Bleurgh! I may have to open a bottle of something to blot out the image.

Chin chin!

they should of been penalising lifts all along. When Kara and Artem were in the competition craig penalised her for lifting her big toe off the floor in the venenise waltz and a small lift in the rumba - otherwise they would of had a few forties. Also len criticised their american smooth but some this season havent been in hold that much either but he still gave 8 and 9's, whereas he only scored them 7 when in blackpool. I think the judges have been much more relaxed this year compared to past seasons. I think Kara and Artem and Natalie and Artem are best dancers that have been in the competition and that strictly is really missing Artems creativity and choreography. He is the best pro to have appeared and he is the most successful to have won and been in the final twice and to have also been knocked out in the semi final with holly. Lilia was knocked out in the semi final with Aled jones then won with darren gough then was in the final the next year with matt. So Artem and Lilia are the most successful pros. I love them both.

Hi all,
Long time lurker posting in this thread for the first time.
BIB At the end of the dance, Pasha clearly said to Caroline 'feet together', so I assume she got the final pose wrong. He then went on to say something to the effect of ' don't say anything '. I think that is why she was looking a bit intense when over with Tess.

Janet

I think it was a costume failure. When he lifted her up in the bit with Claudia and spun her round her hand went underneath to hide herself. Hence the feet together by him. Imo anyway.

[/spoiler]

Kara watching a different type of dancing

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz...e-opening.html

Thanks, Mayadewi. She looks very chic.

Results show...

I've no idea if Len made the right decision, but I'd have been gutted to lose either of them. Poor Pixie. . Thought she came across really well at the end there. Will miss those two and can't believe we won't see their show dance. Simon clearly doesn't have huge public support, so there's a good chance he'll be the one to miss out on the final. I suppose it will make it easier for me to support Caroline. I'm not interested in Jake anymore, don't like Mark and poor Frankie comes with Kevin. Harrumph!

Flack and Pasta for the win!

She looks great - love the hat

I wasn't sure about Pixie at the start of the series, but she grew on me and I thought it was a very classy exit tonight. She took it really well and seems genuinely sweet. Although obviously not good for the dancers, I think the shock exit may be a good thing for the show in general. I've seen a few comments on it being a very predictable series (with the top 6 on the first leaderboard being the top 6 at the end) and I think this might add a bit of drama to the end of the series, as I read the ratings have been flagging slightly. It gives the impression that there is a point to them doing the dance off dance, when sometimes it has felt that they ignore what they see in the DO and save who they were going to save anyway.

Hi Clartem and thanks for your sympathy. I'm actually not interested anymore in the rest of the show, for me the most exciting couple has gone. I know reality tv is not really about reality, but shouldn't the rules be better laid out straight publicly at the beginning of the show ? Or is this too obvious? I too was wondering all along why lifts weren't being penalised in rumba's and waltzes etc ... and now all of a sudden Len starts to rave? And he clearly was not pleased with Trent's answering back at him, was he? I really didn't like Len's style and would not mind he'd go play cards with Bruce. I also wonder if Trent will still be there next year? Anyways, I'm very thankful I got to know Pixie Lott - and most other contestants - and would have liked to see her reach the final, not necessarily to win, but I always looked very much forward to their routines and their dancing. (I agree with the poster who wrote that Pixie's legs in the Charleston did something odd) The pieces we were allowed to watch of their waltz in the waltz-athon looked heaven and I really thought these two bouncy cheerful people were very well matched together. As for the other couples, well I still don't quite 'get' Pasha but think Caroline is also a very good dancer as is Frankie but she doesn't 'move' me, Kevin gets on my nerves, Kristina still and always looks too eager to win and Simon is really doing his best but he doesn't seem to convince me as a dancer. Jeanette I think is awesome but Jake has outrun his stay in the competition, am a bit tired of him. Mark seems to be a genuine chap, but is too showy for me. Karen is a very good professional dancer, but their pairing just doesn't do it for me.
Enjoy the rest of the show, peeps! And as always, thank you very much for keeping this thing going

Read your posts Bv..yes the show is a bit like professional football .." .a funny old game "if the manager doesn't like you no matter how great your potential your"Oot ".
Trent signed himself out I'm afraid when he "spoke back" to the boss . its a shame they were in the dance off and allowed Len that "power " Darcey seemed quite distressed
However I remember kara saying its a show and anyone can go .at any time
Personally I think most of the celebs have too much to say to the judges .thought Pixie said least . The males left are all uber pumped up .modesty doesn't reign supreme
OT ...my Belgium friends were in Antwerp last week end they love it their son is at uni there .
Saw some nice pictures of Artem this week . Plus some of the lovely Kara (not together )wonder what she thinks of the scoring ,illegal lifts and big toes off the floor
Prettige Kerstdagen...

Yep, that's about right Soupy, it's a process of eliminating those I really don't want to win, which leaves Caroline, I like Frankie too but yes, she comes with Kevin. Boo!

Thanks both of you and welcome to the thread

I had a bit of a mooch through the thread on the MF about her AT and it seems people are convinced they heard slightly different things so I watched again carefully and feel sure (!) it was:
"Keep together!"
"I'm sorry!"
"Don't show anything. [unclear] fine. Everybody's standing up!"
I still can't see any mistakes (though she is slightly hesitant at one point) or a wardrobe malfunction. She pulled nervously at her dress at the end and over at the judges table, but that seemed more of a fidget than anything else. I didn't watch ITT last night, but apparently Karen Hardy said there were errors - but didn't say what they were.

In the light of Caroline having only just broken up with her boyfriend (and being 'distraught' about it backstage - according to the tabloids ), I'm inclined to think the exchange had more to do with Pasha knowing she was emotionally on the brink than about anything that happened on the dance floor. I would normally say we might find out from Caroline when she's on ITT, but if I were her, I'd probably say I was upset about a small cock-up than get into any discussion about my emotional well-being! In other words, I don't suppose we'll find out for sure

Just had a little trip down memory lane. Watched Kara & Artem dancing the Viennese Waltz and Rumba from the semi-final. Both dances were spectacular and it is still such a pleasure to re-watch them.

This year, Mark & Karen are dancing the VW/Rumba pair. Somehow, I don't think it will be the same. We've also got a Rumba from Kevin & Frankie and the VW from Jake & Janette. Don't think any of these will match the beauty of what K&A achieved. K&A Perfection Personified.

Do you think that two people will be eliminated this week so that there are only 3 for the final. I really don't want to see another four couple final. I think they need a winner, second and third place not a winner and two runners up and a fourth place. When Kara and Artem were in that year Gavin and Scott got eliminated in the semi final but there was no dance off then, but the next year even with a dance off through the series Holly and Alex got eliminated in the semi final. I really want two people out this week. They need to bring back pros from the past with great success because apart from Ola, Natalie and Kristina and Aliona I'm not a fan of any of them. I think if they keep on this track the show is going to need to be changed to the clifton show which i diffinitly would not be watching. Far too many of the same family in one tv show. get rid in my opinion. Bring back Artem, Robin, Erin, Lilia and Darren even Katya should be brought back and maybe even James.

I did the same thing after watching last week's show

I was thinking that no one this year is anywhere near K & A's standard. Then I thought I might be looking back through rose-tinted glasses, so I watched some videos and decided I wasn't they were amazing!

As I said in another thread, I think it will be hard for anyone to do such memorable dances these days. Apart from their partnership/chemistry, they also had great costumes (mostly), appropriate music and fab choreography. With the music, themes, props (and maybe sometimes even choreography with Jason Gilkison hanging around the training rooms) seemingly being foisted on them these days, its unlikely to all come together like that again.

Semi-finals.....

I really enjoyed most of the dances even if there were mistakes.

Jake and Janette - cha cha
I've really gone off Jake (and ever since Wrenny mentioned his nose wiping, it's been driving me up the wall. Along with the thumbs up gesture and Buster and biddy Amber! Grrrr!). His posture is awful in every way and his hips are squirmy. Didn't have much CCC technique. When I just watched Janette, I enjoyed this dance.
Frankie and Kfg - Rumba
Kevin's been at the dressing up box again! I liked the concept and thought it was an adorable routine, but, in all honesty, would have liked to see some more 'proper' figures and steps in it. Nice though.
Mark and Karen - VW
Too saccharine for me and I got a bit annoyed by all the side-by-side stuff. It was the sort of VW you see on DWTS and didn't have enough twirling in it for me. His hold looks decent.
Simon and Kristina - Samba
Gah! I wish they hadn't messed up because It had all the makings of a terrific samba. I still really liked it as a performance.
Caroline and Pasta - FT
I think Bruno was spot on saying that she feels the music so intensely that other stuff goes awry a little. Or a lot. I love Caroline, but thought her frame, left arm and head position were all diabolical. The music was tricky though.

Jake and Janette - VW
Jake doesn't have great technique in the ballroom dances and his posture is still a bit Lurch-like, but at least there was more rotation than we saw in Mark's routine.
Frankie and Kevin - AT
I didn't really like this and thought the audience just got carried away with the dramatics in the music. The dancing didn't match up imo, and the 10s were generous to say the least. Her upper body and frame weren't right, but the judges loved it, so, what do I know?
Mark and Karen - Contempo-rumba
As a contemporary routine it was very pretty and nicely expressed, but 'tweren't a rumba... Bit cynical about Karen's tears.
Simon and Kristina - Foxtrot
Lovely! My favourite dance of the night. Great characterisation, lovely timing and seemed to have good technique to me. I even noticed the reverse wave thing and thought, "ooh, that's good!"
Caroline and Pasha - Salsa
This really made me smile - great dance to finish on. She hits all the accents in the music and looked like she was loving it! Great.

Think Jake's the weakest dancer, but I'd like to see their show dance. Hope it's Mark to go, but so long as Caroline and Simon go through, the others can slug it out.

Yep, yep, yep, yep, yep, ........yep, yep, yep, yep and yep!

Agree with you pretty much all the way Soupy. Am at my middle brothers for Mum's birthday so need to go and be sociable!

I was a bit underwhelmed tonight. When I think of the beautiful VW and rumba that K&A produced in their semi-final I feel tonight just didn't live up to that high standard.

Neither of the rumbas looked like proper rumbas. Mark just seemed to do the same deep lunge over and over again.

I don't think Caroline's fringe skirt for the foxtrot helped her as something hiding the legs might have been an advantage.

Thought 40 was a bit high for Caroline and Pasha's salsa.

I was a fan of Jake's early on but I don't think he did well tonight. Wouldn't be too sad to see him go.

Why do they keep telling us that Mark had no previous dance experience? He mentions it, the judges mention it ... I think he was a part-time footballer before becoming a reality TV star. So, he should be coordinated and fit.

Kevin's sister is a bit overly enthusiastic about her brother. It would be nice if she behaved like the other pros and supported all the couples.

Liked Simon's foxtrot. Proper ballroom. I'm worried for him in third place. I think he deserves to be in the final. He got all my votes; did some phone votes for the first time this series.

I enjoyed it more than you over all, Crazy, but still found myself nodding in agreement at everything you said.

Kara and Artem's semi-final dances were sublime and I can't compare any of tonight's dances against them - they wouldn't stand a chance!

Think Caroline's skirt was a good idea on paper....