I completely agree! Though maybe Aliona's just misguided, rather than selfish. Either way, it's a huge disappointment.

Does anyone know where (officially) I can write to get across my dismay over this - at how a pro has scuppered what could have been an amazing dancer? He's the loser, but so are we - just think of all the beautiful, memorable dances he could have done with a different partner (or with Aliona if she'd learned how to get the best from her celeb).

The problem wasn't really in the execution or the performance, neither of which fell below Matt's standards for the series. The problem was in the routine, which really didn't have enough recognisable salsa content for any of the judges to feel it was a salsa. And that wasn't Matt's fault.

If I'd spent eight hours a day for a whole week perfecting the steps I was given, getting through the routine with no massive mistakes, and then got comments like that, I'd be pretty gutted too. It seems very hard on Matt that he was effectively penalised for what was a badly conceived routine that he had nothing to do with creating.

Was he undermarked? Well, no in terms of the leaderboard - I don't think that dance was better than Kara's, Pamela's or Scott's. But yes, in the sense that his other dances have all exhibited the same level of skill (and the same lack of emotional commitment) and all of those have scored over 30.

Quite. And it's hardly relevant, TBH. Strictly history is littered with 'controversial' scoring and Scott's AS is just one instance. We would be here all night if they were all dredged up ...

There is no point comparing Matt's salsa score with Scott's AS - nor with any other similar incident - not least because what was wrong with Matt's performance goes back, yet again, to Aliona's choreography.

The song was completely wrong, to start with. All the salsa steps were either not well executed or conspicuous by their absence. It just wasn't salsa as we know it.

What's most disturbing is that Aliona thought it was and then taught it to Matt.

Add to that a VT which comes across like an election broadcast, and it's no wonder he looked shellshocked when the judges gave their feedback.

(BTW, how interesting to see some of Matt's fans adopting tactics previously used by Ann's supporters and accusing the judges of being 'rude' just because their comments weren't entirely favourable. )

Matt clearly has a fanbase that will carry him through to the final, regardless. However, I have to say that if he lifts the glitterball, it will be on the basis of some of the most ill-conceived choreography I've ever seen in Strictly.

I completely agree with Miranda Hart's comments on ITT tonight: Matt is dancing with his brain, not his heart. And that is something else Aliona could, and should, have rectified way before now.

First of all doc - in my experience SCDO is never rude.
Secondly - he didn't suggest extra marks for niceness or kindness.

imo Matt is a 'nice' wholesome guy and perhaps he doesn't portray sexy too well - but can dance the socks off any other contestant other than Kara.

And I say that as someone who has a finger on the Gavin redial button.

I think the score that Matt got tonight was accurate. However, due to the overscoring that has gone on during the series, in particular Scott's AS when he forgot the whole routine, I can understand why Matt reacted like he did. I felt that the criticism was fair, but I find it strange that the judges don't critique Aliona's choreography, which I think has been the main problem for Matt.

I was very impressed by how he attacked the Swingathon though, he came out and attacked it when he could easily have messed it up and lost his confidence due to the remarks that had been made. He actually looked like he was having fun and letting loose in the swingathon, he needs to take that attitude into his dances and I think he will be alot better.

Okay, then. I disagree with you on the above (see I am learning, not Aliona, though!).

I actually don't really care (repeating myself here) if Matt gets to the final. With Aliona's p*ssed poor choreography, I don't want to be subjected to a possible puppetgate again in the showdance.

I just think the judges are unnecessarily harsh to Matt. And if they are so harsh on Matt, they shoud do so with Gavin and Scott, who didn't do well. At least Gavin got scored accordingly, but Scott got a nine for that pants of a AT with ONE leg decoration!

Despite my being angry for Matt because of the judges harsh comments, I really don't want Matt to lift that glitter ball based on Aliona's track record thus far. I don't hold any hope she'll choreograph anything decent in the finals.

And I agree with Miranda, Matt does tend to dance with his head rather than his heart. He's like the Gabby Logan of this series.

Yep. To me, Scott's AT just looked meh... with lifts being used to mask a lack of basic footwork/technique...

I'll just have to take people's word for it that Matt was that bad and deserved to be below Scott on the leader board (with very little chance of overtaking him via the swingathon).

It didn't. Your previous comments were spot on otherwise.

And that stupid over the shoulder lift was so unsuitable for the AT, and Scott looked like he'll pass out while doing it. At least Matt has an excuse to say he's doing a Halloween styled AT, thus with those over the shoulder silly lifts, but Scott absolutely have no such excuses and did it anyway.

My argument against this is that would ANY pro, faced with a celeb with the kind of physical ability Matt exhibits, really pick up on the fact that he isn't emoting when they dance with him?

I mean, it's one thing to get a committed performance out of the 'journeyman' whom you KNOW needs to improve; but when your celeb doesn't need to be drilled mercilessly in basic points of technique, do you spend more time on the routines, or in rectifying faults? I don't think there's a single pro who wouldn't have concentrated on stepping up the difficulty levels rather than finding Matt's emotional heartland.

It's difficult to call, of course, as we've never really had this situation before for long enough that it became a problem. The closest comparison is, perhaps, Gabby Logan, but she got voted out before people started to wonder why she hadn't sorted out her lack of performance emotion.

Another poster had orginally said that about Matt's niceness which I responded to. Then SCDO then jumped on my comment in a rather unnecessary way (IMO of course). I was surprised as I've never found him to be rude before.


Hey I'm glad you're learning! Gavin and Scott have received harsh comments in the past though, as has Kara (in Blackpool) ...hence why I'm saying Matt is no different. It's hardly like Alesha turned round and said 'I can't believe Ann went home last week and I had to endure THAT!' now is it?

I think Matt should be in the final, along with Kara and Scott. He clearly is talented despite The Custard Queen's choreography...I think she could create a showdance even more Brain Bleachy than Brenda!

There was more than one leg decoration in that AT IIRC? It was hardly a la Tom Chambers...although I can't rewatch it as am on my phone. I liked it, it was subtle and dark. But there's no accounting for taste eh?

Night night all, this tired hormonal Doc needs some sleep...we'll be doing it all again tomorrow!

Nope. A fairly recent example would be Ali. She just look wet in every dance she did. What wet in a porn-ey way, but you get the drift, I hope. Brian didn't seem to be able to sort that out, and Ali is supposed to be an Actress!

When I said absolute rubbish, I was really talking about the statement you've made, not aiming at you personally. If it comes across that way, then I shall apologise now.

And as for Matt receiving a beating tonight, it's all relative to tonight's performances from other celebs. Scott did a mediocre AT and got eights and even one nine, he was lacking in technique and the AT lacked content. To be fair, he was criticised for it, but the judges did it nicely, if that made sense.

Gavin did a poor Samba. Again, all judges seemed to put on the diplomacy hat and sugar coated their comments.

But when Matt did an average salsa, what did they do? Out comes the stupid faces made by Len, and Alesha's blatantly harsh comments (Craig's so last year, so not relevant, we should ask ourselves was she even slightly nasty to Ann Widdicome would be a fairer question). Thus, I say, though I don't really want Matt to be in the final now, that they are unnecessarily HARSH on him.

So because they are unnecessarily harsh on him, I was defending Matt's disappointment. Tess was obviously pushing for his reaction at that point, and that's after he said he'll put his all and aim for the final in the VT, how would YOU react in such a situation?

Hey you

I think the judges gave Matt an extra mauling deliberately. They aimed to whip up as much outrage as possible. And they've achieved it! I'm sure he will deliver an excellent Tango tomorrow night and the judges will praise his 'comeback' and the hysteria of tonight will be matched by relief and jubilation that the boy came good tomorrow night.

It's all manipulated in order to create maximum drama in my opinion.

Sorry, but I disagree with you OP.

My wife and I are certainly not professionals but as we watched it we were making such comments as "disjointed", "bitty", "it's her fault with the choreography", "so interested in being in position A then position B but not really putting enough effort into how to get there", "he just looks like he's thinking too much, not feeling it", "too many flips, jumps and lifts and not enough basic steps".

All these comments were then reflected by the judges and I can see also on here by others. So I think the scores were fair and reflected a rather poor dance.

2points ,firstly , mistakes seem to be penalised in a very random manner !!!

Secondly, doesn't shouty salsa man and his partner do the choreography for the salsas? Chris Marques and Jaclyn Spencer .

Oh yeah !
and possibly to oust someone else .As I said worst fixing since Series 2 semi . No I can't let it go .


It was still unwarranted . He danced better than Gavin and easily as well as Scott .

I need some hugs tonight, Sid.

Bizarrely I don't like this 'drama' thing they are doing, if they are doing it. I don't want Matt to be in the finals, not because I don't like Matt, I am growing more and more indifferent with him as the weeks progressed. I liked his Charleston and Samba, but he's not done any ballroom worthy of finals. So if they judges are just doing it for effect to perversely ensure his place in the finals, then I am really put out, I don't really want to see any possible puppetgate showdance from Aliona, her AS is enough to make me cringe. As for whether he'll do a good tango, I'll rather he does then hopefully people will not give him any sympathy votes. Because sympathy votes might cause Kara her place in the final if conversely people thought she's top/near top so definitely safe.

I know we're supposed to be over the 9s for Ssssscccccooooottttt's AS, when he all but sat down on the job. But it's the same series. And NO WAY did Matt deserve wall to wall 7s even though it wasn't his finest hour. And he was WAY better than Gavin tonight. There's something rotten in the State of Denmark.

I was a bit disappointed with Scott's AT. After an impressive start, it fell flat. But I think it was a mark or two better than Matt's Salsa which in turn was way better than Gavin's Samba (there should certainly have been more than a point between them!).

I think it's that Matt was marked fairly and Gavin, Pamela and Scott were overmarked. It seems to happen a lot with Matt - his AS marks were spot on but it happened in a week when all the other's were overmarked.

Everyone is saying this , and I can't defend aliona's routines , though I have liked some of them .
However , surely Chris Marques oversees the salsa ?

Or maybe he isn't brought in any longer .

To me, Scott just seemed to do a lot of leaning rather than actually dancing. He was like a drunk staggering home on a Saturday night, leaning on his girlfriend, to stay upright, while she tried to kick him in the goolies but kept missing.

Just a hug?

Firstly, Kara will be safe as houses! I'll even put in a vote on your behalf

As for Matt, I wouldn't object to him being in the final at the expense of Gavin or Pamela but not Scott who has produced more memorable dances through the series and is a more exciting prospect overall.

Part of me is intrigued to see what Aliona has up her sleave for a Showdance though! I think she and Matt will go through tomorrow night, but I don't think they'll win anymore.

In fact, I've just checked the bookies odds and Kara has overtaken Matt after tonight's show....
Last edited by -Sid- : 11-12-2010 at 00:37