Darren and Lilia - The Foxtrot
Patsy and Anton - The Cha Cha Cha
Colin and Erin - The Viennese Waltz
James and Camilla - The Waltz
Bill and Karen - The Waltz
Zoe and Ian - The Tango

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm really not keen on the dancers all doing entirely different dances, it makes comparisons much harder. Surely there is a better way to do this.

What does everyone else think, 2 dances, one ballroom and one Latin every week, or a variety?

Absolutely agree. The storm of controversy over the judging last Saturday is proof enough of this. I much prefer the 2 dance format, this seems to cause much more confusion and difficulty!

I prefer when there were only 2, but this isn't so bad. Only ^^^^^^^^ that is, because there's only 1 Latin!

They seem to have made it hard on themselves this year, although I don't know how they've managed to get themselves into such a mess. Every other year it's all seemed to make sense, but now it's everyone doing something different, and as you say Anita it's hard to make comparisons between the performances. It makes everything seem bitty and difficult to follow. I think the judges are finding it hard too, considering the unpredictability of their marking last week.

I think the real problem is that they've had too many couples this year, and had to introduce new dances. Maybe next time they should go back to ten.

I've just looked at the list again....why are the two *technically* weakest couples doing the same dance??

I presume it's a coincidence and not something designed to start a voting war of comparison (sorry if this sounds stupid...) therefore putting neither in danger of getting eliminated this week?

So far in the series they've always had the two Yorkshire lads doing the same dance to carry on the "rivalry" theme but since Darren seems safer than James these days, maybe they've ditched that idea.

I think they should return to the 2 dances per week format too (and my patented 10 couples with no exits till week 3 thing); it is very confusing at the moment (and no doubt difficult to mark).

Looks like things are going to get really confusing this week, because of the way the dances have fallen. Here are my predictions:

Darren and Lilia - The Foxtrot: Darren seems to have been stronger in Latin, although he's been praised very highly for his lightness in Ballroom. I don't know much about Lillia's ballroom choreography. There is a chance he could struggle with this, but we'll see.

Patsy and Anton - The Cha Cha Cha: Oh dear. Anton doesn't enjoy Latin nearly as much as Ballroom. Patsy likes a nice, 'up' dance, although she seems to do better with drama. I think this will come down to confidence. She was really upset and nervous on Saturday, will the judge's overgenerous comments help her to recover? I think they're in real trouble with this one, they'll have to do something really special to survive.

Colin and Erin - The Viennese Waltz: Difficult. Colin seems to be unpopular because of perceived arrogance, and he does better with a dance that allows him to show off sexy or difficult moves. Since the Viennese is quite strict, I don't think he'll find himself at the top of the leaderboard. He could be in real danger this week.

James and Camilla - The Waltz: James did well in the Viennese, so I think he should do well with this one. I think he'll be much higher up the leaderboard than last week.

Bill and Karen - The Waltz: Depends on his ankle. He also did well in the Viennese, so this may also prove to be a good dance for him.

Zoe and Ian - The Tango: The judges will love it, whatever happens. I'm sure Ian will come up with some fabulous choreography, and Zoe will dance beautifully. I don't think she'll have to worry about the public vote this week, as usual.

Conclusion: Bill and James fans will be competing with each other on the phones, plus I think the Waltz will suit them both. They'll be safe. Darren also. Zoe and Ian will be safe by virtue of the judges, although we don't know how the public are voting with regard to them. The couples in trouble this week will be Patsy and Anton and Colin and Erin, unless either one of them can beat Zoe and Ian to the top of the leaderboard. Patsy and Anton will go, and I'll be miserable again.

Nice post. It made sense!! I hope it's Bill going, but I won't be overly upset if Patsy leaves. As long as it's not Darren or James.

think you will find this is last week of mismatch hve worked out this evens out and that all couples will have done the same dances after this week. cos of the imbalance in women Colin was only guy not to do the v waltz so I suppose only fair he does it - am really miffed though that zoe not doing latin - another modern dance for the dancer who is definitely not as good at latin as ballroom?? and patsy and anton doing latin and Anton is decidedly bad

Yes same, I won't mind at all if Patsy goes, but not Darren or James either, well worked out xadie!

xadie... you're a legend.

I still would prefer the old 2-dance line up though.
This mishmash hurts my head

Xadie what a great post, and pretty much sums up my thoughts, I can see a really strong couple in big trouble this week I just hope it isn't Colin....

From this list and last weeks result I reckon Patsy and Anton are going. Cha cha cha will be very difficult for them both. Unless his fans vote in full force, because he was in the bottom two.

xadie - congrats on the Claudia mention!

I really liked your post above! I rate your opinion highly as you've generally not gone in for oversentimentality. I'm not sure I have the impartiality to make predictions this far into the show especially where my favourites are concerned.

The public vote is the jewel in the crown for a show like SCD. The producers will be besides themselves with glee with Saturdays results as it provides the controversy that was on XF the week before and pushed up their ratings. Clearly James and Bill had a lot of support from the public last week but I'm not sure that it's just the 'rabid fans' (I love that term which I think was one of Aida's *nods Aidas way* ) Votes from the nutters like us on the boards are a drop in the ocean. I think the real power just comes from the 1 vote each from thousands of normal people who enjoy someone on the night.

*rambling* sorry, what I'm trying to say is the tide could turn for anyone with the public vote and last weeks top dog could be next weeks underdog.

I would have said Bill to go next Saturday, but I'm not so sure now. I think the waltz is for him.
I would have put money on Patsy being in the final but unless she pulls a fabulous cha cha out of the bag I think she's on dangerous ground. Shame, but there you are.

The male celebs may find it harder leading in dances like the waltz, they really have to take control and it is far harder than it looks, and often leads to messy looking holds, I think Bill will struggle with that the most out of the male celebs.

Aw, that's really nice of you to say My predictions are really based on the tides of opinion I see in here, but I agree that the vast majority of the public aren't hardcore viewers like us! I think most people that watch the main show probably don't even bother with ITT during the week, and I doubt they feel as much controversy as we do. I think a lot of people vote based on who they like personality-wise, who they actually recognise, the dancing itself, and in reaction to the judges. They probably don't really care about having favourites, like most of us do on here!

It seems unfair this way if your the couple doing a different dance youll look automatically wrong compared to 2 or 3 doing the same in which you get an idea and can compare. Here I go again but cant Zoe be given something she wouldnt suit for once

My congrats to Xadie too - and thanks for the shout-out, Beesknees .. the voting patterns stun me too - but as a true-blue forum nutter, I do my bit and vote 4 times for Zo and Ian, 4 times for Colin and Erin, and 4 times for Darren and Lil .. and four times for Brenda (oops - wrong show!)

I'm ashamed to admit that I've even managed to terrifiy poor Mother into believing that if she doesn't vote at least four times for Colin (her favourite) he might get voted out!

You're welcome Aida!

I wouldn't dare let on how many times I've voted

Xadie: Well done for summing up so well. Have to agree with you.

Tasi: I hope that Patsy pulls a brilliant cha-cha out of the bag, but I fear that even if she does, she will still go - look at Will! He went despite being tons better than Bill!! I want Bill to go next week, but he seems to have more fans than Patsy so even if he's rubbish and she's good, the fans will vote to keep him and Karen (who also has an army of fans out there) in!! I hope I'm wrong, cos I'd love for Patsy and Anton to remain in for another week at the very least!

It would be interesting if some of the usual high scorers with the judges like Zoe and Darren were in the middle of the board next week so we could gauge what their public support is. Not that I want them to go, but wouldn't it be interesting if they were in the bottom two (but only if somehow the picket line had worked and no one was allowed to leave).

Like how last year Denise and Ian were suddenly in the bottom two when the numbers of couples had decreased and then we knew it would be a struggle for them to win the comp, even with high judges' scores.

I agree that different dances are confusing and isn't helping the scoring at all. In the list above the judges are looking for totally different qualities, and you can't fairly compare couples doing waltzes/cha cha/VW. And very grumpy that Zoe isn't doing Latin, why? It's almost like they're throwing Patsy to the lions. Both girls should be doing the cha cha.

Thanks xadie for your post. It seems the general consensus that it'll be Patsy in trouble this week. For me she's far more exciting to watch (at her best) on the floor than Zoe but she seems to go to pieces on this whole judging/scoring thing, and paranoid about what the judges will say. If it was purely down to viewers voting she'd be fine. If you noticed her during the salsa she was really fizzing with everything that was missing from her Samba, simply because she wasn't being scored. A great shame.

Darren and Lilia: Foxtrot. He's constantly surprising us so he could be good. He does like more up beat dances though and he didn't like the VW.

Patsy and Anton: Cha Cha. Yes, trouble. Her public vote has obviously gone through the floor, and it may be only Anton's fans keeping her in. She was ludicrously overpraised on Sat. She really needs to take a grip and go and PERFORM or it could be over. Latin wise she did a nice rumba but this is a different beat.

Colin and Erin: VW. I agree that Colin has an image problem. It was noticeable on Sat on the footage how they were trying to show a warmer relationship between him and Erin, to up the viewers vote perhaps? He seemed a showoff on the foxtrot. The VW calls for a restrained control, and I think he'll find it difficult.

James and Camilla: Waltz. As soon as I saw this I was relieved. Yes, he'll like this. He did an excellent VW, so barring calamities he should have no trouble with it.

Bill and Karen: Waltz. Again a good dance for him, he's much more comfortable with ballroom and he did a very nice VW. All depends on the foot holding out.

Zoe and Ian: Tango. No, no problems here. She hasn't convinced me yet on the acting part of dancing however. Will she be as good a drama queen as Patsy at this?

Unless the bottom 2 dance atrociously or for whatever reason don't get the votes, it'll be Patsy or even Colin out.

I have to agree - I can see Patsy or Colin being in trouble this week, although I think Patsy's in the biggest danger. Colin could quite easily score highly in the VW, he has the grace, stamina and sheer determination to do it, plus he has Erin, a ballroom expert teaching it. Patsy however always seems to suffer in Latin, and I get the feeling her 'I can't' refrain is beginning to work against her with the public, perhaps cancelling out Anton's natural vote.

The speculation is fun though, no doubt I'll be on the edge of my seat come Saturday night