Picture from BBC Strictly Come Dancing Gallery
Sparkle, colour, music, lights,
spray-tanned flesh and fancy tights.
The briefest of costumes, fringes and beads,
stumbles and missed steps, perfect heel leads.
Old time ball gowns with layers of frills,
fleckels and voltas, botofogos and spills.
Tension, tears and tantrums.
Twists and turns and wardrobe malfunctions.
Fancy footwork, lifts and twirls.
Hunky men and long-legged girls.
The older one, the fat one, the clown,
the non-dancer who won’t be put down.
Graceful arms with hands like meat.
Pointed toes and the flattest feet.
The mismatched pair, or the perfect alliance,
Disaster versus breath-holding triumph.
Fearsome judges and beautiful hosts
Which one do we love the most?
Stomping the floor or flying around.
Out of all that, a champion is found.
Christmas comes and it’s all over
till next year, can’t wait for October –
for another cliché roller coaster.
Many dread the end of summer. We don’t because Autumn sees the start of our guilty pleasure, Strictly Come Dancing, (in US it’s called, Dancing with the Stars) which runs right up to Christmas. This is for OctPoWriPo Day 24 prompt Reality Check and Guilty Pleasures. Also linked at dVerse Poets’ Pub’s Open Link Night
Vivinfrance's Blog 
Great work, encapsulating those reality tv dancing shows, with humour & appreciation, too. I did giggle, so thank you. xVivienne. of OneVoicePoetry
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You use so many poetic devices in this, Viv. Brava. For a few years I watched Dancing with the Stars. What a lot of work, but I love to see the beauty of dance. Not sure why it dropped off my radar–the husband who controls the remote, no doubt. Ha!
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I’m lucky, |Jock likes it almost as much as I do. And I have the remote!
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oy, it is going to be a roller coaster between here and there…though i hope i take a bit of time to dance…that i do enjoy…but get going too fast and it will surely spin out of control…
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What fun, Viv. I used to watch “Dancing With the Stars” occasionally, as well as “American Idol.” For some reason I’ve lost interest in these kinds of programs with time. I hardly watch anything right now. But I know many people, such as you, are avid fans & find great enjoyment in these shows.
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It is fun to be seeing them with their moves! Makes one feel young. At least there is something special to look forward to in the coming months. Great lines Viv!
Hank
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Oh what fun ~ Not only the dancing but the drama behind the show ~ I don’t watch the current shows now but I can relate to the excitement ~
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This left me smiling… it’s so nice to enjoy our guilty pleasures!
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A fun, fabulous jaunt of a poem that perfectly captures the glamour and silliness of it all. And of course we’ll be watching 🙂
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Groovy piece- you really captured the essence of dancing with your flow and form.
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The rare times I watch, it is always amazing to me, how good the dancers are. There is always an indefinable somethin in one of them that stands out from the rest. Cool write, Viv.
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Love! The images, the rhyme, the couplets dancing like couples, the meter, the good nature toward winners and losers and the pure joy of it!
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What i love most about Dancing with the Stars.. the times i’ve seen it.. in the US.. is the transformation of those who enter.. and the bright eyes.. that are often brighter by the end of all
the competition…
Dance is such a freeing way of life.. and i truly hope these shows bring it back to vogue.. as a way of life.. for more and more people.. to participate in real life too..:)
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I think ballroom dancing schools are enjoying huge growth in numbers of would-be-dancer clients.
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Dancing with the Stars I have watched this a few times. Always fun to watch them dance about. I think you captured the magic well.
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It is amazing how today, we get the same news, watch the same shows and read each other’s poetry – being continents apart.
Live this visual poem of dancing Viv, capturing the excitement of Strictly Come Dancing so well.
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The world gets smaller by the minute, thanks to technology. I love all my virtual friends from all over the globe.
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I confess I’m not a fan of our Dancing with the Stars, but I enjoyed your poem, because the character study is so spot on. Well done. Thank you.
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Not seen the dancing …. but wonderful poem full of excellent imagery .. and not a dud rhyme in sight! Excellent 🙂
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I have never seen the program, and I rarely watch tv (probably because I know I would be hooked ,,,) .. we have a show called “let’s dance” where celebrities are matched in pair with competitive dancers.. the tabloids are filled with stories also..love the rhymes and alliterations of your piece.
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Thanks Bjorn. Yes that’s the format of our show, too,. I’ve rarely heard of the celebrities, but I love the dancing, and the costumes etc.
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i very seldom watch tv – so didn’t see this one – but dance shoes can be so interesting – and fantastic character studies as well…smiles
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i meant shows – not shoes…oy… i should go to bed… tired..smiles
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The tension is mounting right now, Viv 🙂 About to jump into my telly seat!
I dread to think what a state I’d be in, backstage as a competitor. Have a happy week!
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It was good tonight, wasn’t it? No-one disgraced themselves and there were some stunning performances.
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Fantastic! I haven’t got an out and out favourite this series. Loving Caroline and Pasha and Frankie with ‘our Kevin’, but Pixie is pretty amazing too.
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Nice description! I really like the poem!
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My boys and I are nuts about this programme – with my older son doing his own charts with the scores and progress…
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I am a fan of Dancing with the Stars in the US (as well as the shows I shared in the prompt!) I enjoyed your poetic response!
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Dance is a guilty pleasure of many!
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