I was as completely underwhelmed by the whole show as the celebs were clearly overwhelmed. They should just stay in the studio every week - the dancers are not good enough to fill a huge venue.

With the exception of Denise, I don't think anyone danced particularly well, and as for some of the costumes ....

I've got it in my head that Victoria wore a pair of leggings with a flag tied round her waist; and I would have thought it impossible to ever make Flavia look bad, but somehow they managed it with that weird looking "satin skirt and top" affair.

And Flavia (again) - poor Louis was really sold down the pan.... His dance was one of his worst, but not his fault. One of the judges (Len I think) described it as a "quickstep with lifts" and that's exactly what it was - it certainly wasn't an American Smooth.

When will they learn that there is NO such thing as an American Smooth quickstep. And it doesn't exist for a reason - it just doesn't work. One of my American friends, who was US Professional Smooth Champion literally laughed himself into hysterics when I told him SCD does a "Smooth Quickstep"!!!!

There is just something about the SIZE of Wembley that just doesn't work when we watch it.
I have no doubt that IN the arena, it looks good, but ... I just can't put my finger on it.
Maybe it's the extra dancers they kept bringing on to fill the vastness of the arena for various couples' dances!

ok - Vicky's Paso (Note: Watching not to be attempted with a monster hangover)...
The positives are: She is trying to perform which is obvs difficult for her, but the bike bit at the beginning was utterly pointless, and as much as I love Brendan... that was not his best choreo this time either. The song is awful for a Paso....

The smurfs were adorbs as always, Pasherly looked GREAT, Michael's attitude is just awesone. Dark horsey?

Bruce - naff off now - I don't even care about you retiring with dignity now...

All the razzamataz at the beginning was hideous. Why the judges/celebs and pros are all forced into these toe curling sketches i don't know. If i were Darcey, i'd call it a day after one series whilst i still have a modicum of dignity in tact. The others have long since past caring.

Okay, I'm mildly confused about the dance through the decades and who was in which decade.

Denise - 20s, get that, flapper girl, James dressed as an explorer (I think) - Tomb of King Tut discovered in the 20s

Michael - 40s, old style Hollywood glamour, Fred and Ginger etc, yup, got that

Richard - 80s, Wham etc, no problem

Nicky - 50s, Elvis, easy

Dani - 60s, it's all there, song styling etc

Now it gets a bit more tricky

Louis - song from the 50s, dressed evoked 20s Depression era, modern breakdancing - so I',m guessing 30s

Lisa - should be easy, song smack bang in the 70s disco, absolute classic disco however.....

Victoria - Queen track, smack bang in the 70s, but it can't be as Lisa was 70s, so what was Victoria

I'm guessing at Kimberley being 90s, for no good reason, just can't fit her anywhere else

So was Victoria meant to be 00s, or was Lisa

Denise's song came out in 1986
Lisa's 1976 but the film Shark Tale was 2004
Victoria 1978
Kimberly 1999
Dani 1966
Richard 1986
Nicky 1957
Louis 1954
Michael 1944

I am pretty sure that Michael Ball's American Smooth was staged to look like the Radio City Music Hall in New York, with the semicircular arch and the Rockettes in their top hats and tights. It was a great idea.

Michael BALL? Did think his and Natalie's dance was the most authentic of the night. It all fitted - the music, the costumes (apart from dreadful tie with tail suit), and a really superb routine.

Just watched the clips on iplayer. IMO Louis undermarked, he looked most comfortable in this dance. Lisa overmarked, even I could see some steps were missed. Denise - perfect, very sharp. Dani - coming up could have been top.

Yes, that should have been Vaughan.

Disagree. I felt awkward watching that entire routine - it just felt odd. There was very little smooth about it, and the gymnastics section near the end was totally out of place and misjudged. And he still doesn't perform well or look like he's enjoying it. I felt he was marked fairly.


Now on that we agree. I rarely if ever go in for conspiracy theories but I was really wondering what was up given that the judges had nothing but praise (in spite of being negative about some of her previous routines, e.g. Craig on her charleston) in spite of clear flaws and the bizarre "I'm just little Lisa from Manchester, who'd have thought it of me" angle they suddenly seem to have started pushing. And I do wish somebody would point out how samey their dances look.

To be fair, the judges did criticise Lisa. Len said her technique needed more polish, Craig pointed out where she went out of time after batucadas, and Darcey said that she didn't get enough bounce.

I just don't think it was criticised ENOUGH, and the scoring was bizarre.

I was there last night and It could be the crowd effect that hyped up Lisa's dance. It was the first one of the night, we were all warmed up and ready to cheer, there was a massive roar when she did the splits and a standing ovation. I think she benefited from going first.

Sorry Monkseal, but to compare last night's quickstep to Holly's quickstep is rather bizarre Apart from the running promenade (or whatever that step is called), the 2 dances were totally different from eachother.

The only thing I remembered (correctly, it turns out) from last year was that they continued running while going on the stage in the middle (like they were running towards something at the other end of it ).

The choreography was totally different (the middle of the stage was used last year in the middle of the dance and they also used the stairs; not the actually stairs but the little platform at the front).

If we're talking about Dani, I just think any quickstep performed over that large a space (or at least any quickstep that I've seen on this show) tends to look like a little doggy being trotted around Crufts. Louis' AS had sort of the same effect before Flavia broke it up with all that dodgy breakdancing. It doesn't suit a space that large and just looks like they're running around gracelessly. I do think Vincent's choreography was leagues better than Artem's was, but looking back I think Holly kept up better than Dani did, so there we are.

All JMO, obviously.

OMG I just inhaled my coffee giggling at that!

Can't see any difference betweem them (if anything, Holly seems to do a bit more running to keep up the pace).

That said, the stage in the middle does take out the fluidity of this particular dance (for latin stuff the surroundings aren't a problem; except maybe the paso, where Vic was just running around Brendan in the middle of the stage).

Very late in reading this but Christopher Biggins was, is and always will be an effing moron.

Agree with all that kaycee.

The only reason why I'm happy for Wembley to happen once during the series is that it gives other SCD fans a chance to see the actual show - admittedly not in the studio - but it's still the real thing for everyone.

I didn't apply this year because I knew I was taking my children to a Christmas skating event on that date, but I was lucky enough to go last year and whilst it wasn't like being in the lovely tiny studio, it was still good and a chance to see the show.

There's so many people who would love to see the real show and this is a great chance for them to do so - so for that alone, I'm happy to forsake a bit of a dismal viewing for one week.

Wonder how many songs over all 10 series have been from each decade - wonder if Fudd might know?

It was and I still have no idea why the judges didn't like it - Matt B's was fab too.

Kara and Artem just sublime in fact they were one of the best couples ever. No one this year comes up to their standard. I wish we could see them dance again

I know hello Mr Kettle how black are we today? It isn't justice people Brucie can't stand being up-staged.

Glad someone did - I thought it was as dull as ditchwater and forgot it the instance it finished.

She was the most over-marked - Richard was the definately the worst though.