Its because we feel sorry for how Flavia is treating him and we vote for him.

Poor Flavia – being hung out to dry on this thread!

She is not all over Craig like a rash, she doesn’t shout or throw things at him – ergo she must want to get rid of him. Sorry, I have been a Flavia fan for too long to buy that.

If you watch them being interviewed and in rehearsals you will get a more balanced view of the body language and connection that in the tense blip during the results.

I am under no illusions about Craig’s dancing and I am still waiting for the ‘aha’ moment. I am hoping that he delivers a great Waltz on Saturday. He is limited by this lack of natural timing and nerves - not easy to overcome.

The mark of a great teacher is to inspire and create a love of the subject and Flavia has certainly done that. Craig desperately wants to learn and bounces back each week. His problem is that he thinks too much and needs to get lost in the music and feel it. She is endlessly patient and kind. Craig has a very dead pan style at times and she laughs with him, not at him.

I appreciate her calm and unassuming perseverance. She is on the journey with Craig and taking it as it comes. She knows that his technical abilities are not up to scratch (yet) and seems stunned by the huge public support.

She is central to SCD for me. I would be very sad to see only larger-than-life egos allowed. Surely the mix is what makes the show special – something for everyone.

Yes Craig is begging to get to Blackpool and getting the sympathy vote....don't forget the public put them in the bottom 2 twice the judges had to save them.

That might be why you're voting for him but it definitely isn't why I'm voting for THEM.

Noone is hanging her out to dry........I am pointing out she hasn't the bubbly personality or social skills for a show like Strictly.....but is by far the best person to teach someone with natural rhythm and who can dance a bit.....sorry but this only happens every other year on Strictly and she can't seem to to well unless she gets someone like this and also with a big personality as she lacks that aswell.

How Flavia's "treating" him?

I kind of take a middle view on Flavia's teaching in all this. From what we see she is patient, kind and knows her stuff. I don't see anything which suggests she doesn't like Craig or has 'given up'. On the other hand I do think her facial expressions and body language are more transparent than many of the other pros - I quite like that about her, she's no bullshitter. So it's pretty obvious she knows when he's danced a stinker and can't believe they're still in it. That seems to be what people are picking up on.
From my limited knowledge base, I am a little critical of her priorities in the early weeks of the competition. It seemed to me that her early choreography - especially that bizarre tango - was far too difficult for Craig and came at the expense of him gaining confidence in basics like posture, which she is now, too late, addressing. But equally his lack of any musicality does make any choreography a nightmare and, of course, we are privy to so little of their training that I would have to admit her choices may have been the best she could do in fairly hopeless circumstances.

Every other year would be great lemonandlime.
Jimmy Tarbuck, Phil Daniels - she did get a dance with Terry Wogan and Gary Rhodes. Matt di Angelo was the only one to have natural talent - oh and Gethin was great on tour.

I suppose I just disagree with you on the personality issue. I find it hard to warm to the pros with huge, dynamic egos. We need a mix of characters to please everyone. Maybe Flavia would have more profile with a ‘louder’ celebrity, but then again some people like her this year and have not in the past.

She is the main reason that I watch Strictly.

At the beginning she said he had flashes of genius and that may have influenced the choreography. I like her edgy ideas, but I agree that she had to revisit that strategy when it became clear that Craig froze on the live show.

The people on this thread aren't just basing comments on the wait for results though, it's also based on interviews and VT footage...

I also don't think she's being hung out to dry here. I too think she's an asset to the show and a fantastic dancer, and I'd hate to see her be replaced by another pro. BUT... I still think she doesn't like Craig, and is fed up putting in the hours to train him when he's clearly not going to get any better, and his days on the show are numbered.

I don't mean she has to have a huge great big personalty that overshadows everything that is too much I agree....but on the other hand, I would love to see something more from her,she hardly speaks and seems the type of girl who just wants to work,work and work some more without finding the time to remember to have fun and this shines through.

I actually really enjoyed that tango but admit it was far too hard for a first dance. I think the last couple of weeks she has choreographed routines that have been within Craig's 'doability' and really fun and enjoyable to watch, even if they haven't been executed with technical perfection.

To be honest I just don't understand why her teaching is getting questioned when we have had many participants before that have shown little improvement and no one has questioned the pro they were partnered with (okay, bar Anton who seems to get it in the neck a lot). I guess people just come down harder on certain professionals.

I much prefer Flavia's quieter nature to the louder and brasher professionals, she always has a smile on her face too. Anyway I'll be off as I've had enough of being baffled for the day.

Just because she's naturally shy and reserved doesn't mean that she shouldn't appear on Strictly or can't seem to do well unless she's paired with someone who can dance. I love the fact that she isn't loud, over-dramatic and in-your-face like certain professionals. Just because she doesn't appear to say much on ITT or the live show doesn't mean that she doesn't have the personality for an entertainment show; the ITT interviews are very much driven to be about the celebrity anyway and there is very little time on the live shows for her to start chatting away. And as for her and Craig I've always felt that they've gotten on very well and she's always come across as being very supportive of Craig when they've received their scores and judges remarks.

It is not her expertise or teaching that is in question, both of which are excellent. Nor is her quieter nature an issue, its is nice and refreshing. I just would like it to appear that she was more encouraging and supportive of Craig, I am yet to see her so this. Instead I see her laughing at him, cringing at him, not taking the opportunity to tell him well done and looking embarrassed to be dancing with him.

Nor me - as she comes over as very patient and kind. I think Flavia is fantastic although I admit I'm beginning to have certain issues with Craig. I think they do get on fairly well as they appear relaxed together when doing interviews on telly.

If we're basing her teaching ability on her past strictly record perhaps we need to start questioning Matthew Cutlers ability too? He has the worse record of any pro dancer as he himself admitted too. Don't forget that although Flavia went out in the first week with Jimmy Tarbuck they weren't voted out.

Are we're sure he's listening to her?

Maybe not, but it is her role to make sure that he does.

You mean other than her standing in front of him to protect him from the judges when they were getting bashed (I forget which time ) and hugging him and supporting him all the time. She pats him on the back and he doesn't let the bad comments get him down. She's doing the best she can with what he's got, and on craig's blog he has nothing but praise for flavia so how can they have a bad relationship?

Oh and also when she stood up for him after one of their dances (foxtrot?) in Tess's room and praised him...she does support him.

Just to clarify why I feel Flavia has to take some responsibility to why Craig is not doing as well as he thinks he is. I have watched Strictly from series one and seen Flavia with all her celeb partners. She has had bad luck with two of the three partners going out early, however with Matt she had a lot of success. maybe my problem is that she seem so enthusiastic with him, compared to Craig. This is of course the first time we have got to see her at length with a celeb, that she wasn't also having a personal relationship with.

I see the support as what she has to say rather than what she feels.

We are both entitled to our opinions are we not.

Ummm...she went out with Jimmy because he had health problems...he said himself that he loved working with her and they weren't voted out And she is enthusiastic with Craig...she gives him great dances, they have a laugh in training and seem to get on well, just because she is a shy person doesn't mean that she isn't enthusiastic. Also, with matt he had a big personality and is very outgoing so that brought out her more outgoing side too...with Craig he's more introverted I think, so maybe that's what you're seeing?

Also, her and matt weren't even together until after the show.

We are indeed I just think it's nicer to see the better in people than to jump to conclusions about people we don't know.

I think people are forgetting that WE only see a couple of minutes of EDITED footage from the training. On ITT they seem to have a good close relationship.
Several threadies have been trained by her (and V) or have met her, and report that she has a very warm personality, although generally overshadowed by the naturally over-ebbuliant Vinthent!!

JJ

So she wasn't attracted to him until the show finished

I keep saying you are entitled to your opinion, I am entitled to mine. Flavia in my opinion, is not uncomfortable around Craig, she seems embarrassed and is not as positive as she has been in the past, even when she dance with Jimmy.

By the same account we can not jump to conclusions that she is being genuinely supportive and enthusiastic toward Craig, if others are getting a different view from her body language and behaviour.
Last edited by cmrxx : 25-10-2009 at 18:16