Hello! Nice to see you all. You'll be glad to know that my post this week isn't half as ranty as a fortnight ago. It doesn't feel like this series has hit its stride yet but we saw some nicely choreographed routines, with some lovely basic steps. And it was a genuinely nice show this evening...
Rose and Giovanni
At first I was like, oh here we go, six bars without a dance step and an overbearing theme, but then... off it went into a lovely routine, squished full of basic cha cha content. Rose's foot and leg action was great, and I was quite mesmerised by her trousers. I think these two have the strongest partnership of this year and I am really enjoying watching that grow.
Tom and Amy
This was one of those routines that wasn't bad, but didn't blow me away (with a feather from the trim of Amy's truly gorgeous dress.) It's all about finesse now with Tom. He's got everything he needs to do a breakthrough routine, he just needs to refine everything - most particularly his frame. I do really feel he has the potential to do this though, so they're still a pair to watch.
Tilly and Nikita
I think Nikita has fallen into the trap that befalls many a first-season pro. He's so excited to show what he can do, it almost feels like he has forgotten it's a partnership - one that should be far more about Tilly. He should be choreographing routines that suit her skill and style, and also supporting her through them. But no, there he is going for it, gung-ho, and leaving her behind, making the routine look mis-matched. Don't get me wrong, Tilly is doing amazingly well trying to keep up with him, but she is being let down a little.
Greg and Karen
Oh, we have been missing some dad dancing. And some Anton-worthy samba sleeves. But Greg seemed so disappointed in himself it was almost heartbreaking. There's always so much talk about the rumba being difficult for the men (so much so that they don't even bother making most people do it anymore) but samba is the most rhythmically challenging of all the dances, and the body action is so unnatural to anyone who's never tried to move that way before. And whilst this had some real issues with technique, Greg's timing looked spot on.
John and Johannes
These two have been slowly growing into one of my all time Strictly partnerships, but for me this week it was a little off. And it wasn't really about the technique, it was about the choreography. They got so sucked in to telling a story, the dancing itself just lost some sparkle. But they dance so well together that I have no concerns at all that they'll be back with something amazing next week.
Rhys and Nancy
I'm gonna say it. This. Was. Not. Salsa. It was also a tad overzealous - as now seems to be Rhys' style. This man has so much potential though. Whilst his steps were far too wide (also not an uncommon sight in a ballroom pro trying to salsa...) he actually had the beginnings of a lovely, authentic body action. Nancy needs to help him refine his technique. If he can, he could be one of this year's biggest... journeys.
Sara and Aljaz
I actually found the music distracting. Whilst I absolutely love the piece, it is not suited to a marchy 2/4 ballroom tango. Why it was not saved for an Argentine later in the series instead is beyond me. Or re-arranged for the dance in question. But never mind. Other than that I thought this was fab. I think Sara is fab. And I want to adopt Aljaz.
Dan and Nadiya
I did not expect this to be one of my favourite dances of the night but you know what? It was. This had an infectious joy about it and actually was fairly technically sound - when they actually did a bit of cha cha. Dan is really embracing the sparkle and comes across as a genuinely lovely man. We always love contestants who just fall in love with the experience and Dan is really giving off that vibe.
Judi and Graziano
This was understated, stylish and I basically really liked it. I would have loved more sway from Judi but the change of pace, and emotion behind it were just absolutely delightful. I thought she looked absolutely stunning in a classic ballroom dress. What a way to come back from being in the bottom two. Graziano is starting to really grow as a professional partner and I love the support he is showing.
Adam and Katya
Well, it was about as tango as an egg custard tart. But I think Katya has realised that Adam might not be the natural we all assumed he might be, and - as the polar opposite to Nikita - is choreographing routines that suit him. Whether they look like the dance or not. So I can appreciate that, even though I would have loved to see an actual Argentine Tango. The lifts and tricks were pretty cool. This lady managed to create a routine that made it look like Seann Walsh could dance. I just hope she remembers that Adam is of a significantly higher calibre.
AJ and Kai
Oh AJ, I was so looking forward to this and it just fell a little flat. Her technique had a more salsa than a samba vibe for me (as did the music), but this is a lady who has never danced before. Such high expectations are unfair - and as mentioned, samba is the most difficult latin dance. And it just got the better of her this time. She looked absolutely stunning and has such a fun, engaging personality and I have every hope that she'll bounce back next week. Everyone has a tricky week.
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