I caught this on You Tube last night.

Is it just me, or did anyone else find it all a bit clinical? A bit, 'going through the motions'?

The lifts were beautifully done and there is no doubt that she looks very graceful, but I though it looked very stilted.

For example, Flavia danced over to Vincent, stood in front of him and lifted her leg, ready for him to pick it up and twirl her around. She exited from the lifts beautifully but the entry's were not so good, it didn't look like they flowed and sometimes did not look like they were part of the routine at all.

I was always taught that in the Rumba, one should never stop moving. There should always be some part of you always in motion! I had wonderful lessons with Kenny and Marion Welsh, who advocate the Rumba beat in this way:

"one-a-two-a-three-a-four-a-five-a-six-a-seven-a-eight-a" instead of the more usual "two-three-four".

Marion expected body movement on every single count and it requires an awful lot of control. It makes dancing the rumba a highly intense experience indeed. All good fun!

The dance they did to Westlife was not a rumba but a showdance. They are UK showdance champions. In showdance you have to show a number of lifts and separations and I think that's why it appeared far more clincal than a rumba where the movement keeps flowing through the body.
I know what you mean that things didn't appear to flow but I think that's more because they were dancing on a very small area of floor and were playing it safe!

I see your point, but personally I loved it! I think Flavia is a beautiful dancer and I agree I think it was definitely meant to be more of a showdance than a Rumba!

Flavia is so elegant! Her arms are poetry. It's just a shame that her dresses aren't quite as classy as Erin's.

That's because Erin's dresses for Strictly Come Dancing are made by her sponsers DSI where as all the other pros have theirs made by Chrisanne. Erin gets much more say in what she wears - hence the beautiful dresses!

I actually prefer Flavia's but that's just my taste

Point taken, showdance is a different ballgame and I know that lifts are an essential part of any showdance routine. But I still maintain that it is the entry into a move that should look more interesting than the exit out. For me, they had it the other way round!

They do look awfully good together though.