the bits in hold were ok, but the dance overall was ruined by the need to choreograph round the theme, leaving susannah wiggling on her own whilst kevin threw a few laboured and pointless 'iconic' shapes.

i agree that it wasn't as dreadful as some would like to think, but it was still the worst dance of the night, as they are probably the least competent couple left, and they have been unlucky in the ordering of their dances.

It was just a poor choice, esp given that both Kevin and Susanna are completely new to this dance. I though the routine was cringey at times (esp with Kevin trying to do Jackson moves amid Tango ones) and I don't think Susanna was good either, in hold or on her own. Sure they attempted the dance as best they could, but on the whole they were dealt a hand that had joker in it with that song.

To be fair Kevin is not completely new to AT. He did a minor semblance of one as a demo with Karen and supposedly helped Karen with Nicky Byrne for their AT.

What is more worrying is that they seem to be going backwards without an obvious reason other than perhaps too complicated choreography or Kevin not taking sufficient care over suiting things to Susanna's strengths.

The music definitely didn't help, but I don't think it was necessary to throw in the Michael Jackson moves just because it was one of his songs - they just looked a bit silly. I don't think you can totally blame the music for the rather lacklustre performance Susanne gave.

just happened that dances that were going to give them hic ups have come at once - the quickstep would have been fine if it had not gone wrong during live performance - during the rehearsals it was fine - Cha was always going to be hard for Susanna and the AT was always going to be difficult with that music.

Some of the others have dances coming up that will cause some of them difficulty - I suppose those who deal with them best will be the winners

I'm just going by what his ITT interview with Zoe were he seemed to not know much about it (as in only a much as the other Pros that haven't competed in it at Pro conp level do, and just try their best with what they think resembles one).

Not knowing much about it and having experience of it don't seem to be mutually exclusive

Agree with OP, music for Kevin and Susannah's AT was shocking, but there have been some dreadful music choices this year.

AND do not get me started on some of the choreography from the pros this year, with particular reference to Artem, I am stunned it has taken Len till this stage to reprimand him. He has gad no idea this year.

Artem has choreographed showdances for a few weeks running now. What's the point? Without limitations that come with a specific dance, he's giving himself an unfair advantage over the other pros by doing what he chooses. I'm sure Brendan and Ola would love to choreograph whatever they want, but by and large they keep to the rules.

The AT was an awful dance for Susanna and Kevin, quite cringey in places, poorly performed, poorly choreographed, rubbish music. Dahnce disaster.

You've said this a couple of times now and I still don't understand your point.

Does Artem have special dispensation to choreograph outside the parameters and get away with it? What's actually stopping Brendan, Ola and the rest from doing the same thing? Just an intrinsic desire to stick to the rules and not get into trouble? Well blame them for not being daring enough not Artem for going his own way. I don't actually like a lot of what Artem's done this series but he's taken the risks and been prepared to face any consequences. There's been no "unfair advantage". If other pros had also choreographed outside the rules and been slated for it while Artem had not, I'd understand your irritation. As it is, I don't see it.

There's only so may knee-slides you can do before you wear through the fabric of the trousers completely.

Not to mention the pivots, always with the pivots...

I do love it when the more judge critical Pro's lap up any praise for their choreography from the judges. Brendan and James in particular spend ages bitching when the judges are in anyway critical of their work, stating repeatedly that judges shouldn't comment on choreography, but then lap it up when it goes their way.

Most people are probably the same, proud and defensive about their creative achievements, but happy to receive praise. It's not an uncommon trait.
Last edited by mossy2103 : 08-12-2013 at 16:23

Just edited post to say that I was referring to their previous comments saying that judges shouldn't comment on choreography, this has happened numerous times in past series.

Ah, OK.

Susanna's kicks and flicks lacked any sharpness and that would have been the same whatever music was used.

I'd say it was a pretty comprehensive stitch-up but Susanna also danced badly. They maybe didn't need to be stitched up to get the same result.

What I find frustrating is that we just don't know if it was a stitch-up or not. For all we know, Susanna and Kevin chose that track, Kevin refused any assistance from AT experts and choreographed the whole thing himself and they remain baffled by the negative comments from the judges. Who knows?

Actually, that last point is true, judging by a tweet from Susanna:

Just watched my Argentine Tango with @keviclifton. Felt passionate & intense. Still love it. #Strictly

https://twitter.com/susannareid100/s...28231676219392

It's not difficult to dance badly when the music is so wholly inappropriate it's not true. There was none of the control and smouldering intensity between them because the music didn't allow it.

So I'm not surprised they didn't deliver. They might as well have done the Charleston to 'Eternal Flame' - they would have had precisely the same problem.

Yes, the Beeb do seem to pretend now that the pro dancers are doing all the choreography themselves. Yet there are plenty of other choreographers connected to SCD - I can't believe that they are not involved somehow but they are just not shown in VTs anymore.

No producer of the BBC's flagship show is going to say to a pro dancer - just get on with it yourself and don't ask for help. In previous years, the pros acknowledged input from Charleston choreographers who were also interviewed on ITT. Yet we are asked to believe that these have been done this year by the pros alone. Hmmm.

Both Susannah and Kevin have to tow the line. For the purposes of Strictly, they have to do what is asked of them. Including performing to inappropriate songs.

I can sense the producers' interference with song choice across this entire series. Abbey dancing to 'Delilah', Susannah dancing to 'Good Morning' ... to name but two. Unfortunately, neither the contestants, nor the pro's, nor the judges can openly complain, otherwise they will be [1] probably in breach of contract; and [2] in a dodgy position with their superiors. So I'm sure Susannah has to stick to her guns. What choice does she have? None whatsoever.

Unfortunately, the ratings for this series remain extremely strong - so the producers are not in the firing line as happened previously with Series 6 and 7.

They should be, though ...

Oh dear who chooses the music on Strictly! Honestly, it has been dreadful this year. The Michal Jackson number for the AT was ridiculous. Why bother with the Michael Jackson routine in an Argentine Tango!! The whole dance routine was awful. Last week I loved Brendan and Sophie and thought they were undermarked but this week wasn't very good. No passion at all. nothing. The silly window model routine was just silly. Oh come back Mark Ramp and Karen and give us all a thrill!!!! Very disappointing.

That's simply not true. If you follow most of the regular 'outside' choreographers used by SCD (their names are often on the credits) on Twitter and some of the pros it is perfectly obvious that the pros have not choreographed their own Charlstons and AT's by and large this year as in previous years. They just aren't showing it on ITT training footage and some of the judges comments, I agree, are highly misleading to a casual viewer, when they congratulate the pro for a choreo he/she hasn't by and large done. I think this is 'justified' on the basis that the pro has the final say in what does and doesn't go in the finished dance and don't always use all the other choreographers work but it is highly disingenuous.

Susanna was out of the SWING-A-THON in about two minutes. Ridiculous. How could the judges really see what Kevin and Susanna were doing with so many couples on the floor and make a decision in a matter of seconds that they should be the first ones off. Amazing!!! I feel it will be Suzanna in the dance off tonight and it seems very unfair, ridiculous Michael Jackson song, two minutes on the dance floor for the swingathon routine. She looked very upset last night at the end of the show.

The ratings for series 6 and 7 were the highest the show had ever had at the time. Whatever was wrong with either of them, they weren't hurting for ratings, except in comparison with X Factor.