Tried to go too fast I guess. Seriously, their jive is amazing, and if you search dancesportinfo.net, you will see a very impressive competitive record.

Well Claudia's looking great in those training clips and sounding cheerful and positive about everything. Her QS dress looks very elegant, so all good !

Well, she did not match expectations for me on week 1. Too much gymnastics and a bit ploddy.

Week 2 better but not memorable, IMO.

Week 3 Charleston a turning point, but slipped again with jive. I think there's been an element of journey. Very subjective though.

Also the judges let it happen – all concerned knew it would be a good entertainment moment

Bit risky! He comes across as good fun but I have to say he's stood out in the pro dances for all the wrong reasons for me; I know he's been vey successful in competition and it must be difficult to be relegated to the backing line when you are competent but still poor to often stand out with slightly different timing to others etc.

OMG Claudia's Rumba is looking AMAZING! HAHAHAHA!!!!

I don't think their outrage was anything compared to Lilia who had a mere handful of steps disqualified

He's trying to take over from Anton as the joker who nobody takes seriously as a contender.

Hardly - a classic arrangement and well known song that's actually do-able for a QS - can't go wrong. I'd be seriously worried about Glad All Over for a tango, and Kylie Minogue for an AT - terrible music in comparison. I'm sure even Vincent Simone would have told the producers where to go with those choices !

Well maybe some people don't like his style or personality but they were finalists in the professional world championships at Blackpool and won absolutely all the top level comps as amateurs. So yes, question how he comes across, but don't question his knowledge of jive technique. He's more than competent.

http://dancesportinfo.net/Couple/Nei...103477/Results

Cunning move if so - he'll be on the programme for at least a decade with lucrative tours, book deals and tv slots while the DS darlings come and go and end up on QVC and Eastern European game shows!

What's the betting Darcey will say, "You could have", "It just needed", "Now you need to" or something like that?

I agree.

And she has improved her acting too.

I think if and when he has a celeb he will take this more seriously, he's been basically a backing dancer this year I don't blame him for trying to get noticed and having a bit of a laugh.

I loved her intensity in the AT, and her characterisation in the Salsa was great to see too.

I do like his personality Ann - as I said, he's good fun with a self-deprecating humour. I also don't question his competition achievements - again mentioned in my post. Given those qualifications, I am questioning his choices in presumably deliberately not doing a single step right. But as someone else has pointed out, maybe it's the cleverer choice to play the entertainer - look at Anton, derided on here but in sheer lasting power of a tv career with lucrative spin offs, way more successful than those who 'play it straight'!

Or "The boys are right". Actually it could be one of the last time she says that if one of the boys becomes a girl next year

Absolutely. The goofy act is one way of ensuring he'll be picked to partner a celeb next year. Especially if Anton gets the judging gig.

She probably would say..." strengthen that core" on Claudia hahaha
It's gonna be a WOW Rumba anyway so I can straight 10 for her.

I'm starting to believe that we could have shocker exit this weekend coz Ore was looking good in QS too...

I'm half expecting 'the chair was right, yah?' someday from her.

Yes, apologies. I edited my post because I realised you hadn't said you didn't like him. I don't know. It only a silly challenge. He wouldn't choreograph or dance like that with a celeb.

I was about to say "What" to that, but I now understand what you mean.

Possibly.

I really like Neil. He is good fun and a great dancer.

Think her journey has been learning to dance rather than do gymnastic moves, whilst AJ has had to learn to teach and work with someone considerably shorter than himself and not rely on gimmicks. Just been lucky Claudia works hard and has talent.