Polls in the Radio Times can be really weird - Emma Bunton won one a year or two ago for best Strictly celebrity of all time

Perhaps it's this forum that's a bit weird?

I'm sure it is. I know there are plenty of people out there who like Kevin so that's fair enough, but I've never seen anyone else, anywhere suggest that Emma Bunton was the best contestant ever, so I just found it bizarre. Each to their own though.

I have watched the dance 4 times in a row and I can't see any lift. Could the OP or someone please post the clip they refer to please? It was said the alledged lift is at 3 minutes but the clips I have found don't last beyond 2.5 minutes, so its hard to deduce what you mean. At the end, the series of 10 spot turns (exquisitly executed BTW) ended with a dip. Is that what you are getting at?

Monkseal has a screen cap of it on his blog

if you watch the clip on the BBC Strictly site it is around 1.04 ish dont blink you will miss it - it is just before where she stops arms out stretched leaning into Kev

Thanks I see it now. Was it a lift or was it a jump who knows? (or indeed cares given it was a spit second in an otherwise beautifully danced routine)

Yep you are right it must have been the blinking , blinking that made me miss it.

Well, to be fair, the Judges should (as they have in the past, when the whimsy takes them, sometimes even for a toe off the floor in a twirl). They are the ones - especially Len - who are supposed to mark on the technicalities. It's the home voters who are supposed to vote on them feelings 'n' stuff.

Basically, if it matters in week 2 it matters in week 10. If you are going to give notice it matters - then don't be surprised if people get chippy when it suddenly doesn't without any warning.

In my opinion she left the floor under her own energy not Kevin's, which in my book classes as a jump. I am guessing by a twirl you mean the sort of thing where the lady is held under the arms by the man who spins around and she extends her legs in a sort of star shape - keeping in contact with the floor.

The test for me is could the lady do that step alone. In Lousie's case yes of course she could. In the case of the twirl ( if I am right in what I think you mean) it would be impossible for the lady to do that alone.

If someone sticking their thumb up loses them points, then so should a lift or an assisted jump or whatever it was!

BIB - I think if mattered in week 2, should matter significantly in week 10. Otherwise what's the point??. Week 7 onwards every point matters.

True. Some of judges comments were so over the top. You are one of the 5 a day, so good and I could watch you all day??. You guys didn't watch her for 2mins??

It was a move taught to her by Greg Rutherford......

Good points about the Judges not being consistent by other FMs

Len needs to go to Specsavers

the rules for the waltz are that at least one foot must be on the floor.
.

Former USA Dance president and professional dancer Peter Povor said a lift is defined as "any movement during which the dancer has both feet off the ground at the same time."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bvv5Oj8zL30

here you go from youtube both of Louise's feet leave the floor at 2.59 into the clip

She shouldn't even have had 9s!! It was littered with mistakes!!

Most overmarked dance of the series for me!!
I've been no fan of Louise throughout the series but if Claudia's Jive deserved four 9s then Louise's Waltz deserved 10s, illegal lift or not!!

I'm sure that's out of context as otherwise a handstand would be a lift as well. Having one foot on the ground at all times is the definition of competitive walking.

When I first looked closely at the clip I thought that there was nothing to it but actually Kevin had to lift Louise to get that semi circle turn. If she'd stepped round it wouldn't have worked so it must have been deliberate choreography.

it is not out of context it is referring to the rules of dancing the Waltz.

Loads of dances have been overmarked this year, although I think Louise has had the biggest percentage of them. I agree that Claudia's Jive was overmarked though - and the fact her latest routine which was nearly perfect got the exact same score shows what idiots the judges are, and what idiots they take us for!

that was so fleeting to get noticed ,nearly with the backs completely shown to the judges so it would not have been so easy to spot

Damn those Clifton bias judges!!!!

I thought the lift was quite obvious and was surprised the judges didn't say anything about it, especially Len. I can't say rule breaks like that bother me much. I don't consider Strictly a "proper" ballroom/Latin competition but more an entertainment show based on one. The marking should be consistent though - if they deduct a point from one couple for a rule break it should be across the board. For example, Daisy was penalised for an illegal lift in her cha-cha if I remember correctly. So if they are going to set a precedent like that early on they should follow it through each week imo.