???????

i have always wondered this but have never asked. He has always been so particular on things like a thumb not pointing the right way and things like that, that do you think the celebs and dancers afterwards take note in rehearsals and work on it so not to do it again and or improve?

Serious question though!

Sometimes they do as in Ashleeee this year with his chin line and I am sure a few others over the years have corrected faults or tried to. Names escape me but there has been.

Of course it's easy to fall into bad habits or perhaps nerves take over and they do stuff on the show they not necessarily did in practice. And over the years some judges (Craig's) favourites have had faults that weren't commented on at all.

Some do, some don't. Craig criticised Chris Hollins' splayed out hands from the start of the series all the way to the end and Ola never addressed it with him that we could see. On the other hand, in that same series, Natalie worked on Ricky Whittle's pigeon toes after comments by Craig. It depends on the pro if they address Craig's criticisms or not. When he uses technical terms and names dances steps in his criticisms, I often wonder if the celebs have a clue what he's talking about - we don't know to what extent the pros teach the actual steps individually and to what extent they just teach a routine. I imagine some of them pros just keep the instructions on the most basic of levels: move like this, walk like that, hold your arms like this, wiggle your bum like that, straighten your legs, do a twirl.

yes. he's all they have to work with poor dears.

except when len gets technical about walnuts.

I'd worry about any pro who needed Craig to help them get things right. Some of them have been dancing it in competition for years. Craig read it in a book.

They'd be stupid not to. There are points involved.

I would expect that every point made by the judges has already been noticed by the pro! Whether the celeb has the ability to make (and indeed, remember) the change is another thing altogether.

An example: Craig called Harry's foot 'sickled'. Aliona later said the first thing she thought when Harry walked into the dance studio was 'Pigeon-toed'.

Flavia definitely helped Louis work on his thumb, too!

No, but he can point out things they may have missed, like hands, gapping etc and why are so many celebs not doing heel leads when its such a basic step for most of the ballroom dances .

I think they first try to get them to do what they want them to do. Probably nothing Craig comments upon, hasn't been covered by the pro, but their partners have so much to remember.

The pros are the experts. They know what's required.

As far as Craig is concerned, I think it's a bit like hiring Rembrandt to paint a portrait and then having an overgrown schoolboy looking over his shoulder making, "helpful suggestions."

Isn't Craig supposed to be a choreographer? If so is it possible to be one without having danced professionally first?

Craig seems to know more than the pro's, they just don't like to be told, that's all.

TBH, I think for most of the celebs just remembering the routine and doing it competently is about as much as they can manage and details that they may well do fine in practice can fly out the window on the show and they are the ones Craig picks on. It is usually exceptional folk that get 'most' right that make it to the end.

I would think not, I don't know for definite but I am not sure how they would know what would be possible if they had not danced themselves.

Whenever he has done a little bit df dancing I have always thought him very graceful.

I would hope the celebs listen to him as if they correct that one thing it gives a chance for praise and a chance for points, but I am sure all the pros already know the celebs problems and have already tried to correct it, but considering they are having to learn so quickly some things get lost in the mix.

Other than Len I think all the judges give technical advise. With Len , give it some Wally, and stop being mincey , and I just don't like it, is really quite difficult to follow as technical advice .

Aliona started Harry on stretching exercises right at the very start to correct the pigeon toes.

I think the celebs tend to listen to his advice and seem really pleased when he compliments them on any improvement - it's as if his opinion means more to them than the other judges for some reason.

Exactly! Hence my assertion that the pros know the problems before the critique happens, but some celebs are not able to correct them (or completely forget about it on show night, due to fear)!

He has to be the least knowledgeable judge in terms of assisting the dancers with advice other than what to do with your thumbs darling

Anybody earning a living from any form of dance can comment on musicality fingers and thumbs but he is in particular lacking in ballroom in hold technique especially in cause and effect during a couples movement

He earns his pay on SCD with a well thought out hand on hip acidic critique as opposed to being a guiding light for competitors
Yes he is learning some of the basics but simply does not have the knowledge/experience to be the guiding light

Craig often seems to comment on obvious things that can be easily solved. However, he has always been obsessed with hands, either thumbs or spatulistic ones.

Lilia at 5:25 explaining things to Craig.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpNyJKpHPb4

My big issue with Craig (even worse Arlene) and I am sure he would publicly never admit it. :sleep:

He has a preconceived idea of what a dancer should be like and look like as if he is auditioning them for a production.

Picky technical stuff he has ripped into in the "comedy" acts might be totally overlooked in the "pretty" people as he gushes about nothing but the performance daaaaarrrlling

Yep DerChef, that was Emma Bunton and Zoe whose gapping with Ian was completely ignored.

I have noticed how he can really rip some people (mainly men) apart for trivia and ignore the same with others (mainly women). Annoying. Not always comedy acts, some men I think have an uphill struggle anyway to impress if they don't look like Ben.

Totally agree. Craig is an accomplished choreographer and dancer but not in ballroom.

The idea that a professional ballroom dancer may not have noticed their celeb's faults and needs Craig's advice is bizarre to say the least. If you are teaching someone to dance there is only so much you can do within a timeframe and there will always be room for improvement. For example in ballroom, a professional dancer has to get their celeb to first remember their steps, apply the right footwork and be on time, be on balance, put their weight into their leg and roll through the foot to drive forward/back using their standing leg, maintain correct hold (arms in correct position) with a self supporting, pulled up posture, maintain correct head position, move body in harmony with with feet to give a smooth motion, apply correct rise and fall or no foot rise etc

And then Craig mentions thumb position, and everyone says "how perceptive of Craig....."

Lilia was fabulous. She also had a Paddington Bear stare if the commentary was a bit illogical.

And to add to my previous list, there's also Contra-Body Motion (CBM) and Contra-Body Movement Position (CBMP) which judges rarely mention maybe as being too technical, but lack of is often the reason for gapping, and Sway (sometimes gets a mention in passing) and Swing (don't recall it being mentioned)

So why on earth focus the majority of comments on hands and arm extensions when there is so much more going on? I think it is because they are generic dance skills rather than ballroom specific.

I think the judges should be informing the public as to why they have given their score, not educating the pro who knows more than them. I know the majority of viewers do not tune in for a serious technical discussion and respect that, but some of these concepts could be described lightly, in a couple of sentences, using layman's terms (maybe not CBM or CBMP).

"Please look after this celebrity"