First of all, I was a Gaynor fan all the way through (after seeing her skate-off in the first one), although my first favourite was John because of his skating and showmanship.
Initially, I liked Bonnie a lot - her routines were always death-defying and the bruising and head-banging she accumulated would have been very painful and I admired her for relentlessly pushing herself to master everything.
Unfortunately, the judges' constant praise and their high marking when occasionally it wasn't deserved started to put me off (but only as Bonnie the 'skater' not as a person! After all, it wasn't her fault that they seemed so enamoured of her at the expense, perhaps, of a better routine on the night).
I was watching the Olympic skating at the same time too. And I began to notice that although Bonnie was amazing in the air, when she put her skates on the ice, she wasn't as steady as the others and Matt, being a lot taller and stronger, wasn't going to let her fall (others didn't have this advantage, as they were more or less the same height).
I still enjoyed Bonnie's routines - but it became obvious that she was the judges' favourite and they seemed to be overlooking her flaws when others had theirs pointed out. And that didn't seem fair.
However, I would like to point out that this WASN'T Bonnie's fault. She was clearly loving what she was doing, she was entering into it wholeheartedly and with the right spirit. I have no idea where the accusations of 'arrogance' that I have seen levelled toward her elsewhere on this forum came from. She seemed sweet and nice and was always generous and modest in any victory. And she always gave enormous credit to Matt.
I think the right three got through to the final (although I have to admit that I was gutted when John went out. That being said, Stefan was fantastic in the last few weeks since his last skate-off).
The 'flying through the air' routines were astonishing, although Bonnie clearly had an advantage here as she has at least been in the air on wires before as Peter Pan (as she said herself). Of course, what she performed in the air as that character would not have been anywhere near as complex as the stuff she did last night.
However, watching the entire routine, I noticed that she barely put a skate on the ice. That being said, it was incredible stuff. I would have given her a 5.0 or a 5.5
Stefan's routine, by comparison, was much harder because (a) he had never been in the air before and (b) spinning made him sick (thank god he didn't throw up over Kristina!). Plus, he incorporated an element of actual skating - and landing AND skating from being in the air is incredibly difficult. I thought he performed brilliantly and I would have given him a 6.0.
Gaynor, bless her, even though she was my favourite, did fantastically well, but she looked a little ungainly in the air. I loved the routine - and Dan's skating was absolutely wonderful. But I would have given them a 5.0. (and remember, she was my favourite!).
The second routines were lovely. I liked Bonnie's 'Big Spender' the first time around - and contrary to the perception that has been building, she did actually do some skating in this one. She did a lovely spin (granted she was holding on to Matt, but this is 'ice dancing' and dancers hold on to their partners much more than in pairs. Plus, let's remember these are amateurs here and not olympians!) and although she stmbled a little it was still a very solid performance.
Stefan did some incredble moves, incorporating lots of difficult elements into his skating - and although he stumbled a little at one point, I enjoyed it immensely. Clearly, however, he was a better skater on the ice than Bonnie.
Gaynor and Dan were excellent and unlike the other two made no mistakes. Plus there was the romance element to their routine - something they have always managed to convey incredibly well. They have a very strong partnership in this respect. I loved it. It's something that Stefan and Kristina try to incorporate but don't always succeed because Stefan occasionally looks too worried about falling (that's just a lack of confidence perhaps and he's probably scared about hurting Kristina if he does fall!). Bonnie and Matt have never conveyed that sense of romance - which is strange because all three of the amateurs are actors! So Gaynor doesn't have an advantage there.
I was delighted at the final two. I think it was the correct decision although I would have loved to have seen Bonnie and Matt's interpretation of 'Bolero' - not because it would have 'proved she couldn't skate' but for the sheer enjoyment element. It also seemed very unfair because they had practiced it. But again, (on 'Dancing on ice defrosted'), she was magnanimous in 'defeat', once more giving credit to Matt and stating that they had performed it that afternoon and that was enough for her.
Gaynor and Dan's and Stefan's and Kristina's boleros were vastly different and I loved the 'nod' toward T&D's routine in the latter (although the former also included elements from it!). On the night, however, I preferred Gaynor and Dan's (and not because Gaynor was my favourite - simply because I preferred Dan's choreography). I thought there was a messy moment or two in Stefan's and Kristina's and besides, Gaynor and Dan conveyed all of the emotion necessary for this iconic routine and those two things probably prevented it from securing Stefan first place.
For all the detractors who have been claiming that Gaynor spent as much time in the air as Bonnie - well, maybe so, but lifts are an important element in ice dancing (as is the emotion conveyed by the various partnerships - or not! - and the actual skating). And Bonnie, being a dancer, is more supple and able to manage the amazing positions she performed than Gaynor (or any of the other female amateurs). Gaynor didn't have that background and her performance of some of those lifts she and Dan did was nothing short of amazing.
This is not to take anything away from Bonnie - who was always amazing in the air and notwithstanding her suppleness, worked incredibly hard and put a lot of trust in Matt during those routines. (I do wish though that she hadn't continued to point out that she was '41'! And then last night that she was an 'old gal of 41'! Being 8 years older than that, I actually resented that statement! I do not feel like an 'old gal'! I actually don't understand why she felt she had to make this clear. It's not like she has arthritis or anything - I hope! Or that she's on her last legs!).
I think the right person won.
I still think they should have allowed Bonnie and Matt to perform their 'Bolero', however! It would have been a fitting end to an always astonishing display from the two of them.
