Her routines having so much gymnastics in them isn't doing her any favours. They need to be saved for a showdance, in other dances it feels like they're interrupting the flow of the dance.

I actually disagree, and I'm not a big fan of lifts generally... however I think Claudia does them beautifully, and that they flow well with the routines she is given.

It would be an issue for me if her dancing wasn't so great.

If you are referring to the lifts and tricks as gymnastics... that was a typical cali colombia salsa tricks... that wasn't gymnastics at all... it just Claudia's gymnastics background that she's able to do those stuffs.

I honestly don't know where this is coming from. I don't feel she relied on gymnastics in her foxtrot, American Smooth, Viennese Waltz, Samba, Waltz, Paso or Charleston. The only one that I felt really teetered on the edge of the technique/performance boundary was the Argentine Tango - but I still adored it. Jive and Salsa I think had a bit of gymnastic assistance, but still both great gos at the technique.

I think Claudia's dances have all been of a really high standard and her footwork's been complimented loads of times (e.g. AS) and that doesn't involve gymnastics at all.

I thought her salsa was a little messy in places and wasn't a 10 dance for me. Think her best dances have been AT, Charleston and AS but happy for her that she finally got a long overdue 10 tonight!

Because she can do those lifts... and no celeb in the past series (even pro) can do spectacular lifts... so in mind of some people they are gymnastics... lol

Exactly. If you think about it, apart from her jive, I think all of her routines have been great and that includes frame, footwork, timing etc. Also, she doesn't have any dance experience so I think she's doing amazingly. As are Ore and Rinder imo.

Tbh, I'd be surprised if the stage school graduates hadn't studied lifts. Sometimes gymnastics included in the curriculum too.

Claudia has only ever had to rely on herself, so I love how fearless she is with AJ.

She's using her gymnastics at the right times and in the right places. The pro dancers squeeze a number of their tricks into the routines as well if they can do it.

I like Claudia and agree she is good at lifts, but I don't agree that no celeb or pro in past series could do them. I've seen quite a few of those lifts done in the past (and fitted more smoothly into the routine).

I don't think she uses lifts to hide anything, though, as when she is on the ground her footwork looks good - and better than the judges often give her credit for I think.

This!!

I thought her performance tonight had more salsa content than Danny's had Tango and Louise's had QS which was also echoed by Len.