what rubbish - I think you are confusing her VW with that of Pamela and James last week which imho was bland and was seriously lacking in content. Kara was fab tonight with a complicated and fast VW. She should have got 40 imho.

Its the bias against Matt which does my head in!

My dance teacher (who is a ballroom specialist) told me that in modern ballroom it is acceptable to break hold while you dance the typical steps of the dance, as long as your posture is maintained, It is actually very very difficult to do that for a sustained period of time without going off balance or losing your posture.

Kara and Artem danced a VW, NOT and AS. The majority of the dance was VW steps, and they were coming in and out of hold, which is perfectly acceptable.

It was a very difficult choreography, and was danced beautifully with a great amount of control.

Kara was fantastic, no idea why anyone would think she was over-marked.

Better than the rest so does it really matter?

It is only your opinion. You saw a 7, the judges saw one 9 and three 10's. Are you saying your scoring is more valid?

She's been far and away the best celebrity dancer only Scott has come close overall although he make not make the final. If Scott doesn't make the final only Pamela could possibly push Kara in the final.

If Kara's dance was a 7, then all the others were a 3/4.

a solid 7 would mean that that everyone was 5 or below!

I watched the dance three times. Apart from the "lifts" there were a couple of moments when her posture in hold was not as good as it should be.
It did not deserve a perfect score on it's own, but given the marks for other dances in this competition, it should have been 40.

It was the best dance of the evening and IMO Craig should have been as generous as he was last week with Pamela.

I spent the first half of the dance thinking "Didn't they already do an AS?".

Then I realised the difference, their American Smooth had no hold, while their VW had a little.

Given the feet off the floor the most they could have got (if everything else was perfect) was 36 and yet they got 39! Overmarked again!!

The VW was simply breathtaking! Well done Kara!

When they were out of hold they preserved the symmetry and exquisite lines of the VW. This variety enhanced the presentation and eloquence of VW.

Kara's natural instinct and beautiful taste was spine-tingling, and Artem cherished this gifted person admirably.

I'm glad she wasn't penalized for taking her foot off the floor. I don't know why male pros expect female celebs to be able to do that perfectly, no matter how good they are (and she is really good).

I wish that Karen Hardy would talk about this on choreography corner so that we could get it straight on the exact rules on SCD of whether being out of hold is unacceptable or not.

I thought they did beautiful shadowing VW moves together but evidently this is considered out of hold and therefore unacceptable?

What's silly about these boards is that every time somebody gets good marks someone starts bleating about bias. We've had weeks of whinging about a so-called bias towards Pamela; sometimes Scott, now it's a bias towards Kara... Kara was the best tonight. She deserved to come top. The judges were right. I think they've been right about Pamela and Scott, too, but if you disagree, why not vote otherwise?
There's no bias, just a matter of opinion.

Kara's foot came off the floor at least once, possibly twice and a mark should have been deducted for that. It was a beautiful routine, but the fact that the judges had already over marked Pamela doesn't make it okay to ignore the rules.

Kara would have still been at the top of the leaderboard with four 9 and to give her three 10s just causes bad feeling and resentment.

In earlier series Len would have said something along the lines of "I'm really sorry, but I can't ignore the fact that your foot came off the floor and I must deduct a point".

This year everybody is going on about who got what for the same dance in a different week. That shouldn't matter. The judges should be marking what they see and apply the same rules to everybody. I just wish they'd do their jobs properly.

Me too (apart from Craig) - her foot did lift off the floor but it was Artem's fault as he lifted her too much, its hard to try putting your foot on the floor when it won't reach!

As for the OP - ridiculous - Kara was the best tonight by a mile. It pains me that Pamela's VW which was inferior, got 40 when this one did not

Her VW was beautiful I can understand why Craig deducted because of the foot off the ground issue but I dont think there is favouritism being shown.

Why is it that everytime someone gets a high score it is the judges being bias towards them? It all seems to get a little bit personal towards the dancers...it isnt like they are in control of what the judges give them.

Ha ha

OP, you're joking right?

Just watch Kara's tango's along with the scoring and eat your words sunshine!

She deserved her place on the leaderboard - but both Matt and Gav were underscored and Scott overmarked imo.

After seeing Scott in the bottom 2 last week I think the judges are trying to manipulate the results yet again.

If Matt really is top of viewers voting then 2nd from bottom (at this stage) is not the most dangerous place to be - but if Scott finished bottom two with judges then allied to his apparent failing popularity with the public his position could be precarious.

Perfect strategy to ensure Gavin's departure.

Oh good lord, you do realise 36 would still have put Kara at the top of the leaderboard dont you?

And people say Craig is picky

I thought that parts of Kara's dance were beautiful but that there were moments that were a bit skippy and rushed as if she was having a bit of difficulty keeping up with Artem.

Apart from her Jive week and this week I haven't felt that Kara has been overmarked but I still haven't been wowed by any of her dances. To me her performances seem a bit careful and self-contained and she never seems to dance each dance as if it is her last and push things to the edge.

Oh good lord (adopting your phrase).

I said IF everything else was perfect, I don't think it was, there wasn't nearly enough in hold. In previous years, especially if the like of Matt C., Ian or Brendan had done so little hold Len would have slated them. This year has been horribly lax but for the semi final dances should danced correctly or marked accordingly.

Yes, would be good to hear from Karen. In international championships coming out of hold for a period would obviously be inappropriate on a crowded floor with 20 couples, but Strictly floor is for one couple, with story-telling and show aspects encouraged. Last week Pamela and James were so far out of hold at the end of their VW that James was almost out of the room walking up the stairs. The form and emotion of that ending was a major part of their dance presentation - out of hold.

Kara and Artem had demonstrated they could dance in hold beautifully. Had they spent most of the dance out of hold then I would say the VW test had been dodged.

isn't it funny how different people see things - I think the choreography has been really challenging and exciting and I've been pretty much wowed by every dance (except the jive)