Sunday 10 December 2017

The Semi-Final Slog

The semi-final is always exhausting for everyone involved, we have two dances, it's nearly Christmas and everyone is a bit tired and emotional. It's often a slog with flashes of greatness. We also started this semi with some seriously bling-tastic dresses from Tess and Shirley, are there any sequins left in Britain?

Joe and Katya
Joe has gone from strength to strength in recent weeks, and this was always going to be a good dance for him. My expectations were high and I was watching with a beady eye, but apart from some wonky arm bits, it was very good. A nice routine yet again from Katya too with a great mix of steps and not overly-reliant on lifts. Correctly scored, and all round good and proper, but not a wow moment just yet. But we have a long night ahead of us...

Alexandra and Gorka
Apart from her quickstep at Blackpool, it feels like forever since Alex got to do some classic ballroom, and in a drop dead gorgeous frock too! PLUS a totally appropriate song choice that enhance the dance - all the elements were there for once. Now, there was a whiff, a WHIFF, of contempo waft about this, but I can forgive it since you need to jazz up a VW in the semis or you get forgotten.

Mollie and AJ
10 out of 10 for effort and smiling, much less out of 10 for dancing. She managed to look like she was having a marvellous time, but it really was all over the place. Craig comments about the palm trees having more bounce did make me cackle, I bet she is dying to get back in ballroom. Also, poor AJ looked like a puppy that had been told off...

Gemma and Aljaz
No one wants a rumba in the semifinal, contestants, pros, viewers, no-one. Saying that, I actually thought this was quite sweet and they captured a nice mood, teamwork has been one of their strengths all the way through. But is was a bit hesitant in places and didn't quite flow. Certainly not a disaster, and it did indeed look like a rumba, but not setting the world alight.

Debbie and Giovanni
Brilliant song choice for a jive, and Debbie knows how to sell a ritzy-glitzy number for all its worth. I thought this started well enough, but she really started flagging about halfway through and her steps suffered. Everyone looks for the iconic kick and flick section in a jive and that looked a bit scarecrow-y. Top marks for the festive Cadbury chocolate outfits though.

ALL CHANGE, round we go again....

Joe and Katya
This was weird. Good, but WEIRD. It feel like it didn't get going until the opening section with the mirror and the first lift were done, and then there was a proper AT section that was truly excellent. I did really feel for him with that post-lift wobble, but it didn't throw him and that's pretty impressive. Closer to a showdance than an AT, they may have been a bit too ambitious with this one.

Alexandra and Gorka
I wasn't sure which was this was going to go, but it blew me away with the sheer amount of choreography and commitment. It just kept going and going and the lifts were pretty epic too. And it looked like a salsa, not a samba, not a disco, not some deformed cha cha. After the week she's had, being able to bring both technique and showmanship in a dance like that means everything.

Mollie and AJ
Quite a grinding change of pace after the party-dance-to-end-all-parties, but a peaceful bit of ballroom is always welcomed. Although it was peaceful to the point of me dozing off. It was perfectly nice and Mollie is always better in ballroom, but if I'm stuck for something to say about a semifinal dance then, really...

Gemma and Aljaz
Gemma looks seriously foxy and this worked as a tango song better than some we've had recently. Its driven by a beat and entirely about sexual frustration, what more do you want? This started well, with lots of attack from both of them, but it didn't really go anywhere. Technically, it was very good, but it wasn't more than the sum of its parts.

Debbie and Giovanni
A twee but delightful song and minimal faffage from Giovanni in the choreography. Although I was surprised when it was suddenly over, it felt like it hadn't really built to anything. Really feeling the semi-final slog this year, where we get lots of nice numbers, but fewer 'WOW' moments.

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