I wonder how they pick the pros because this year I've been pretty shocked by the contrast in quality. I'm thinking specifically of AJ who just seems too inexperienced to deliver quality choreography for Claudia each week. In my eyes he was to blame last week for Claudia's poor comments from the judges. She did the best she could but they all said it was too quick and reading James Jordan's comments it's clear the pros have the option to slow down music if it's too fast.

When you compare AJ to a more seasoned pro like Kevin or Alijaz, it feels like Claudia may lose the race purely because of her partner not her own ability.

That's always going to be an issue though, unless they do like Dancing On Ice did and have someone else choreograph all the routines for them - and even then they were accused of favouring some over others!

I think AJ's routines have been good so far.

Inconsistency of celeb quality seems unfair.

I agree last weeks was a tad fast but up until then they have done really quality dances. You canr knocj=k him because one did not come up to scratch

it was only one dance

I think he is pretty amazing considering his age!

even though the dance was fast and could have done with being slowed down a little I still think Claudia coped well with the packed routine

it was full of content and I have personally enjoyed all of their dances so far

Some celebs get to dance with two time 10-dance World Champions and some celebs get pros who did a couple of runs of the circuit then decided they'd rather be a model. Some celebs get a pro who's a sweet bubbly public sweetheart and some celebs get pros who kick off over Mars Bars and spend all day whining to the press. Some celebs get Natalie Ballroom and some celebs get Anton Latin. It's just the run of the green, you can't clone them.

Joanne is a world champion and really decorated in her profession but I find her choreography really average for the most part. Yes prior to Ore, she had duffers but that's not really an excuse imo because Iveta, Flavia, Natalie ....had a lot of duffers as well but they managed to choreograph well for them. The Tango she did with Ore in week 1 was shocking . That choreography was SO bad. Her AS from last year also comes to mind. I'm not really blown away by her choreography

With that being said , I think it's a bit unfair to judge AJ choreography skills based on a few dances. He is doing okay .

To sum it up, experience doesn't always equate to great choreography.

I think A J's choreography is just fine. Claudia is a very experienced gymnast and should be able to do 'fast'. The problem with their samba was the height difference and not the choreography.

I do however feel that Janette's ballroom is not good at all and the least said about Anton's Latin the better. Although I have to say Anton had surprised me this year, best I've seen him do Latin and no fooling around with his celeb.

The target of the executive producer, Louise Rainbow, (the "Rainbow Worrier" as I call her) has obviously now has been expanded to include more of the teen and early twenty viewing audience, who might normally be watching X-Factor (those that aren't out on a Saturday night). Maintaining or hopefully increasing the ratings being of great importance and therefore of concern to her.

AJ's selection and that of Claudia (or any other recogniseable teen available) was specifically made to target this. Given the number of more experienced pros available, there can be no other explanation for her choice.

I fully expect him, or if he is unavailable, someone else who fits this category, to be there next year.

Aljaz was the same age as AJ when he started on the show. And he won with Abby.

Even the most experienced pros make mistakes.

What I am not liking very much at the moment is that some people here are using the age stick to beat him with it and accusing him of being incapable to teach and choreograph. He started dancing as a child and comes from a family of dancers/teachers, he's got a pretty solid background. I assume that what he doesn't know it's not worth knowing. Young people can be pretty competent too, you'd be surprised.

What some people don't understand is that they are dancers/teachers/choreographers and not miracle workers, they have to work with what they've got in the space of three months or so. Some partnerships work well, some others don't. And yes, some pros are more qualified in Ballroom/Latin than others but overall they're all capable of teaching a routine and realize if the music is too slow or fast. All of this while being foisted with unworkable theme and music by the production occasionally.

I find it ridiculous when I read posts like "Oh, So and So corrected Such and Such pigeon toes, why couldn't Whatsherface do that to Whatshisname too?"
Sometimes you can correct an orthopaedic problem in a couple of weeks, sometimes it may take years, and sometimes it can require an operation.
(sorry for digressing)

His choreo is doing just fine for me at the moment, no complaints. And he's cute. I like him

Great Post

I don't think AJ's age (23) is an issue, as already said, Aljaz was the same age when he joined the show, but no one thought he was too young.

However, what I do see as an issue is that AJ and Chloe were only amateur dancers; they turned pro only weeks before joining the show, and there is a huge difference in what an amateur can do compared to a professional. In some ways I feel a little sorry for AJ & Chloe because if Strictly doesn't work out for them, and they want to return to competition, they will have to dance as professionals and, though I think they are good dancers, I'm not sure they are of professional standard.

I would love to see a bit more fairness in which pro gets which celeb. I'd like to see Kevin get an Ann Widdecombe type one year. Then he could prove to his detractors that he could get anyone to the final...or not as the case could be

I thought Joanne has only had one previous partner in Strictly - Scott Mills in 2013.

Where did you get the idea that she choreographed a bad AS last year, when she wasn't even assigned a partner?

Apart from the few Widdy types, the problem is no one knows how anyone will dance until the series gets started. Brendan, for example, has had a couple of partners who, on paper, looked as if they would be good, but who have been anything but - Pendleton? Then, up to a point, height needs to be taken into account.

Then again, you get pro dancers like Anton, who after all these years, still can't dance, let alone teach, decent Latin.

He's only 21 apparently - according to Wikipedia at any rate. Born 5 Nov 1994.

I've really enjoyed Jo's choreography this year. It's been zany on occasion (bicycle) but she really has created routines with impact that suit the character of her partner and his ability. I've watched Ore shaking drops off his umbrella countless times already. Loved that AS

The problem if they go "all socialist" about it, to even things up, the viewers would be deprived of really good finals. For most viewers I'd suggest it's "sod the journey, let's see some winning partnerships."
No good having the best pros eliminated in the "pantomime stage," it's much more a show than a competition for most.

In which case I stand corrected; I was going by something I was told by someone who knows the Pritchard family well.

To reduce the criticism, he could grow a moustache and pass for 22.

I'm not the biggest Kevin fan - but did anyone really expect Susannah or Kellie to get to the final?

I actually think that Kevin's biggest advantage is that he 'gets' Strictly totally and has from the very first. Some pros can be on for a series or more and never really understand it but Kevin had it sussed from the beginning.

Is that the same 'seasoned pro' Aljaz that cost his partner points for an illegal lift?

Maybe when she won the Christmas special with Harry? I loved it but each to their own I guess...

You mean 2 pimped BBC faves - erm yep

Ooops I forgot and no it wasnt the AS , once again my mistake but it was their Tango to STOP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1D59rOIlrMM .Dreadful, dreadful choreography. YES the song is AWFUL but her brother managed to choreograph a samba to BOOM BOOM SHAKE THE ROOM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aseZU0lweE which seemed like mission impossible but he made it work....also a Viennese waltz to ommpapah pah https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hscRdprxG74

Even her Tango with Ore this year wasnt choreograph properly IMO; All that time wasting at the beginning and just no, it wasnt great .

Like I said, I dont think you can always blame the song or the theme because other pros had terrible song choices with not so great partners but they managed to produce something great.

I may not be the biggest kevin clifton fan and Im not but I think that he is a great choreographer; for the most part.