Just rewatched Jay & Aliona ( for about the 10th time ) and realised one of the things I love about it the most is that he doesn't have a performance face.
I'm sick to death of the jazzy, false grin gurning and overacting that goes on in Strictly and it's great to see someone who just lets their dancing ability do the talking.
Anyone agree?

Not really - the dances are supposed to be performances, and the fact that he was periodically looking around looking like he'd lost his mum in ASDA was what meant it was a 9 for me rather than a 10. It doesn't have to be gurny, overacting jazz hands but it does have to be something.

Sorry, the fact that he was looking around like he didn't have to have his full attention on it and still danced like a pro was what made it cool, sexy and so so watchable.
Couldn't agree with you less on that point.

agree. dance is about more than technical ability, which he clearly has in abundance. its about engaging people at an emotional level and having the confidence to draw them into the story or meaning or feeling of the dance. jay doesn't ahve this yet, i really hope he develops it because otherwise it is like watching a boy in a outsized suit.

I suggest those bothered either way by a performance face in this routine check out the original dance and the face (or rather the lack of it) on John Travolta:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSLMN6g_Od4

BIB is funny!

But seriously, agree with that. It doesn't have to be Karen Hardy levels of gurning but some facial expression wouldn't be so bad. He looks permanently lost and a bit scared.

Well, so far I'm clearly in a minority here
I love to see someone ( male or female ) dancing up a storm with a nonchalant look on their face. I do actually find that emotionally engaging. I may be being a little hyperbolic here but it gives me the stomach flutters. I think it looks really cool and sexy.
Maybe I'm weird.

I thought this thread was dedicated to DOD until I looked in

I completely agree. I'd much rather watch someone like Jay than Kellie (whose performance face can be seen from space). I've nearly always preferred those types though - Rachel Stevens, Louis Smith, Harry Judd and Kara.

Yeah, he's curling his mouth and narrowing his eyes the whole way through. That's a performance face.

I agree.

Jay started off in the first dance like a rabbit caught in the headlights.
http://www.radiotimes.com/uploads/im...inal/86914.jpg

He produced a slight smile a few times in the Waltz.

It could be argued that John Travolta was playing it emotionless in the film, hence Jay not being full on 'living the dance', but there are a few parts like when he pointed at Aliona and did the 'fingers across the eyes' bit where he didn't look as cool as would have been ideal.

If they do dance it again, I expect we will see the full role play.

Wasn't the indifference part of the characterisation? In the film that's exactly what John Travolts is like.

Ha ha I though that WAS the performance face!

I must be the only person on the planet never to have seen Pulp Fiction, I don't even know the plot. But my assumption was that the concept of Jay and Aliona's dance was that in the film Travolta takes part in a dance or a dance competition somewhat reluctantly. So I assumed that Jay's performance face was to portray ennui and slight distain.

its not about the literal 'face' its about the physical embodiment and communication of something, and whilst jay may be a technically good dancer, he doesn't have anything like the physical presence that JT has in the routine. i wouldn't expect him to. JT was 40 when he made pulp fiction, and a seasoned, award winning actor. jay is 25 going on 13 and comes from the back row of a boyband. he may get there, but he hasn't yet!

Someone once said something similar about my jive (at station, lost, looking for platform). It's often less to do with rah rah showbizzy performance and more to do with thinking ahead and not focussing on the current step and showing proper presence and intent.

But then again, maybe he was just trying to look laid back.........

Yes, I agree with this.
I love that nonchalant, not having to try too hard characterisation.
Of course, you've got to have dance talent to pull this off. I think that's why you very rarely see it in SCD.

Yes, but Jay has had the same face for three weeks now, so the theory he was channelling John Travolta's cool's face doesn't apply, really.

[quote=Ann_Dancer;79960581]Someone once said something similar about my jive (at station, lost, looking for platform). It's often less to do with rah rah showbizzy performance and more to do with thinking ahead and not focussing on the current step and showing proper presence and intent.

But then again, maybe he was just trying to look laid back.........[/QUOTE]

Exactly!
Jives are supposed to be laid back and cool.
If you watch old film of youngsters jiving in dancehalls in the fifties it's like they're all thinking about whether they're going to manage to get to the chippy before it closes and it looks fantastic!

Oh, I just assumed that WAS his performance face. He's been wearing it every time he's been in front of the cameras since the launch show.

No you're not lol . Everyone gets something different out of Strictly , some like the perfomance level more than others. I'm totally in agreement with you . I really felt Aliona and Jay were engaged in the dance and it was pretty special without the performance face.

He made it look so effortless and his chemistry with Aliona on that dance floor is out of this world.

Some of these replies though ....Jealus Hatahs

That is so true. People who watch Argentine Tango often comment that it has to be danced with a sad or serious face. But I think they are misinterpreting the intense look as emotion when in fact the reason is simpler.

Every step is led by subtle movements of the chest. So using tiny degrees in changes of energy and pointing the chest in different directions the lead is saying "Lets move one step, of this size, at this speed, in this direction." That being accomplished he uses his chest to convey another step at a certain pace in a certain direction and so on.

You really have to pay attention to pick up each of those subtle energy changes and follow the lead. The result is an expression that is full of intense but rather blank concentration.

BING BONG (taptap) : "would the mother of 'little boy lost' Jay please come to the customer service desk to collect his credibility"

Slightly off-topic ( but it's my topic so I can )
Another thing I loved about that jive was they didn't do that ugly 'arms in the air while kicking out' move that everybody seems to put in SCD jives.
I hate that move. It looks awful and can ruin an otherwise decent jive for me.

Your assumption is partially correct. Add in that the Travolta character is actually attracted to his the woman but she is the the wife of his 'Mafia' boss, so dare not acknowledge it and doesn't want to draw attention to them being together. All kinds of levels of interaction which may or may not be relevant to real life going on here!