Who could have choreographed an AT to that music? Come on. They were on a hiding to nothing. Whoever choose that song didn't want them in. It was awful. Feel sorry for them.

Yes, that music was awful. It set completely the wrong tone for an AT.


It is really time that the producers ditched the modern music (which they probably seem to believe will appeal to the younger viewers) and returned to traditional songs. Who knows, it might even be popular with those who are familiar with modern music.

All of the couples have been lumbered with poor music choices this year. Susanna and Kevin no more than others. Sophie and Brendan had Madonna and the stupid theme of her being a mannequin...all of this when she is stiff and cold in the first place. Kevin and Susanna are not being stitched up, but I do think that this series to a certain extent is.

I agree the song choice was dire and detracted from the mood of an AT. Not sure that they had to put in the Jackson-esque moves though. I don't think Brendan and Sophie were channelling Madonna in their tango routine.

Interesting that only Craig mentioned the music when he said that they did the best they could with that music.

Was really looking forward to both Susanna and Sophie's dances last night and though they were both dreadful.

Lets hope the public vote can see through what TPTB are up to and save them both.

The Great British Public are between a rock and a hard place. The music choices simply have not been great for anyone this series.Everybody has their favourites and unfortunately all of them are saddled with poor music. Maybe Dave Arch complained that he didn't have enough time to orchestrate the music choices. While the music has been bad, the orchestra's playing has been good. But you would think a compromise could be reached.

I think the music has been dire this series. That's not a criticism of the band but whoever chooses the music. I agree the music for the AT was completely wrong and set the wrong mood from the start. I don't think Susannah danced it badly it just didn't have the right emotion or intensity. A bit like Sophie's AT

I was looking forward to both of these dances too, and ended up feeling really disappointed.

I don't necessarily think Susanna and Kevin were stitched up, because the same thing has happened to most, if not all, of the other couples too with unsuitable music for dances.

However I do, as a viewer, feel rather short changed because I'm not getting what I hope, and expect, to see.

They all get strange music at some point or other, they've just got to deal with it. However i didn't think the dance was as bad as some are making out. Also the judges were a bit heavy handed and selective with what they chose to criticize. Nothing new there.

Have things changed over the years? I assumed that it was the pro dancers that chose the music in previous years, probably consulting with band leader Dave to see if it was possible.

The musical choices have been pretty dire this year all round.

Good dancers can manage to cope with terrible music.

I am beginning to loath the Strictly versions of what should be a beautifully sensual dance. All we seem to get for the SCD versions is the travesty of a badly acted prostitute with about as much passion as a stick.

I am laughing at the thought that people think Susannah was stitched up. Susannah has consistently been overmarked and has been given mostly the best slots, the best music and over promoted everywhere you look on the Beeb, and this has been the same for Patrick too (funny they are both BBC employees). But there was a stitch up last night and imo it was to Get Patrick to the top of the leader board even though he is not as good as Ashley.Susannah deserved her poor scoring for a terrible AT and her jive is abysmal too.

I was cringing during Susannah's dance last night. We were all screeching. But then we immediately rewound it wand watched it again and you know what? It wasn't a half bad dance.

But the music definitely stitched them up. Preposterous. And for the judges to complain about lack of atmosphere is ridiculous. How many times have you heard Smooth Criminal played in the smoking back rooms in Buenos Aires?

I've liked a lot of Susanna's dances, but do feel that at this stage she is a bit behind most of the celebs in overall ability.

However, last night I felt she was up against it, not only because of the music, but because her AT was choreographed by her pro who admitted he had never even danced an AT. Normally Susanna's dancing is very positive but it did come across as more reticent and I wonder whether this was because Kevin was less then 100% confident in his ability.

Yes, my mind always returns to Mark Ramprakash's AT

So where on the Beeb have they been promoted then? Please tell.

I felt that Susanna coped quite well with what she was given. The music was awful and we all know that they don't have a say in the matter, so I don't suppose Kevin was best pleased, when they were given that.IMHO the choreo was lacking something.

Could it have been thought to work because the Smooth Criminal dance routine is based on this? http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yuJxYmJ...%3DyuJxYmJlEHY

I mean, no on just about every level - but in the minds of the Strictly P-that-Be, maybe?

If the AT content of the routine had been delivered reasonably competently, then yes I would complain about the song. But it was obvious that regardless of the music, this was always going to be a trainwreck. She lacks any kind of finesse in her dancing. So if they're gonna give anyone a shit song, I'd rather it was her. The others at least have a chance to deliver a decent AT.

They are always being talked about on Breakfast and the sly dogs even managed to show clips of S&K when interviewing other contestants.She always has her face on camera in the Tesspit too.

I didn't think it was that bad but I wasn't expecting it to be great. It seemed very slow motion. I don't understand why Kevin didn't bring in an AT expert to help sooner than the M.J one - I'm sure Kevin could have coped perfectly well with those moves which were only for a couple of seconds anyway.
Susan seemed more sure of herself than Kevin imo.

I'm never entirely sure which bits of the AT, Salsa and Charleston (anything not a 10 dance) are choreographed by the pro dancer and which are the responsibility of the specialist dancers the BBC drags in to choreograph dances with which the pros are unfamiliar. In the early series, Strictly was remarkably relaxed about showing different choreographers working with the dancers, and then they went through a period of pretending it was all the work of the pro dancer, with NO input from anybody else. (Damn it, I miss that rolling eyes smiley).

Nowadays, the pro dancers may very well have learned enough themselves to be able to put together a competent routine, or to put their own spin on things they are given, but if Kevin claims not to have danced an AT before, would he do his own choreography?

I do think he is being disingenuous (at best) about his AT ignorance. Not only did he and Karen dance a demonstration AT (available on YouTube) but last year, he flew out to Ireland to help Karen with the AT she did with Nicky Byrne, as they were both unhappy with the choreography that Karen had been given.

So did Kevin choreograph it? And who chose that unsuitable music? It is very frustrating not knowing who to blame for that car crash of an AT!

Odd, as I watch from 6am - 6:40 and have never seen that (apart from the two days a week when Susannah presents, and even then she never seems to reference SCD).


They do? When was that?


As do all of the other celebs. But you'll believe what you want to believe as long as it fits.

I am still gobsmacked that this scored the same as Brendans AT. This was the worst choreography Kevin has produced. Susannah was smiling throughout, she wasn't even trying to be sultry (not that she could do sultry if her life depended on it) Regardless of who picks the music this car crash of a dance was entirely down to Kevin. Brendan and Kevins choreography equal......not on your nelly!