Jade and Ian - perfect combination of talent and personality

The rest it'll be interesting to see how improves amongst the personalities and how manages to dazzle amongst the dancers. As long as Craig isn't there I think I can live with any combination as long as I feel they've earned it.

So far I'm not wowed by either Ricky W or Ali. The personalities all have potential and for me it could all change.

I'm mixing it up.
I believe the judges want Ricky W and Ali in the final and the way the system is skewed to give them two bites of the cherry means that at least one of the judges pets will get through, even if they don't get a single public vote - I'm guessing Ricky W - because he will (deservedly) be saved by the judges over anyone including Ali.
I do believe the leaks about voting are accurate. I thought Phil Tufnell would get the public vote in any event and I can well accept Chris is popular too. The judges can still engineer either or both of these two out at the quarter/semi stage but I would like to think one public favourite can get through to the final - Phil is the better dancer.
My own faves are Ian and Jade. Jade is clearly improving, she has talent, she doesn't have previous dance experience and she has attitude. I'd be happy for Ian to win too.
So Ricky W, Phil and Jade.

Chris & Ola
Jade & Ian

If pushed for a third, I'd have to say Phil & Katya. The rest leave me cold.

Ali and Brian definitely. I think they're a great partnership and I love watching Brian dance!

Jade and Ian - think they are a really classy pair and I love their partnership.

Natalie and Vincent OR Chris and Ola. Like them all for different reasons.

However, I think Ricky W will be there and while he's not a fave of mine I can see he's a really good dancer.

On dance ability and performance it's Ricky & Natalie, Ali & Brian and Jade & Ian.

My personal favourites though are Ali & Brian, Natalie and Vincent and Laila and Anton!

Ricky and Natalie
Ali and Brian
Natalie and Vincent

Ricky and Natalie
Team cola
Ali and Brian

Ali and Brian - my initial favourites and I still love them.

Jade and Ian - fantastic every week, deserve to win.

Ricky W. for dancing and Ricky G. for personality - can't choose between them!

Wait a minute. You think Ricky W and Ali are judges pets, rather than good dancers? Even though the judges don't always put them first? Or give them the best comments? (Ali has been criticised almost every week).

While the likes of Natalie Cassidy, who has praise heaped on her week after week after week, isn't any kind of judges pet?

1. Ali and Brian.

2. Jade and Ian

I don't find any of the rest worth the time it takes to watch them.

Really do agree with you there espectially about Natalie

I think Ricky W is an excellent dancer - you will note that I wrote that he will deserve to be saved by the judges over any dancer in a dance-off. A person can be a teacher's pet and be a model pupil - they usually are!! But it doesn't mean they will be popular with the general public. Ali is more complicated. She is a good dancer, maybe the best woman remaining. But she has a lot of previous training in a related discipline - ballet - and her strengths seem to me all to derive from that - outstanding posture, lines, leg and arm extension and placement, precision in footwork. Rhythm, pace, and flair are conspicuously missing. Take away her past experience and she's no better than Jade and even Laila. So, yes, I do think the judges have a bit of an agenda with her high marks. Natalie C is no teacher's pet. Their comments are kind but the marks aren't over generous (with the exception of last week) and she'll be for the high jump the minute they get her in a dance-off (unless she's up against Craig, of course!)

My point was that the system means at least one of the two pairs the judges want in the final will be there regardless of whom I or more to the point the general public want there.

I will do an update on the totals tomorrow

I'm sorry, but "teacher's pet" implies that the judges are biased in their favour and are indulging them in ways they don't deserve. No one says "teachers' pet" re SCD when they think the judges' marks and comments are fully justified.


Ali does not have a lot of previous training. Nor is it true that she lacks rhythm, pace or flair. She's certainly better than Laila even if the impossible "taking away" of training is done.


Oh? What agenda is that? Giving the good dancers good marks?

Just what do you think is going on?


Their comments about Natalie C are absurdly over-generous, she's often over-marked as well, and she is not given the sort of criticism that other dancers are. She is obviously a judges' pet, as well as being favoured by ITT.


Only if the judges play the system in a cynical way. Are you claiming they're doing that for Ricky W and Ali?

I find the tone of your post rather aggressive. We are all entitled to our opinions.

But what is your opinion, stated plainly? What "agenda" do you think the judges' have?

In what way are Ricky and Ali "judges pets" apart from being good dancers?

Ricky and Natalie and Ali and Brian.

Simply because I believe they are the best dancers and I love watching them.

(And I so want the Brali romance to be true! I am envisaging commemorative plates of their wedding at car boot sales in the twenties.........)

And Jade and Ian for their j.....jo......you know what I mean!

(And also because I salivate in anticipation as to where (and how high) the Waitey lederhosen will be taken.)

Well, I thought Ali was over-marked last week.
You could argue that they were making allowances for the injured toe. But if that was the case, it is not in the "spirit" of the competition.
Before last week, Ali has certainly been up there in the top three on ability..I've no argument with that. But I thought they were supposed to mark the performance "on the night". Of course, you may disagree, but I thought Ali and Brian were mediocre last week.

A lot like Cherie Lunghi, in fact - only younger. Oh - and blonde.

As far as I can tell, Sid made this thread to allow us to say who were our 3 favourites. If some of us want to explain those choices, we should be allowed to do so, without having someone debate or nit-pick our opinions.

If we want to use people's opinions to start a discussion by all means do so, but do it elsewhere as I think we should all respect the context of this thread and keep debate to a minimum. I'm not excluded from this direction

Peace!

I think it will be:-

Ricky and Natalie
Ian and Jade
Ali and Brian i
That's if the public voting doesnt throw any more upsets.

I would like it to be:-

Ali and Brian
Jade and Ian
Phil and Katya or Chris and Ola

My personal top three would be

Jade & Ian - She's grown on me and I do love her ballroom.
Natalie & Vincent - Love the partnership and think she's doing good.
Phil & Katya - Just love Phil I can't help it. But he's suprised me so much by actually being a okish dancer thank the Gods .

But I think final wise it should be based on dancing so would go with Ricky W, Ali and Jade or Laila (based on whether her latin picks up) but I don't care because I just want Jade, Natalie and Phil in the final three .

Natalie and Vincent

Jade and Ian

Chris and Ola

Nice one Jan! x


And thank you Smokey

Ali was definitely overmarked last week. Her Paso Soble was worth 7s, if even.

Ali was much worse than Zoe in the dance off too. But the judges still saved her. Teacher's pet.