I can't remember any of the dances from last year's final, although I do remember what Kara was wearing and that James & Pamela danced to the Dirty Dancing song.
Compare last year's final with this....
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Originally Posted by aimeeaimee1000:
“Thought this year's final was over hyped, not much between any of them, although enjoyed it as I simply adore SCD as a show.
Kara and Artem of last year were and still are my absolute favourite of all time. I dont think anyone will come up to their beautiful patnership and dancing (even though the final show dance was not so good ) they were still magic”
“Thought this year's final was over hyped, not much between any of them, although enjoyed it as I simply adore SCD as a show.
Kara and Artem of last year were and still are my absolute favourite of all time. I dont think anyone will come up to their beautiful patnership and dancing (even though the final show dance was not so good ) they were still magic”
Same here for me,Kara and Artem will always be my favourite couple. Jill Halfpenny's jive is another of my favourites.
Did not have a favourite this year although I think Harry was a deserving winner.
On the whole I did not enjoy this years series as much as in the past and with all the hype of it beng the best ever I am wondering what they will do to make next years the 'best ever'.
You've all made such interesting points - thank you !
I too would like to see the showdance at the end - I feel that in moving it to the first section the BBC place too much emphasis on it for votes.
I also agree that four dances in the final means we get four so -so dances. I also just don't enjoy seeing repeats of dances I've already seen, however good they were. Isn't that what YouTube is for ?
I found this final totally underwhelming. Tess was just extraneous fluff in a pair of curtains and Bruce couldn't handle his lines well at all - I really do get annoyed at what a dithering plank he looks in that show because he really is incredibly talented, an absolute legend, and it's the show format that does not suit him.
Aliona and Harry did look unerwhelmed at winning - think of the emotion from last year with Kara and Artem. Though, if you look at the photos you can see that they were, at least, surprised, to have won.
For me I think the lovely back story between Kara and Artem which they had largely kept out of the media until the final - remember those VT's on final night when they spoke about each other ? - is what really made me warm to Kara and Artem.
There's been nothing about any of the finalists that I've warmed to. Chelsee does seem sweet if a bit dippy but she has totally the wrong body for a dancer (and I don't have any sympathy with that because it was entirely her decision and it actually annoys me that any surgeon would do that op on someone so young with no medical reason for doing so), Jason was just too dilligent and slow & hogged the limelight forever and it made me uneasy that he loved watching himself so much (no dancer would) and Harry had awful pigeon toes which, if you look in the photos, are basically still there. He had great upper body strength but there was something about his spindly legs that I didn't find very 'dancer'.
Still, it's the biggest show on tv, it makes millions for the BBC, is shown in about 75 countries and we all watched it !!!!
I too would like to see the showdance at the end - I feel that in moving it to the first section the BBC place too much emphasis on it for votes.
I also agree that four dances in the final means we get four so -so dances. I also just don't enjoy seeing repeats of dances I've already seen, however good they were. Isn't that what YouTube is for ?
I found this final totally underwhelming. Tess was just extraneous fluff in a pair of curtains and Bruce couldn't handle his lines well at all - I really do get annoyed at what a dithering plank he looks in that show because he really is incredibly talented, an absolute legend, and it's the show format that does not suit him.
Aliona and Harry did look unerwhelmed at winning - think of the emotion from last year with Kara and Artem. Though, if you look at the photos you can see that they were, at least, surprised, to have won.
For me I think the lovely back story between Kara and Artem which they had largely kept out of the media until the final - remember those VT's on final night when they spoke about each other ? - is what really made me warm to Kara and Artem.
There's been nothing about any of the finalists that I've warmed to. Chelsee does seem sweet if a bit dippy but she has totally the wrong body for a dancer (and I don't have any sympathy with that because it was entirely her decision and it actually annoys me that any surgeon would do that op on someone so young with no medical reason for doing so), Jason was just too dilligent and slow & hogged the limelight forever and it made me uneasy that he loved watching himself so much (no dancer would) and Harry had awful pigeon toes which, if you look in the photos, are basically still there. He had great upper body strength but there was something about his spindly legs that I didn't find very 'dancer'.
Still, it's the biggest show on tv, it makes millions for the BBC, is shown in about 75 countries and we all watched it !!!!
Originally Posted by Cheryl423:
“Still, it's the biggest show on tv, it makes millions for the BBC, is shown in about 75 countries and we all watched it !!!!”
“Still, it's the biggest show on tv, it makes millions for the BBC, is shown in about 75 countries and we all watched it !!!!”
BIB Is it really? Wow, never knew that!
Originally Posted by Cheryl423:
“Aliona and Harry did look unerwhelmed at winning - think of the emotion from last year with Kara and Artem. Though, if you look at the photos you can see that they were, at least, surprised, to have won.”
“Aliona and Harry did look unerwhelmed at winning - think of the emotion from last year with Kara and Artem. Though, if you look at the photos you can see that they were, at least, surprised, to have won.”
I'm sorry, but just because they didn't have a huge tearful reaction doesn't mean they were underwhelmed at winning, it just means they've got different personalities than Kara and Artem!!
I thought this year's final was interesting because it seemed like would be close - last year Kara had it won before the final even started, in my opinion, although I thought the standard of dancing, showdances apart, was very high and probably better than last night. So for me it was a shame that Chelsee's nerves got to her and she didn't produce a standard that would have made the final nail-bitingly close. I was pleasantly surprised by Jason's showdance though, so well done Kristina for actually making that round of dances memorable!
Overall, I think I still prefer last year's final in terms of dancing, but this year's wasn't bad at all. Series 5 final is yet to be topped imo, and there hasn't been a game-changer dance in a final since series 6...
Originally Posted by Mystical123:
“ Overall, I think I still prefer last year's final in terms of dancing, but this year's wasn't bad at all. Series 5 final is yet to be topped imo, and there hasn't been a game-changer dance in a final since series 6...”
“ Overall, I think I still prefer last year's final in terms of dancing, but this year's wasn't bad at all. Series 5 final is yet to be topped imo, and there hasn't been a game-changer dance in a final since series 6...”
I'd argue that Jason's showdance is the closest thing to a game-changer we've ever had in a Strictly final (although even then it was over the battle for 2nd place behind a foregone conclusion winner). It would only be a guess though.
Originally Posted by Monkseal:
“I'd argue that Jason's showdance is the closest thing to a game-changer we've ever had in a Strictly final (although even then it was over the battle for 2nd place behind a foregone conclusion winner). It would only be a guess though.”
“I'd argue that Jason's showdance is the closest thing to a game-changer we've ever had in a Strictly final (although even then it was over the battle for 2nd place behind a foregone conclusion winner). It would only be a guess though.”
Yes, I'd agree with that, but I think it wouldn't have made much of a difference if Chelsee had danced well. As it was, it just made me think for a bit that Chelsee was possibly going to be first out, and actually made me throw a couple of votes Jason's way in appreciation of Kristina's choreography, but I don't think it really was a game-changer in the same sense as Tom's was. It's my opinion that Tom's showdance made the difference as to who won that year, whereas Jason's didn't even get him past Chelsee into the top two.
Originally Posted by Mystical123:
“Yes, I'd agree with that, but I think it wouldn't have made much of a difference if Chelsee had danced well. As it was, it just made me think for a bit that Chelsee was possibly going to be first out, and actually made me throw a couple of votes Jason's way in appreciation of Kristina's choreography, but I don't think it really was a game-changer in the same sense as Tom's was. It's my opinion that Tom's showdance made the difference as to who won that year, whereas Jason's didn't even get him past Chelsee into the top two.”
“Yes, I'd agree with that, but I think it wouldn't have made much of a difference if Chelsee had danced well. As it was, it just made me think for a bit that Chelsee was possibly going to be first out, and actually made me throw a couple of votes Jason's way in appreciation of Kristina's choreography, but I don't think it really was a game-changer in the same sense as Tom's was. It's my opinion that Tom's showdance made the difference as to who won that year, whereas Jason's didn't even get him past Chelsee into the top two.”
Danced well in general or danced well in her showdance? I don't think that sort of lift-tastic disco showdance would ever have connected with the audience particularly even if she'd nailed it (see : Ricky's version which was better choreographed, much better danced, and better performed, and is now almost entirely forgotten (TBF, Natalie's gopping costume didn't help)). If a pro were to go disco in their showdance I'd guess they'd have to go for more of a stereotypical Saturday Night Fever with the odd lift, not the sort of thing that the pros have actually produced.
Originally Posted by Monkseal:
“Danced well in general or danced well in her showdance? I don't think that sort of lift-tastic disco showdance would ever have connected with the audience particualrly even if she'd nailed it (see : Ricky's version which was better choreographed, much better danced, and better performed, and is now almost entirely forgotten (TBF, Natalie's gopping costume didn't help)). If a pro were to go disco in their showdance I'd guess they'd have to go for more of a stereotypical Saturday Night Fever with the odd lift, not the sort of thing that the pros have actually produced.”
“Danced well in general or danced well in her showdance? I don't think that sort of lift-tastic disco showdance would ever have connected with the audience particualrly even if she'd nailed it (see : Ricky's version which was better choreographed, much better danced, and better performed, and is now almost entirely forgotten (TBF, Natalie's gopping costume didn't help)). If a pro were to go disco in their showdance I'd guess they'd have to go for more of a stereotypical Saturday Night Fever with the odd lift, not the sort of thing that the pros have actually produced.”
Danced well in general. I agree about the showdance, as soon as I heard it was disco it put me right off it, so I doubt I'd have liked it even if she did dance well, just as I didn't like Ricky's. But her jive wasn't good, and I think if she'd danced it better than she did first time round, and thus got 40, especially when compared to Jason's weak tango, she would have been miles ahead of him instead of me thinking it could be close between them as to who finished 3rd.
Mystical123 I didn't say they 'were' underwhelmed, just that they 'looked' underwhelmed at winning. I agree they have different personalities from Kara & Artem, though Kara was pretty shy. I think, for me at least, Harry's dances didn't connect with me because there was never much emotion in his face during his dancing - except for the AT. But I think I expected a bit more of a reaction from Aliona, given that she'd come so close last year. Even in interviews after their win, they didn't have a lot to say and didn't seem excited. Which isn't to say that they weren't - they just didn't show it. Nothing wrong with that but for me their reaction capped a very dull final.
I think this year was loads better than last. Any of the final 3 could have won last night. It was almost a shame when one had to be eliminated for the final 2 dances!
For me, I think last night's final featured better dancing because at least everyone participating was still in one piece! Last year we had all of the final four dancers having had really bad colds in the week before resulting in them all being hampered in their ability to train as all of them were dosed up on lemsip 
. Then in the middle of the week Aliona went and landed badly causing herself a back injury serious enough to still be requiring treatment for the week after the final - that I think completely threw whatever was planned for her showdance and meant she ended up standing around for a good portion of it... And then of course Kara injured herself during her dance! For last years contestants the 4 dances were just too much and it cost them all in terms of performance.
However, emotionally I preferred the dancers last year. Even as a Matt fan I didn't mind Kara winning as I thought both of them were great - just a shame they were in the same series. This year whilst I liked both Harry & Chelsee I didn't care enough about any contestant to vote. I was just glad Jason went home first (though his showdance was the best of the 3) because he bored me.
. Then in the middle of the week Aliona went and landed badly causing herself a back injury serious enough to still be requiring treatment for the week after the final - that I think completely threw whatever was planned for her showdance and meant she ended up standing around for a good portion of it... And then of course Kara injured herself during her dance! For last years contestants the 4 dances were just too much and it cost them all in terms of performance.However, emotionally I preferred the dancers last year. Even as a Matt fan I didn't mind Kara winning as I thought both of them were great - just a shame they were in the same series. This year whilst I liked both Harry & Chelsee I didn't care enough about any contestant to vote. I was just glad Jason went home first (though his showdance was the best of the 3) because he bored me.
What's interesting is that even though all 3 were injury free, the actual dances were nowhere near as exciting as last year's - at least for me.
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