Perfect sense to me. It is easier to finesse the rumba movement and work on the finer points on technique (feet caressing floor, rib contraction, settling into hip). For beginners and intermediates at least, cha cha cha is much more "bam! get on leg, and settle into hip as soon as you can"

Songs and dances still not up on the website which is strange because they're usually up before Tuesday's ITT. Zoe's just confirmed Kellie and Kevin have also got Samba though. Meaning the only ones not confirmed is Jay and Aliona. *imagines all Jay fans screaming "whhhhyyyyyy" at their laptops* seriously though it's looking very likely he has Salsa now.

I've found a list of songs they're on the strictly playlist but it doesn't say who's got what

Are you on the same train as me?

Week 8
"Years & Years - King"

"Sam Smith - Lay Me Down"

"DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince - Boom! Shake The Room" (kellie)

"Pretenders - Dont Get Me Wrong"

"Chicago - Hot Honey Rag" (Georgia)

"Erasure - A Little Respect" (Jamelia)

"The Jam - Going Underground" (Jeremy)

"James Bay - Hold Back The River"

"Shirley Bassey - Never, Never, Never"

"Cilla Black - You're My World"

"Bay City Rollers - Bye Bye Baby"

Anita and Gleb will be performing the Quickstep to ‘Don't Get Me Wrong’ by The Pretenders.

Georgia and Giovanni will be dancing the Charleston to ‘Hot Honey Rag' from Chicago.

Helen and Aljaž will be performing the Tango to 'Hold Back The River' by James Bay.

Jamelia and Tristan will be performing the Samba to ‘A Little Respect’ by Erasure.

Jay and Aliona will be dancing the Foxtrot ‘Lay Me Down’ by Sam Smith.

Jeremy and Karen will be performing the Quickstep to ‘Going Underground’ by The Jam.

Katie and Anton will be dancing the Rumba to ‘Never Never Never' by Shirley Bassey.

Kellie and Kevin will be performing the Samba to ‘Boom Shake The Room’ by Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince.

Peter and Janette will be dancing the Viennese Waltz to ‘You're My World’ by Cilla Black.

And now I've posted that lol the proper list appears lol #sodslaw

Jays got announced first on saturday, y'll didnt have to wait for long haha

What's Left Now:

Anita & Gleb - Argentine, Foxtrot, Viennese / Paso, Rumba, Salsa
Georgia & Giovanni - Smooth, Argentine, Foxtrot, Viennese / Cha-Cha, Paso
Helen & Aljaz - Smooth, Argentine, Viennese / Charleston, Jive, Paso
Jamelia & Tristan - Smooth, Argentine, Quickstep, Tango / Paso, Rumba
Jay & Aliona - Tango, Viennese / Charleston, Rumba, Salsa, Samba
Jeremy & Karen - Argentine, Foxtrot, Viennese / Paso, Rumba, Samba
Katie & Anton - Smooth, Argentine, Foxtrot, Waltz / Charleston, Samba
Kellie & Kevin - Smooth, Argentine, Quickstep, Viennese / Rumba, Salsa
Peter & Janette - Smooth, Argentine, Waltz / Jive, Salsa, Samba

Rather odd scheduling of dances this year... Jay MUST be on Latin for Blackpool having done three ballrooms. Weeks 9-11 will probably break down thusly:
Georgia & Giovanni - two ballrooms & one latin
Jamelia & Tristan - two ballrooms & one latin
Jay & Aliona - two latins & one ballroom
Katie & Anton (lol) - two ballrooms & one latin
Kellie & Kevin - two ballrooms & one latin

Errrrm, what actually is a foxtrott? I got the impression it's a fast dance?
Off to check it out.

Helen's tango song choice is the worst thing since I spent half the series waiting to see what Natalie would get and it ended being shit Rihanna.

Lovely song for Helen, but a tango?! I don't know...

Think giving Jay another ballroom is an obvious attempt at producer manipulation. He'll have salsa and samba to do when everyone else has already done so in the later weeks meaning he'll stand out much much more. Salsa and samba tend to fare much better in the later weeks, both Abbey and Caroline both became 'winners' with their salsas late in the series and I expect it to be the same with Jay.

Not sure the producers are doing Jay any favors giving him another slow dance this week - FT is difficult and not a WOW dance lie the Charleston, etc and another opportunity for the judges to use to criticize him for not 'emoting' - FT is hardly an expressive dance - Jay would have been better off having the VW next week in the big ballroom in Blackpool

The celebs and their pros used to know the order of dances from the first week, I remember Gethin saying in series 5, when someone asked him about a paso- he said that he didnt have it until the semifinals, if he got that far

I wonder if it's still the same?

it's often a floaty romantic dance, one of the best ones- because it's so out of "character" is Matt Baker's and Aliona's to She Said

Hold Back the River for a Tango?
A Little Respect for a Samba?

The professionals are superb but they're not miracle workers!