That's the one, cheers!

No, not at all, I have been saying this about Anita for weeks, only now it's picked up by the judges.

I actually have the capacity of making my own mind up on a dance without hearing the judges critique. Mostly I disagree with them anyway.

l love Anita, and I usually like Gleb's choreography, but he got it wrong this time.

First of all, the staging and the opening was too reminiscent of Artem's tango with Holly, and Artem's was better. So Gleb's on the back foot already with his choreo.

Second, this is the one dance where he should have focused on Anita's feet. Instead, there were too many acrobatics, and too much speed, so we ended up with Anita looking like she is chasing Gleb around the dancefloor, half winded, ungainly, and unstable on her feet. I know the music didn't lend itself for a slow AT, and maybe that's the reason Gleb choreographed as such, but I would rather have seen them dance a much slower piece, with focus on the foowork, opportunities for Anita to perform decorations that show off improvement on her feet, and maybe a few still moments. AT lends itself for choreographing pauses and small delicate moves. even more than it lends itself for the big flashy moves an relentless speed.

Thirdly, the end was very similar to their ballroom tango, and that for me is a big faux pas. If you have the creativity and imagination to produce innovative and challenging routines, you also need to come with the repertoire of moves to back it up. I am sure that Gleb has the repertoire, and this was just a poor choice.

Anyway... I was disappointed because I love a good, slow AT, and we don't get them often enough (if ever) on Strictly...

Good post. I'm a Gleb fan so tend to defend him against negative comments on here but your post identifies a key weakness in his choreography and I've highlighted it in black. If Gleb choreographed this dance then he has missed the character of the dance because it is intimate and all about the feet, or as much about the feet as rumba.

Actually he did and I don't hate him at all.

I thought he said that performance counted more. That's very different from saying he doesn't teach basics.

Thanks guys, do you know I had completely blacked him out as a previous contest and I cannot remember a thing he did at all!

Well, don't use the AT as a reminder 😱


It's the most ridiculous partnership in Strictly history, he's 6ft 5, she's 5ft 2. 🙄🙄🙄🙄

Flat shoes make it harder for her feet to look pointed.

True, but not helped by the way she stands 4 square on. Yet she can wear heels as seen on ITT.

Yes, I wondered if she just can't walk in them?

Big fan of Anita - think Gleb needs to go less is more on the choreo so she can nail it and shine.

But when she lifts them up, there is a flexed foot, so nothing at all to do with the heel size.

Therefore she does not stand elegantly.

We've not had a decent one yet. The upside being that I have to go and watch Simon Webbe's from last year so I can enjoy the dance again

Ah now I remember him. Well I remember how odd they looked, nothing else really.

Anita's shoes weren't flat though - they look to me to be about the same height as Katie's were last night.

Also it's not just that she didn't point her feet. A lot of the angles of her body were awkward last night. Her legs were often in not quite the right position and her neck looked strained a couple of times. Between her neck, legs and feet, her lines were not clean enough to look good in AT. She was neither sharp enough nor smooth enough (different qualities required for different steps) when moving between positions. I do think she's done well so far but I don't think her technique is all that good and to be honest I agree with the judges that the AT didn't suit her because it highlights the things she is less good at (precision, a good sense of line, use of legs and feet) and doesn't allow her to hide them with her her strengths (athleticism, good sense of drama and commitment, strong drive).

I blame the ridiculous theme of this week - musicals! Imo the musical song chosen by the producers wasn't the best to pair with an AT. I feel annoyed that the theme week spoilt Anita and Gleb's chance of doing a traditional AT like we are used to.

BIB, my thoughts exactly.

I wish we saw something like this in Strictly, at least in style if not in quality:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XywTdT2NQQ

Is it too much to ask?

I think without the theme she would have been screwed in all honesty.

The theme for some has hidden how poor her technique is. Without any theme the AT is so exposing, even for the best technician on the show, it's all about clean feet and legs and lines, all things Anita really cannot do well at all. The theme covered her up to a degree.

I thought that generally the pros don't choreograph the ATs, so unless there is evidence otherwise for this case, it seems fair too give Gleb the benefit of the doubt, on this aspect at least.

I believe the AT consultants only come in for a relatively short period - they're certainly not there throughout the week. I think they give them some choreo and guidance, and it's up to the pro how much they decide to use.

I think Gleb chose to keep very little; it's a while since I've done AT but there was very little proper AT in there.

Lovely! Thanks for sharing this. Alas, it would never do for Strictly. Not flashy enough, and Len would criticise it because he wouldn't be able to smell those sweaty gauchos cahming dahn from the Pampas into the brothels of Buenos Aries, or some such rot...

I can't give Gleb the benefit of the doubt. I followed a link regarding a previous Gleb AT Strictly routine and became very scared. Then I got over it, believing he wouldn't flout the judges again.. and then I saw him on The Real Housewives of Beverley Hills. I really like Anita so when they were announced I switched over and came back during the judges comments and I still haven't watched it. I don't get the Gleb love anyway.

Nah, it was brilliant, but then I am very very biased as I do adore Anita & Gleb, so heyho what do I know

They just sum up what SCD should be, for me, hey not technically correct, but fun to watch, they always interesting, love 'em

The performance was good the footwork was poor but what always annoys me is the inconsistency of the judges, nearly all of them criticised Anita's technicality, fair enough but then Aljaz lifts Helen completely off her feet as she can't keep up with the speed of his turn as he spins her around at the very beginning of the dance at the end of the first run down the middle of the floor and not one of them mention the illegal lift, not even Craig, pah!

see at approx. 0.33 in
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7dJ-omiiZM