Or will it fall apart again when she has to do a bouncy Latin
dance?

I remember thinking in the week one group dance that she was one of the most uncoordinated of any. It is always joyous to see someone improving so much.

i'll be suprised if she does a good jive just because no one really tall has managed to do a great jive so i hope thats not her next dance.
I do think shes improved loads though and is picking up a big fan base which is great.

Based on what we've seen so far I'd say she's definately the most improved celebrity of the series by far. She and Ian have become my favourite partnership of Strictly 2008!

But I do worry about when she's given a jive...

We haven't seen her tackle a samba, salsa, cha cha cha or jive yet... I'm worried that she's going to have a lot of bad dances in a row.

The problem with Jodie is the nagging feeling she will be found out by the faster Latin dances. To be fair a similar point could be made about Lisa. Until they nail one, their credentials are in doubt.

I've written several times before that the scheduling of the dances in Strictly can contribute to a false impression and j-words that don't really exist.

Jodie has definitely improved and is so, so pretty which enhances the whole ballroom look IMO.

The jive, well that will be a challenge I think.

She reminds me of Letitia from last year. Awful first week, really improved, but never really conquered Latin but the public totally loved her. I don't think Jodie is anywhere near as affected by nerves as Letitia was.

They also seem to have no concept of how to dress Jodie just like Letitia.

I do wish they would return to a more balanced schedule of dances. Ultimately it doesn't help anyone, except the really poor dancers, since to win it you have to do all the dances, and if you get the ones you don't like in later weeks, then in some ways it's worse.

I love Jodie and Ian's dancing. I didn't see their waltz last night but it looked great on ITT. I really do think she's improved enormously and that she's not just thinking about the steps but also the spirit of the dance and what she needs to convey.

Ooh I thought Jodie's outfit last night was beautfiul.

Letitia was a difficult person to dress as she has a disproportionatly broad rib cage area. That said, I think on most of these programmes, if the girls are not size 8 or below, then the designers struggle as its outside of their own comfort zone.

I thought it was a beautiful colour, but too stretchy over her tummy and out of proportion on her shoulders. It was also weirdly short, it finished just above her ankles, I know it's to show her footwork maybe, but it just looked like it was made for someone shorter and she'd just been given it as a last resort because it was the only thing that fitted.

I think she would look much better if it was all one colour, or all one material, but she looks like she's wearing the top of a swimming costume over a little girl's ballet tutu bottom.

Jodie is certainly the most improved out of this year's celebs. She didn't have any expectations of herself before the show started, had a good/average first week, a fairly poor second week but has then come out and shown herself to be pretty good at the ballroom (and her paso was okay too). However, I too fear for her a little with a fast Latin dance. I also think she needs to come out with a bit of a "wow" performance before she can truly be called "this year's improvement story".

Jodie is fast gaining momentum. I only hope the uptempo dances don't burst her bubble because her and Iain's partnership is one of the most watchable.

That's true. I think that Ian is one of the most likeable professionals. I think he really attempts to connect with his partner and bring the best out of them. His working relationship with Jodie is one of the few that I can relate to.

Hi Tabitha

It's funny as I've never really rated Iain before but am rather impressed with the routines he's choreographed for Jodie this year. And the pair of them genuinely seem to get on behind the scenes and have a chemistry on the dancefloor.

I definitely think they're bringing the best out of each other. I think Ian, unlike some of the others, really concentrates on showing off his partner. I think that in Jodie, he's got someone who is willing to put in the hard work, does have some natural ability and seems to have the capacity to improve. And I think both Ian and Jodie are blossoming because of that. I really hope that a fast Latin number doesn't prove to be their undoing.

I really hope so, partly because they are a lovely couple and partly because the show really needs them to be. I don't really feel any of the other couples, good or bad, are any better than they were three or four weeks ago. Some are getting worse.

I've been one of the ones who get snotty about the 'journey' idea, but this is a show about improvement and about being surprised by how well someone comes on. If no couple are surprising you, no matter how well they are dancing, I don't really think it is as good TV.

So I really hope Jodie and Ian can keep improving and tackle the fast dances.

Nah, she had one good dance on Saturday. Her previous efforts were utterly forgettable. Like these previous dances I find the partnership just as forgettable.

If she's dancing a Salsa or Jive or Samba next week, I imagine it'll be mediocre at best.

I agree. And like Letitia and Darren, the celebrity/pro partnership here just seems to click! They're so entertaining to watch!

Other than John's (the image of him dragging Kristina across the floor in the paso is with me forever) it's Jodie's dances that I remember the best. They've also provided me with the most entertainment off the dancefloor.

Although I'm a Austin supporter, I really like them and I have voted to keep them in. I think their partnership is superb, I enjoy their dances (yesterday IMO they were undermarked), and they are both delightful characters. I know it's probably not going to happen, but I wouldn't mind if they go all the way.

Can I take this comment back? I thought Jodie's samba was looking great.

I was going to quote your previous comment, you beat me to it!

I also think her samba looks great, hope she pulls it off as well on Saturday!

I don't really understand why we're talking about a Journey for Jodie.

I don't think she was bad to start with, just undermarked. In my opinion, she danced well from the off, but suffered from the bias of the judges.

For instance, Cheire's dance last week was appalling, but was still marked high by the judges.

If Jodie had performed that, she'd have been given 3's.

I'd love her to win this ridiculous but fascinating spectacle!

I agree. I don't think Jodie was ever all that terrible. Especially when she's compared with all the men too. It's always difficult to see what's going on with the feet in the dances, but she's always been fairly good I think.

She obviously has improved, but mostly in terms of performance. And I think people might have prejudged her a bit before the competition, but now she's had some time to show what a lovely person she is. I think it's the increase in popularity if anything (owing to her increased exposure to the viewers) that has made it seem like she's gone on that ride we call J.

I found Jodie's first dance ok actually and was surprised she was in the dance off

wasn't overly keen on the rumba but I hate the rumba anyway. Her AS and Waltz were both great I thought, paso not so good but then who did a good paso that night?

I thought her samba was looking pretty good for one day's practice

go jodie!