The Rumba Rumble

We called last week's post Curses and it feels like it has come to pass, saying a premature goodbye to Will and Janette and Neil having to sit out this week too. Add poor Jamie Biscuits to the mix (nevah forget!) and this series has really been plagued by injuries. But we're now halfway through - where has the year gone?!

Karim and Amy
Thank goodness Karim is back to traditional ballroom, if only he wasn't dressed as a Butlins entertainer...This was a delightful nippy number to start the show with, if there's one thing that's so hard about the quickstep it's that you're supposed to make it look easy when it's basically insane. It was confident and fleet of foot, with clear work on the ballroom hold. A wee bit of gapping like Craig said, but definitely a strong start to the show.
Very cute. Quickstep is my favourite ballroom dance and it didn't disappoint. Shame it was first to be honest. It set the bar high for the show and no one else quite cleared it...

Michelle and Giovanni
It Takes Two suggested Michelle was doing this in her knickers, I was oddly disappointed that she wasn't, even though the final outfit was pretty darn cool. This looked too much like a tango for me in the opening stages, I think it was the song, but it felt more staccato than it should have been. However, you just can't stop the musicality of these two together and she had very strong lines and focus throughout the whole thing. Not my favourite, but definitely worth applauding.  
Spanish theming great - completely ruined by song. If I covered my ears and watched it was more than passable (paso-able?) She wasn't fully committing to the drama of it all, however. Which was a surprise from Michelle. 

Emma and Aljaz
Emma moved her hips more than I was expecting, but as a lot of people said, it was all a bit meh. There's a fine line between making it look fun and effortless and looking like you're wandering around like you've not learned the routine. It wasn't offensive, but I doubt I'll remember it in the morning...
It was twee and fancy and I just can't warm to her. She isn't really improving. I know Samba is tricky (it is, it is) but this was about as flat as a vacuum-packed pancake. Elegance works for some dances but samba? Giggly and a tiny bit wiggly doesn't wash. 

Kelvin and Oti
Another bloke who has finally been brought back to do some proper ballroom, which also gave us Oti in a beautiful ballroom dress for the ages. I could have done without the contempo-waft moments, but there was more than enough VW content in there anyway. Not his best dance, but clear improvements in things like hold and the smoothness of his moves. 
So we've gone from contempowaft to contempowaltz. His fleckerl was a wee bit stiff. Oo-er. I still think he's won it purely for his week one dance. If they perform a salsa with the same kind of aplomb I should imagine game's over.

Saffron and AJ
Saffron is dressed like a 60s sci-fi Barbie. This was the fast and the furious of salsas, which was probably too much for Saff and left her chasing AJ and flinging herself around. The lifts were pretty good considering how crazy the routine was, but the attempts at arm work were clunky. The thing that I take away from Saffron most weeks is that she attacks the dances like she has nothing to lose, which is better than watching people who are too tentative.

I didn't mind song on the whole but she looked like she was dancing the twist as the music was too fast for her. And ballroom dancers, your basic salsa steps are huge. It didn't make my eyes bleed but meh.

Alex and Kevin
Another nice bit of ballroom and a stunning frock, thank goodness. It was like a rom-com meet-cute in dance form, but didn't become cloying. However, the perky mood just died when it got into hold, but I can imagine changing partners has made improving on that quite difficult. She also seemed to take the lifts in her stride, which I wouldn't have expected a few weeks ago. Lovely to see someone blossoming and having a great time.
Alex is the biggest improver of the series so far. J word and all that. Bit worried she's gelled more with Kevin than Neil. Awks.

Chris and Karen
Tess and Claud doing pysche, sparkly bucket hats, perspective jokes - it was surreal but my word it was entertaining! This was not Chris's best dance by quite a way, but gosh he gave out and gave it all he had. It was like Ed Balls on a bad day (Ed Balls was a good dancer, don't @ me). Karen was as awesome as ever. Totally overmarked, but I'll forgive that.
Firstly WTAF. Street commercial should not even be attempted, but I appreciate the energy and fun. And F and I both went to uni in the North East and understand the sentimentality of PJ and Duncan. But argh, cringe.

Emma and Anton
This was weird, I'm not surprised half of Twitter was having Vorderman flashbacks. Emma had clearly worked on her technical elements, but none of it really gelled. I blame Anton for this, he barely even moved his hips throughout the whole dance. Emma, you deserve better, and please cut your hair in a blunt fringe because it really suits you.
I wasn't paying much attention - I missed the timing issues and actually thought it was quite nice. Or better than I thought it would be at least. But this is why you don't put anyone decent with Anton... his teaching and choreo aren't up to scratch...

Mike and Katya
This was clearly going to suit Mike, but OBVIOUSLY Kimberly and Pasha did it better. That feels like a million years ago...There was swivel and he handled the routine fine, but it was sloppier than you'd want from week 7. He looks like Chris Hollins, but I can't imagine he'll invited back every Christmas to Charleston. Katya looks like a steampunk delight though, which is nice.
Meep. After last week's controversy I was a bit pffft going in to this. It was fun. It was Mike. Katya gets the best out of her partners, yada yada bored now.