I know Giovanni's getting a lot of stick for those (gorgeous) spins but they seemed a strong indication that he knew all too well Laura was struggling with the dance so decided, rightly or wrongly, to throw a "wow" moment into the routine in a last ditch effort to get votes. She doesn't have enough fluidity for Latin sadly, although I'd say it was more average than "terrible".
Laura was terrible
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Originally Posted by GoinGaga:
“I know Giovanni's getting a lot of stick for those (gorgeous) spins but they seemed a strong indication that he knew all too well Laura was struggling with the dance so decided, rightly or wrongly, to throw a "wow" moment into the routine in a last ditch effort to get votes. She doesn't have enough fluidity for Latin sadly, although I'd say it was more average than "terrible".”
“I know Giovanni's getting a lot of stick for those (gorgeous) spins but they seemed a strong indication that he knew all too well Laura was struggling with the dance so decided, rightly or wrongly, to throw a "wow" moment into the routine in a last ditch effort to get votes. She doesn't have enough fluidity for Latin sadly, although I'd say it was more average than "terrible".”
There was no need for a fast Samba.
I dont think Laura is suited to Latin, she's much better at Ballroom. She just seemed to do a series of poses and hair flicks?? I'm glad Len and Craig both said what they said to Giovanni and it was obvious he out danced her. I actually think she would have fared better with a different partner, perhaps Gorka or Aliaz as there is just no spark/connection between these two (imo)
Originally Posted by choucroute:
“It's so glaringly obvious that Giovanni's solo bits were daft that I wonder if it was a last-minute, ill-thought-out addition due to lack of confidence in Laura's ability to do proper samba or having had to cut something due to her ankle injury.”
“It's so glaringly obvious that Giovanni's solo bits were daft that I wonder if it was a last-minute, ill-thought-out addition due to lack of confidence in Laura's ability to do proper samba or having had to cut something due to her ankle injury.”
That's the impression I got as well. Either she forgot something or just went wrong somewhere and gave up. He definitely looked like he was just doing something to fill in the gaps. She looked very half hearted I felt. Perhaps her ankle let her down or her confidence just went.
A very weak performance by Laura. The side by side sequence where Gio performed the Batucadas while she stood on the spot wiggling her bum was very odd -- I wonder if it was a last minute decision to not do them due to her sore ankle?
Originally Posted by Sarah777:
“There was no need for a fast Samba.”
“There was no need for a fast Samba.”
It would have been impossible to dance a slow samba to that music.
Originally Posted by Balthus:
“A very weak performance by Laura. The side by side sequence where Gio performed the Batucadas while she stood on the spot wiggling her bum was very odd -- I wonder if it was a last minute decision to not do them due to her sore ankle?”
“A very weak performance by Laura. The side by side sequence where Gio performed the Batucadas while she stood on the spot wiggling her bum was very odd -- I wonder if it was a last minute decision to not do them due to her sore ankle?”
Inclined to agree... bits of the routine looked unprepared (on Laura's part -- bits missed out?). What she did do however was not as bad as folk are making out. Gio was brill of course but that's not the point
Originally Posted by DiamondDoll:
“It would have been impossible to dance a slow samba to that music.”
“It would have been impossible to dance a slow samba to that music.
”
Given the injury, he should have asked for a different dance and if that was not offered
could have danced for a different song. She was never going dance a fast Samba in high heels. I have been saying this from Tuesday.
Originally Posted by Dervlathedog:
“Inclined to agree... bits of the routine looked unprepared (on Laura's part -- bits missed out?). What she did do however was not as bad as folk are making out. Gio was brill of course but that's not the point”
“Inclined to agree... bits of the routine looked unprepared (on Laura's part -- bits missed out?). What she did do however was not as bad as folk are making out. Gio was brill of course but that's not the point”
I watched it back on YT and enjoyed it far more second time around. She obviously didn't show much conviction, but I thought the actual samba steps looked nice.
Originally Posted by Sarah777:
“Given the injury, he should have asked for a different dance and if that was not offered
could have danced for a different song. She was never going dance a fast Samba in high heels. I have been saying this from Tuesday.”
“Given the injury, he should have asked for a different dance and if that was not offered
could have danced for a different song. She was never going dance a fast Samba in high heels. I have been saying this from Tuesday.”
I think you over-estimate the power of the pros.
I think she gave a great performance acting/glamour wise and was just over-matched by her injury in terms of what she could do technically. Giovanni could have picked more subtle ways to try to cover up the fact she could only really go for about 45 seconds but after everything that's happened this series with injuries I think they made a sensible choice. The real moment it was hamstrung was when they pulled out samba in the first place.
Originally Posted by DiamondDoll:
“I think you over-estimate the power of the pros.”
“I think you over-estimate the power of the pros.”
Surely the producers would have agreed for a slower song, I don't think they are that
cruel.
Originally Posted by Sarah777:
“According to your theory, Ed will have to be there too.”
“According to your theory, Ed will have to be there too.”
This Thread isn't about Ed so why would I mention him ?
I wasn't at all impressed with Giovanni tonight...we know he can dance but that's not the point. Are lifts allowed at all in a samba? Surely there were ways he could have aided Laura and showcased the bits she was better at as other professionals do. It wasn't great but him showing off what we know he can do will only ever make his partner look worse.
Even going up to Claudia he was more interested in doing his spins than noticing that Laura was upset. Maybe in pain too.
It was odd as I was thinking what a great team they seemed on ITT on Friday.
Even going up to Claudia he was more interested in doing his spins than noticing that Laura was upset. Maybe in pain too.
It was odd as I was thinking what a great team they seemed on ITT on Friday.
Originally Posted by cah:
“ This Thread isn't about Ed so why would I mention him ? ”
“
This Thread isn't about Ed so why would I mention him ? ”
I meant, if we applied that theory then Ed would be in the DO and Laura would be saved, assuming she dances.
Originally Posted by Sarah777:
“I meant, if we applied that theory then Ed would be in the DO and Laura would be saved, assuming she dances.”
“I meant, if we applied that theory then Ed would be in the DO and Laura would be saved, assuming she dances.”
Well yes ,if it's those two are in the Dance off ,which it should be going on tonights performances then of course she would and should be saved .....
It wasn't so bad, it's just the others were better. Was it much worse than Caroline Flack's Halloween samba?
Originally Posted by Sarah777:
“Surely the producers would have agreed for a slower song, I don't think they are that
cruel.”
“Surely the producers would have agreed for a slower song, I don't think they are that
cruel.”
I don't think it's a case of them being cruel, I just don't think they care much about what the pros want (at least that's the impression I get from some of the music choices this year that I find hard to believe a professional ballroom/Latin dancer would be happy with).
Originally Posted by who me?:
“I wasn't at all impressed with Giovanni tonight...we know he can dance but that's not the point. Are lifts allowed at all in a samba? Surely there were ways he could have aided Laura and showcased the bits she was better at as other professionals do. It wasn't great but him showing off what we know he can do will only ever make his partner look worse.
Even going up to Claudia he was more interested in doing his spins than noticing that Laura was upset. Maybe in pain too.
It was odd as I was thinking what a great team they seemed on ITT on Friday.”
“I wasn't at all impressed with Giovanni tonight...we know he can dance but that's not the point. Are lifts allowed at all in a samba? Surely there were ways he could have aided Laura and showcased the bits she was better at as other professionals do. It wasn't great but him showing off what we know he can do will only ever make his partner look worse.
Even going up to Claudia he was more interested in doing his spins than noticing that Laura was upset. Maybe in pain too.
It was odd as I was thinking what a great team they seemed on ITT on Friday.”
I'm afraid they aren't. And I'm not sure they would have saved her performance tbh. Her salsa lifts weren't very convincing imo.
Originally Posted by choucroute:
“It's so glaringly obvious that Giovanni's solo bits were daft that I wonder if it was a last-minute, ill-thought-out addition due to lack of confidence in Laura's ability to do proper samba or having had to cut something due to her ankle injury.”
“It's so glaringly obvious that Giovanni's solo bits were daft that I wonder if it was a last-minute, ill-thought-out addition due to lack of confidence in Laura's ability to do proper samba or having had to cut something due to her ankle injury.”
That's what I was wondering- I did think that maybe she forgot to do batucadas (I think that's the name of the step!) when they were side by side.... then the spins at the end were just so out of place, I think they were just added because there was something they didn't master in training/due to her injury.
Giovanni's moves were amazing! But at the same time, it did detract from Laura's performance and it all became about him rather than showcasing what she could do. I thought she performed her steps well, but Giovanni's solo did show her up.
Originally Posted by davey_wavey:
“Giovanni's moves were amazing! But at the same time, it did detract from Laura's performance and it all became about him rather than showcasing what she could do. I thought she performed her steps well, but Giovanni's solo did show her up.”
“Giovanni's moves were amazing! But at the same time, it did detract from Laura's performance and it all became about him rather than showcasing what she could do. I thought she performed her steps well, but Giovanni's solo did show her up.”
Yeah I'm torn between he should stop showing off/doing the old distraction choreography and wanting to see him move those eeeps more... him making it look so easy and natural did show up Laura who wasn't terrible but well she's not a pro and is probably still suffering a bit with the ankle so is obviously not going to keep up with Mr Latin champ turbo eeeps.
Originally Posted by Monkseal:
“I think she gave a great performance acting/glamour wise and was just over-matched by her injury in terms of what she could do technically. Giovanni could have picked more subtle ways to try to cover up the fact she could only really go for about 45 seconds but after everything that's happened this series with injuries I think they made a sensible choice. The real moment it was hamstrung was when they pulled out samba in the first place.”
“I think she gave a great performance acting/glamour wise and was just over-matched by her injury in terms of what she could do technically. Giovanni could have picked more subtle ways to try to cover up the fact she could only really go for about 45 seconds but after everything that's happened this series with injuries I think they made a sensible choice. The real moment it was hamstrung was when they pulled out samba in the first place.”
If she was struggling with her injury surely she could have done something slower like a rumba? Nobody else did one tonight and they haven't done one yet. Seems bonkers to make someone perform a really quick, energetic dance if they're still recovering from an ankle injury.
That's why I think she and Giovanni reckoned she was recovered and up to the task, but she just didn't perform well on the night.
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