I agree, thought so since I watched him on youtube dancing with Zoe Salmon - he was very snappy with her when he thought she wasn't doing things right.

I too think a different partner such as Lilia would have been better.

Quote from SCD Observer

"And Tess has a gall to say "Take out the tissue (for Matt)" or something like that after reminding him what Len said and added "Ouch!" gratuitously. Such professionalism."

Odd how we each see things different;y...I thought Tess referred to Matt's face making her want to get her tissues out...and interpreted that and the "ouch" as empathy for him.

Matt has two major problems. He is totally lacking in sex appeal and thought from week one he was the winner.
His low marks last night may win him the sympathy vote yet.

If only Matt had a halfway decent choreographer he would be getting the tens. Aliona is a dreadful choregrapher.

I'll definitely be voting for Matt tonight after last night's unnecessarily cutting remarks by the judges.

I like Kara and will be happy to see her win, but I just don't quite understand why Matt regularly has not got a fair deal from the judges - it's almost like they are vicious to him (Len especially) for not being perfect. but praise the 'dancing log' Gavin for any sign of improvement!

The choreography let him down and the whole scene after he had finished dancing was painful to watch. Appalling.

Did Matt and Aliona have any training and/or choreography from Chris Marques and Jaclyn Spencer?

It didn't look like it

To those who are slamming Matt's poor dancing in the salsa, I'll reiterate what I said in the other "Poor Matt" thread - he seems to think that what's necessary is "giving it your all", and he's so wrong. Why hasn't he been put right? (BTW, that stompy music was a nightmare.)

I can see a natural dancer imprisoned in Matt, it's painful

Looking back at old performances I think that Matt started the competition more happy and free in his dancing style but the constant pickiness and concentrating-only-on-the-negatives criticism he receives from the judges has made him a more self-conscious performer. Having to second-guess what the judges might pick at in every little move you do must really inhibit you as a dancer and sap some of the joy out of the experience.

In my job if I ever have to point out to someone that they haven't done something as well as expected I try to stress what they have done right and then show them what could be done differently and why. These things can be done in an encouraging way and without humiliating and knocking the confidence of the contestants.

I think there could be some truth in that but consider Gavin's constant criticism and while of course he hasn't progressed wildly, he has at least progressed. I think it's that Aliona isn't encouraging Matt in the right direction, so not only does Matt have the judges going for his failings, he has Aliona doing the same. I just think had Matt had Flavia or Natalie or Lilia, he'd have been in a much more solid position in this competition and he'd have turned in at least one outstanding, memorable dance. As it is, he hasn't and that's all down to Aliona for me.

I agree he is becoming increasingly self conscious and Alesha's droning on about tension does not help.

These people operate outside their confidence zone and can easily be undermined,

I really don't think the Salsa was undermarked... at all.

I've had a look at the photos posted on this forum by Cheryl, and Matt looks tense and uncomfortable during the performance, so perhaps he was aware that something didn't feel right during that dance?

agreed.

I thought last night he looked like he was over concentrating, doing that thing where he was almost biting his tongue in concentration. He comes across as a perfectionist which is probably why he overthinks what he is doing whereas he needs to get past that and try and go with the flow once he knows the routine.