Is Anton really bad at latin routines or are his performances hampered because of his recent hopeless partners? If he had someone like Kimberley last year was was good at latin, would he have done a good job with her?

have you watched him in the pro latin dances? that will probably answer your own question

Haha!

Even when Laila had a knackered foot in Series 7, she still looked like the Pro when it came to Latin.

I suspect he considers himself "above" latin or something. In all his time at Strictly he doesn't seem to have made any attempt to improve at it.

Ten bl00dy years to be exact! :rolleye:

It is a shame he thinks like that because I do think Fiona could be flippin good at Latin. She has the right body for it. Let's just hope that Anton has been kidding around all these years and that he can do brilliant Latin.... or its poor Fiona, who deserves so much better....

If he couldn't do it with Laila he won't do it with ANYONE. Fact.

I think that it's possible his Latin has improved over the years (likewise as some of the Latin Pro specialists have improved in Ballroom), but Anton still isn't that great in Latin if you were to compare him to the other male Pros.

I do wonder if having not so great celebs in the past has almost been a weird blessing for him and allowed him to get away with not having to push himself too far in creating good Latin roudtines on account of the celebs ability not needing it so much. If fiona takes to Latin (better than his previous celebs) then I hope Anton pulls his finger out and puts his best Latin shoes on for her so that she won't be underforming just because he himself as natural at it himself (which no doubt, as a porfessiona dancer, l I'm sure Anton will do to make sure she gets taught at the right standard). I don't blame Anton for using comic tactics with the likes of Widdy and Nancy (as he did what they could do, and tried to make it funny on top), but I don't really see Fiona wanting to be given a clown routine so much. Maybe a fun routine, but not resorting to be flung and dragged around the floor because they couldn't rely on actual steps to get them through a routine.

This subject comes up every year and Anton does not get any better at Latin.

Why ask any more? Seriously.

He'll never get it. No wonder he sticks with Erin for ballroom. Neither one of them is any good at Latin. They are dire.

I do wonder why he is even in SCD? He's become a joke.

You are most kind to Anton, Miriam. But the fact remains: TEN YEARS.

To be fair to Erin, she may not be good at Latin but, unlike Anton, she did at least make an effort to do her best for her celeb partners. I remember one VT with Leila, where Anton was making comments about the particular Latin dance they were doing that week, along the lines of, "This is rubbish." If that's the attitude the pro had about the Latin, then it's no surprise that Leila didn't make much of an effort either.

I agree and remember Anton is not getting any younger but as a layperson watching, isn't it all getting a bit manic and frantic from the pros nowadays.

Anton even said in one of his interviews published on bbc site which he said something like, "I don't get latin dances. In fact, I never understood the appeal of the rumba, all those posturing is not my cup of tea" or something. Of course, it's been taken down and I paraphrase. But it appears he couldn't hide his CONTEMPT for latin dances.

I'm not an Anton fan, so bear that in mind with what I'm about to say ... but Leila Rouass was not good at latin. Her forte lay in the ballroom although even there her core strength was criticised. Recalling their salsa, or was it jive when she wore the fringed trouser-suit, she couldn't keep the time. The paso doble that Anton scripted for her was good.

BUT do you think if Anton bothered, he would be able to help Laila overcome her deficiencies, and, mayhap choreograph the routine such as to hide her greatest weakness?

I think Fiona is wasted on Anton but she seemed happy enough to be paired with him and whether we like it or not he does seem to be one of the most popular/recognised pros.

I do feel sorry for her though because in one of her interviews she said she was most looking forward to learning the Latin dances - I doubt if she'll learn much in that area from Anton We can only hope he ups his game in Latin even if it's just a bit.

I know it's not Latin but I think he could do a good Charleston with Fiona as I remember he did quite a good one with Laila.

From the after launch interview, Fiona said she's looking forward to doing the ballroom dances. So I think Fiona, being a superfan, knows her dream of learning latin dances IS DASHED, TRAMPLED & BURIED.

Even when Anton had the BoD as a partner, she still looked like the pro when it came to Latin.



I don't actually mean that. They both looked like two octogenarian pre-war females dancing bosom to bosom of doom at a thé dansant.

The only one who could match Anton latin epicness is Brucie's spasmodic tippity tip he always does at the beginning of the show.

And it's good to see everyone playing nicely in the annual "Isn't Anton shit at Latin" "no he isn't, he's a lovely man and you're all evil meanies" thread.

I think because she's an actress we could get a decent Paso out of her and Anton.

As I said before I have high hopes of them performing an entertaining Charleston especially as they bring in outside choreographers for that I just hope they manage to avoid the jive

Yes, his Paso with Laila was the saving grace.

I hope they will do a rumba, though Anton absolutely HATES rumba (his words, not mine) it's slow enough for him to do it right. Then Charleston (he could show his comedy chops *shudder*) and perhaps AT (if they get that far). I can't imagine them doing jive, samba, salsa (he did a granny mambo the other time, at least Flavia's mambo-salsa was DDtastic). Argh, my head hurts just thinking about it!

Yes. I don't think Anton liked Leila (Laila? forget the exact spelling) and it showed during that routine where she lost the timing as he gave her a look that broadcast her error. Another pro would have helped her at that point. Reminds me of Erin and how she helped Richard last year when he forgot his QS routine. We didn't realise what had happened until after the event, or at least I didn't, because Erin kept her cool and led like a pro.

I don't think Anton is good at latin and I don't think he's concerned with SCD as a competition anymore, to the detriment of a good partner. But I wanted to check the view that Leila/Laila was good at latin and better at it than him.

Yes, Laila with an a. She's partly of Indian heritage. Agreed with your points you've made.