After she fell over in training this week. Ali lost at least two days training this week because she was unable to walk. She hasn't banged on about her injury at all.

You've put it very well. The fact that people liked Chris & Ola's routine doesn't mean that Ali's dance shouldn't score more highly with the judges. I think they are sometimes too subjective (forget Alesha's '10' as it made no difference to the overall order) but not on this occasion. It's a bit hard on Ali as it makes her a target for negativity.

Chris did a please the crowd comedy routine that you might just see in a music hall. Elements of circus with people rolling around on the floor too. It didn't work for me because the dance was set somewhere in the US and the face was doing Frank Spencer meets Norman Wisdom. More East End than Chicago.

Brian took a scene from Act 1 of Chicago ( We Both Reached For The Gun) and used the same puppet theme to add to the dance . He also borrowed a few (difficult) moves from Chicago - hence the comments about the high kicks. The kicks are major features of Velma's role and one reason why not that many people can play Velma. Problem is the judges have seen Chicago, I almost had a season ticket early this year and most people havn't seen it at all. Melissa and Kelly on Dancing With The Stars also borrowed moves from Chicago (more from Hot Honey Rag at the end) and Melissa got top marks that night, so there's nothing strange about using it. Chris started with a theme from Bugsy Malone (not sure if what he did had anything to do with that story) and Brian added a 20s theme to a modern dance.

Laila and Anton were doing some sedate country club version of a Charleston. That fitted the remit too and no one had to work out what was going on . It might have been in Chicago or Tunbridge Wells though and it was clearly somewhere where prohibition was enforced.

This is what I have been trying to say but I don't have enough dance knowledge to make any sense. Thank you.

Fantastic post thenetworkbabe

Yes indeed - though somewhat long.

She isn't, she was just better. Chris & Ola's had a lot of gimmicks and was, therefore, very crowd pleasing but it lacked a lot of actual charleston dancing and Chris wasn't so much dancing it but walking through it. This was obvious because he was doing the same moves as Ola and as others have said I found myself watching her more than him. That's not to say I didn't like it but it wasn't the best of the night.

Ali's was perhaps less crowd pleasing but it had lots more dance content and danced with a high degree of technical precision. It was, therefore, inevitable it would score higher with the judges.

Although Ali danced well I did not think technically it was any better than Cola's I thought Chris had good bounce and swivel action of the dance teachers I have spoken to tonight we would all have marked Cola a mark above Ali

Well i loved them both for different reasons. Chris's was full of pizazz and excitement. Ali's was full of character (that has been a bit lacking previously) and dancing skill.

I think as the judges are primarily judging dance ability then Ali deserved her higher score. I can understand why some preferred Chris's performance but thats why we have the public vote.

Chris's was better

You got it!! Some people think its quantity, but it's quality that counts. Doing the period dance must contain the character of the dance especially when it comes to the footwork. Bouncing on your bum has nothing to do
with Charleston. Nice trick, but can also have been used in
the Rock & Roll. Therefore a cute tricky little thing, but nothing to do with Charleston.

Brian hit the nail on the head with his Charleston basic. Anton came next closest to he real thing. Of all the stars doing the dance Chris was furthest from the Charleston step. Tap step, tap step. Please!! If you don't do the basic step then everything else is irrelevent. Even Ola only did the real Charleston half baked.

I just saw Chicago an awful lot between this time last year and July.......

Many thanks for the detailed answer, I appreciate you taking the time. I have only seen the film version of Chicago, we have that on DVD, so I must take another look.
I see where you are coming from now, but still think calling Chris and Ola's effort "panto" is unecessarily disparaging.
I guess it depends whether there are some elements to the Charleston that are considered compulsory or at least "de rigueur"..I suppose there must be, otherwise it would it would impossible to make any genuine comparisons. Anyway, thanks again..I always find your posts interesting and educational, even if I don't always entirely agree with the content.

It has to be said that Ola is very very good and its a pity she hasn't been recognised so much before because I think she always was this good. Arguably Ali isn't in competition with Chris as its Ola playing her role who people have just looked at, so I think its pretty good going when she can pull off something thats comparable and do a lot of the difficult stuff that the pros do. Chris I think would be more convincing if he would stop pulling funny faces - is he trying to act something badly or does he just pull them? Even if he got that righ,t though, I don't think you could look at Chris and Ola when they were dancing alone and not realise which was the pro very quickly.

Ola is a great dancer and she loooks hot too

Perfect answer imo

Loved Chris and Ola's dance. Actually clapped at the end of it. (very unusual for me watching a TV dance)

However, I was blown away by Ali's and Brian's dance,] and clapped even longer.

Ali's dance was both crowd pleasing (though not as much as Chris's ) and technically excellent. The perfect combination.

Thought it was undermarked actually.



Maggie

Dammit! You've stolen my thunder Cola are hugely enjoyable and a great pairing, but Chris didn't dance that dance.

While I'm at it, I know it's not the subject of this thread but I don't think that Rock 'n Roll should have been chosen as an extra dance, it's too much like Jive and it puts some couples at a serious disadvantage because of the acrobatics required - Nat & Vince are an obvious example.

It's past me bedtime :yawn: will catch up later.

parthena

Oh, no, it wasn't and oh, no, she isn't.

I liked all three charlestons. They were fun and every couple brought something special to the dance. As I'm a Chris and Ola supporter, I enjoyed their dance more (but that's my bias).

I think where Ali was overmarked was the VW section. Her arm was again too high and full of tension (the judges seem to consistently overlook this problem). Also why penalise Laila for being led around the dance floor, but not Ali.

I don't think so I believe Chris can actually sing!

Oh please, Ali and Brian are STREETS ahead of the gruesome twosome!

Out classed 100%.

Chris and Ola will be worthy runners up.

So how come the same people choreographed all three Charlestons then? Did they deliberately choose to not give Chris and Ola basic Charleston steps?

They clearly thought Chris and Ola were doing a Charleston - and as performing professionals, they should know, surely? (Better than the judges!)

I can see why Ali and Brian's was marked as well as it was - but it didn't deserve a ten - and Chris should have got one more nine.

My understanding was they were given the basics of the choreography and the pro worked from there?

So what are these technical elements of the charleston that some think Ali and Brian's dance contained, while Chris and Ola's didn't? All I can find on wilkepedia is that the basic charleston step is a walking step and that creativity and innovation is prized above anything else. Is that true - all you dance experts?