Strictly Come Dancing’s Day Of The Dead-Inspired Opening Dance Blasted For ‘Cultural Appropriation’

'I'm just saddened by this'.

Halloween Week is always a highlight in the ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ calendar, but not everyone was a fan of the Day Of The Dead-themed opening number on Saturday night.

The remaining celebrities joined the professional dancers dressed in Mexican-themed outfits for the colourful performance to Harry Belafonte’s ‘Jump In The Line’, which featured skulls, sombreros and Day Of The Dead iconography.

If you didn't enjoy this dance, you're dead to us 😉💀 #Strictly pic.twitter.com/3dQH6OV1UL

— BBC Spooky 🎃 (@bbcstrictly) October 27, 2018

But while some viewers loved the performance, comparing it to Disney’s ‘Coco’, others called out what they saw as “cultural appropriation” and pointed out that Day Of The Dead is not related to Halloween.

Have you heard of cultural appropriation @bbcstrictly doing Day of the Dead dance was a poor decision #strictly

— Philippa Hadfield (@Pips_H) October 27, 2018

how are strictly gonna perform a day of the dead / mexican routine with caribbean music? how ignorant

— ellie (@elliejwilson) October 27, 2018

I just felt this was... wrong day of the dead is NOT Halloween.... I'm just saddened by this.

— OrangeSplodge (@KookyVyola) October 27, 2018

Did the bbc not get the memo that we’re not appropriating Day of the Dead anymore? That was such a messy group dance, in more ways than one. #strictly

— Caitlin (@la_faerie) October 27, 2018

Love @bbcstrictly but Dia de los Muertos aka ‘day of the dead’ should not be a halloween costume or theme, it’s cultural appropriation 😬🙃

— katie (@KatieeeReid) October 27, 2018

I don't... day of the dead is NOT Halloween #cultural mess....

— OrangeSplodge (@KookyVyola) October 27, 2018

The day of the dead isn’t a halloween trope #strictly come on!!

— Erin (@EPatz_) October 27, 2018

awwwwww lord strictly... who thought this day of the dead dance would be appropriate... #StrictlyComeDancing

— katy (@kty_nope) October 27, 2018

But not everyone was offended...

#Strictly. With your Day of The Dead opening you just won Halloween

— Fi Cotter Craig (@ficottercraig) October 27, 2018

Props to @DSILondon for @LaurenSteadman & @katesilverton’s stunning dresses tonight. I also loved the girls beautiful colourful dresses for the day of the dead dance at the beginning. Utterly fab-I-lous!! 😍 #Strictly #scd

— LouiseW (@Cogs39) October 27, 2018

Day of the Dead dance was brilliant! #STRICTLY Makeup was superb.

— LaDawn (@ladawncp) October 27, 2018

Okay, all is redeemed. That "Day Of The Dead" routine was bloody brilliant #Strictly #Halloween

— 🕸RAINY🎃DAYSI👻 (@Rainy_Daysi) October 27, 2018

This day of the dead dance is EVERYTHING #strictly

— 🇿🇦Amy Fisher🇮🇲 (@AmyFisherIoM) October 27, 2018

In Mexico, the Day of the Dead - or Día de Muertos as it is known - is celebrated on 2 November, and is a holiday that marks the passing of friends and family and supports their spiritual journey.

Ashley Roberts and Faye Tozer had plenty to celebrate after both scoring 39 points and topping the ‘Strictly’ leaderboard on Saturday night’s show.

Faye Tozer scored 39 points for her jazz/theatre routine.
Faye Tozer scored 39 points for her jazz/theatre routine.
BBC

The former Pussycat Dolls star and Steps singer wowed everyone - including all four judges - with their jaw-dropping routines, which earned them the highest scores of the series.

But it wasn’t just what was happening on the dance floor that had viewers talking.

Nicole Scherzinger made a surprise appearance when she sat in the audience to cheer on her former Pussycat Dolls bandmate Ashley.

But when Tess Daly squeezed in next to Nicole, the former ‘X Factor’ judge looked less than impressed and appeared to mutter something to the host at the start of the link, prompting many viewers to speculate what was said.

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