well either way, it appears we agree that katie (and anton) are not the better dancers. I like katie, but she shouldn't have gone through over anita.

yes indeed. and further irony is that no-one gave a stuff about jamelia anyway, they just wanted additional 'reasons' to put the boot into peter andre for reasons that entirely escape me. something to do with him or his children or his wife being whores i think.

i have never wanted or supported a system in which the worse dancer went through based on one dance, and i don't think anyone does either if they think about it for a moment.

I like Anita and overall she has been better than Katie but that salsa was dreadful and Katie was better in the dance off.

Oh well in that case then.. I presume we'll see you on the panel next year?
You are obviously so much better than Len *rolleyes*

I'm new here, what was Jameliagate?

Anita worked so hard in this competition, and deserves credit for that, but it was inevitable that she'd be in the dance-off at some stage, and when she was, nerves got the better of her, and she messed up the first half.

Katie has been more troubled by nerves throughout the competition, but managed to up her game in the dance-off, and therefore won her place in the final fair and square based on the quality of her performance.

I agree that Anita has been more consistent, but in all honesty, I have never once chosen to rewatch any of her dances, because none really touched me. Conversely, I rewatched Katie's rumba many times, as her performance seemed to embody the very core of the music. I also rewatched her American Smooth a number of times, as she performed with grace, finesse, panache and charm. I'm happy that she made it to the final, and I'm pretty sure that she won't disappoint us. I'd have been equally happy if Peter, Helen or Anita had been there instead, as they all worked like trojans to give us the best Strictly season ever.

Peter Andre beat Jamelia in the dance-off, and despite the fact that the GBP had been ripping her performances to shreds for weeks, and it was her fifth dance-off, there was a huge outcry that the result was fixed, to the extent where poor Peter Andre has been the subject of hate mail and cyber bullying.

Disgusting, if you ask me. I loved Peter Andre's dancing, and would have been happy if he'd reached the final. That particular dance was his worst dance but he still gave it his best shot. See below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sviS4A7o0W8

If it wasn't even close, what was Craig watching?

Craig is in the world of musical theatre - he only cares about the performance and the spectacle. Oh... and the thumbs!

I'm not sure why people are saying Katie has been troubled by nerves. She's the least nervous celebrity I've ever seen. I don't like her but she's remained calm and confident throughout.

The problem with Len is that if he doesn't like a dance he marks it down, or in this case decided to save Katie. His vote shouldn't be on whether he likes a dance or not but on how well the dance was performed. If he can't keep up with modern dancers and modern choreography then he should be pensioned off - and I speak as someone who is well past pension age. Gleb has already said that the things he's choreographed for Anita were acceptable in the other SCD spin-offs where even in USA I guess Len isn't the main judge.

Not only that but Katie and Anton had dry ice swirling around them so that most of her mistakes couldn't be seen. It's not just on here that the public are complaining about this result, even more so than when Jamelia was pushed out to save Peter Andre.

or he sees that Anita can pull off all styles, whereas Katie is diabolical at Latin?

We need judges like Len to ensure that the unique character of each dance ensures variety. The show would be tedious if all the professionals ditched the traditional steps and character of the dances and choreographed a load of faff and fluff instead.

Jamelia was not "pushed out". It was her fifth dance-off, which says something about her dancing. It was Peter's worst dance, but his performance had far more power than hers - displaying panache and gusto, despite the fact that he knew he hadn't mastered the technique as well as in previous weeks. The judges were initially too hard on Peter, because of higher expectations, while they were generous towards Jamelia, because she'd obviously improved that week, but viewing the two dances side by side, it is obvious which was the winning performance, and it was not Jamelia's. I liked Jamelia, enjoyed her dances, and was sorry to see her go, but she too hadn't really mastered the technical aspects of her dance - her footwork was untidy with errors which were not corrected in the dance-off, and generally her performance was quite scruffy and lacking polish.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFfEd12jb6g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sviS4A7o0W8

Len has being a grumpy git all season, would be happy to see him go

Ummm, I think she forgot to do the dance she was supposed to do. I'm not sure what she danced, looked a bit like street with a touch of body popping here and there. Entertaining no doubt, but not the required dance

He was meant to be judging on the dances he'd just seen...a ballroom from Katie (and an utter mess from Anita).

Maybe.

But it would be better if he had distinguished Anita's delivery from the choreography as his comments seemed aimed at her to me. She did the best with what she'd been given.

There was a dance off between Peter Andre and Jamelia at Blackpool. Peter was put through despite clearly dancing the worst (both in the dance off and on main show, where he was bottom mark). The judges eventually went onto ITT and pledged to explain all their decisions in future and base the decision solely on the dance off.

Not seen by the viewer via TV cameras, but maybe seen from close up by the judges' desk?


People complain when their favourite had gone (or when they perceive bias against their favourite). And sadly it's a natural reaction in some people. Does not mean that it's an entirely valid reaction though.

Correct. And judging according to the requirements of the dance.

So much of a car crash that it was actually a Salsa and not a Samba

I have to agree with you wholeheartedly.

It seems that being a bit daring and trying out new twists on things, basically being original, gets you punished. If Anita had come out dressed as a cigar maker from Havana and done a very traditional salsa, she would have got through.

KFG gets rave responses by copying almost step for step - as well as dressing Kellie up exactly like Ginger Rogers - the Fred Astaire routine from Top Hat ("cheek to cheek"). Nauseating, boring.

IOW, stay away from originality, don't irritate Len with anything that is other than absolutely traditional and never-changing. FHS, what is being judged may I ask? A decent re-rendering of an old routine, or a bit of daring and innovation?

God help us. What's the point. Craig is the only judge with any insight.

Len is the Head Judge on the US version of DWTS as well and that show's set up is utterly different from SCD. What goes on DWTS should not be any indicator for what's acceptable on the "mother show".

The easy thing is to stuff the dance and just go for instant impact.
The hard thing is to be original within the constraints of the dance.
Guess that was beyond Gleb.

I loved it when BArry Fife's wig half fell off! "Crowd pleasing steps"! What would Barry Fife have made of gleb and Anita 's paso doble! To me - along with Jay's jive - it was the dance of the season, because for a non professional dancer to communicate the essence of the dance so dramatically is sensational. It's a shame that gleb seem to go a bit mad after that. It was all truncheons and crotches after that,