I seem to specialise in asking obvious questions, but please forgive me, because I do want to know! What do the judges (and posters) means when they talk about "musicality? " Does it mean a sensitive interpretation of the music? Or simply keeping in time? Or something else?

For me, it's the difference between Mark Benton (who had it) and Ben Cohen (who didn't). It's not the ability to remember or perform a set of moves, it's the ability to find and show rhythm and have your body look comfortable whilst doing a dance. There's also something else which I just can't define. Alison has it but to me Simon, even though he's technically more proficient, doesn't -but I reckon many would disagree with me on that one.

Again- indefinable.

It's hard to explain...I think you're close when you say "sensitive interpretation". Someone who knows how songs go...being able to anticipate the parts they need to accentuate, when to be cool and step back...someone who obviously doesn't have to count the beats, they just know where they are.

Musicality is dancing the dance to the music, and not just counting the steps in your head. It's about being able to extend lines to the very last count on 8 and being able to gracefully transform into the next move without losing timing. This can be achieved by feeling the music, feeling natural and of course having natural rhythm.

This is Sophie and Brendan's foxtrot (just using this as an example because I remember Bruno pointing out the musicality)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yKgabkdkcw

Skip to 00:43:
Watch as the word "charm" is sung. The song goes "CHAAAAAAARM" with stress on the 'a' sound. Sophie and Brendan (she stumbles a little, so maybe watch Brendan) take the step for as long as the 'a' sound is being sung and then brings the other foot to finish the 'rm'. The ability to take longer to go into the step because the 'a' is sung longer than the 'rm' is called musicality. The rise and fall also fits in with the music.
At 00:50 (while the word "through" is being sung), watch as they're both turning their heads but turn them slow enough so that they are turning them at the same pace that the word "through" is being sung. The word then fades out (if you can say that - maybe think about movie credits for this, maybe) and they gently end their head turn.

(I hope that helped - it's so hard to explain through text).

Someone who feels music as well as hears it and can interpret it through dance.

This is one of my fave examples ..
http://m.youtube.com/?gl=GB&hl=en-GB...?v=pd3p7CvM-BY

Can't really add anything to what has been said. Although OP I feel the very least you need to have is rhythm and timing for it to qualify as dancing. Without these two its just moving where some music happens to be playing. The musicality is what everyone else has described and what takes dancing up a level to art.

Scott Mills didn't have any.

Thank you for all your helpful replies. I am most grateful . I shall watch with renewed interest and understanding.

It could mean dancing to the music with steps, as opposed to dancing the steps.

Fab - u -lous.

For me, as a non-dancer, it's being able to feel which moments carry meaning or emotion; which elements build that meaning, and which are ready to discharge it. Musicality is like poetry in that sense.

Fair to say that whoever picks the SCD music lacks musicality

I love this answer- it's both detailed and expressive. Head and heart.

Perfect example, every movement in time to the music , but you must have the right music . That's why music choice is so important .

Here is an example of non musicality, because the choice of music is completely wrong . The movements are completely out of sync to the music . It starts off promising then Mark gets completely lost although Iveta tries her best .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zi3GLvUSoHw

Nothing too much to add to what Becky has said.
It can be how you interpret the music and how you use your body to express / move to the music, to use up every single part of every single beat.
At an advanced level, you can dance the same routine ( same steps) to a waltz for example to the same piece of music, 3 or 4 times and make it different each time by interpreting the music differently and therefore dance the steps to perhaps a different timing. Having musicality will always separate the dancers that just dance steps to music and those that listen to the music and timing, and can express themselves.

Basically your movement matches the music being played .

I agree with what others have said.
Someone can learn the steps to a dance, be it jive,quickstep,waltz whatever and be technically very good at executing that dance but then interpreting that specific piece of music and feeling the emotion and displaying it though their body is musicality.

Pretty much what I think of musicality.
I actually think that is different of rhythm, as in someone can can have rhythm and not be musical and vice versa. always said musicality is translating music into dance, shape and movements. Rhythm is more about the beat of music and musicality is about the feel of it.

This explanation makes sense to me.

Musicality is a generic term as well, meaning you are gifted with tune and melody, or alternatively accomplished in music as a discipline.

Nothing of substance to add. Musicality is so important. Nothing better than to see someone dance to the music rather than a pre-defined choreography.

Even better to feel the song through your body and soul and lead a dance rather than deliver a set sequence of steps.

Four legs, four arms, one head and one heart.

Bliss.

Just out of curiosity and picking up on something Pet Monkey said I am wondering what happens in people's heads when they hear music.

I think I might have a weird brain because when I listen to music I see images in my head. These are not pictorial but more shapes that appear and disappear or morph into one another. If I don't like a piece of music I don't get the images or maybe if I don't get the images I don't like the music.

It is those shapes I want to dance although I stress these are not shapes in the dance sense -i.e not flamenco shaping, long necks, finished lines etc

Is this just me or am I normal?

Here is some music to morph to

http://youtu.be/blUSVALW_Z4

I can just visualize myself dancing to it. Or maybe singing along.

What a fab idea - Music for change. I love the concept. Although of all the thousands of fantastic Cuban songs they pick THAT one! Best known I suppose.

Sounds like they are new to you.

Here is La Bamba

http://youtu.be/k5dkwQY-_tk

This is the original Stand by me

http://youtu.be/Us-TVg40ExM

YEs I spotted some of the others. I just wish Cuba was represented by something better than Guantanamera. Something like El Carratero, Eso No Es Na, Amor Veradadero or the most obvious one La Vida es Un Carnival.