Unless the celebrity is tall & willowy this poster thinks they cannot dance.

Unfortunately Natalie does not fit their very narrow criteria.

As SCD ATs go Natalie & Artem danced the best of the series (if not for a while) and not lift city. I was mesmerised.

He could always explain to her that she should not do that. People seem to be looking for various passive aggressive solutions when they could actually talk about it.

As for the AT, for me it lacked more tension, atmosphere, it was all placed. Only the ending had the intensity the whole dance should have had.

Darn, I was really enjoying catching up on this thread until the Spoiler. I used to come on to read the spoiler and not really post, but now my OH and I make a point of watching the Results together so I've stopped reading it this series and started posting more, but have enjoyed finding out on Sunday night.

Thanks for the poster recommendations above, I always look out for most of those already, and happy to hear of a new great poster to look out for.

The additional choreography was by Kele Baker and Omar Ocampo from Los Ocampos.

I loved that Ricky Whittle AT video. Dramatic, full of chemistry but fantastic technique. I'll have to watch another of his dances now, the Quickstep which I loved at the time.

I've danced AT but because I have more of a ballroom background I haven't spent enough time trying to learn AT and need to spend more.

S H one T Did I let the cat out of the bag last night? If I did I am truly sorry. I did have a drinkie or two. Off to check my posts but too late now to do anything other than apologise profusely.

It wasn't you!

NO I have checked pheww. I thought it might be knowing I had a couple of drinks last night while decorating my Christmas tree. Didn't think I was very squiffy though because the tree looks OK. I haven't put all the decs on one side or added anything inappropriate.

Whats the BIB about???

I don't know. But there was some reference in that thread last night about Natalie loving herself. I didn't read the whole thread because it isn't about dancing. But you may find out what you want to know on that one.

Don't think I can be bothered ploughing through that thread, so unless the poster comes back and explains, I'm having to assume its been suggested that she has strong political views or something.

Same old same old from those on this forum who enjoy putting a negative spin on anything that Natalie does.

It has been reported in the Daily Record and The Mirror, that a "friend" of Natalie's said she didn't go to a Downing Street Christmas party, where there were sick children, because she doesn't support the Tories and didn't want to glad hand Osborne et al.

There were a raft of reality, soap and pop celeb at the event, so I'm sure the children didn't give a toss whether or not a SCD contestant attended.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk...gumede-2924498

http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/n...ancing-2924597

Thank you. So its probably not true at all then, anyway.

Thanks for this Henry. Good to be reminded. This was back in the day before I had learned to love Natalie (although I thought Ricky was a bit of alright ) so I had forgotten about it. She does a lovely volcada at 1.30. I wish I could do them so well.

Nice little displacement sequence too. I wish they would all choreograph in more walks, secadas and paradas into the routines. The timing has to be so precise that I think it is more telling about whether or not they have got it ( the style/technique of AT) than whether or not they are bendy enough to do the splits.

Yep, the more who alert the quicker (although sadly it's Sunday) it should get edited.


I didn't particularly like Ricky Whittle as a contestant but his AT was a "wow" dance and, for me, a lot of that is down to the fact quite a bit of it is danced in the closed hold (where the female has her head on the male's shoulder or they're dancing connected at the forehead with a very tight A shape. I find that this style with the AT gives me the greatest impression of the sultry, sexy, driven and intensely "personal" nature of the dance.

No don't worry!

I really love your posts!

Thank you - what a sweet thing to say.

it was reported in several news sources and on the forum yesterday that she declined to attend a charity event for terminally ill children and their families.

its a fact that she didn't attend, when the rest of the finalists did. the reason for her non attendance is not clear, some sources said it was because she objects to the tory government, others said it was because she had a rehearsal.

its the event that featured in sophie's VT last night.

more generally (not directed specifically at you bus stop)

can i make clear that i didn't post the story, and i responded to posters on the forum who were lauding her as if she were the reincarnation of mother theresa, and who were maligning the charity by implying they allowed themselves to be used for political gain. my view is that, if its true natalie declined on political grounds, its at best ill judged.

i did not read, or post in the the thread about 'natalie loving herself' nor am i anti natalie. or someone who 'enjoys putting a negative spin on everything she does', and she has often been my favourite dancer of the night on several occasions so please don't make assumptions that aren't borne out by evidence.

i do find it both wearying and predictable however that it seems to be impossible to say anything critical about natalie, or her reported actions, without some pack of enforcers descending to growl at you. sometimes, her supporters do her no favours.

which is also my view of anyone who feels the need to make assumptions about what might or might not have been important to those children or families just in order to ensure that natalie's 'reputation' remains golden. sophie was seen dancing with a 12 year old boy, whose name she remembered, and who looked delighted. so maybe no-one 'gave a toss' whether natalie was there or not, but she might have been the favourite of any of those children or families, and some will not have the opportunity to see her again.

I meant ask how's the foot?

I did like the dance last night but this morning I find the leg flicks ( technical term) a bit weird this morning .

Too fierce somehow ( again the technical term ) it just looked odd and not at all natural

Only just found this run of 'early morning' threads.
Thanks Spin Turn I like your posts too for the same reasons.

I had forgotten about Kaycee - good pointer. Also I didn't know that about Wisywig. I remember the screen name from previous seasons but haven't him/her seen this year. There was another too in previous seasons who hasn't posted (that I have seen) this year Rhumbatagger I think it was. Seem to recall she is an experienced dancer too.

Good to know she stands by her principles. Respect to Natalie

Thanks for digging those out - very helpful.

i rest my case

I know me onions too honest not a pretender ha ha and fairly friendly but all the people mentioned are those I respect as knowing stuff about dancing

It seems that AT breaks all the rules for ballroom dancers Jennifer.

The foreheads don't have to touch and if you think about it that could lead to all sorts of problems with height differences. But the upper body should be closer than the feet which I think is directly the opposite to other ballroom styles.

There are two main embraces open and close. In both cases each half of the couple lean into each other in an A shape so they are right on the edge of their balance point. The lady is always weighted on one leg only. As soon as she puts her foot down she transfers her weight and never has the weight on both feet. (There are exceptions but basically that is the rule.

Her other rule is to keep her chest square on to the man's at all times. The hold isn't relaxed as such because there is matching tension in the arms. The idea is that the upper and lower bodies are isolated. So the upper bodies stay as a single unit as if the couple are embedded in plaster of Paris together above the waist. And the lower body is free to move under gravity and in accordance with the lead.

The essence of the dance is that the lady is so nearly off balance and the man then moves to take her off balance so that she has to place her foot to avoid falling. His skill is to take her off balance in such a way that her foot going down to maintain balance is exactly when and where he wants it to be. He can control where her foot goes and how fast from the way he moves his torso.

Once you have that frame right the slightest change in the man's torso means the point of least resistance is the foot and the energy travels down from his chest through her body to her foot. Its as if he is controlling it and if the lead is really good it is almost impossible to go wrong.

In case you are wondering I am peddling very hard to keep this thread on dance rather than the contestants.

And you are playing a blinder.

All I can see every time I come on this forum, is the same coterie of posters, who swarm to any thread about Natalie, or even those which tangentially mention her, and say the same negative thing. Then those who support Natalie feel obliged to rebut them. It's all rather ground hog dayish.

People can be as critical of Natalie as they please, you often are. In fact you're one of the posters, who I often see making some barbed comment about Natalie. I don't spend much time on here, so as to your assertions that often you praise Natalie as the best dancer on the night, I cannot gainsay.

There is a world of difference between those who don't connect with Natalie the dancer, those who question her inclusion on the show because of her stage school background etc and the personal, bitter and downright nasty rubbish that litters this forum. And no its not just Natalie, Susanna and to a lesser extent Abbey get it too.



From that comment, I am very surprised that you would have enjoyed any of Natalie's dances or picked them as your favourites on the night, but hey ho.

In any event, you made a comment about Natalie's non dancing actions, and no one could or would have an issue with that, but at least take the trouble to relay it as reported. You chose to put your own negative spin on it and make it concomitant with your assessment of Natalie's self indulgence and self importance Man that's just reaching.

Also I see no one praising Natalie as if she is a saint, in this or any other thread.