I think the difference might also be that Matt doesn't really use the music. He doesn't create the drama when he needs to and doesn't reign it in when it's required. I don't think it has as much to do about preferring traditional routines as much as that he didn't perform it convincingly enough.

If you look at this clip with the same song, the movements are punchy with the music and soft when it requires it, without that feeling of 'manic'. Well, to me anyway. Opinions will probably differ on that.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Da1VkB9D29o

Don't worry

Tangerine_82 has only posted about 50 million posts on how she doesn't like anything Matt and Aliona do, lol


I love him, I used to think he was ordinary and unremarkable, since Strictly started I've really noticed how talented he is.

Funny enough I think Matt could have done a better job with Natalie's Choreography (granted so could Scott if he had remembered it) and Scott could have done a better job with Aliona's because Aliona's choreography was more about acting the part.

Aliona is a great dancer and they have a good partnership but Aliona has to start choreographing to Matt's strengths and not her own.

As for the American Smooths I thought Scott and Natalie's would have been the best if it had had been done probably. Matt and Aliona's had beautiful lifts but that was about it. Loved Kara & Artem but understood Len's comments even though I didn't agree with his marks.

Thats how I feel as well. Thought Scott if he'd remembered it would have been the best.

But I'm the other way round with Kara and Matt. Personally I loved Matt and Alionas, I mean the first time round I was a little puzzled, I loved it but was puzzled, the second time round I decided if it had different music I probably would have loved it more. Kara and Artems I didn't get at all.

Sorry to rain on your bitter parade but I liked the way he danced his VW and foxtrot actually, it's just that I didn't like Aliona's choreography in those dances. I've never found him perfect though, there's always something that lets me down and that's not really my fault is it? It's Matt's. I can take criticism for my favourites. It's a shame you don't seem able to without resorting to cattiness.

It's very nice of you to speak for others and be mighty condescending about it at the same time but really, it's not needed. I do rather enjoy being so memorable though, thanks

Perhaps the issue is that the judges were expecting a smooth & saw a slightly rough. Sometimes being too specific to the song means the dance is sacrificed.

For me an AS should flow smoothly from one point to the next. Even with the lack of a straight identifiable dance base Kara & Artem's AS at least had the smooth flow expected.

I've only spotted your name because I noticed all this similar criticism of Matt and thought maybe I was really in a minority really liking his stuff and all these people had a different view, and then I noticed that was almost all from you

Such a shame, to use your often used phrase,
hehe

Kara and Artem's wasn't an American Smooth it was a showdance. It was brilliant but it wasn't an American Smooth. And why didn't they get points deducted for putting a lift into a jive that she didn't dance very well?

Matt and Aliona's was an American Smooth that when it broke out of hold went into contempory. For me it was beautiful and emotional, it might not have been to some people's taste but I loved it.

I've just watched Matt and Aliona's AS again and again got goose bumps, I loved everything about that dance except Matts blouse, that scarred me.

I thought Matt & Aliona's dance was awfull and I didn't get it at all, still dont. I didn't like the music and did not undestand the story at all, They should have stuck to the normal American Smooth like the rest of them, It makes me wonder what the heck she is going to come up with next.

The music choices puzzle me. That dreadful New York dirge was just horribly wrong for an AS but I assumed Aliona had been given it by the producers so just had to work with what she had. Yet on ITT someone said that Anton had chosen the Titanic music himself

He was asking on twitter and facebook about songs and went with someone's suggestion of my heart will go on. Natalie also said she heard Scott singing I wanna be like you and thought it would make a good quickstep so I definitely think they have a say in their music.

Thank you

I really didn't like the song choice for an AS. Sort yourself out Aliona!

From what I understand the Pros submit their own choices for the music for the dances and get them approved or not approved by the producers.

I hated it. Not a song at all accompanied by a tortured and thoroughly misery-inducing running about a bit. Not the American Smooth as we know it on Planet Earth. Grim.

Each to their own ESPIONdansant. If American Smooths were only ever danced to Frank Sinatra and show tunes from the 50s it would all get very boring.

I wasn't totally in love with the style of their AS, but at least Aliona had a go at doing something different. Good on her.

This. I thought Artem's version of the AS was a lot further from being an AS than Aliona's, but it was still great to watch. Variety is the spice of life

More to do with mood and attitude than anything. Ballroom and Latin are social (and can be competitive) dances. They began as social dances though for people to enjoy the company of others and well....enjoy themselves.

The spirit of Aliona's dance was beyond melancholy and didn't look as if it was meant to encourage optimism in the viewer. Matt didn't look very thrilled.

Hence I say it was more balletic/tragic.

But the judges are right. If you have to give an exegesis then it didn't work.

If you're going to show off, hermeneutic would be a more accurate word.

Sorry!

I am in no way a ballroom expert but Matt and Aliona's had me sniffling it was soo beautiful and I was really mad with the judges. However when they showed some bits back on Monday I could see what the judges meant about the manic running round in circles. I loved the modern dance feel to it though and it was still my fave dance of the night and ridiculous that it only scored two more than Scott.

Amazing really that Aliona got it so wrong last year, cos this year she is doing so well! I think this year she is choreographing purely for the public and not worrying about the judges at all!

Take notice more what he says than the others as he gives them incentive to improve babe.

I think the judges need to make their minds up what they want and issue better guidelines as to what is acceptable. A lot of the criticism of M&A is targetted at the choreography rather than the execution - I would say that with such difficult full on choreography it is difficult to be perfect because ther is just so much going on.

You think it's a shame people have different opinions to you? Boy you sound easygoing lol. Still, nice of you to remember me, makes me feel special that in amongst all the others who don't worship Matt you remembered me. Aww

The dance started with Matt on his knees, head on the floor making himself as small as possible. Aliona stood tall like the Statue of Liberty.

The dance ended with Matt on his knees, head on the floor making himself as small as possible. Aliona stood tall like the Statue of Liberty.

In between Aliona swirled stylishly and was lifted high like the Statue of Liberty, with Matt running round the statue in small steps like the clappers to keep up. I would not say it was manic, perhaps frantic because the minion was given so much to do.

If the symbolism is what it looks, then it would be entirely in keeping that Matt was noticed wearing a blouse not a shirt, to the glory of the Statue of Liberty's hair.

But it was Matt's execution of the dance on Saturday that wasn't up to standard. If he'd been good enough do you think there would be all this criticism about the choreography?

Also, I don't think it comes naturally to Matt to emote in a negative way - he's a happy guy so give him dances that make him smile, it's working for Pamela.