Well, I have danced for many years, I love dance, always will, in whatever form.

I was a stalwart Jay and Aliona to the end and will always be

This year I find myself drawn to Claudia and A J. Their dances are the only ones I have watched more than once, loved their Foxtrot, their Paso and their AT.

Ok the old school will say Claudia hardley ever touched the ground...but watch Flavia and Vincent (my absolute favorites, ever). Their AT's always had substantial lifts.

I will continue voting for Claudia and AJ because this series they are the ones to catch my imagination.

So happy they got through and thank goodness for the spoiler thread otherwise we really would have been sweating it with them being left to the very end. Can't wait for next week!

Oh, and I love Claudia. W for taking the judges to task. The crowd's reaction when she asked them what Claudia & AJ had to do to get a 10 And I thought Darcy's answer was rather lame tbh.


I always think it's best to judge the dances within the context of an entertainment show rather than a proper dance comp. The pros and even the outside choreographers understand that they can push the boundaries a little on Strictly and for me they get it right much more than they get it wrong. The lifts were amazing last night as was the footwork. A routine I will go back to many times!

I have seen AT's with much more time than this spent in lifts. Which were not as good as these due to the fantastic strength that Claudia possesses.
So I really don't see the carping on that she never had her feet on the floor. Did they blink for 90 seconds
https://youtu.be/vvJzIFoGBVg
Length of dance 1min 50 secs
1st lift - 0.26 to 0.37
2nd lift - 1.28 to 1.35
Final lift - 1.46 to 1.50

Dismount (not counted as a lift) 0.10 to 0.16
There was also a kick back from Claudia at 1.16 to 1.16.

Fantastic control, fantastic choreography, fantastic dance.

PS oops. I seem to have used a lot of fantastics

Definitely agree - have seen more lifts than this in an AT.

It was a v good dance - and deserved at least one 10, if not more.

Claudia and AJ are coping with quite a height difference - and they're managing v well indeed.

There was plenty of floor work. Bored of the pontificating about how things *should* be.

It was a mesmerising routine - plenty of drama, precision and athleticism. I will be returning to it for years to come, I think!

Hi Fred


They are indeed doing very well. A good competitor who is also growing as a dancer. Love it😄
I am with Nina_Blake about the AT. The constant carping on that she spent more time off the floor than with her feet on it is irritating to say the least, so I just had to go back to her AS.
The lifts there actually totaled 24 seconds air time compared to 22 seconds in the AT.

Me and my stats. What would StrictlyRed and Lisa say

Just read Brendan's column for digital spy, he really doesn't like Claudia and AJ does he? Made me a bit cross reading it. Kevin et al always talk of how supportive Brendan has been to them, wonder who's supporting AJ as a new pro?

Anyway, thanks Hannah 01. totally agree with your posts!!!

They've got a Salsa to the lion king this week. Means they've got Rumba in the semis?

Salsa is ok; was hoping for that or QS.

Was hoping they'd skip the rhumba... but maybe as they've done the AT late on, that they'll skip the tango now.

I like the sound of a Lion King salsa! As long as she can get the hip action it should be a good dance for her as I'm sure they're going to put in some amazing lifts (which the purists won't like but hey ho ). I really hope they skip rumba. I don't think she'd struggle technically with that one but it's not usually a vote-winning dance. A QS however she would nail as her footwork is superb.

Aaaaand they're back to being kids again. Guess it was too much to hope the grown-up trend would continue.

AJ needs to be careful with the lifts, after her AT don't want people saying that's all she can do or he's trying to disguise her dancing.

I think it's the salsa that pros can also get choreo assistance if they want.

That may have been in the early days of salsa being included or of course I may be completely misremembering.

Yes Hannah, the majority of the pros still get help with salsa. I think there are one or two that do their own but I'd imagine AJ will have a choreographer due to his inexperience.

Yes. Although he and Chloe were junior latin champions I can't find any salsa dances on YT. Paso cha cha rumba but no salsa. (Or samba come to that)

I don't think they competed salsa; I think they just did ten dance.

I found some videos of them doing samba:

AJ & Chloe - Samba - All England - (1st Round) 24th April 2016 (Pink and silver dress)

Chloe and AJ - 17th April (Black and silver dress - you can't see them very well in the first part of the clip)

AJ & Chloe - Samba - 20th March 2016 (Final) (Pink and silver dress again)

There are more videos of them on their youtube channel - AJ and Chloe Youtube

Think AJ's doing a good job as he's working on 'new' dances.
Remember Chloe saying that they don't do lifts in their dances, so it seems they haven't done the salsa.
We know the AT is new.
As you say, they've danced all sorts of other Latin dances but more the 'traditional' ones.

Claudia is working so hard - must be difficult with her gymnastics training now.

Hope they do well

*waves* to hannah01

Hmm, I have a slight concern that Claudia & AJ's salsa has a kind of "tribal" theme to it, a bit like Danny's samba, which got me thinking I hope they don't get overshadowed by a routine last week that will still be very fresh in peoples' minds. Just a thought that hit me when I heard their music on ITT. Or maybe I'm just being a teeny bit paranoid

"Waves right back" 👐 Fred
Totally agree

On the week 11 musicals confirmed thread we have discussed the fact this music was used a Mark and Iveta 's samba. I now can't get that rhythm out of my head.
However someone very kindly posted a remix that has apparently been used on SCD. Much better. More salsa. (#post 20)

I just hope Vicky giggles doesn't dress them like Mark and Iveta.

We should hopefully see some training footage this evening on ITT

It's looking really good!! She seems to be enjoying the dance which is a positive

They both looked like they were enjoying it so much and her hip action is really good. But get her practicing in heels AJ. It will help.

I hope the judges don't mark them down for "gymnastic" moves. They didn't like them in the cha cha.
If anybody else did them though the judges would praise them to the heavens I am sure.

Claudia has done Asymmetric Bars since she was tiny and she can turn on top of the bar and she can spin on four inches, she does a full twisting somersault on beam.
She could do any of that with motion sickness. She can turn in the air too...watch her tumbles.

She is used being marked and working hard to improve. She looked very disappointed not to get a 10. But she deserved one. It looks like they are set on Louise winning though.

The comment I made re the VW were tongue in cheek. Knowing that Claudia is a gymnast I certainly fully appreciate she can spot.


As a sports person her work ethic will always be competitive and have the need to improve in all she does.

The world of ballroom and latin are new to her and she is doing an excellent job at mastering new techniques.
I wish the judges would acknowledge just how good that Argentine Tango was. But having said that the marking has been shocking for all the contestants. Overmarking for some and blatant undermarking fir others.

Come final night it is all down to us. The great British public. The judges can jiggle about no more. So Im gonna vote vote vote ☎☎😄

After seeing the training footage yesterday I'm quite excited to seethe full routine on Saturday