I know nothing about dancing so I can't comment on whether it was a proper AS or not, but I thought it was impressive and atmospheric. I agree Holly moved up a gear this week.
What did people think of Holly and Artems smooth
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i thought it was a great concept, and parts of it were well executed, at the very start it looked so promising.... but as ever with holly, it just didn't live up to expectations, for me there wasn't nearly enough dancing in it! its not like she couldn't do it, so i don't know why she doesn't.
not much in hold so no technique and a poor show sorry artem for the concept could have been amazing
we had some fireworks going off near us and my dog got rather distressed. after he'd calmed down a bit all i saw was a long lift and a spin and the dance was over!
Originally Posted by primer:
“i thought it was a great concept, and parts of it were well executed, at the very start it looked so promising.... but as ever with holly, it just didn't live up to expectations, for me there wasn't nearly enough dancing in it! its not like she couldn't do it, so i don't know why she doesn't.”
“i thought it was a great concept, and parts of it were well executed, at the very start it looked so promising.... but as ever with holly, it just didn't live up to expectations, for me there wasn't nearly enough dancing in it! its not like she couldn't do it, so i don't know why she doesn't.”
Seems a fundamental contradiction there. Holly didn't decide how much dancing there was - Artem did and got praised for it. People seemed to like the whole thing. You can't have the long lifts that those people liked and more steps that other people want to see instead, in the same anount of time.
This time its neither Holly or Artem's fault. They are both stuck in the same confusion as almost everyone else. Is the show about dancing or entertaining choreography? This time Artem probably did better getting the balance right - before his routines have been too artistic, and too difficult. if you put lots of steps in, like Chelsee, you get marked on the steps. if you put as few in as Harry, you do better. Len doesn't like so little actual dancing , Alesha gives you 10 for it. No one knows where the vote is going, but I doubt it follows the steps. Would Holly have got more marks or votes putting more steps in instead of staying in the lift so long - probably not?
Originally Posted by Cheshirecat1:
“I really enjoyed it but I couldn't stop myself from thinking how utterly amazing Kara would have been. Must learn to let go...................!!”
“I really enjoyed it but I couldn't stop myself from thinking how utterly amazing Kara would have been. Must learn to let go...................!!”
LOL that's what I kept on thinking too!!! I kept on thinking Kara's lines would have been better, etc etc. lol
As for the dance, very interesting and beautiful but not a true American Smooth to me. There should have been more ballroom hold for one thing (Artem kind of did this last year with Kara when their AS was not in hold enough).
I loved the concept, the costumes and the choreography, and both executed it well, but for me they still don't gel as a couple so it lacked the atmosphere it could have had. Such a shame, as I rate them both individually - just don't like them together.
I loved it. It wasn't a traditional AS but it was daring and different, and I love ballet which added to my enjoyment. The rest of the show was pretty dull IMHO.
Originally Posted by Cat.J:
“I loved it. It wasn't a traditional AS but it was daring and different, and I love ballet which added to my enjoyment. The rest of the show was pretty dull IMHO.”
“I loved it. It wasn't a traditional AS but it was daring and different, and I love ballet which added to my enjoyment. The rest of the show was pretty dull IMHO.”
Agreed. I thought it was beautiful.
I was entranced by the music and choreography and Holly did well for Holly.
But like others, I couldn't help making the inevitable comparisons with Kara and thinking she would have done the routine full justice.
It's unfair, I know, but unavoidable.
But like others, I couldn't help making the inevitable comparisons with Kara and thinking she would have done the routine full justice.
It's unfair, I know, but unavoidable.
Originally Posted by -Sid-:
“But like others, I couldn't help making the inevitable comparisons with Kara and thinking she would have done the routine full justice.
.”
“But like others, I couldn't help making the inevitable comparisons with Kara and thinking she would have done the routine full justice.
.”
Ahhh, that goes without saying. Holly and Artem were fabulous tonight but Kara and Artem were very special. I'd love to see Kara doing the routine with Artem too, I'm sure it would be awesome.
I loved it. Not so much Holly's dancing (like others I couldn't help wishing it was Kara) but the incredible choreography.
People have commented on it not being an AS. AS, strictly speaking, isn't a dance - it's a style of dance; the American style of ballroom plus lifts. It can be any of the 5 standards (although strictly speaking QS is not included) and the key difference between American smooth dances and 'non-American' standard is that the latter is danced in hold apart from the start and the end. We all know this. The trouble is that since series 7 (or 8?) the standard dances on Strictly have turned into a hybrid of the American style and the standard versions danced in earlier series, which now makes the actual AS a bit of a non-event. Artem's two very different AS routines suggest he thinks along these lines. It is a big risk choreographing something different as he is much less likely to get 10s with routines like these, but regardless, that's what we've got and (hopefully) will continue to get from him.
Artem is the perfect pro for that routine - I didn't see him as the white swan alter-ego, more as the Vincent Cassel character. My only regret was that Black Swan was released this year - this could have been Kartem's AS!
People have commented on it not being an AS. AS, strictly speaking, isn't a dance - it's a style of dance; the American style of ballroom plus lifts. It can be any of the 5 standards (although strictly speaking QS is not included) and the key difference between American smooth dances and 'non-American' standard is that the latter is danced in hold apart from the start and the end. We all know this. The trouble is that since series 7 (or 8?) the standard dances on Strictly have turned into a hybrid of the American style and the standard versions danced in earlier series, which now makes the actual AS a bit of a non-event. Artem's two very different AS routines suggest he thinks along these lines. It is a big risk choreographing something different as he is much less likely to get 10s with routines like these, but regardless, that's what we've got and (hopefully) will continue to get from him.
Artem is the perfect pro for that routine - I didn't see him as the white swan alter-ego, more as the Vincent Cassel character. My only regret was that Black Swan was released this year - this could have been Kartem's AS!
Originally Posted by Cat.J:
“Ahhh, that goes without saying. Holly and Artem were fabulous tonight but Kara and Artem were very special. I'd love to see Kara doing the routine with Artem too, I'm sure it would be awesome.”
“Ahhh, that goes without saying. Holly and Artem were fabulous tonight but Kara and Artem were very special. I'd love to see Kara doing the routine with Artem too, I'm sure it would be awesome.
”
Absolutely
I loved it - wonderful choreography. Maybe it wasn't a conventional American Smooth but, to me, it was the best dance of the night closely followed by Jason and Kristina's bewitching number.
Originally Posted by strictlystylish:
“I need to get a photo of that -it was A- MAZ-ING!”
“I need to get a photo of that -it was A- MAZ-ING!”
Just like Natalie Portmans in black swan
I absolutely loved it. Wonderful choreography! And Artem was really yummy tonight! The pale and mysterious look suits him. (I hate hate HATE fake tan!)
When I saw Holly coming out without a skirt, I thought "oh no, bacofoil alert!!", but thankfully she pulled it off. Skirt would have made it more ballroom-y, but I thought it worked without it. It was original and very contemporary.
It was Holly's best dance, but she's got a long way to go. Like others, I kept thinking how fabulous Kara would have been at this routine!
Was it an AS? Well, it had some foxtrot, but arguably the on-hold off-hold ratio wasn't quite textbook AS. Who cares. It was fabulous!
It was definitely more of an AS that Aliona's choreography was a tango, or James' choreography was a paso.
Best dance of the night for me!
When I saw Holly coming out without a skirt, I thought "oh no, bacofoil alert!!", but thankfully she pulled it off. Skirt would have made it more ballroom-y, but I thought it worked without it. It was original and very contemporary.
It was Holly's best dance, but she's got a long way to go. Like others, I kept thinking how fabulous Kara would have been at this routine!
Was it an AS? Well, it had some foxtrot, but arguably the on-hold off-hold ratio wasn't quite textbook AS. Who cares. It was fabulous!
It was definitely more of an AS that Aliona's choreography was a tango, or James' choreography was a paso.
Best dance of the night for me!
Disappointing! Fantastic music and costumes but Holly holds back from committing herself to the dance. There's still something lacking.
I know the name of the show is Strictly Come Dancing and not strictly come BALLROOM dancing, but honestly, when did it become strictly come ballet?
Swan Lake music is beautiful, but in no way can you dance any of the American Smooth dances to it - it doesn't lend itself to a waltz, a V.Waltz, a tango or even a foxtrot, though that is what Artem attempted - for about 3 or 4 bars at most. American Smooth requires 80% of the dance to be in hold - that is ballroom hold, not including lifts and lines!
It was a great routine, but more suitable for a showdance and as I've said in another thread, I think they were lucky it was Halloween week when no one was doing proper dances - except perhaps Jason who at least did a recognisable quickstep.
Swan Lake music is beautiful, but in no way can you dance any of the American Smooth dances to it - it doesn't lend itself to a waltz, a V.Waltz, a tango or even a foxtrot, though that is what Artem attempted - for about 3 or 4 bars at most. American Smooth requires 80% of the dance to be in hold - that is ballroom hold, not including lifts and lines!
It was a great routine, but more suitable for a showdance and as I've said in another thread, I think they were lucky it was Halloween week when no one was doing proper dances - except perhaps Jason who at least did a recognisable quickstep.
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