Yikes, I seem to be the only one who didn't like Danny's samba. I thought he often looked mildly ludicrous, with his flailing arms and ugly brown trousers and Ken doll head. Like the whitest dude alive trying to keep up with the queen of carnival.

I agree the trousers were off putting

Which is precisely what the "judges favoured ones" seem to have in common. The likes of Kara, Natalie G, Louise etc. The judges pick up on subtle quality that most of us don't notice because we are blinded by the over all effect. Which is precisely the intention I guess. The choreographer's art seems to be somewhat akin to the conjurer's, distract the eye from what the hands or feet are doing.

Was he wearing trousers? Didn't notice.

IndeedNow I ought to unappreciate myself for posting in this thread, Sorry.

Her feet may have been lovely, and I did really like her dancing in this one, but it would have been nice if she hadn't spent the whole thing looking at the floor. I know Darcey praised her for the series of turns she did, but it looked to me like she was losing her balance at the end - difficult to see because they changed the camera angle, but I think it might be because she started looking at the floor again.

And teeny lift?

ETA: And agreed with Craig about out of hold shoulders - she does have a tendency to raise them a bit. Funny though that Craig didn't comment on Kevin's raised thumb

Why so, we unappreciate all equally and do throw out quite a bit of appreciation when no-one's looking

That was an odd evening, Doti were outstanding, Cloudy & AJ spent lots of time looking like they were auditioning for Circe du Soleil and I felt sorry for Jwanne to have to make any Paso content fit that shocking song, no wonder there was an air hockey table to distract.

I loved the waltz, sorry chaps, stunning footwork even if her top line wasn't as sharp, the rest were meh.

Just caught up with the dances.

Louise's was beautiful but if ourleona had done that Len would have massacred her.
I enjoyed Aj and claudias but show dance no At. The same with the Ores paso.

That samba though... I read the comments...

It's going directly into my hall of fame. One of the best dances I have watched. It's not for everyone (very tribal) but it's absolutely perfect for me. (Should have closed a show! But i suppose because of the chachachá thon that is a poisoned chalice)

Actually it reminded me more of Kristina and Colin Salmon. She spent a lot of the time in the air too, at least Cloudiers fo of wasnt in AJs face though, as Kristina's was

The other thing it reminded me was dancing on ice when they do the wire thing.

Whatever, it happened I sort of found it enjoyable but not really an AT.

As for Louise granted her feet were good and did all the right things for a waltz but dear lord that was boring, she gives us nothing apart from being technically good. She is just there.

Oooh, do we have a "THAT" dance for this series now?

I have to say that I must have missed the teeny lift, I will have to have another look!
Re the pivot section, I would have liked more rotation and more movement but they are quite difficult to do well and I suspect that Kevin kept them more compact so that Louise would keep herself more on balance.Most of the celeb ladies you see dance pivots are always out of balance and backweighted, Louise was a little off balance towards the end, but much better and over her own feet than she might have been.
Yes I agree she should not look down, but you would be surprised how many dancers - especially beginners - do this. I believe that Kevin had worked very hard this week on the technique and footwork, I think she was probably thinking of this throughout and the old habit of looking down , came back .

That dance was all about Oti. Danny danced competently but a 40 score ... Nah. Hence the opened shirt. Oti deserved 40 and I enjoyed her enjoyment and tears afterwards but Danny was not THAT good to me.

I think Louise suffered from going straight after Danny. For the second week in a row, they've front loaded the show with the potential finalists.

Louise is obviously a technically good dancer, but for all the going back to the well of the acting storyline, I really don't get anything other than 'that's nice' from her.

Well surely the basics of designing choreography for a dancer is ensuring it is within their capabilities.

You can choreograph a dance that looks amazing but it will look a proper dogs dinner if someone can't do it and that's the fault of the Pros or choreographer which increasingly seems like 2 different people.

Technically Louise is very good, but Kevin has failed to get her to connect with the dance.

It is almost as if she is a perfectly pleasant very nice technically correct dancing automen.

I find it annoying as someone else who could have given their all and connected has been deprived of a place to have Loiuse derive a bit of pleasure from it and give us a bit of pleasure in return.

What's with Darcey and her need for narrative?
She couldn't see the narrative in Danny and Oti's AT.
She couldn't see the narrative in Rinder's Rumba.

It's a dance, it's not blinking Jane Austen!
Shall we organise subtitles for next week?

Can she please explain the narrative of Ore's paso?

Without the correct technique ie, from the way they place their feet, or use their feet depending on the dance, the correct leg action, engage their core, don't allow their sides to break, correct posture and poise etc....nothing they dance, absolutely nothing will look decent. It is the application of correct technique that will enable the dancer to dance well.
We all see and want different things from the show and it is clear that Louise is not popular with many, but she is giving it her all, and doing it in the right way, by dancing correctly.

For me yes. I know for some wont (the same applies to other dances of the series).

Also it was the first time that I honestly couldn't take my eyes of Danny (usually Oti draws me at least as much as he does). And nothing to do with the open shirt.

Give her time - she's still working on the narrative from the bicycle tango.

Usually my eyes are on Oti, but he was out in front a lot and drew all the attention with the flailing arms and ugly shirt and trousers and flashing white chest.

He obviously danced the choreography well, but the costuming for him was horrible and I think the choreography didn't suit him as a dancer.

I thought they were fabulous. The choreography was classic competitive Samba, which Danny danced very well.

You're braver than me for saying it... I didn't like it that much either! Thought he looked a tad awkward at times and his arms were a bit weird. Oti totally outshone him, but then that was probably inevitable right?

She comes across as a perfectly lovely woman - but, for me, dancing correctly isn't the be all and end all I would rather see a less mannered and placed dance that has a bit of oomph to a technically correct but rather clinical spin round the floor. If at any point the two match up, then great but I don't get that with Louise. She seems a very insular dancer. She says she is enjoying it, but she still isn't projecting that, for me, however many times that were told she is.

You and I can continue elsewhere, the Gleb thread?, as posters see what they want according to experience. He may be technically excellent BUT ... I'm on that thread for you

Agreed, my reviewing technical head can see the ability but my heart never gets any emotional connection from her performances.