Not only has she avoided the Samba which tends to be the most inelegant dance the women perform (at least for the over 30 somethings), but she also has a decent song for the funky charleston. I just can't picture the refined Katie thrutching about to the Samba with a giant feather boa hanging off her pert butt.

However the real winner is the waltz. Dancing to the beautiful O Mio Babbino Caro all she has to do is stay vertical and she will get at least 8's all round. With the waltz king leading her round the floor if she can put in a half decent performance the judges will be gushing with the beauty of the whole ensemble and 38 would be minimum reasonable bet. The stars are in perfect alignment for Katie & Anton.

I suppose Anton deserves it after all his years with the no hopers - as long as Jay, Georgia & Anita make the final I wouldn't mind seeing Anton getting his overdue moment of glory.

I'm not great fan of Katie but I'm struggling not to see her in the final with those two dances... I can't see her waltz being anything less than lovely, and it should make her and Anton's fans very happy indeed. Add in a Charleston which should be a crowd-pleaser and job's a good un!

Another day, another 'fix'.

*yawn*

It's almost impossible deciding if anyone deserves NOT to be in the final. They all deserve it for different reasons. Short or long straws, or whatever. My final four keeps changing (but not my final two). Getting to the final would mean something and I'd love Katie to do that.

What makes you think it's a fix? It is just the luck of the draw who gets which dance in each week throughout the series and Katie has just had that bit of luck with the dances & music to match coming at the right time. If she had got the Samba it would have been unlucky - it was a 50-50 chance/

I wonder who deserves to be in the final: The simpering, smug Katie or, the emotionally closed manchild or, the woman who is all tricks and mirrors to conceal her sickle feet or, the one who shrieks like a banshee or, the immature girl. If it's none then may the competition end this weekend.

I think a Charleston to Too Darn Hot is transparently the worst music choice of the week, maybe after trying to sell this show's audience on Piitbull, but there we are...

I only think the music for the waltz is ok - lovely piece of music but not an out and out waltz - the charleston music is too slow imo

Katie and Anton all the way.

I agree - I did think it was a bit slow for a Charleston but at least I thought it was a recognisable piece of music - maybe not to many of the younger generations but they aren't really going to be Katie/Anton fans anyway. I just think the music for the waltz may get Katie a high mark from the ambience and perforance angle and the charleston is a better second dance than the samba. (second in preference, not dance order)

It's in three, doesn't need to be more than that. It's a beautiful, well known aria that I am praying will not be murdered by Dave Arch and his singers.

Also if its a fix for Katie & Anton the same can be said for Jay & Aliona. A VW and a Charleston, both high scoring dances.

Oooops
Maybe I didn't make myself clear enough.
Apologies.

I don't think its a 'fix' at all but I thought the OP was implying that it was.

All these conspiracy theories drive me bonkers and that is what I meant.

In what way is it a fix.

Was commenting on another post about it being a fix, but reading back think I misinterpreted it.

Its an interesting question. I wonder to what extent the contestants can truly dictate the dance order (given that the producers are going to want to have a mix of styles as far as possible).

If its left up to the contestants, they will want at least one decent dance in the semis, and preferably two (at a pinch, one will do - to allow them to win the dance-off).

The interesting bit (in terms of strategic dance selection) is what constitutes a decent dance. The judges and (I guess) the core audience rate what to most people (I'm guessing again ) would be bland dances highly. For most of the show, you might want to stick to them. In the last few rounds, the audience (and especially those motivated to vote) expands, and you might want to go with something more crowd-pleasing. If the worst comes to the worst though, you still want something able to win in a dance-off.

Maybe, but she still bumps into Anton in the opening credits of ITT.

Katie might well have had a go at samba with a different partner/had she not had Anton, because of her dad's brazilian roots, her love of the country and its music (radio times interview), but being this close to the final, it makes no sense anyway. (note Aliona also gave it the swerve when Jay could have smashed it). Plus the judges have also knocked her previous latin to the extent she probably has less confidence now in the party dances. Shame really but maybe she can do a samba class with one of the pros after the show has finished.
She has the legs for charleston and it is a crowd pleaser, albeit I don't like the music personally and am disappointed they have put her in red again (Lady in red DO charleston vs Georgia's cha cha, also in red) albeit both would be crazy not to choose ballroom if they do find themselves in the DO.

Agree completely. This is why I think being told by Darcey she could not do latin was so disappointing. This woman wants to samba. She won't be doing it and she's been told she's no good at it either. Nonetheless she puts a smile on her face and rolls on.

I like Katie and I hope she has a good week, despite being partnered by anton.

I can see her doing a cool Charleston, but I don't like her waltz music far too schmaltzy

Well there appears to be a SKY channel with regular programs on conspiracy theories - maybe they should see if they can make an episode about Strictly. I still don't believe Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone ...

Oooh, interesting! Would you have a link for this interview, please?

https://m.youtube.com/?reload=7&rdm=...?v=wKl_MUARswk

don't get too excited, tis only 3 minutes' worth of soundbites and thanks to whoever
posted it originally (itt thread I think) x

Thank you

Right at the start of this series people were speculating whether this could be Year of the Anton. No chance, said people, his latin is deadful. Except they cleared the jive right at the start, and soon enough the cha-cha, salsa and paso. Yes, they were panned but there were still worse dancers around and they had support so they survived. Rumba was also then negotiated so by Blackpool IIRC we were looking at a potential run-in to the final of American Smooth, Argentine Tango, Foxtrot, Waltz and Charleston, as indeed it has proved. Three Anton specialities and two crowd-pleasers, saved for when the competition hots up..

I don't know how it is decided who does which dances and when. But if one *was* trying to devise the best possible order to get Anton to the final, it's hard to think of a better one. Luck? Or engineered? It feels too 'ideal' to just be luck. But do I care? Nope.

I'm pretty sure the pros get a lot of say in the order of dances. Aliona's run of dances with Jay has been very similar to Harry's. With the exact same QF and SF dances

That can't be a coincidence.