Originally Posted by mimi dlc:
“Absolutely. James would have no compunction in spilling the beans, if there were beans to spill.
I suspect that there are a couple of celebs who only agree to sign up on condition that they get their preferred Professional (ie Widdecombe insisted on Anton), but for the majority the launch show IS when they are told their partnerships.
Some may have inklings depending on how group dances have gone, and there are some pairings that HAVE to happen for height reasons.
but it is not until the launch show that they are certain
It amazes me that people continue to insist otherwise”
I agree. I wonder how often celebs join the show, hoping to be paired with Pro X, and get Pro Y?
Had no internet yesterday
catching up now...
Originally Posted by Nakatomi:
“I'm prepared for it to be a Danny train that stops at Cloudier station. I'd be happy for either of them to win it - they're both excellent dancers but get ignored for some reason by the judges.”
I favour Danny to Cloudier, but a large part is down to the music choices. That jive was pretty fab - hampered maybe a little by a hangover from last week, but despite that fab.
Daisy - how unfortunate that they did that bicycling move after this week's Apprentice... It was very sweet and very Daisy.
Originally Posted by
aggs:
“It's a bit meh - but also uncomfortable at the same time 
”
There just didn't seem like a lot of salsa going on in there
At least the marks weren't stupidly high, but they talked it up massively.
Originally Posted by An Thropologist:
“I have danced salsa for 20 years and have taken classes from here to Havana and from some internationally renowned teachers and nobody, but nobody ever mentioned figure of eight hips.
The hip movement comes from pressing into the floor with the ball of the foot, skimming with the heel and then pushing back out from the floor with the ball again.
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR”
*pats back gingerly* It's always worth ignoring what they say about salsa and AT. You know that saying about better to say nothing and look stupid than open your mouth and remove all doubt? That's the judges and those two dances (and some of the others too...)
Originally Posted by Nakatomi:
“I thought that was pretty good. I don't usually like quicksteps but that was pretty fun. He's very light on his feet and he doesn't actually miss any steps, which is better than most of the comedy acts we get.”
I wasn't sure about the break for comedy half way through, but I guess his stamina isn't up to full QS all the way through. At least that meant he could keep up fairly well.
Originally Posted by Kmc1978:
“The only person who's really come close to Pasha's vt acting genius is Judy Murray- "I feel... sparkly" *wipes tear* 😂”
Oh man, can you imagine if Judy had been paired with Pasha?!
Originally Posted by allgrownup:
“I believe we've just witnessed Joe Varney's "starfish"”
Originally Posted by
allgrownup:
“Bruno not even hiding his bias <3
She could sit down, have a cup of tea and he'd score it a 9 ”
I can understand when Bruno gets a fit and yells out "IS DIVA TIME", he can't control himself, but surely Laura is one of the blander contestants that have activated Bruno's blinkers?
Originally Posted by
allgrownup:
“That was lovely (Wasn't it, Oksana?) ”
Yes, it was. (Other than the face on Oksana's dress that kept looking at me...)
Originally Posted by An Thropologist:
“They always are. Strictly ATs seem obsessed with lamp posts, hat stands and chairs”
I'm just waiting for the AT which starts with the gaucho leaning on the lamppost, enters the bordello through saloon doors, hat on hat stand, sits at table and actually exchanges money...
Originally Posted by smude:
“Poor Greg following that”
There was no AT, wouldn't be hard...
Originally Posted by An Thropologist:
“Yep. *Shrugs* To be fair I have seen worse ATs on Strictly but where was the basic?”
Poses, lunges, and some really ungainly ganchos which looked like she was trying to air out her gusset does not an AT make. If Greg's rumba could be shredded for lack of content, so should that. Who choreographed it?
Originally Posted by allgrownup:
“Full on BABY WARZ ENGAGE!!! <3”
It was so blatant <3
Originally Posted by Mrs Spratt:
“I was riveted by his arse, I don't think it was sticking out as much this week”
Ha, I did the same!
Originally Posted by Kmc1978:
“Credit to AJ (or outside choreographers if they're involved) but all of their routines actually look like the dance they're meant to, despite the hideously inappropriate music.”
Spot on. I like AJ more as the show goes on; not only have they been shafted by music but her technique (which must be due even in part to AJ) is pretty good.
Originally Posted by
allgrownup:
“How lovely, three ties on the leaderboard. If it weren't for Daisy having landed there before, I would say ZOMG SHOCKBOOT INCOMING! ”
Won't take much for Ed to escape, which means a shock is definite.
Originally Posted by Phalaris:
“Much unappreciating that pink frock Cloudier ended up in. Do they have a job lot? I could have sworn Laura and Giovanni got inflicted with something similar for their quickstep, although possibly not as eye-searing.”
Just how often has Claudier been put in pink? Enough!
Originally Posted by Wiskas2:
“She'd never make a living as a Lady of the Night in Buenos Aires though, not with the modesty panel and sensible skirt.”
Originally Posted by Nakatomi:
“I get the feeling Danny will do a Tom Chambers and have a veeeeeeeery long West End career out of this. His sense of rhythm and timing is brilliant, and he looks so good when he's doing it. He absolutely gives me the Gene Kelly vibe as well - a beautiful dancer who looks effortless but sells every step.”
How lucky is he to have been paired with Oti though? She is on another level with her choreo to anyone else this year - what a CV she's building for him!
Originally Posted by Nakatomi:
“Do you know what annoys me most about TTF? That at the start he actually stands still and counts Louise in so that he can do his stupid little kick. Someone on here mentioned it and ever since it's made my teeth itch!”
Next week, can someone stand behind them and kick him in the arse just as he does that? Please?
Originally Posted by Monkseal:
“I think it's a presumption that they haven't expected it though. All of Ed, Rinder and Greg have been built up well by the show. Ed gets constant good performance slots and loads of publicity and the judges (and Katya) are playing it just right to have him be a Comedy Contestant everyone gets behind rather than one everyone has spats over. Greg has had pretty good storylining week on week (a sympathetic injury porn VT here, a "Craig criticises Natalie, Craig praises Natalie" one-two storyline there). Rinder has done comedy routines to build up his fanbase and is now "showing he can really dance" with a quickstep aimed directly at the show's older or Purity Of Dahnce voters.
Compare this with a "chaser" or "trier" like, say Sunetra or a Hairy Dave or Thom Evans for whom they had very little to say and who just kind of existed.
Claudia I'm mixed on - they've given her a pro who's pretty much anti-charismatic, which isn't helping, but she has had the Pimp Slot twice and the "y'know, for the kids?" songchoices feel like an earnest but misguided attempt at branding her to make her memorable.”
You're right, they have played a lot of it well. Ed's routines have largely stayed the right side of comedy. JR has had some very broad comedy with props, but got the 'straight' dance that many have asked for. Greg's run of Latin has ended and here comes the ballroom which we can expect to be much better. Now, arguably Daisy has been a bit one-note, but then she has been in the dance off twice. Laura's also a bit iffy, story-wise, but how much of that is due to her ankle?
At the other end, I dislike the insistence on a Danny vs Ore storyline. It does neither of them any favours. Louise and Claudier are swimming in the slipstream of that story - I really disliked that AT, and C's music choices are just bizarre at this stage. I find it odd that they have pimp slotted her twice, on some slightly questionable dances, and didn't pimp the hell out of her Charleston though?
That is hilarious. I can imagine the backstage ructions when that particular bit of nonsense flared up. Who broke the glad tidings that Tom could not possibly avoid the DO I wonder?
