Shimmies, somersaults and shocking frocks!

Another week, another questionable dress for Tess and overly-long intro from Bruce. Strictly isn't a sprint, it's a marathon! It's a short ep tonight and all of a sudden there doesn't seem to be that many people left. Three weeks to go, Christmas is nearly here!

And it's been a bit late coming this year, but Hideous Costume Week is finally here! There's some real shockers, so much that I'm finding Vincent's gondolier outfit quite cute!

Kimberley and Pasha

Speaking outfits, Kimberley just about pulls this one off, even though it looks like something the hilariously evil wardobe people would've given to Holly Valance to make her look daft. Thought this was pretty good, nice old-fashioned jive, quite literally. Great kicks and so much energy. Also, with a lot of training and hard work, she could one day graduate from the Karen Hardy School of Facial Expressions.

It was neat and tidy in the feet but didn't have enough energy (according to my strictly unprofessional eye) A bit jolty in the leg. Does that make sense? 


Dani and Vincent

I want some ice cream...I'm also having a Louisa flashback when Vincent was actually dressed as a tiny ice cream man. Dani lucks out with the best dress of the night as a marshmallow cupcake. You'll do anything to jazz up a VW and I actually thought this routine was delightful, nice little fancy touches to add some musicality.

WTF was with all the props and weird costume? If it weren't for that, I'd have loved it. I did quite like it despite my aforementioned protestations. I'm keeping my fingers crossed from now until the final that these two are in it. Still waiting for my wow dance though. Come oooon. 

Michael and Natalie

Those outfits are an early 90s nightmare, it hurts my eyes, I was there and they weren't nice the first time round. It was mean but I totally laughed when Michael fell down the stairs at the start, it's samba week, the omens are bad! To be fair, the hip action has improved beyond waggling his bum a bit, but that was about it. He seemed to be bobbing around Dad dancing most of the time while Natalie span around him in her tetris bedsheet dress.

Unlike Matt Dawson, Michael wasn't able to pull off a decent samba at the last minute. And yes, he was just bobbing along really. Bobbing along, along the bottom of the beautiful, briny ... leaderboard, 

Nicky and Karen

What the hell is Karen wearing, she looks like she's wearing the back of one dress and the front of the other! It does appear compulsory for an AT to be to a Bond theme, in a desperate attempt to live up to the legend of Ramps, but this probably wasn't the right choice, bit too mournful. This was in fact a pleasant surprise for me, a bit rumba-y for an AT, but it somehow worked. Not perfect, but yet again Nicky is coming on more than I ever expected him to.

Why not scrap Argentine Tango in favour of 'Bond Dance'? Song would have made an OK rumba, possibly, but didn't really suit this dance. Not sure what the kung fu fighting moves were about either. And he still has duck feet. 

Lisa and Robin

Not sure about the egg yolk outfit, but as ever you can't help but smile when these two dance. It was good in parts, but she did go wrong in the first Charleston section. And when in doubt jump over a sofa like a five-year-old! Might be a bit controversial, but I thought this was a tad overmarked...

Egg yolk? No, it was lemon sorbet, dear and Lisa looked delicious. She makes me smile and I am almost certain these two are going to make the final. What I still want to see is a technically fabulous dance. Then I will die happy. Not planning to die any time soon though, don't worry.

Denise and Ian

Really not sure about that dress or James' rockability bondage outfit, god this week is weird. Great spins, hilariously awful shimmies. Quite spectacular first lift it was like a labrynith of legs inside a washing machine. I'm getting really annoyed at James banging on about how he went wrong, methinks he protests too much...

Brace yourself: it did have some salsa-esque moves. Hopeless song though. And Denise had no body movement. Could do better...

Louis and Flavia

Why does Flavia have a flowerpot on her head? I'm all for hats, but this isn't the time! This had me and Mr F in hysterics, Louis dancing with his mouth wide open, what lawks! Good swivels and appropriate gymnastics this week. Thought this was going to be a make or break week for Louis, the judges might have been a bit overblown in their praise but he does deserve to go through. Two tens was mental!

I have two dance moves. Charleston and moonwalk. Louis used them both. In one dance. Excellent stuff. Glad to see him in a character of sorts. Definitely deserved its place at the top.