Good news there is no elimination this weekend

Bad news they dance Saturday as I probably won't get to see

I assume the results show won't be shown until Sunday again? Never understood that, much more exciting watching it live, even if it was on delay on a Saturday night it would be better.

fingers crossed everyone!

Good Luck to Aliona and Gregg, Im looking forward to seeing the cha cha - just really hope they arent out first

TBH I have no clue who is going to leave first next week - I guess it depends on judges scores and how well the public warm to the couples

I would love for Aliona and Gregg to prove all the doubters on here wrong

So would I.

From what Gregg says in his Daily Telegraph article it seems that Aliona is being very businesslike and working him hard and so that sort of relationship may work to their advantage.

yes, Ive just read his column, I thought it was very interesting, start as they mean to go on so to speak - have fun but also work hard and good to know he is now wearing underpants to lessons

It was a nicely-judged article, funny and self-deprecating at the same time as showing an uncrushable character. Aliona comes across very well through his words and it's obvious he has heaps of respect for her.

Oh, for people who watch Masterchef, I wonder if she reminds him of Monica a little -- those kinds of professional standards and fearsomeness??

The Radio Times has started bit by bit posting little VTs. Gregg and Aliona's is there now...
http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2014-...-aliona-vilani

Gregg seems confident about the CCC - and he confirmed it is the Salsa next.

Same here. I really want them to do well and prove the haters wrong.

seems like Gregg didnt want Aliona as a pro, he wanted Karen

http://tellymix.co.uk/reality-tv/str...o-partner.html

What a horrible thing to say i'm going off him more and more with every article I read

esp as they actually have to still dance with each other!!

I could understand releasing that article AFTER they were eliminated but not before!

I don't like his comments about Aliona in the Telegraph either. He's skating around actually saying she's miserable to train with. (Only with you Greg I've never seen her like that with anyone else no matter what ability or age for that matter)

I went back onto the strictly facebook page before and at the end of all the comments on Greg and Aliona (most of them terrible about Aliona) Greg Wallace pops up at the end and says "what do you think of my dancing" do you think it is the real Greg Wallace. If it is he does nothing to support Aliona in relation to the terrible comments about their training video.

I am hoping that Gregg and Aliona will be middle-bottom of the leader board

I suspect poor old Tim will be at the bottom with his cha cha but I am hoping Gregg will be better than Scott (cha cha) and Jenny (jive) so am hoping he will be placed above those 3 on the leader board

thoughts?

Nice tweet from Jennifer.

http://twitpic.com/ec3x70

Of course this is Aliona's first Strictly as part of an Irish family.

http://instagram.com/p/cmfpLXt98w/?modal=true

2014 is a good year. Triple Aliona in the pro dance tonight.

Liked the choreography - it was a proper CCC - unlike some.

Was expecting Gregg to look a bit more confident. Thought he deserved a slightly higher score based on the content.

Me too! He was surprisingly tentative and looking to Aliona for approval/guidance. But I'm happier having seen their first dance than I was before.

plus points
had some recognisable cha cha steps - unlike some cha cha's
Gregg looked like he was enjoying himself
He was enthusiastic and threw himself into it
They appear to be getting along ok

well done Gregg - onwards and upwards, so they say

Some photos.

http://balletnews.co.uk/strictly-com...irst-saturday/

Agree with all of that. There is a nice moment after Craig's comments when Aliona pats his arm/hand.

I do sympathise with him, since he had obviously worked so hard on it. Aliona and he didn't take the easy way out and make it a comedy routine. There was a lot of content.

yes, I noticed that too

He has clearly worked hard, he isn't a natural dancer and Aliona put a lot of content into that routine

He want wrong right at the beginning when they are out of hold and I think that panicked him and it just all went downhill from there

Im glad Aliona didn't go down the comedy route, like some pros did, and actually put in some great recognisable cha cha steps

He will be better next week - first night nerves and all that

charleston next

if Gregg can get the swivel action and overcome his nerves could be a good dance for him

It looked to me in th Cha Cha training vid like one of Aliona's big battles was to stop him from being bouncy. But that Tigger quality could work in his favour here. It's also a kind of projected, showy dance and that maybe will help him get over the nerves, playing the role.

Fingers crossed.

Aliona's latest tweets seem markedly warmer towards Gregg after the show

Oooops! I'm taking that crystal ball back for a refund.

lol, hope so, I think he nerves played a huge part on saturday night as his training video looked ok - he went wrong right at the start and that probably threw him

maybe she has seen some of the horrible, downright nasty things people have been saying/tweeting/writing about her - its fair to say that neither of them got the partner that they wanted, we know this much BUT they are both working hard and they seemed to be quite happy with each other (to me) on saturday night

Your last para says it exactly. It's hard to have to be loyal to someone you don't naturally get on with when half of the rest of the world is blaming you, and the other half is blaming the other person. What a crazy palaver! But they're working hard and being grown up and Aliona's choreography is great.

They probably don't have long in the competition so I just want them to have at least one good dance where they're both able to relax and enjoy the experience.

Just popping in to say that I LOVE Aliona - have done since her first series - she's quirky and fun and her choereo is different (in a good way)

However - I loathe Gregg - have done for years - so I can sympathise with Aliona when its clear she doesn't like him much either.... hopefully they will be out early freeing up Aliona to do the Christmas / Children in need special and choreograph some fab pro dances!