The line-up isn't bad this year, but the main reason for watching is:-

http://www.entertainment-focus.com/w...=90&w=950&zc=1

I'm sure they could have done better with the costume design, but not with the dancer. Nice to have another series with Aliona.

Good luck Tony and Aliona tonight

Good luck as well. I hope that their waltz wow the audience.

If this is correct, we won't have to wait long

@AlionaVilani: Dancing our Waltz with @jacklin_tony 2nd in the line up tonight on BBC...tune in!...don't miss it!...hope you enjoy our dance😜👯✨ #TeamAliOny

Good Luck Aliona and Tony hope it all goes well tonight

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/strictlyc...ress-Rehearsal



Aliona is wearing a lovely aqua dress, it's similar to the dress she wore for the Viennese waltz with Harry

On the plus side the choreography was clever, told a story and created the mood. Tony was in character with the mood and kept going throughout the dance.

There were some mistakes but a few nice moments form Tony too - some graceful arm extensions..

Harry didn't get his Foxtrot right as his first dance, so it is one of those things. It is so easy to just lose a train of though or a connection in the dance and it can throw you for the rest of the dance, but Tony kept going and got back on track each time.

All is not lost - a good performance in the next dance will be all the more impressive.

There seems to be quite a positive response in that people liked the mood and Tony came across as sweet. The choreography did show that Tony could shape some nice lines and arm extensions so overall the dance seems to have drawn people to Tony.

I am trivial, but, boy, was Tony Jacklin a good looking man in his playing days. Sweet guy too.

Loved their routine tonight. Nicely acted, simple and moving. I couldn't help smiling all through. Aliona looked stunning.

If it looks like a dancer, moves like a dancer, sings like ..... no wait - forget the singing Tony.

The boy showed grace and elegance
eg.

http://www.entertainment-focus.com/w...=90&w=950&zc=1

Just a bit of background info regarding Tony Jacklin (and yes, I think he probably was a bit of a heartthrob in his heyday):

He was very much Britain's top golfer (and pretty high up there in World status). He won the Open in 1969 (first Brit in 18 years), and the US Open in 1970 (first European in 80-odd years).

His bete noir, though, was Lee Trevino: in 1972, he was tied for the lead with Trevino playing the penultimate hole in the Open. Jacklin had a 15-foot putt for a birdie 4, Trevino was off the green in 4 (so things looked very rosy). However, Trevino actually holed his difficult chip shot for a 5, and Jacklin was so taken aback, he took 3 putts for a 6. Trevino went on to win.

I felt at the time that this setback was a killer blow to Jacklin's career, and so it turned out. (Trevino went on later that year to beat Jacklin, against the play, in the World Match Play Championship.)

Was away most of the weekend, so only seen bits. Not a very promising start it has to be said.

Difficult to see Tony improve by the weekend, I assume it will be Latin this week?

Good luck to them though, I will be voting

For some reason they have been given the Charleston - in week 2.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvs4bOMv5Xw

I'm sure Aliona will cope.
The main problem I see is the energy needed to train for a Charleston for 4 hours every day.
I think Tony can get into character well for a Charleston.

A good ITT for Tony and Aliona.

They were a good team and there was a bit of setting the record straight done - including by Karen.

Tony doing an article in the Express is also something which is a plus. There may be a number of readers who will get interested, be impressed and vote.

I hope Tony drops in on the way home each day for a nice massage to help him through this training. This sounds like it will be a tough week but it may not be the last.
I'll do what I can vote-wise to see them next week - they have been doing better than I expected.

"Just because you made mistakes doesn't mean you danced badly."

Quote of the week!

Life - its all about balance!

Another good video.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01hvzgr

I tried that balancing on your toes in the hold position and its easier if you use the outside of the balls of your feet - interesting.

Tony just tops the poll to go out first. But many are saying they will vote for him. So I'm hopeful our fantastic duo will get through.

I wouldn't be surprised to see 2 couples seemingly safe in the middle of the leader board in the dance off.

Charleston training looked slow and lacking in energy - which is OK because you have to learn to walk before you run.
As Ian said, a big part of the Charleston is in going over the top and acting the role of someone else - a real showman (or show-off).

I think its likely to be a quaint lower energy Charleston which can look OK too but unfortunately Sophie is also doing a Charleston and she looks like she is going to be very good at it.

On the other hand Julien has a lot of problems with the Tango and Vanessa isn't looking that good at the Waltz. Dave is a long way off on the AS and maybe Ben wont look so good at the Waltz.

Everyone else will probably do well or very well.

Tony has a good sense of humour and hopefully he can overcome that barrier that almost all the sportsmen have struggled with - going what seems to them to be 'ridiculously way over the top'.

He will get all the right advice from Aliona - he just has to commit fully to doing what she says.

Its Wednesday and Tony can dance the whole routine from start to finish - great news!

They will need the time to add the 'performance' side of things.
I reckon the performer gene is within Tony if he will let it out.

Good luck guys and hope you have a lot of fun putting the fun into the routine.

Very quiet on here and with no Tony and Aliona thread slightly worrying as to vote catching.

Actually seems to be more support on the main thread with some saying they will vote for Tony, though still top the poll to be first out.

I was tempted to set up a thread thinking along the same lines as you that we need to do something however I think Tony is getting noticed on the main board with lots of members commenting on voting for him or not.

I shall be voting online and with the telephone. I sincerely hope that Tony just has a good time and enjoys his dance and smiles a lot. :

I will have to look into voting online. The more votes the better

I wasn't expecting Tony to struggle quite so much with fitness in the Charleston but it seems he certainly is putting in all the work he can.

The training videos have me questioning even more the decision to give him the Charleston at this stage when he obviously needed weeks of training before he would be fit enough to do the Charleston at a level of energy to satisfy the judges.
Giving him a Cha Cha Cha would have been fair as most of the others had CCC as their Latin in week one.

I will vote more than I ever have before because I want him to get through without facing the dance-off. Tony and Aliona have earned that.

Good luck tonight Tony and Aliona. I will be voting