TONY IRVING: “Shut the fuck up”

I can honestly say that for the first time I am satisfied with the participants who remain in the competition. In the duel between Andreas Wijk and Rickard Sjöberg, you listened to what I said and ignored all the flash and trash. Rickard and Tove went on. Hurray! Now all participants are equal in quality. What makes me both despair and pissed off is that it feels like we are back at square zero where everyone is starting the competition all over again. I want everyone to step out of their comfort zone and take daring risks. “Give them a radical challenge” In recent years, we have landed in an annoying situation, usually halfway into the competition, where we in the jury have had to adjust the value in our points because the participants exceeded our quality expectations. To avoid this this year, we need to give them a radical challenge. For the first time, we will be changing the entire competition format. The aim is to test their genuine dancing skills, their individual competences and their opportunities to further develop a serious dancing behaviour. The new competitive element will stir the pot and test their physical, mental and emotional limits. The dancing couples have no idea what will happen this week. Today, Sunday, our participants get to know what the new challenge is. “So shut the fuck up” Before then everything is secret and we have had to get the change approved by the program format owners in London. It is unique in the world. Now during Sunday, we will drop the bomb. I want a real competition. The new competitive element will separate those who have the stamina and will to survive from those who can’t, as I, as an elite dancer, have been able to do all my life. Honestly, being a coward never wins. So, shut the fuck up, throw away the “just right” and bet to crush your opponents. Welcome to my world.

t4-general