But the music is totally different so I am not sure you can compare them - I actually prefer the slower, more romantic style of Brendan's rumba.

I absolutely loved Jodie & Ian and their rumba.

Nice girls feel passion too. The issue wasn't that they were not simulating sex, it's that she wasn't really simulating anything.

The technique isn't there, she is not progressing. It's a shame, because she started so well, and she obviously has some talent. She is a performer, but she does not perform.

I'm no big fan of the rumba, but I thought last night's choreography by Brendan was refreshingly different. It was classy and refined compared with the usual (failed) attempts by some soap star or sporting personality to look "sexy".
Definitely under-marked in my opinion, I really couldn't understand the judges comments on this one. I suppose from Sophie' point of view it was no bad thing, it prompted me (and probably many others) to vote for her for the first time since the charleston.

The music may matter, but the basics matter more is the point I was trying and obviously in this case failing to make.

I don't think it's a matter of Sophie being undermarked. The only dance I thought deserved more was the quickstep last week. To me it's a matter of everyone else being overmarked. I love Abbey but thought she didn't deserve the 10's last week (altho she did deserve more than Craig's 7). With everyone else scoring so highly in comparison (until this week) it does look unfair on Sophie. The judges need to be more consistent.

I am a bit bewildered really. I didn't see the show last night but read the boards when I got back and drew the conclusion that B&S had been savaged by the judges, got terrible scores and Brendan had thrown a wobbler.

Having now seen the show I don't understand the who ha. Judges said the dance was competent and pretty which it was - very. Also said it lacked rumba-ness which it did. Had it been billed as contemporary or some such it would have been brilliant I suppose, but for me it lacked grounding and from this use of the floor comes the hip sway. There was some bottom wiggling but that is not the same thing as the hip action that comes from driving and releasing one's weight into the floor

The scores were perfectly respectable and Brendan passed a comment in return as he does from time to time. Not sure why it has caused so much drama.

No he wasn't - the lifts were good - the dancing really not - heavy as lead. He should be in the DO this week.

The rumba reminded me of a slower lift free version of the AT.

I don't agree - sometimes he's been over-praised in the past and sometimes he hasn't. I can understand why it appears that why - he tried to do something against the cliche because it would suit Sophie but the judges have got used to the cliche and don't understand - sometimes they have been on the same page and he's given them what they want and expect.

And yet Brendan was praised for the choreography. Still needs to have the basics (not cliche raunch), no getting away from that IMO.

It's sad then that the judges are waffling about performance and not about her technique though. They let Abbey get away with dancing a 'soft' tango but not Sophie's different take on the rhumba - you get the impression they have their pets don't you?

If she'd said about her not using her hips enough and stuff like that then it would have at least appeared there were being fairer but they didn't - they talked about performance and rauch if they aren't being properly understood and are looking biased they have no one but themselves to blame.

Abbey is definitely one of them - look at the gaping last week being rewarded with 10 s!

The only difference was that Craig gave Abbey and 8 and Soohie a 7

Very true - and quite frankly this week a paso danced too softly.

If they had said to Sophie that her legs were too straight in the dance hence causing a lack of hip movement in the dance - that would have been right it was the main thing wrong about the dance - rumba is not as Bruno thinks about being raunchy but dancing the steps right - the routine was good - she gave it a nice cool feel but the technique was wrong - and that is Brendans fault

You say that - but that rhumba also got savaged by the judges too - ergo re-inforcing Brendan's point about the judges have very set ideas about what the rhumba ought to be about.

Jodi's rumba has the same fault as sophie's no hip movement

It is partly Brendan's fault but some of it might be Sophie's (she may have been told lots of times about it by Brendan but for one reason or another it hasn't sunk in) and some of it the judges who aren't picking up on it either. The judges should also be telling us about wrong technique as it is their duty to inform us and it at least helps convey the impression that they know what they are talking about and marking objectively.

I hope Rumbatugger won't mind but I don't think that is what she (i assume) is getting at.

When dancing a Latin dance (I dance some of the vernacular versions of the dances from where the ballroom ones are derived). You learn to make a friend of the floor. I don't meant the ballroom but the ground itself. Its hard to put into words but you sort of drive your energy into the ground almost as if trying to bury your foot in it. As that energy is released (providing you have your knee soft) the energy transfers to the hip and it naturally sways out. That gives the sort of rolling hip sway which is quite different to just wriggling the bottom from side to side.

The take on the performance can be different - soft, romantic, tribal, raunchy etc that is fine but the characteristic hip sway/roll and the means by which it is achieved is what makes rumba rumba and not another style.

Yes I didn't think much of Jodie's Rumba. I'd forgotten it and when I opened the clip was expecting something far more "into the ground" (if that's the right expression) and sinuous. But I didn't see much hip action there, it looked quite stiff and stilted in places to me. So I think Brendan should ignore that one! But I don't think he should ignore developing Sophie's technique and I wish the judge's comments had been about that instead of the mood of the dance which I thought was lovely and understated.

I still felt Sophie was at least as good as Abbey and Patrick last night, and slightly better than Susanna. So it's the leaderboard position that I'm more annoyed with than the scores. I don't believe she was the 3rd worst dancer of the night.

dont think anyone could understand their comments as they allready thought it wouldn't be good, t was most memorable last night by a mile judges need a reality check dwts do lots of contemporary rumbas to high scores from len and Bruno

I also find they treat Abbey with kid gloves in comparison since she was in the bottom too.

Wonder why the BBC were building S and B routine up so much before the show ?

I swear if I hear Bruno say to Abbey "for a non-dancer" one more time....

Lol don't get me going on Bruno ... The second he started having a go at Craig for pointing out some of Natalie's errors I knew he'd scored her a 10 !

He certainly doesn't try to hide his favouritism