Strictly WEEK 9 Blog

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Strictly Come Dancing Blog WEEK 9

With only four weeks left until this year’s Strictly final, as we see temperatures start to freeze outside, which of our celebrities is heating things up on the dance floor, and who is shivering and quivering with an ice cold performance that does not impress the judges? At least none of our celebrities want to get out of here!

Susanna & Kevin Cha Cha C7  D8  L8  B8  T31

Susanna Reid, You Cha Cha minx! A very convincing, courageous Cha Cha that was full of hips, shimmies and bling, to help create a truer correct hip action now try to only have one knee bent at a time , but an excellent performance and a definite crowd pleasure, despite what the judges were saying.

Ashley & Ola Waltz C8  D9  L9  B9  T35

A lovely simple Waltz that Ashley did make it look effortless, showing signs of control, however the top line (which is the line taken across the shoulders and into the upper arms that should be a perfect straight line) was slightly slanted, and the head line ( which should be looking to the left and slightly tilting outward as if you are trying to look behind your left arm without dropping the chin) was slightly inclined to the right, the routine did have a very light and floating feel which is true to the Waltz.

Natalie & Artem Tango C9  D9  L9  B10 T 37

WOW, this is actually how a true Tango should be danced, strong, powerful and full of passion and poise, and this is how you win at Strictly, but I was expecting a higher result from the judges, did you?

Mark & Iveta Foxtrot C6  D8  L7  B7  T28

Mark to say you have only been Ballroom dancing for 12 weeks there was nothing to be ashamed of, the Foxtrot is one of the hardest dances to master for any male, the flight and softness it requires yet power and strength to control the stride is very difficult and on the whole I thought you did a pretty good job, yes I would have liked to see a little more sway which gives the Foxtrot its smoothness but well danced.

Sophie & Brendan Rumba C7  D8  L8  B8  T31

Sophie has an amazing leg, as this was a beautiful Rumba, the dance of love and you could feel the emotion through every step, Brendan’s comments to the judges after they had danced were right on the money, Rumba is soft yet powerful as a dance, and not meant to be hot and sexy, If anything I would have liked to see Sophie’s upper body moving a little more and projecting into the forward placing foot, but this was definitely a true Rumba, that was danced correctly.

Ben & Kristina Charleston C6  D7  L7  B7  T27

Ben the content in your routine this week was phenomenal and so full of character, it was light footed and you showed musicality and charisma through your dance, you have come a very long way and with your strength and determination should continue and easily an eight from me.

Abbey & Aljaz Paso Doblé C8  D8  L8  B8  T32

A very promising Paso Doblé with great strong lines and presence, if I am absolutely honest I found the music quite soft and floaty which gave the dance a more fluid feel rather than the start stop action of a March, I loved the choreography and the performance was your best yet Abbey, now keep up the hard work as I know we have not quite seen everything yet.

Patrick & Anya Viennese Waltz C8  D8  L8  B8  T32

I loved the storyline that was created in the Viennese Waltz, there was some amazing content and choreography despite the few little technical issues and the floor spin at the end was very messy, it did look as if Patrick was throwing a ball around on a piece of rope almost as if they had run out of time to finish the routine properly as the last couple of figures did not look to be part of the same dance, but as always great rhythm, great story a great Waltz.

Sunday Results Show

A ‘Great British Bake Off’ opening from our professional dancers this week which for me was not one of their best performances that they have been enlightening us with of recent, but with Mark & Iveta and Ben & Kristina in the dreaded dance off I knew there was going to be tears all round and I did agree with the judges to save Mark & Iveta, I thought Ben danced down a little almost as if he wanted to step aside, but he will be sadly missed and his journey has been legendry,  next week is Musical Special Week where we see our magnificent seven strut their stuff from Broadway to the West End!

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Strictly Blog WEEK 8 BLACKPOOL SPECIAL!

 Picture Courtesy Of The BBC

Strictly Come Dancing Blog WEEK 8

Its BLACKPOOL week and which of our celebrities will be soaring to the top of the tower and which will be limping back home like a lame donkey on the soggy sands? Blackpool is the best and the only Mecca for Ballroom dancing and to open Saturdays show, what could be more fitting than a carnival Samba with dancers of all ages all performing together on the best Ballroom floor in the World, Strictly perfect!

Sophie & Brendan Quickstep C7  D9  L9  B9  T34

To open the show at Blackpool must have been every celebrities dream and Sophie did not let anyone down, a great quality Quickstep, She was very light on her feet and the content was A1 this was easily Sophie’s best dance to date.

Patrick & Anya Samba C8  D9  L9  B9  T35

Patrick’s rhythm is truly natural and the content of their routine was fuller than a stick of Blackpool rock, Anya getting her foot caught up in her dress threw Patrick slightly and he did show signs of a few heel leads, but what a performance.

Ben & Kristina American Smooth (Viennese Waltz) C8  D8  L8  B8  T32

I loved the whole story these two created this week, the use of the other male dancers was epic, Ben’s movement around the floor is so light for a big bloke he did however look less confident when dancing solo, but a great technical Waltz.

Ashley & Ola Paso Doblé C8  D9  L9  B9  T35

The performance these two created was one fit for a stage, Ashley the Cowboy and Ola the Dance Hall Girl performing a Paso ‘yeehaw’ Ashley was so strong and dominant and for me he was stronger out of hold than in, mainly as his top line crushes slightly, but his cape work and level of intensity were ace.

Fiona & Anton American Smooth (Foxtrot) C6  D7  L8  B8  T29

Fiona looked a million dollars and performed stronger and better than ever, she created light and smooth steps the lift at the end however was a little awkward and her leg position was a bit ‘Dr No’ but I loved the flow and feel to their routine.

Abbey & Aljaz Quickstep C7  D10  L10  B10  T37

Abbey really does look right at home on the dance floor and to think that the only dancing she has done before was around her handbag, until Strictly and Aljaz swept her off her feet, there were a few little timing issues but I loved every second, Abbey believe in yourself now like we are all believing in you!

Mark & Iveta Jive C5  D8  L8  B8 T29

“You can’t stop the beat” Mark performing to this iconic theme from Hairspray, this really showed him to his best it was fun, fast and fabulous!

Susanna & Kevin Paso Doblé C9  D10  L10  B12  T39

Susanna Reid, You are the best celebrity cape we have ever been blessed with on Strictly, a true Paso Doblé performed with passion and power, this is one of the hardest dances to create the right amount of Drama, and Susanna you were right on the money and easily deserving of a ten Craig!

Natalie & Artem Charleston C9  D10  L10  B10 T39

I am so glad that Natalie was fit to dance again this week, and she did not let us down, great choreography, great styling and yet another great performance, I thought the musical arrangement sounded a little slow which just gave it a slight heavy feel, but these two really do perform so well together they could do a rain dance together and it would bring out the sunshine.

Sunday’s result show.

A brilliant ‘Ballroom Blitz’ group opening to our Sundays result show with all our couples (and judges!) performing. Mark & Iveta and Fiona & Anton were in the dreaded dance off and I thought both couples danced better and upped their game, the judges saved Mark & Iveta who we see dance again next week, but we will miss you Fiona Keeeep dancing!

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Strictly Blog WEEK 6 Halloween Special

Picture courtesy of the BBC

Strictly Come Dancing Blog 2013 WEEK 6

Halloween Special, with more spookier goings’ on than a ghost train at midnight! As our eleven remaining couples become ten, who will treat us with their perfect performances and who will trick us with all stunts and no dance content? Overall I was a little disappointed in Saturdays Strictly Special compared with previous year’s, the production did feel a little rushed and everyone did seem a little tired, Do you agree?

Patrick & Anya Quickstep C8  D9  L9  B8  T34

Patrick started off a little weaker than in previous weeks, he was quite flat footed, heavy in the knees and off in his top line, but as the routine progressed he got much better and really started to perform to his normal standard mastering more complicated, speedier steps than normal.

Fiona & Anton Charleston C6  D7  L8  B7  T28

For me this was easily Fiona’s best dance to date, an amazingly well choreographed true Charleston routine, Fiona was fun in her presentation lighter on her feet than normal and performed the whole routine really well, her timing was off slightly a couple of times but I thought it was a real Thunderball, and I loved it.

Ben & Kristina Paso Doblé C7  D8  L9  B8  T32

Ben obviously has been working really hard on his routine this week, and in the gym! The choreography as a show routine was fantastic; however there were still several technical issues with his footwork and arm lines, but as a performance it was great.

Sophie & Brendan Jive C6  D7  L8  B7  T28

I did not really understand the storyline behind their performance this week, Sophie looked as if she was playing it safe again and not letting go, it felt heavy and quite hard work on Brendan’s behalf who also looked a little off, Sophie now needs to concentrate solely on her technique, and let her hair down.

Natalie & Artem Viennese Waltz C9  D10  L9  B10  T38

I loved the production these two performed this week, a haunting show routine, they are matched well as performers, but I do agree with Len’s comment that the routine had more of an American Smooth Viennese Waltz feel than a traditional one, but as always it was flawless.

Mark & Iveta Paso Doblé C6  D6  L7  B6  T25

Mark has some good, well controlled steps, it did feel a little limp at times and lost the true Paso feel of the Matador, especially with his little disco section which does show Mark’s fun side, however his timing and musicality are fantastic.

Rachel & Pasha American Smooth (Viennese Waltz) C7  D7  L8  B8  T30

A fabulous characterisation of this style, amazing true Pasha choreography a great Viennese Waltz, Rachel performed her heart out and made the whole routine look effortless, which is the main aim of any Viennese Waltz.

Ashley & Ola Tango C8  D9  L8  B8  T33

There were some good recognisable step patterns from Ashley this week, I am not quite sure if his top line and head line were distorted for him to stay in character as Frankenstein or whether it was a fault, his feet were a little sloppy at times but he showed great strength and staccato timing.

Abbey & Aljaz Rumba C8  D8  L9  B9 T34

Rumba, the dance of love and these two perform it wonderfully together, for a non dancer Abbey performs and moves fantastically, the energy they create together is truly inspirational.

Dave & Karen Jive C4  D5  L6  B4  T19

This was not one of Dave’s best performances however he did have quite a lot of Jive content in his routine, despite some of the judge’s comments and again he has worked extremely hard, even though he was a little flat footed, but has he done enough to stay or has he burnt out.

Susanna & Kevin Charleston C8  D8  L9  B9  T34

A great little Charleston routine, with great comical timing coupled with strong kicks and a great Charleston Swivelling action, I would have preferred a little straighter in the knees at times from Susanna, but to maintain the energy on such a speedy dance is really difficult and she did not falter one bit.

Sunday results show.

Another great opening from our professionals with the male pros being puppets! This has to be one of the most haunting Sunday results show’s ever with Abbey & Aljaz and Rachel & Pasha in the dreaded dance off, with neither couple deserving to be there, I honestly thought someone was playing a trick! Rachel did look very nervous and did make a couple of little mistakes, so unfortunately her Strictly journey ends, we will miss you Rachel, we see Abbey & Aljaz dance again next week (thank goodness).

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Strictly Come Dancing Week 5 Blog

Strictly Come Dancing 2013 Blog WEEK 5

As British Summer Time officially ends and we turn the clocks back to give us all an extra hour in bed, which of our celebrities wish they could turn back the clock to perform again? Whose time is up? As the Barre gets higher and higher, who now cannot meet standard? As our twelve remaining couples become eleven and the leader board starts to show signs of a real divide.

Natalie & Artem Samba C8  D9  L9  B9  T35

These two seem so perfectly matched on the dance floor and with yet another great routine and true Samba performance with no tricks or stunts just great dancing and fabulous choreography, if I had to make any criticism at all it would be for Natalie to be a little softer in the leg action which would help her create a stronger Samba hip action.

Abbey & Aljaz Foxtrot C8  D9  L9  B9  T35

Nobody can deny these two make a stunning couple and they performed an elegant heart felt Foxtrot, there was however quite a bit of gapping from Abbey in her top half and she does still look a little nervous at times, her foot placing could have also been a little neater when striding forward but their chemistry is shown throughout the whole routine.

Dave & Karen Salsa C3  D5  L5  B4  T17

Dave back in his comfort zone of comedy performance, it was quite a fast pacing routine with some very well controlled lifts despite there being hardly any real Salsa but as always he is fun to watch.

Deborah & Robin Viennese Waltz C6  D7  L7  B7  T27

A much better performance from Deborah this week she really looked as if she was enjoying herself again, a great technical routine even though Deborah was a little high in the shoulders at times, but she is definitely improving week after week.

Patrick & Anya Salsa C6  D8  L7  B7  T28

A soulful Salsa from Patrick and with a wrist injury that obviously caused them choreography problems, he did not let it spoil their performance one little bit, and most people would have not danced at all, let’s all hope he repairs quickly for next week.

Fiona & Anton Quickstep C7  D7  L8  B8  T30

What a pretty Quickstep routine, it was very clean and precise with a great little story line, Fiona even looked as if she was enjoying herself and seemed more relaxed and at ease as if she had just won the jackpot at the ‘Casino Royale’

Rachel & Pasha Paso Doblé C4  D6  L6  B6  T22

Rachel has worked extremely hard on her performance level this week, but I did feel as though some of her effort was a little forced in places, a little simpler choreography would have helped her as she was just out of her comfort zone which showed in her technique.

Mark & Iveta Waltz C7  D7  L7  B7  T28

Mark was very brave to start the routine solo and did extremely well showing good rise and fall and correct footwork, he then continued to show us good poise and a well-controlled routine which he should be very proud of.

Ashley & Ola Jive C7  D8  L8  B8  T31

Ashley has a good kick and flick action however a little more control on the finishing would have made it that more pleasing on the eye, he had great control on the lifts and stunts but he is still occasionally flat footed If he just finished his lines and works on his lowering action he will go far.

Susanna & Kevin  American Smooth (Foxtrot) C8  D8  L8  B8 T32

Susanna’s dancing makes me smile from ear to ear, her control and musical interpretation takes years to learn yet another lovely performance finished beautifully and delightful to watch.

Ben & Kristina Quickstep C6  D7  L7  B7  T27

A very light footed furious Quickstep, Ben’s timing was a bit off in places and I do agree totally with Len’s comment about some of the content of the routines being too much show and not enough dance, especially when the celebrity is obviously capable of more demanding figures.

Sophie & Brendan Cha Cha C7  D8  L7 B8  T30

Beautiful straight legs from Sophie, however I do feel that she is in a too higher heel which stops her from lowering the foot correctly and is pitching her too far forward so she occasionally becomes stompy and dances the traveling steps on bent knees.

Sunday’s result Show

The choreography of our professional show routines this series is Strictly out of this world, but I did not quite get the Geisha appeal to their routine? Shockingly Deborah & Robin and Patrick & Anya were both in the dreaded dance off, I feel that these two couples are very evenly matched, however Patrick did perform slightly better than Deborah but she did not deserve to leave this week, so we see Patrick and Anya strut their stuff again next week, Deborah, we will miss you as I know you will miss your Strictly experience, but please KEEEEP DANCING.

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