I am surprised no-one else has posted about how well Katya did with Gavin. To take him from being an emotionless, stiff, plank to someone who entered into the fun of the whole thing, and ended up being able to dance pretty well, and better than 90% of the audience ever could, that was impressive.

I don't know how she had the patience (and she did say working with Gavin taught her patience!).

I think she was an absolute star, and deserves a medal.

I agree, she's worked wonders.
Let's erect a statue, I'll sacrifice myself to do the measurements.

I think the sentiments above have already been put in any number of other Gavin threads over the last week or so.

No, Katya deserves her own thread of praise and I very much hope we'll be seeing her back next season.




And DS you have rubbish smileys - we need a few red hearts for Katya. I'll draw some out and send them to you so that you know what hearts look like.

I have

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/s....php?t=1403276

I do think she's done marvellously. It's lovely for the winning pro but I think for those pros who work with the less talented its so much harder.

Yes, full marks to Katya from me too.

Katya has done so well with Gavin; he has improved so much and I think she really gave him confidence as well as some dancing skill.

I really hope that she is in the next series, she is definately my favourite female pro now.

What a lovely lady she seems.

i thought she's the who trained hollywood stars?? correct me if i'm wrong.

Top marks to Katya for getting Gavin to the semi final. I thought he would not survive past the first few weeks,

I admit I wasn't a fan of Katya last year but through working with Gavin I've grown to like her more. I admired her honesty at the elimination when she talked about how Gavin had taught her how much patience she could have when required.

I am sorry, I missed it (I think I read it and then forgot. A week is a long time in Strictly!), otherwise I would have bumped it.

Anyway, Katya has her own thread again.

Yes, Katya's done very well.

I thought this was another good pairing and after having seen Gavin on 71 degrees North, he looked like he needed to improve a few interpersonal skills.

Gavin's dancing could be considered to have come on a lot based on just how bad he was at the start, when a lot of people thought he had no chance. He still would need more time to be considered a good ballroom dancer and the Latin still looks a way off.

What I like about Katya is her determination. She never gives up on her partner and despite getting very little from Gavin for weeks, she kept on trying and trying and finally he began to loosen up and respond.
He seems to have improved at learning to be part of a team and how to relate to someone, so I think he owes Katya a lot more in that direction than the dancing.

If there was a category for most improved there'd be only one winner - Gavin and Katya.

I think she's really tried hard this year. Initially I felt sorry for her getting Gavin at first, as I didn't feel he had much of a personality or was making as much effort as others. But slowly I realised he was trying and does actually have quite a funny dry dead pan sort of humour and that they being together was perfect for both of them due to the way they both grew dance wise and personally.

Aside from the dancing, I think they both found and inspired new things in each other. The expressing/emotion part on his side (from her) and the more patience to teach on her side (from him). I think even Katya came across as a much funnier and warmer person this year due to Gavin's strange sense of humour bringing that out of her. I actually thought she was a bit of an ice queen last year but, with being partnered with someone this year that was even more stand-offish than herself, meant that she was almost released from that in order to help him come out of himself. I hope she's back next year.

I'd give Katya a medal, but she'd only beat Gavin to death with it. Actually I think the lass did a good job and I think the Gavbot knows it.

I agree, Katya did do a brilliant job with Gavin.

I think Gavin brought a fair bit of experience of being a member of a team to their partnership.

Partnering Gavin certainly brought out aspects of Katya's personality that we didn't see last year. She's much more fun than I thought she was.

I'd like to give her a medal too, but it would be made out of chocolate so she could peel off the foil and console herself with it now she's not in the final. Aah.

Katya needs to come back for sure.

I do think Katya did a really good job, she definitely doesn't fall into the category of pro who gives up if their celeb isn't that good. I also really liked the dynamic of their relationship they seemed to get on well but there was none of that sickly pretence that they were new best friends that you sometimes get.

I thought the medal was for speaking back to Craig on Saturday, I'd give her a chocy plated gold medal for that alone.