I hear you!

I don't give a hoot what anyone thinks of my opinion.

They leave me cold and as far as I can see Natalie has not progressed any, over-rated and over-marked.

Yawn! Come up with something a bit more original.

RIGHT BACK AT YOU!!! Its my opinion, if you don't like it, tough!!

I'm just stating a fact.

Its a forum, I am giving MY opinion, maybe an appreciation thread is the place for you

Fair enough OP - I love Natalie and Artem; they enchant me, entrance me and hold me spellpound but not everyone loves everyone and that's what makes the world - and SCD - go around.

Oh right, facts don't matter then. So pleased you are not prime minister then. Shall we abolish parliament too?

As far as the male professional dancers go, in the professional routines on the show, I enjoy watching Artem more than all the other male pros, with the possible exception of Brendan - especially since Vincent is no longer in the show. His ability is beyond question and his choreography for his celebrity partners tends to have more content and difficulty (as a general rule) than the other pros - both male and female and I think he works his celebrities (in the main) harder than the others and expects more from them - which I think is the problem with Artem and whoever his celebrity partner is.

With the exception of Fearne last year, I've not really witnessed him connecting with his celebrity the same way that the vast majority of the other pros do.

He just expects far too much from them, I dare say DEMANDS far too much from them, so the enjoyment factor disappears and any emotional connection is just non-existent and that detracts from the emotion of the dance for me - regardless of how technically good it is.

Add into the mix this year that personally I find Natalie too over-confident (bordering on smug) and the professional way she manages to look directly into the camera so many times during each routine with that 'look at me, aren't I brilliant?' expression on her face - well, needless to say they won't be getting my votes come the Final.

"FACTS"!!!!! Its a FACT that I don't connect with Natalie!! YOU do!!! fair enough, its a FORUM, not everyone will agree, whats the problem in that!!!

You know that for a fact do you? Are you in the training room with them? And Natalie is smug even though she has all these demands on her?

Fine, you don't like their dancing. I have no problem with that. But you have no idea what kind of relationship he has with any of his partners.

I don't agree, you are quite right. But you don't have to shout

You are obviously an avid Natalie and Artem fan, I am bored of you, have a nice night, BYE

Ok then. That's cool. Bye.

I do apologise if you took my thoughts/opinions as FACTS - all I can base my opinions on is what I see on the TV, as I suspect do the vast majority of the voting audience.

I see Artem + Natalie on ITT, with Artem rarely if ever looking at her - even facing away from her.

I see Natalie collapsing with exhaustion and reducing her training days.

I see Natalie at the results show each week not looking worried about being in the dance off - may just be by MY perception/opinion, but that's the way I see it.

With the exception of Fern Britton last year, who Artem actually treated more like a celerity learning to dance than a student to be moulded into a pro, I've not seen any closeness or connection between him and his partners.

No doubting their dances are technically good - but I much preferred watching Deborah + Robin, Susannah + Kevin, Mark + Ivetta Lukapoopoo because they (in my opinon) exude(d) more enjoyment and pleasure at dancing than Natalie + Artem do.

Not just by his fans, IMO. It's constantly hyped up by the judges and on ITT, Len even got the audience to give Artem a special round of applause during Len's Lens the other week.

What bothers me about it actually is not that I necessarily dislike Artem's choreography, but that he's lauded as so creative and innovative, but when any of the other pros dares to even try anything slightly different/unusual they (and rather, unfairly, their celeb partner) get slaughtered by the judges and several DS members, despite the end product looking far more like the dance it's supposed to be than just about anything Artem's ever produced.

I am thinking primarily of Aliona here, but it has happened to other pros. Brendan on Saturday, for example. He chose to do a more romantic/balletic rumba (which as the thread about it shows, is perfectly acceptable and not even that unusual), as opposed to the usual hip-grinding, knicker-flashing variety we see on Strictly, and the judges hammered him for it. I'd be willing to bet that if Artem did something similar it would be heralded as the greatest bit of dance choreography since Bob Fosse.

Lukosiute-that's Iveta's surname. Do you just not like East Europeans? You don't make fun of anyone else's surname.

Artem connects with all his partners as a professional. That's what I see. And presumably everyone else who votes for them.

Over to you Toby_Jugg !!

That's not Artem's style.

I didn't see a connection between Sophie and Brendan in that rumba. But it was fine as a dance.

I didn't see a rumba in that rumba but it was an ok dance.

Maybe Lateone doesn't actually watch the whole show? Just the bits with Artem in

Luka-poopoo is Mark's affectionate name for Iveta. The guy's not saying anything wrong...

BIB - sorry, give me a few seconds to pick myself up off the floor where I collapsed from laughing

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Sorry - took longer than I thought because when I read it again I fainted in disbelief at such a weak and feeble attempt at baiting.


Obviously not seen the footage of Mark + Iveta in training have you?