they are going to penalise the lifts !! About time. Now let's see who tops the leaderboard, because I doubt it will be Kara, that's what they like to do best !

Kara doesn't need lifts, she's a great whole body dancer, she's excellent.

They should have been penalising the lifts from the start.

I'm surprised that they have let them go unpunished, normally Craig and Len are on their case straight away if lifts are put inot dances where they are not allowed!

I agree, why wait until now to start marking them down?

I'm really confused about this as I was under the impression that lifts were now allowed. Is there a limit on the number of lifts? Is it only in certain dances that they have relaxed the old rules?

Well, not before time. I think the high amount of tricks and lifts in some of the earlier dances detracted from the actual dancing.

Let's see a bit more choreography on the floor, and leave the 'spectacular' stuff for the American Smooth and showdances...

Yes.. i said on another thread there have been so many lifts all over the place that i thought they had changed the rules and let them do them!, it does seem a bit late to be penalising now!, although i am glad that they are going to!...

perhaps some of the professionals have complained. To be fair Vincent has stuck to the rules as has , surprisingly, Brendan this year. Nearly all of the others have done lifts. I think it has been totally unfair. I remember the series when Brendan got marked down for putting in one extra lift in the American Smooth with Kelly Brook. This year they have said nothing up to now.

Me too, we've been seeing them all over the place.

Exactly, i was most surprised when Len came out with it.

Kara doesnt need the lifts she is a superb dancer anyway.

I may have misunderstood Len's diatribe, but I got the impression that they were allowing lifts in SOME dances, but not others; however, the dancers are taking advantage of the relaxation of the rules to do too much in the way of lifting. So Len's going to be penalising them on the dances where lifts are NOT allowed and wants them to tone it down even in the dances where they ARE allowed. Does that make sense? Or did I get the wrong end of the stick?

I am not that interested in seeing lifts other than in the show dances. I think it will be a good way of showing who can really dance, with their feet on the floor, now the competition is well and truly under way. Exciting!


xx

I think they did change the rules to begin with, as why else would the judges have not said anything up until now?? Many of the pros have used lifts and Ann was allowed to fly down onto stage on a wire for 12 bars!!!! I think it did begin to go a bit too far, all got a bit confusing and needed to be cleared up one way or another, so I'm glad Len said something tonight.

I'm still unsure of what's allowed in Salsa.

Exactly.

But I'm glad the lifts are being restricted, about time too!

I don't agree at all. Yes, Kara and Artem used some lifts in this dance but they haven't used anymore lifts than other couples in the past.

I think Len was saying that lifts are allowed in some dances and not others. I think the fault lies with the BBC, they should have been clear to the public from the start of the series whether lifts were allowed and in which dances. Now we don't have any idea when lifts are allowed and when they aren't.

I too thought lifts must now bw allowed.

I think one of the reasons behind this possibly is the judges are trying to limit the 'entertainment' factor of Ann. Ann has a lot of lifts etc in her routines which make them 'entertaining' to the public supposedly (I personally don't think her routines are entertaining but containing lifts and throws etc some people might) and getting her the vote above others

I think you could be on the right lines.

I read the remarks as a 'message' that the competition now becomes more serious, and that the normal strictures that apply to ballroom & latin will need to be adhered to.

If that's the case, then Ann will ultimately need to start competing on a level playing field.

My cynical mind thinks it is the entire opposite. Anton is never going to be able to do proper lifts with her so by reducing the amounts of lifts possible it's helping Ann not hindering her

Oh dear god I didn't dare put on my cynical hat However, I still don't see how much it's helping Ann as these 'lifts' and throws etc Ann and Anton have been doing are still lifts and therefore will no longer be allowed leaving her with her usual stompy, sit on the floor, wave my hands routine or maybe thats just wishful thinking

I don't see that. Half the 'entertainment' in Ann's routines have either been Anton lifting/dragging her, or attempting to do so.

Exclude those elements, and Ann is faced with having to 'dance' an entire routine - without the laughs.

I do so hope you are right. I really do

I just keep thinking that as long as she keeps a foot on the floor I think it is allowed isn't it? Please tell me I am wrong!

Unfortunately yes so long as there is one foot on the floor I think it's allowed. That would mean the drags along the floor are acceptable but in the paso where she was lifted, spun and landed on the floor (like an aeroplane bouncing on the run-way) this would definitely not be allowed if the judges are going to be strict. I really hope they do but don't want to get my hopes up