Jill and Darren's Paso
Alesha's Cha Cha
Kara's Charleston
The Bad:
Emma's Tittarumba
Everything Fiona Phillips
Anyone playing guitar on female dancer's leg
The Ugly:
There is of course only one. Lisa Snowdon Showdance. Genuinely funniest thing I have ever seen. I still watch the Youtube clip with commentary with tears streaming down my face
Scott. Maslen and Natalie Lowe doing the jive. Everything about it was perfect. The music, story, acting and jive ability.
It was just brilliant and puts all the dances this year to shame.
I love all things Strictly (even the bits that annoy me) but the real stand out moment for me was the foxtrot from Erin and Anton to Katherine Jenkins and Andrea Bocelli's performance of 'Time to say goodbye".
It ticked all the boxes for me, sentimental old biddy that I am
I love everything Strictly and have loads of favourite dances but the title of this thread asks for the stand-out moment.
For me, it has to be Kara and Artem's rumba (the pink one, of course). It took me a while to pick a favourite in Series 8, and it wasn't until Blackpool and that innovative and controversial American Smooth that I nailed my colours to the mast and voted for them (the previous week I had voted for Scott and Natalie's brilliant jive). From then on, they simply mesmerised me and I desperately wanted them to win.
For the semi-final, they danced an amazingly beautiful, dream-like Viennese Waltz to Stop and then the rumba. Normally I hate that bloody dance, but from the moment Kara wafted her arm over her head and walked towards Artem through the smoke to the strains of Santana's Samba Pa Ti, until their final pose, I don't think I breathed once. Simply stunning.
I have watched it a hundred times (or more) since that night and yes, there was a wobble, and yes, her foot came off the ground (thank you, Craig) but it moved me like no other dance on Strictly has ever moved me. It therefore has to be my stand out moment and, for that, thank you, Kara and Artem.
True standout moments for me are -
Ramps & Karen's AT - still get goosebumps watching it now and
Tom & Camilla's showdance - redeemed that series for me & was so unexpected. Will always be in my Top 3 dances.
Mark and Karen's AT: pure intensity, the first (possibly only) time he 100% 'sold' a dance. Everything came togther perfectly: the mood, the music, the choreography and the quality of dancing.
Tom and Camilla's showdance: especially coming after what had gone before! Summed Tom up perfectly, he was all about the Hollywood/showman/tap/Fred Astaire vibe. I switched my vote to him in that year's final after that dance.
Kelly and Brendan's AS: who cares about an illegal lift? One of the best dances of all-time for me and my favourite AS by miles. She oozed pure Hollywood glamour throughout.
Chris and Ola's Charleston: it was the first ever Charleston, it suited him down to the ground (which admittedly wasn't very far in his case ), Ola looked gorgeous, I loved the song and the 'swimming' bit at the end. Not the most technically perfect dance but pure entertainment.
Lisa and Brendan's VW: no-one choreographs a VW like Brendan and this was beautiful from beginning to end.
The opening few bars of Alesha and Matthew's cha cha: just something about that moment when she flung her head back and her arms up proudly in a "I own this dancefloor" way to the first blaring horns of Beyonce's "Crazy in Love". The rest of the dance didn't quite live up to the beginning but it was the moment I started to see her as the winner.
And a pro one - Katya and Pasha's jive/quickstep to Caro Emerald singing "That Man". One of the fastest jives I've ever seen, and a glimpse of what Katya might have done if she'd ever been given a genuine contender.
Jill's Jive.
Marks Salsa.
Matt DiAngelos A.Smooth.
John Seargent (overall, and probably for wrong reasons).
The 'Rebel Yell' Pro dance.
Rachel Steven's A.Tango & Rumba.
The beautiful Pro V.Waltz in Blackpool (can't remember the year).
Flavia and Vincent's Pro A.Tango routines.
Tom Chambers showdance (kudos to Camillia for not going down the usual showdance route).
Kara OVERALL.
Sophie's Charleston.
Probably loads more, will have to scower youtube.
Scott & Natalie's Jive
Alesha & Matt's CCC
Ramps & Karen's VW - one of the best dresses ever seen too.
Kelly Brook's jive in the 2008 Xmas Special ❄ with Brian Fortuna. Not the very best dance you'll ever see on Strictly but a fabulous return after the sad circumstances of her departure from series 5.
I have a lot of favourites or dances I love but in terms of real WOW dances -
Kara and Artem - Rumba and AS
Scott and Natalie - Jive
Chelsee and Pasha - Jive
Kimberley and Pasha - AS
Sadly right now I can only seem to think of pretty recent ones and I realise this thread relates to the whole span of Strictly!! But that's my thoughts for just now
Comments
Thank you - you have saved me writing out my own post because this is exactly what I would have said too - even down to your final selection
I was narked that Austin was eliminated, and not that pleased with Tom winning, but good on Camilla, that was a cracker.
Tom Chambers show dance, even though I'm in the Austin was robbed camp.
A routine involving just Anton, Vincent, Flavia and Erin, done as a comedy routine and still makes me smile.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSnBrhFvN5c
For me it has to be an unprecedented peaking of emotion,truly a moment that changed how I viewed the show.
It was when Craig produced the first of four tens for Chelsee's 'Pasha' doble.
Alesha's ChaChaCha and Viennese Waltz
Zoe Ball's Paso or was it her Tango? Can't remember but I DID love it!
Sophie's Charleston
Mark & Karen Salsa
Zoe & Ian tango
James & Cherie rumba
Chris & Ola Charlston
Austin and Erin jive/paso
Scott and Natalie jive
Chris and Ola Charleston
Jill and Darren's Paso
Alesha's Cha Cha
Kara's Charleston
The Bad:
Emma's Tittarumba
Everything Fiona Phillips
Anyone playing guitar on female dancer's leg
The Ugly:
There is of course only one. Lisa Snowdon Showdance. Genuinely funniest thing I have ever seen. I still watch the Youtube clip with commentary with tears streaming down my face
It was just brilliant and puts all the dances this year to shame.
It ticked all the boxes for me, sentimental old biddy that I am
other contenders
Kara and Artem's rumba
Louis and Flavia's tango
Colin Quickstep
Alesha Showdance
Harry Argentine Tango
Matt New York AS
Louis Showdance
Matt cutler and Aliona Hip Hop Samba
colin quickstep
Alesha's cha cha and V.Waltz
The worst
colin jacksons showdance
For me, it has to be Kara and Artem's rumba (the pink one, of course). It took me a while to pick a favourite in Series 8, and it wasn't until Blackpool and that innovative and controversial American Smooth that I nailed my colours to the mast and voted for them (the previous week I had voted for Scott and Natalie's brilliant jive). From then on, they simply mesmerised me and I desperately wanted them to win.
For the semi-final, they danced an amazingly beautiful, dream-like Viennese Waltz to Stop and then the rumba. Normally I hate that bloody dance, but from the moment Kara wafted her arm over her head and walked towards Artem through the smoke to the strains of Santana's Samba Pa Ti, until their final pose, I don't think I breathed once. Simply stunning.
I have watched it a hundred times (or more) since that night and yes, there was a wobble, and yes, her foot came off the ground (thank you, Craig) but it moved me like no other dance on Strictly has ever moved me. It therefore has to be my stand out moment and, for that, thank you, Kara and Artem.
True standout moments for me are -
Ramps & Karen's AT - still get goosebumps watching it now and
Tom & Camilla's showdance - redeemed that series for me & was so unexpected. Will always be in my Top 3 dances.
Times I've been WOWED -
Fantastic
Scott & Natalie's Jive
Alesha & Matt's CCC
Ramps & Karen's VW - one of the best dresses ever seen too.
For pure comedy Michael and Natalie's jive stands out for me as a lot of the comedy was unintentional
^^ This
I cry every time I watch these two dance
Rumba
Argetine Tango
American Smooth
Tango
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxAWflPpAuw&hd=1
They were among 4 couples tied top on 39 points but Len broke the tie and ranked them 4th...but still they finished 2nd.
Yes, more votes for my favorites|
Kara and Artem - Rumba and AS
Scott and Natalie - Jive
Chelsee and Pasha - Jive
Kimberley and Pasha - AS
Sadly right now I can only seem to think of pretty recent ones and I realise this thread relates to the whole span of Strictly!! But that's my thoughts for just now