Former Strictly pro Karen Hardy thinks the public chose the right winner in Joe McFadden
Former Strictly pro Karen Hardy thinks the public chose the right winner in Joe McFadden (Picture: G..
‘Wow – what a weekend! Following a big Friday night at my dance studios’ annual Gala, we had the privilege to attend the Grand Final of Strictly Come Dancing 2017 on Saturday, to which it was an honour to be there live to witness first-hand the incredible determination by our wonderful professionals and the adrenalin rush from the nerves of our celebrities.
‘It was a spectacular night that unfolded in front of my eyes. I was not left disappointed in any way, in fact quite the opposite. Yet another year that Strictly Come Dancing has lifted its game and you, the public, allowed us to enjoy an incredible final with the four celebrities chosen by you.
‘As much as we enjoyed the most incredible dances from the judges’ choice, show dance and finally the couples favourite dance, it was also a time to embrace the enormity that goes on behind the scenes before the mothership comes back down to land.
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‘Watching teamwork of sound, lighting, camera crews, the graphics and the incredible prop department wherein 30 second to one minute we would be whisked from Russia to Love to a scene from Cinderella. Hair, makeup, costuming and so much more allowed us to enjoy, once again, this incredible Grand Final.
‘It’s really impossible to compare to any final we have had previously as year on year, Strictly continues to deliver the magic that we have all grown to look forward to. Each year we are left with great memories of special dance moments that maybe for some young little girl, the performance of Mary Poppins by Alexandra and Gorka Marquez would leave an inspiring memory, to the older generation where Debbie McGee set the benchmark that no lift was too high, no spin was too many, she could take the world on, and more.
‘There are many great memories we all have of champions in the past that have lifted the glitter ball trophy (myself and Mark Ramprakash included!) and we look forward to many more in years to come.
‘There was a plethora of 10s being delivered right from the opening number, with Alexandra and Gorka awarded the big 40. Possibly, there could have been more 10s given, or a 9 replacing an odd 10, but for me on the night, I was there to enjoy the dancing, and I sat there with the belief that the public would vote fairly to whom they believed would be the new champion for 2017.
More: Strictly Come Dancing
‘In my eyes, it was actually a double competition unfolding in front of me. With Debbie and Alexandra having a history of dance backgrounds versus Gemma and Joe with absolutely no dance experience at all, there could have been two champions crowned that night.
‘It was left in the hands of you, the public, to make the final decision and I was really happy that Joe and Katya were chosen, even though I am sure there may have only been a small difference amongst them all – as the judges’ marks showed – but for me, Joe and Katya inspired the nation enough to make them their champions.
‘I say every year this has got to be the best series ever and yet, somehow, the very experienced celebrity bookers seem to put together each year the magic combination of the right celebrity with the highly talented professional dancer. No-one can ever truly know what magic will spark between a partnership once teamed up for this show but every year, we are never left disappointed.
‘To any celebrity or professional dancer auditioning for this sensational show, there can only be a small amount of advice given, if you love the arts and you love music and dance and whether you have dance experience or none at all, you can only enter this show with the greatest amount of commitment and dedication. The rewards are unmeasurable but, as they say with anything, no pain, no gain.
‘So, to finish my report for Strictly Come Dancing 2017, I can only hope that our celebrities and their professionals have in some way inspired you to pick up the phone and call your local dance studio.
‘Don’t be afraid, don’t be nervous, to be able to meet with friends, communicate and move to music on a dance floor is one of the greatest and most enjoyable experiences out there. Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and New Year and in the great words of Strictly Come Dancing…. Keeeeep dancing!’
Former Strictly Come Dancing champion Karen Hardy owns Karen Hardy Dance Studios. If you have been inspired by Strictly to dance, claim your complimentary dance lesson here.
MORE: Former Strictly pro Karen Hardy was stunned by Joe McFadden’s samba on musicals weekend
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