boy - do your characters just sometimes randomly turn around and shock the shit out of you? As in, you're taking them down a nicely thought out plot arc and suddenly *wham* from left field they do something completely insane. In character, but insane?

Re: Happy squeak!!!

[the-sea-to.livejournal.com]

Oooh! Thanks. figured out word I wanted was TRANSVESTITE.

Which is travestito in Italian.

Interestingly - am thinking it is the root of the word "travesty"

Re: Happy squeak!!!

[erastes.livejournal.com]

They generally ALWAYS do that at least once in the book. I was going "But Fleury, YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO DIE" and he's laughing and waving and saying "Sorry, me bucko, but the boy's too handsome, I'm not leaving him until I absolutely HAVE to. la la la" *shag*

Re: Happy squeak!!!

[erastes.livejournal.com]

D'oh - I should have thought of that!!

Re: Happy squeak!!!

[the-sea-to.livejournal.com]

Yeah, one of mine just confessed he climbed into the lap of a pederast priest because he "wanted to know what it was like". Oh boy. That was... unexpected.

I'm so glad Fleury fought - he was such an insanely likeable character! :D

[souliesoul.livejournal.com]

I'd be happy if they'd split the 150+ (okay, they're just 1/2 hour) slots between the other series!

[suryaofvulcan.livejournal.com]

Nah, I think rain would have over-egged the pudding. Too much of a cliche, and it would have obscured Tony Head's wonderful expressions - I'm glad they went for the less obvious choice.

[annephoenix.livejournal.com]

I know ...He's a rival for Harry in my mind. Who also dies more often than the average bloke!

Re: Happy squeak!!!

[erastes.livejournal.com]

*dies laughing* oh that's brilliant!

Re: Happy squeak!!!

[the-sea-to.livejournal.com]

Am glad you approve. :D