Watching Ben and Kristina dance it all looked very impressive with super lifts, but apart from the lifts did Ben really do anything? I think there was a tiny bit of hip movement at the start and a few very basic steps, but the rest of the dance, apart from the lifts, seemed to be Ben standing still as Kristina danced around him. His lifts were fantastic, but I don't think his high scores were deserved. Kristina always seems to manage to choreograph in this way, giving the man little to do if they aren't that good and doing a lot of fancy moves herself to hide the fact they are doing so little.
How much Salsa did Ben do?
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I agree, other than the lifts he seemed to either just stand still or walk around the place whilst Kristina was showing off in front of him.
Not a fat lot. The score was reflective of a bunch of strange scores yets night. He just stands and swivels, was the comment from my house.
Typical Kristina choreography...I'm the centre of attention here.
It was not a salsa but an exhibition of acrobatics
It was not a salsa but an exhibition of acrobatics
I thought it was all about Kristina being thrown and positioned every which way - the usual when she gas a celeb who dances like a plank if wood. At least Ben can lift and use his heel to flick Kristina into an upward position from a near horizontal one.
We asked the same question, I liked it, he looked gorgeous, and if it was a showdance it was fantastic. He has improved but there wasn't that much content in there. It was a typical Kristina routine.
I was complaining that Len is so inconsistent he loved this routine and Mark's (both of which I also really enjoyed and liked both Mark and Ben) but slammed Artem's for not being in hold and marked it down.
We said if Ben gets that far his showdance should be awesome.
I was complaining that Len is so inconsistent he loved this routine and Mark's (both of which I also really enjoyed and liked both Mark and Ben) but slammed Artem's for not being in hold and marked it down.
We said if Ben gets that far his showdance should be awesome.
They don't seem too bothered about the true dance content, it has to be said, but Ben has come on leaps and bounds since his first faltering foxtrot. He looked much more at home on the dance floor last night and although his dance was mainly lifts and throws, they were executed very well and the performance overall was rather breathtaking.
Mark spent most of his dance doing hip hop stuff instead of proper chacha, but most posters on here enjoyed the dance because it was entertaining...
Mark spent most of his dance doing hip hop stuff instead of proper chacha, but most posters on here enjoyed the dance because it was entertaining...
Originally Posted by Elan:
“We asked the same question, I liked it, he looked gorgeous, and if it was a showdance it was fantastic. He has improved but there wasn't that much content in there. It was a typical Kristina routine.
I was complaining that Len is so inconsistent he loved this routine and Mark's (both of which I also really enjoyed and liked both Mark and Ben) but slammed Artem's for not being in hold and marked it down.”
“We asked the same question, I liked it, he looked gorgeous, and if it was a showdance it was fantastic. He has improved but there wasn't that much content in there. It was a typical Kristina routine.
I was complaining that Len is so inconsistent he loved this routine and Mark's (both of which I also really enjoyed and liked both Mark and Ben) but slammed Artem's for not being in hold and marked it down.”
Interesting comment, seeing as Artem is the professional dancer in that pairing.
Originally Posted by holly berry:
“IAt least Ben can lift and use his heel to flick Kristina into an upward position from a near horizontal one.”
“IAt least Ben can lift and use his heel to flick Kristina into an upward position from a near horizontal one.”
Ah, is THAT how Kristina got up? I've watched the "under Ben's legs" movement a couple of times and wondered how on earth....?
We thought that in our house, too.
I remember saying to my OH, 'Oh, the judges aren't going to like this with hardly any dance content, it's all lifts, lifts, lifts'
Couldn't believe it when they all praised it and never mentioned it once!
I remember saying to my OH, 'Oh, the judges aren't going to like this with hardly any dance content, it's all lifts, lifts, lifts'
Couldn't believe it when they all praised it and never mentioned it once!
Originally Posted by coastinbear:
“They don't seem too bothered about the true dance content, it has to be said, but Ben has come on leaps and bounds since his first faltering foxtrot. He looked much more at home on the dance floor last night and although his dance was mainly lifts and throws, they were executed very well and the performance overall was rather breathtaking.
Mark spent most of his dance doing hip hop stuff instead of proper chacha, but most posters on here enjoyed the dance because it was entertaining...”
“They don't seem too bothered about the true dance content, it has to be said, but Ben has come on leaps and bounds since his first faltering foxtrot. He looked much more at home on the dance floor last night and although his dance was mainly lifts and throws, they were executed very well and the performance overall was rather breathtaking.
Mark spent most of his dance doing hip hop stuff instead of proper chacha, but most posters on here enjoyed the dance because it was entertaining...”
Seems if the men do not a lot of dance content they can get away with it with plenty of dramatic lifts. If there is too much out of hold for the women they lose marks.
Originally Posted by coastinbear:
“They don't seem too bothered about the true dance content, it has to be said, but Ben has come on leaps and bounds since his first faltering foxtrot. He looked much more at home on the dance floor last night and although his dance was mainly lifts and throws, they were executed very well and the performance overall was rather breathtaking.
Mark spent most of his dance doing hip hop stuff instead of proper chacha, but most posters on here enjoyed the dance because it was entertaining...”
“They don't seem too bothered about the true dance content, it has to be said, but Ben has come on leaps and bounds since his first faltering foxtrot. He looked much more at home on the dance floor last night and although his dance was mainly lifts and throws, they were executed very well and the performance overall was rather breathtaking.
Mark spent most of his dance doing hip hop stuff instead of proper chacha, but most posters on here enjoyed the dance because it was entertaining...”
I thought both Ben and Mark were ridiculously overscored this week. Mark should never have got 8s, I thought his dance was worth 5s and 6s, Ben's maybe 6s and 7s.
The lifts were a weird cross between gasp-making ... and Bacofoil. Can't fault Ben's strength (or smile, or biceps) and Kristina's bravery, the trust between them is evidence of excellent partnering but otherwise he just stood like a rather lovely tree.
Originally Posted by Monaogg:
“Seems if the men do not a lot of dance content they can get away with it with plenty of dramatic lifts. If there is too much out of hold for the women they lose marks.”
“Seems if the men do not a lot of dance content they can get away with it with plenty of dramatic lifts. If there is too much out of hold for the women they lose marks.”
Well good for them if they can get away with it. The pro in the pairing choreographs the dance to suit the strengths of the celebrity. In the salsa, there is the opportunity to go to town in the out-of-hold stuff. I'm quite sure that when Ben does his American Smooth and Quickstep that Kristina will make sure he is in hold - and no doubt his lack of musicality will come to the fore when the judges give their comments and scores.
I think when it comes to complaining about the way the judges pull one couple up for not being in hold while another couple spent longer out of hold, you need to compare like-for-like in the actual dances the couples are being judged on.
Originally Posted by gcmac:
“Watching Ben and Kristina dance it all looked very impressive with super lifts, but apart from the lifts did Ben really do anything? I think there was a tiny bit of hip movement at the start and a few very basic steps, but the rest of the dance, apart from the lifts, seemed to be Ben standing still as Kristina danced around him. His lifts were fantastic, but I don't think his high scores were deserved. Kristina always seems to manage to choreograph in this way, giving the man little to do if they aren't that good and doing a lot of fancy moves herself to hide the fact they are doing so little.”
“Watching Ben and Kristina dance it all looked very impressive with super lifts, but apart from the lifts did Ben really do anything? I think there was a tiny bit of hip movement at the start and a few very basic steps, but the rest of the dance, apart from the lifts, seemed to be Ben standing still as Kristina danced around him. His lifts were fantastic, but I don't think his high scores were deserved. Kristina always seems to manage to choreograph in this way, giving the man little to do if they aren't that good and doing a lot of fancy moves herself to hide the fact they are doing so little.”
He didn't do any salsa did he? Yes, the lifts were impressive but that was it - the rest of the dance was basically Ben being a pole for Kristina to manically twist herself around! Typical Kristina choreography, yet again, I was shocked at the judges scores and comments tbh, they must have been watching something different to me
Originally Posted by olivej:
“He didn't do any salsa did he? Yes, the lifts were impressive but that was it - the rest of the dance was basically Ben being a pole for Kristina to manically twist herself around! Typical Kristina choreography, yet again, I was shocked at the judges scores and comments tbh, they must have been watching something different to me”
“He didn't do any salsa did he? Yes, the lifts were impressive but that was it - the rest of the dance was basically Ben being a pole for Kristina to manically twist herself around! Typical Kristina choreography, yet again, I was shocked at the judges scores and comments tbh, they must have been watching something different to me
”
To be fair - there was some salsa in there, even some steps in hold, so perhaps you were watching something different if he didn't do any salsa?
Just watch him get blasted by the judges when it is his turn for the American Smooth...
Originally Posted by tortoiseperson:
“The lifts were a weird cross between gasp-making ... and Bacofoil. Can't fault Ben's strength (or smile, or biceps) and Kristina's bravery, the trust between them is evidence of excellent partnering but otherwise he just stood like a rather lovely tree.”
“The lifts were a weird cross between gasp-making ... and Bacofoil. Can't fault Ben's strength (or smile, or biceps) and Kristina's bravery, the trust between them is evidence of excellent partnering but otherwise he just stood like a rather lovely tree.”
And what more do you want?
Picky, picky, picky. 
I don't know what everyone else was expecting?
Ben was never going to suddenly turn into Mark Ramprakash, I enjoyed it but then I'm a shallow, ovary-voting, hormonal female.
Originally Posted by coastinbear:
“Well good for them if they can get away with it. The pro in the pairing choreographs the dance to suit the strengths of the celebrity. In the salsa, there is the opportunity to go to town in the out-of-hold stuff. I'm quite sure that when Ben does his American Smooth and Quickstep that Kristina will make sure he is in hold - and no doubt his lack of musicality will come to the fore when the judges give their comments and scores.
I think when it comes to complaining about the way the judges pull one couple up for not being in hold while another couple spent longer out of hold, you need to compare like-for-like in the actual dances the couples are being judged on.”
“Well good for them if they can get away with it. The pro in the pairing choreographs the dance to suit the strengths of the celebrity. In the salsa, there is the opportunity to go to town in the out-of-hold stuff. I'm quite sure that when Ben does his American Smooth and Quickstep that Kristina will make sure he is in hold - and no doubt his lack of musicality will come to the fore when the judges give their comments and scores.
I think when it comes to complaining about the way the judges pull one couple up for not being in hold while another couple spent longer out of hold, you need to compare like-for-like in the actual dances the couples are being judged on.”
Either way it is the professional who choreographs the routine and it depends on who is in favour with the judges as to what they get away with as well you know.
Originally Posted by coastinbear:
“To be fair - there was some salsa in there, even some steps in hold, so perhaps you were watching something different if he didn't do any salsa?
Just watch him get blasted by the judges when it is his turn for the American Smooth...”
“To be fair - there was some salsa in there, even some steps in hold, so perhaps you were watching something different if he didn't do any salsa?
Just watch him get blasted by the judges when it is his turn for the American Smooth...”
I must have blinked and missed the few salsa steps he did then
I thought the lifts were absolutely incredible, I was worried at one point that he was going to drop Kristina on her head so I do give them credit for having the bravery and trust in each other to do that. He also seems like a genuinely nice guy who you want to see do well but yeah, there was a very little actual "salsa" in it. A bit but it took up the minority of the dance.
In a way, I can't blame Kristina because the trouble is Ben's physicality sometimes. He has so much bulk that it can be difficult to move around the floor. I can understand where those who loved and hated the dance are coming from on this one but I understand why Kristina did it, she worked with what she had.
In a way, I can't blame Kristina because the trouble is Ben's physicality sometimes. He has so much bulk that it can be difficult to move around the floor. I can understand where those who loved and hated the dance are coming from on this one but I understand why Kristina did it, she worked with what she had.
None! I'm disappointed that Karen Hardy isn't doing Choreography Corner on ITT this week because she'd call Ben and Kristina out on that. The only dancing I saw other than Kristina's look-at-me flouncing was Ben's awkward dad dancing, but no one cares he did that because oooooh shoulders, arms, chest, muscles. If he was not attractive and was outscoring faves - who can ACTUALLY dance - in this manner, there would be much more criticism and complaining. In reality he is no better than someone like Dave whose partner hides his shortcomings with stunts. If he makes it to the final on this strategy, the show's lost the plot.
Whoops, went on a bit of a rant there. I'm more annoyed about this than I thought lol.
Whoops, went on a bit of a rant there. I'm more annoyed about this than I thought lol.
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