Strictly Speaking

Strictly Come Dancing 2022 has kicked off it’s 20th series. Fifteen new couples took to the floor last weekend hoping to dance their way to the glitter ball trophy. It would seem though that there are a few critics out there who believe the show has become too “woke” because it includes one contestant with a disability and two same-sex couples this year. Apparently that’s a “quickstep” too far for some people. In an article that appeared in The Telegraph last week columnist Allison Pearson writes that the BBC are merely box-ticking by including these contestants in this years line up.

As a huge Strictly fan, I have been for many years, I can’t help but think that she’s missed the point of the programme entirely. Full disclosure, I myself have a disability and I am a wheelchair user so this kind of response hits differently. It also disappoints me because I must admit that I too felt nervous when the class of 2022 was announced out of a fear of this response. I have been conditioned to expect certain things from some people outside the disabled community and to value others comfort level over my own. I am ashamed to admit I let the worry of possible negative feedback get to me. In her article Pearson writes that this series the BBC are “pushing indigestible quantities of diversity down viewers throats”. She compares last seasons pairing of John Whaite and Johannes Radebe, the first male same sex couple in Strictly history to this years Giovani Pernice and Richie Anderson saying that John and Johannes “felt natural” whereas, in her opinion Giovani and Richie are “mis-matched”. In truth her opinions feel more rooted in Pearson’s very own narrow view of what masculinity really is. Don’t get me started on her use of the term “red-blooded male dancer”. Now I don’t think I should say too much more on this because I don’t want to speak on behalf of a community I’m not apart of. John Whaite does however tackle this issue beautifully on his Instagram if you want to check it out. 

Pearson goes on to compare last years winner Rose Ayling-Ellis, Strictly’s first Deaf contestant who like I said went on to win the show to this years Ellie Simmons who has Dwarfism, saying that the participation of Rose felt “groundbreaking” and “required no allowances to be made” but that including Ellie Simmons is a step too far due to the height difference between her and her partner Nikita Kuzmin. Ellie is a Paralympic swimmer who has won two gold medals for Britain so I’m sure she has faced scarier critics than this. Never the less this particular comment really gets under my skin. I would hazzard a guess that Rose and Giovani’s dances did require many adaptions, both on the part of Giovani who was choreographing them and Rose who had to work twice as hard as the other contestants in order to learn the routines. What really annoys me about this type of commentary is that what Pearson seems to be getting at is that she didn’t have to see those adaptions last year but this year she does. In other words it’s OK to be disabled as long as it’s not too visible and it’s OK to be LGBTQ as long as it’s not too obvious. It’s OK as long as you are not making people outside those minority groups feel uncomfortable. Disabled people are not here solely to make non-disabled people feel at ease or to figure out what is just disabled enough in order to make it digestible for others. Why do we have to compare these two ladies or John and Richie and pit them against one another when we could just root for them instead?

Pearson calls Ellie amazing and inspiring yet she still doesn’t deem her worthy of a place in the competition because it might make some viewers uncomfortable or concerned as to how she will manage certain types of dances. There can be many parts of having a disability or a long term illness that involve feeling uncomfortable sometimes. So let me assure the nay sayers that discomfort doesn’t kill you and it will pass, as soon as we all get used to the idea that there are people in the world that don’t look like us. Also if feeling uncomfortable was the real issue here then I think we would all have changed the channel years ago. There is some times nothing more discomforting then watching non-dancers attempt to get their limbs to cooperate in time with the music particularly during the first few weeks of Strictly. I have watched some routines through my fingers over the years or in certain cases from behind my couch. If Pearsons concerns were really about the quality of the dancing then she would have reviewed the other celebrity contestants during the course of her article. Instead her comments, with the exception of one disparaging remark about English football manager Tony Adams, were reserved for the three “diverse couples” only.

I feel as though all the “adapting” is always left up to those of us in minority groups. It might be nice if occasionally its the audiences job to adapt to seeing people on screen who don’t always look like them. Maybe think about, particularly the young audience members watching at home seeing people like them being included and celebrated on national television. That can makes a huge impact and help people to feel less alone. I remember feeling so proud to watch Rose lift the glitter ball trophy last year. Even though we both have very different challenges it felt like a win for all of us. That’s the power of representation and why it matters. If you don’t believe me all you have to do is watch the reaction videos online of the young black girls seeing the new trailer for “The Little Mermaid” for the first time. It’s not like we want to take up all the room, but maybe if others could just move over a little and allow us to share the space for a change that would be nice.

Pearson describes herself and many of the Strictly audience as middle aged and says that she feels as though they are being “struck over the head with a diversity mallet.” Personally I give the public more credit but might I suggest if you have reached middle age and the inclusion of three “diverse” couples out of fifteen is all together too much for you than perhaps it’s high time you were figuratively, hit over the head with it. We regularly hear celebrity contestants on Strictly being asked why they wanted to take part in the competition, often they will say they wanted to step outside of their comfort zone. I recommend that Pearson and those who share her opinions do the same thing while watching the show this series. You never know as well as being entertained we all might learn a thing or two about humanity. Or alternatively, if it is as Pearson writes and “valuing inclusion” is a bridge too far for some then they can always change the channel. The search for programmes that don’t represent minority groups is unfortunately not a difficult one. As for me if anyone needs me, I will be found glued to my television set every Saturday night willing them all on and receiving my weekly dose of much needed joy. I look forward to seeing what the class of 2022 has in store for us. It is my hope that most of the viewers will leave their judgements at the door and just enjoy the show.