Was it just me or did their Samba look more like a Jive in the training clips?!

Absolutely!

Thinking about it... I'm pretty sure the 11 actually used to go past my (old) house - I lived in Lytham - silly me!

Goodo!

(It's for my voice, not the piano, though - don't want you getting disappointed when there's no Grand Piano in the lounge! )

Will anyone who partners James have an easy journey .He is so unpopular that I am almost sure people dont vote for the couple becuase of him . I dont think its Zoe at all /
I could be worng though
I like little Craig and want to mother him .But am I alone in thinking Flavia is very indifferent and a bit "whatever " this year ? Or is she simply always like that , a bit bland and beige

I won't be disappointed, so long as you don't utter the word 'goodo' ever again

Did it? I wasn't paying attention. I'm surprised it was recognisable as any dance. (I know he tries. He just can't dance).

Hi Sid

I'm not sure what it looked like but it wasn't good

I like Craig but I think he has reached the end of his SCD road. I can't think of anyone currently still in the running who deserves to be out before him.

Aw. I like the Word Which I Shall Not Mention Again (Unless I Forget). Oh well.

Back on topic, I wonder when Jade and Ian will be on ITT this week? I was sad their VW wasn't mentioned in CC.

Karen was brilliant in "Choreography Corner" again today.

But nothing will convince me that Zoe's jive was anything other than rubbish.

Which probably means he'll survive if past voting patterns on Strictly are anything to go by!

<smooch> x

Jade & Ian's VW was the dance of the series so far and a real breakthrough for them.

They should have made a bigger deal out of it on ITT.


I agree with you Veri (for a change ).

It was ever so mundane. I barely saw any steps.

Maybe I'm just one of these people who prefer to see celebrities challenged, even if they get it a bit wrong, than play safe all the time.

Well, they probably will when they're on, unless they're on the same day as Ricky and Natalie, of course!

BTW, I hope someone at the BBC (who matters re SCD) notices how much people like Karen in "Choreography Corner".

I don't think that means she should be a judge. I think she would be a good judge, but that's a very different issue, and as a judge she wouldn't have time to explain things the way she does on ITT.

CC is great, and none of the "competing" shows have anything very like it.

Agree with you on both points.

I really don't get what the judges saw in Zoe's jive. Even looking back at bits of it on tonight's show, I thought it was boring and she looked dreadful when she was kicking.

Can't remember how early on it was, but I do remember her being in the dance off one week when she got loads of positive comments for the American Smooth, after weeks of criticism, and came near the top of the judges leaderboard.

I agree about them using Karen more than they do. I am not a dancing expert so love to have it explained to me, Karen does that in terms that I understand while still being technical.

Im sur eMatt di angelo was in the bottom 2 quite early on as well. Im not saying Zoe will reach the final 2 (like rachel and matt did) but i think as long as she stays a favourite with the judges theres a chance she can remain in the comp for a while still..

Karen is a bit of genius and the BBC are idiots if they dont a) see this b) use her more.

Thought the Zoe/James comment - "at least we wont have to do the jive again" was very telling! That very comment sums up exactly why they were in the bottom two...

still don't get the Zoe love (dancing-wise)

and James - I just can't take to him however much I try

sorry Zoe but your partner puts me right off ya

Claudia was quite harsh to Craig, wasn't she?!

At least I didn't miss it then!

For probably the first time I do like everyone this year - pros and celebs - some more than others though and James is in the 'more' category!

I loved how Karen explained the different styles of jive, as I though a jive was a jive. It made me appreciate Z&J's jive a bit more and see how technically it was good (still not much fun though). The way she explained how pros take basic moves and then develop them for more able celebs was great too - pointing out the different ways of doing the same move in the VW was excellent too. I'm not that sure that Craig and Bruno would be up to spotting all that kind of stuff.

The big difference for me with Karen doing CC is that I know realise there are different styles of some of the dances. I knew the AS could be done in more than one style (Vincent was in trouble with Len last year for doing the AS in a different (but acceptable) style IIRC).

If only Karen had been doing CC and the Master Class series from day one - a lot of us would know a lot more than we do about ballroom and Latin dancing!

I'd also give Karen 10 for CC tonight!

I thought she was trying to break it to him gently that he's not a good dancer. He doesn't seem to realise it himself.

I agree with you very much about Karen's CC (and you've put it very well), ... except that nothing can make me think Zoe's jive was any good. Technically good rubbish is still rubbish.

And every single clip they showed of it in ITT said "this is rubbish" in red letters three feet high. Zoe looked terrible, the dance looked terrible, and all the praise the judges heaped on it make them seem mad, or else incredibly biased for some mysterious reason.

(Please don't see this as strong disagreement with you; I'm just taking your post as an opportunity for this mini-rant.)

I especially agree with this bit in bold .

I knew about the different styles of ASs after Ian chose to do a Waltz tempo one during Series 3, which was noted by Len as the rest had gone for the traditional Foxtrot theme.

The Viennese Waltz I learnt a bit about tonight aswell. The only thing I remember in the past in Anton and Erin showing us what a fleckel is. Len's masterclasses hardly show us much do they .

Once again, a big 10 for Karen

This rate she'll be onto a perfect 40 sooner or later

I'm not a fan of their jive, but when you compare it to the others at least they didn't make any glaring errors and that's got to count for some of the marks. I wasn't keen on it because I thought it was boring and Zoe can't relax into a dance yet and look like she's enjoying it!