Originally Posted by parthena:
“I do think that the Natalie of the "after" slimming DVD would have been a different and much better dancer and an easier partner for Vincent - he wouldn't have had to make so many allowances, he wouldn't have had to restrict their routines so severely.”
I agree with this. I do think her size affected her performance as well as the choreography that they could get away with.
To my eyes, her natural ability always seemed better than many of the other celebs. I reckon she could throw some pretty good shapes on a dancefloor. But she just looked so ungainly in Strictly. All that over-enthusiastic stomping would probably have been dazzling had she been slighter in body and flightier of foot.
In all my years of watching dance, I only ever saw one 'big' dancer who made it look effortless. That dancer had a 'muscularity' and power that compensated for the fact that she didn't look as graceful and light-footed. Natalie didn't have that power. She looked knackered.
The gaping mouth didn't help convey grace either.