The point about my wife thinking Kara has already had dance practice is only to point out that the mass of voters probably/possibly have similar views. I had never heard of Kara before this competition, but my wife knew her, probably from watching Eastenders occasionally, and somehow knew about her previous dance experience. If my wife thinks that, how many others do?

As for Len, my understanding was that he was there to maintain the technical integrity of the marking, whereas the others were there as people more general dance experience. Now I am no dance expert, but his marking and justifications this year have been all over the place, and his facial contortions have been ludicrously hammy. His face like thunder when marking Kara down for lifts, then the casual ignoring of other errors that everyone can see. Ditto with Matt. Complaining that he doesn't like faffing around, then not saying a word in the semis. He has become a joke. Which is all well and good if everyone accepts this is an entertainment (which it is), but to act as some sort of strict technical judge, then throw all that out of the window to keep his position with the BBC (and get a radio programme) - now That's What I Call Whoring.

And that is why I love Aliona - she doesn't give a toss what he thinks, and makes that clear. Good for you, girl. I hope she goes for the jugular in the final (and takes poor innocent Matt with her!).

BTW one thing I really like about the Matt and Aliona partnership is that in the past the celebrity favourite has played the part of the happy innocent, dutifully following their pro to perform absolutely conventional dances. This time the favourite has used their position to take the(ir) audience on a rollercoaster of broken SCD conventions, and the audience has gone with them. It has raised big questions about what the judges are really there for and I love that. If nothing changed SCD would go the way of the old Come Dancing - the audience would desert the programme from boredom because it was no longer relevant.

"purity of the dance" has nothing to do with performance ability. The problem with Matt is that he is very focused on technique and doing his routine perfectly, and that focus shows in his face. This is because his choreographies are very very difficult for a celebrity to pull off (similar to Kara's, which is why a mistake always creeps in her dances every week and keeps her from a perfect score), and he comes across as a perfectionist. When dancing is done right, you must be able to feel every move through the music... you shouldn't just be doing a series of steps and moves one after the other. And that can only be done when one feels completely happy with his/her routines. In fact as a competitor you are discouraged to think about steps or too many technical points while you're competing. Each move should be used as an expression, which is quite obvious is Pamela's dancing.

For example in Matt's salsa you can see him starting off very well, performing and enjoying the dance. But his face gets more and more tense as the dance goes on, and he has his tango face by the end of it.

I agree with you bout Matt and Aliona's style though. I love their interpretations of dances, and that they're not sticking what the norms dictate to them. However I don't think we're in majority in that regard. A lot of people did not like the Halloween special because they thought the dances were not in keeping to their traditional sense. And also the previous world champions who had a contemporary style were not appreciated very much, which shows even amongst the dancers contemporary styles are not popular.

Gosh, well, he's got quite a CV. An all round entertainer and good with animals on top of that.

See I never realised they were so similar in terms of background and, because I don't do homework on the celebs, I'm easily suprised I guess.

I just took their jobs to be what Strictly said they were but of course realise in the media/entertainment business that it shouldn't be suprising when people are a 'jack of of all trades'.

Camilla pulled out a routine that Tom had had variants of in his kitbag, possibly since Drama School. He liked old dancing films and in recent interviews he's talked about doing that sort of routine previously.

Matt may win on familiarity anyway. His show dance could be good or he could go the other way and turn it into a tumbling exhibition. Acting could prove dangerous for him too.

Kara can act and ought to be able to do most things - she needs the right music and idea.

I completely understand what you are saying, and yes, if this was a professional dance competition Matt would be seen as too tense in the face. But it is an entertainment for a mass audience who, I think, don't see it in those terms. So for them he is seen as 'intense','real', 'trying his best' , which are good things, not bad. Think Heathcliff.

The analogy I would draw is with the movie of Mamma Mia! and Pirece Brosnan's singing. That was pilloried by film pursists as amateurishly made, and Brosnan's singing was ridiculed. But did it connect with its audience - by gosh yes, in spades. And if I refer again to my wife, she loved Brosnan - she said 'bless him' for trying so hard, how brave he was to put himself out there, and when Meryly Streep ripped his shirt off, that was worth the ticket price!

So if Matt&Aliona want to win, and take sneaky, unfair advantage, just slap on the guyliner. She loved that too!

As regards contemporary, I think Aliona has actually kept it in check, but I notice her choice of songs has been more and more contemporary, and the dances 'have' been in tune with the songs. That seems to be the way she/they want to go.

... oh for freaks sake!

I know someone who went to school with Matt... (inlcuding sixth form!). As far as I am aware, he stayed on until he went to Uni. The school was a normal comp, not a stage school. It had a reputation for putting on plays, (Gilbert a Sullivan etc) but it was just a normal school. What is with the person who keeps insisting he went to a stage school?

He did half an acting degree at uni, though. (Although I doubt that involved much dance training).

Oh Yes. Darling Matt to win.

They are people who probably working for the red tops, trying to throw enough mud so it finally sticks, me reckons...

You know that did occur with some of the more obviously daft posts. They're not very good in fairness.

To be honest, I am not bothered who wins, as they all seem good enough to me. But from the comments in this thread it seems it will be Matt or Kara. I don't read much here about Pamela being better than Matt, only Kara.

He studied drama at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh completing 2 years of a 3 year course as it was at this point he got the job with Blue Peter.

He and Zoe (from BP) won a dancing competition doing a Paso & Jive with some tips from Darren & Lilia.

This is true information that any decent journalist could find.

Hardly a stage school brat then. All three finalists have performance training/experience. Just makes it all the more fair.

The bookies are making Kara a very slight favourite over Matt at the moment. Pamela is the outsider at about 5-1.

I don't really mind who wins. Does anyone know what dances they'll be doing in the final? I hope to see Kara's amazing salsa again, and Matt's hilarious Austin Powers jive.

WHAT??!!! Speechless............

..I dare say he has done all sort of dare devil things for BP but that does not make him an expert

I know about the BP dancing competition. Yes, it was, like, FIVE days of training?

You've only proved that he's indeed a very talented dancer. Not a pro dancer though however much you try to allude.

Try harder next time...

Actually I agree with Silvermoon. I find Matt and Aliona's chemistry more believable also. Pam and James' frienship too. I think in 'holding back' Artem has seemed a little cold and that has translated into their dances not connecting with some of the public. Kara is lovely and an exquisite dancer...technically.

<...applause!>.

At last some sense.

All 3 have come from an 'entertainment' background. If anything, Pamela is the only contestant that's had any significant dance training and as far as I can tell Kara is only one who went to stage school. Plus, out of the 3 finalists Matt is the only one who's been doing their 'day job' as well. I've seen the training he had with Zoe from Blue Peter and I think it's just the same as what Kara has had with Ramps. Perhaps she had to sit out for a week as her training was more recent? This final is as even as a very flat thing as far as I'm concerned.

The Beeb cam portray him as a Farmer all they want, but eveybody who's lived in a farming community knows, farmers kids do what they like for a living. He may take over the farm in the future who knows, but at the moment he's working in the entertainment industry.
Last edited by shrew : 13-12-2010 at 09:52

Where did I allude to anything. Just stated very bare facts.

Okay, I didn't read the entire thread so it might not be you who was implying he's somehow some secret pro dancer masquerading as a farmer, like a perverse sense of a sheep trying to be a mutton (!).

With that I apologise.

But, facts you furnish don't prove anything about Matt being in a stage school (which was the original accusation flying around here and elsewhere), which in fact he wasn't.

... perhaps the school he went to had a stage? Yeah - that's right! RINGER ALERT!

Whichever way you look at it ALL 3 have had some drama training/experience.

I was made to 'dance' on the pole in my freshman year (ragging, yeah, the classic ragging), but that doesn't make me a pole dancer! Eww, banish that thought!