He may have elegant lines and sharp footwork but he hasn't got personality when he dances.

He's trying too hard & visibly conscious-minded of his body placement, poise, arms, rigid fingers & so makes him lose the essence of the dance he's doing therefore inadvertantly losing personality.

Hence for me he's not a likeable dancer to watch.

Take Cheryl Burke on Dancing with the Stars in the US. They have two series a year, a tour and she also has dance studios. She managed to go to Argentina over the summer to learn some more authentic Argentine Tango.

what ever it is I still prefer hm and his dancing to Scott who I find curiously forgetable for such a supposedly good dancer

I think sometimes that dancing is a subjective thing once you get over the doing the correct steps phase

Scoots dancing never looks as good as the judges tell e it is and matts looks better

Having said that in theory matt should have produced a stunng Rumba as he has excellant lines and balance , but really it was a bit meh for me

There's no need to be rude, especially as you only first made that argument in that post.

I'm simply trying to say there's no law that says she ever has to learn Argentine Tango if she doesn't want to, she's a Ten Dancer by trade and if she wants to stick to that, that's her prerogative. There's nothing in her contract that says she has to learn it, and they get specialist choreographers in precisely because the majority of the pros don't know the dance well enough. Even Vincent and Flavia don't entirely choreograph their own ATs, so it's hardly useful to use that dance as a comparison between different pros' choreographies, which was the original point.

Matt's my favourite and I think there is some fabulous dancing in him that we haven't quite seen yet. And I personally blame over-advanced choreography on that. Even so, if we're looking at successful routines rather than potential, I'd see both Kara and Scott as having done better so far.

Oh, be off with you and your Evil Facts Of Truthiness.

You're right, it was a bit OTT.

But I'm sick of people making excuses for why professional dancers can't learn a dance which their job involves performing.


Fair enough - but if she does so, it's our prerogative to point out that she's not doing what she's being paid for.


I imagine not, but as we've not seen the contract, that's pure speculation.


I'm not expecting her to be an expert.

I'm simply asking why none of the professionals seem to take any lessons in AT.

Would a couple of classes kill them?

Pure speculation

And yes, I am aware that you have put the word seem in your post, you are just assuming that they havent because they have help in choreography one dance

I know for a fact that Artem hasn't. Neither had Brendan when he first did AT - he said so, quite explicity, several times.

And this particular discussion was started off by this comment:

I'm also semi-plugged into the AT scene in London, and I've not heard anyone mention giving lessons to the pros, with a couple of exceptions.

So, in other words, no, it's not "pure speculation" on my part - there's at least some evidence behind what I say.


Nope, I'm assuming they haven't because both they and other people have said they haven't.

The argument could be made that professionals don't know when at is going to be danced, used to be at semifinals by which time only three couples were there. If I were a professional I would made sure that I practice first what first is going to come and more importantly any of my specialities. I know where my stregnhs are, would be a bit foolish to spend most of my time learning all the tricks of a new dance professional level but forgetting the ones that I can do really well.

Going back to the subject, matt, along with Kara, are my favourites this year. Yes, I agree he does not deserve tens yet, but neither did Scott deserved twice 3 tens. Or, if you think that Matt is score fairly (even slightly over scored) you must agree that Scott is definitely overscored.

Alionas choreography is not as good as Natalie nor artem. But i used to think that too of camilla and then she did that faboulous showdance. Here is hoping that aliona can do that too. Natalies showdance left me cold last year which was a huge disapointment as they were my favourite couple. Also, I have notice that the costume department always does better jobs a with Scott and Natalie than Kara and artem and Matt and aliona. Even on the group dances, Natalie seems to get the better dresses which may be completely unintentional.

Matt lacks of ten could be great for him as it makes him some sort of underdog that is also extremly good dancer, unlike last year champion.

DavidJames I know for a fact that Artem hasn't. Neither had Brendan when he first did AT - he said so, quite explicity, several times.

Well, then David, didn't he do good on Saturday then? For someone who is never taken any lessons, wow, just wow.