Ali and Brian are on ITT on thurs.. so that'll be another one confirmed.

Especially for you

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2M2blukuhkk

And there's Patsy Palmer's week 2 Rhumba linked from Lesley's week 8 one (right hand column of links).

So we can maybe expect a pirouette or two from Anton, emphasis on spins, lines and poses as much as steps for Laila, and heavy demands on her ability to act a story.

Lesley used her cleavage to full advantage, so I wonder if Laila will. Wasted on three of the judges of course, but a few of us will be watching.

Edit: BTW, its worth watching to see how calm and constuctive Bruno was in those days. Serious question, why has he become so manic year by year - could he possibly be on something?

I don't feel strong enough to watch that dance. Does he have all his chest hair on show? I love Anton's ballroom but cringe at his latin, if I find him doing a samba excruciating then a rumba will be too awful to look at.

Well, a 7 and three 8s from the judges - can't be that many higher Rhumba scores, if I remember that nerdy ITT statistician correctly.

after watching that video saturday could be car crash tv

not sure about Ricky W and the Jive (is he too tall?)

Only "Could"?

Definitely compelling viewing though.

Hes not too tall I dont think but I think the jive might be a problem for his dodgy leg .

I dare not look at the video

You mean you don't remember Esther and Anton's "Dance of Desperation" in Series 2???

The foxtrot is my favourite dance and Phil has been quite good at ballroom so I am looking forward to seeing him dance.

Ricky W may be ok at the jive as long as Natalie tones down the speed...she seems to want him to dance fast at everything and I don't think his bandy legs can take it. Their tango would have been much better at a slower pace and he may have made less mistakes.

Still can't face Anton rumbaing

*screams*

Noooooooooooooooooooooo

I had blanked that out of my brain. Why???????????? The horror

I disagree. It isn't Anton who has to look good on Saturday, he has to make Laila look good.
Their paso wasn't bad, the rumba isn't a fast Latin - I think she would struggle if it were Samba or CCC coming up - so the main risk factors are the choreography and Laila's true level of talent.

Compare Laila with Lesley Garrett, who came third in series one - admittedly a weaker year than 2006-2008 - and should have been in the final instead of the dreadful Chris Parker. Lesley could act, she'd been in enough real stage operas by 2004 to have learned that. I think she deserved that 31 score and Anton didn't let her down.

So it's really up to Anton to trust Laila with a similarly challenging routine, and up to Laila to deliver.

I dislike rumbas when the pros do them. They make me cringe.

Oh I don't know, I'd quite like Ola to teach me one, though I'd be a very slow learner needing lots of repetitions .

Perhaps it's more a female thing to dislike the rumba. Is it difficult for some to act lascivious, perhaps? 'Cos that's what Laila is going to have to do.

It just makes me cringe. Like seeing people really having a heaving snogging session in public I can just about stand it if it is a suitable professional dancing it in a romantic way rather than sexy.

Multiply that horror by 100 when it is some celeb doing it

I had also blanked out Carol Vorderman but that is also back in my head.

I think the pro rumbas are the WORST. They are more explicit than the celebs and consequently more nauseating.

Deleted, duplicate

The rumba celebrates love and sexuality, girls. Without it none of us would be here. What are you trying to do, confirm the continental's stereotype of the British?

Well both Anton & Patsy and Anton & Lesley were more balletic than sexual (apart from Lesley's costume of course), so why not overcome your fears and click in post #52 above. You might even find yourself looking forward to Saturday, just to compare.

Im a woman and I like rumba... (qualification: when done correctly and not too sluttishly!)

I wouldn't say no to dancing a rumba with either Matthew or James (or even Vincent at a push).....!!

I did say difficult for SOME, Sara. Your style, I like.

*Finds dark corner to sit in and sob as memories flood back*

I think Anton and Laila's rumba is going to suck, considering she often seems hardly able to stand him

looking forward to phil's FT, jade's tango

ricky's going to need to watch his pigeon toes in the jive but I'm sure it will be good

Chris and Ola are on ITT tomorrow (yeah baby) so assuming we will find out what they are doing.

He's dancing the American Smooth