I am guessing the judges (well, Len anyway) will be looking closely at CCC technique. We have seen some really entertaining dances this year, but some of that was more about clever choreo and performance than technique.

Looking back at the dances again, I wonder if Claudia might just win this tonight - even without the acrobatics

As a reminder of the Cha Cha Cha routines we have seen, and scores:

Claudia and AJ - That’s What Makes You Beautiful' (26)
Danny and Oti – Cake by the Ocean (31)
Ore and Joanne – Hot Stuff (27 )
Ed and Katya – Love Potion No 9 (26)
Judge Rinder and Oksana - Mercy (25)
Louise and Kevin – What a Feeling (31)

If you take the performance/choreo away - who is strongest at the actual CCC steps?

Have they been rehearsing to any particular song, or will the band play any CCC at random ?

I actually thought Louise's technique was the best of all of them - from my non-expert perspective. She seemed to do that pressing into the floor and settling into the hips that is always discussed.

Danny's performance was incredible, and blew Louise's out of the water in that aspect - but he looked too high on his toes for me and a bit frantic.

Claudia is an unknown for me, as her Cha-Cha looked quite stompy.

I think out of all of them Danny's was the best but him and Oti didn't seem very confident with it on last nights ITT so I could see Louise/Ore winning. I hope Rob does well though.

I don't think the challenge will change the leaderboard dramatically. Could see it being the same with only a change at the top.

I think on ITT it was mentioned they won't hear the song until they get on the floor

Louise and Kevin - think they will play it safe make it look good and give the judges nothing to grumble about

I imagine that Ed and Rinder will both go a bit crazy and look for extra public votes rather than a commiseration point from the judges.

For the Cha Cha Challenge they don't get public votes. Apart from, of course, the normal voting after the show.

performance wise Danny's was the best cha so far for me - but that was for the routine he did with oti the cha cha thon will be based more on technique

it is several weeks later now so think any one of Danny/Ore/Louise will be top - Ore seems to have corrected the straightening of the leg by rumba, Louise without worrying about performance and just the routine may nail the technique better, and I am sure Danny will be less on his toes now that he has several other dances under his belt

Might be a close one

I think it is quite hard to judge who has done the best cha cha cha in the series, as they've nearly all been on different weeks, therefore different standards. I have to say, though, I haven't seen a single really good cha, so tonight could be interesting.

Stamina and technique... Claudia.

Possibly Ore

It doesn't take that much stamina, it's only the length of one track. By now the celebs should be fit enough to dance 5 dances flat out, without a break, as happens in 'real' competitions.

Why, looking at previous a-thons, people are fooling themselves that technique will have anything much to do with this car crash is beyond me.

I know people will look for conspiracy theories everywhere and some of them are completely bonkers but really - the rig-a-thon is, has always been and always will be a huge pile of carp.

Fun to watch on occasion though.

To make these .....-'-thons a more level playing field, I would love to see the celebs have to dance with a different partner than their usual pro dancer. They'd all have to learn a different routine.

I think Louise and Kevin will win. Kevin will be able to lead her better than Danny will be able to lead Oti (as good as he is - cant catch up on a lifetime of latin training that Kevin has had) and she seems to be good at picking up technique and adding detail to her dances.

I bet they will dance to let's get loud haha.

It was, Danny said it and Oti didn't look too confident, but regardless, I'm going for:
Danny
Louise
Claudia
Ore
Judge Rinder
Ed


You may be right, I might swap Louise and Danny!

If Ed is at the bottom of the judges' list and possibly ditto the challenge, even if he is at the top of the viewers vote surely he will be in the dance off!

They can't have a situation (again) where someone can't avoid the dance off, so if he is top of the viewers vote he must be able to avoid it.

The challenge makes no difference to Ed. He'll be bottom whatever and his score will be the same. It's the placings of the rest that alters his likelihood of his being in the dance off.

The obvious thing would be:

Louise
Danny (or Danny then Louise but I'm guessing Louise first as she doesn't have to lead)
Ore
Claudia
Judge
Ed

But I think it's possible they will bump up Ore or Claudia if they have had a bad time at the paso or AT. And these things get more audience reaction if they are at least a bit surprising. But it will depend how the leaderboard is looking after the main dances, not the technique, in my opinion.

Unless the other five couples have a disastrous evening, I still cannot see Ed escaping the dance off. Hopefully!

The CC-athon should help to break any ties which would make it more difficult for Ed to escape the D/O. It would never be impossible, however the no ties will certainly help to seal his D/O fate

Oh I hadn't realised that some of the were so close Kevin will definitely be strutting his stuff. I hope that Ed doesn't come last.