Each season he manages to bring the best out of his celeb, make their time on the show wonderful, and brings out their confidence. He works with all kinds of personalities well. In addition to getting Kevin as their pro, they get a built in support system with Karen and Joanne. His celebs truly become life long friends with him and his crew.

This thread is not aimed as a knock down on other pros, I think they're all great. I just wanted to start a positive thread about Kevin.

Its the only year I've warmed to him. I can only think that Brendan and Anton put up with Kev never getting a duffer is because they might be on a lot more money, given their longevity on the show

Good luck with this staying positive!

I am really liking Kevin this year. He has toned it down to match his partner and is coming across really well.

I just wish they'd given him a duffer. Natalie's popularity soared after she was coupled with Michael and Ainsley, I think Kevin would benefit from a similar 'journey'.

I think he has to be one of the strongest choreographers on the show. Whilst the music choices have been great for him and Louise this year he had a real struggle with a couple of songs last year and did brilliantly with them.

He has a real knack of adapting to his 'pupil' and bringing the best out in them. He must be a pleasure to work with.

He is an excellent dancer and I am glad he toned it down a bit this year, previous years he has been a bit OTT for my liking, but when he joined he was a breath of fresh air which was much needed.

I agree. I've always thought him a great teacher. I've always thought he included great content in his routines too, although sometimes it has been a bit twee in terms of story telling and presentation. This year I've liked that aspect of his choreography too.

I also think he is good at highlighting his pro and pitching the content appropriately. .

He is a brilliant choreographer, but I wonder how he'd have fared with very limited dancing experience.

Maybe that'll happen next year if he wins the trophy.

It really would be interesting to see him working with a beginner. Would he go the Katya route or the Anton route? Everything Ann says above suggests he would teach that person to the best of her capability.

I suspect he'd do okay with a duffer, just give them simple repetitive steps and chuck in some smoke and mirrors like all the pros do.

Do you know, I think one of his strengths is that he isn't 'sexy' and so he is able to put his partners at ease. Plus the presence of Karen means more reserved partners like Louise and Frankie can relax and develop.

I'm not sure Susannah counted as a miraculous first pick to be honest. She didn't look very promising and seemed to fit the "enthusiastic tries hard middle-aged woman who'll go out about week 7" profile. Frankie, Kellie and Louise are rather different stories though.

From what we've seen, he's a bit of chameleon. He seems to fit around his celeb - i.e. quiet and supportive with Frankie, brash with Kellie and quieter again with Louise who has serious performance issues. I'll be interested to see what he does with someone who has two left feet, but suspect he'll do fine with them.

Long term I can see him turning into the next Anton who looks after the slightly nervous older ladies.

Half of me is really keen for Kevin to win this year, just so I can see how he manages with Jo Brand next year.

I was going to say Mary Berry, but she'd get to the final just by walking down the stairs every week!

There's no flirting or pretending any kind of showmance. It must put the celeb at ease, and help them relax.

Yes, I think he would have no problem handling a less gifted dancer and making the routines interesting.

(Although Katya has been amazingly good and so quite a challenge to be as good as her! )

i thought he did a lovely job with that AS, it was beautifully choreographed and performed and he had a lovely laid back charm to his dancing, completely fitting the style and the tails.

Oh I was 100% with you until I got to the last sentence.
I really hope that he doesn't get put with the older ladies, if he does hopefully they'll be more of a Cherie Lunghi type.

I'd just like to add that he has always been a great dancer as well. 10-dancer with his sister Jo as an amateur, the specialising in Latin as a professional.

Hear Hear Kaycee totally agree. i really hope kev gets a duffer next year just to shut the knockers up and have no doubt he would have no problem at all

Well, Anton has to retire at some point and Brendan seems to be losing interest rapidly, so someone will have to step up to the plate!

Kevin and Pasha look the most likely male pros to take over gentle guidance with the occasional nice surprise duties. Pasha has already started down that road (Carol last year).

Thanks for the thread fingersandtoes, i like Kevin more with Louise than Kellie. I have been a fan since he joined. But prefer his partnership with Louise. I like the calmer Kevin and think he is more relaxed around Louise. Hopefully he will win this year. Hard job against Danny, but Louise will have her husbands support and i imagine his friends and hers James Corden, Freddie flintoff , Jack Whitehall and others to support them. So who knows.

I agree with others that Kevin has a great knack with his partners they have all got along with him. He must have learnt novices to dance at his Dads school and his own schoolis opening soon. So think he will be able to cope with a duffer.

He is one of the pros my wife would love to have as a teacher, Excellent on detail and a slave driver.

I need to become famous in the next 6 months, then get my agent to approach the BBC.
I would be the ultimate duffer for Kevin (but a bit too tall)

I was dreading him being given somebody who's able to put one foot in front of the other to music for the fourth year running, but this is my favourite partnership of his since he began on the show.

I am liking Kevin more this year too and I have often critisised him in the past. He has reigned it in alot and that is possibly due to having Louise as a partner. His partnership with Kellie last year was almost the complete opposite and was unbearably OTT.
The tweeness seems to have been passed on to Joanne instead though. Please Joanne drop the lollipops, the rumba was a good sign that she can!