Ussually by this time in a competition im all excited about my favourite couple.
mind you
they never win lol.
Matt DA
Louisa
Zoe Ball
Aled
but this year i just cant decide on a favourite.
I never particularly liked rachel in s club so altho i love vincent, that put them out so far
I love jodie and Ian but the tall blond reminds me of how i supported zoe and ian, only to be dissappointed
Any else feeling this way.

Yes. Last year I was supporting Alesha all the way, but this year I haven't got excited by anyone yet.

Austin definitely impresses me the most and I like his personality.

However there are a few other couples who I really like as well and who I wouldn't mind taking the title. So, no, I don't have a favourite this year. And honestly? I probably prefer it that way!

Mark my words, we have yet to see the best of the divine Christine.

I hope you're right. I have a funny feeling she might be in the bottom two this Saturday.

Edit: Sorry, I mean Sunday, of course!

I've got two - Jodie and Christine

I can't warm to the Judge's chosen few - Tom, Austin, Cherie, Rachel or Lisa - and really hope one of them comes a cropper and in the bottom 2 soon.

I only started watching SCD from series 4. Impressed with Mark Ramprakash (and Louisa!) and he won. But I won't call Mark my (clear) favourite.

With SCD series 5, I was impressed with Alesha (and Matt DA and later Gethin) and Alesha won. Much as I loved Alesha's personality on TV and her dancing, I wouldn't call myself a 'fan' of hers strictly (pun not intended!) speaking.

This series, I am impressed with Austin (and still somewhat like Rachel and increasingly so with Jodie).

As you can see, I often have a couple of dancers I am impressed with per series, but no clear favourite. Actually, this allow me enjoy the show a little more.

Bizarrely, I do have people I don't wish they progress to the finals for one reason or another. Emma (because I felt she stole Louisa's place in the semis). Gabby in series 5, and dare I say, John this year ('Cute' he might be, but come-on, this is not X-Factor where the likes of Ray Quinn or Eggnog reign supreme!).

Jodie ....she is getting there with the dance technique. I absolutely loved her Waltz.
She has an interesting personality and great chemistry with Ian.

Granted, she has her charms, but I can't see her being divine. The true diva was Matt's previous partner Alesha.

Still, to each his/her own.

Same feeling with FT, I think she might be in the bottom two this Saturday/Sunday...

Favourite? I'm beginning to warm to Rachel and her ample bottom

I await my stalker

You must either have a bottom fetish or an incredibly skinny/bony ass. Which is which?

Yup, i feel the same way.

Christine i thought would be great and blossom but it seems Jodie is taking that role.

Austin and Tom are great but i don't care for them because they haven't gone from rubbish/average to great. Is that childish of me?

Can't warm to Lisa at all and though i adore Vincent and Rachels done nothing to make me dislike her i just don't care about them.

Cherie really impressed me but i have been sorely dissapointed the last fortnight. I want my champion to be able to dance all styles not just the slow ones.

John started wonderfully but i am losing interest because he just doesn't seem to be trying and i feel for Kristina. It can't be nice putting your all into something and only getting through because the public love the dancer not the dance.

Heather i just don't care. Love Brian but feel he is not dancing to compliment his partner, unlike Kristina does.

I think overall i want Jodie to win because she has had the dreaded J word. Not got that strong love of anyone though this year which is sad. Still, maybe next year♥

I must admit I'm a legs and bum man

So it's Flavia and Lilia for me!


And as for mine

Me too, yohinnchild. I don't actually expect either of them to win (my dream final is Jodie, Christine and Austin but it ain't gonna happen) but I would love to see both of them stay in for a few more weeks, especially as I think both of them have the capacity to prove the naysayers wrong.

I was actually thinking about this last night in terms of the runners and riders this year. For various reasons, I still tend to view Rachel, Lisa, Jodie and Christine together, with each having various positives and negatives working for and against them.

Rachel - technically brilliant, a compact and tidy dancer with very good footwork but lacks the ability to 'sell' the dance fully. A bit undermined by Vincent's slightly overambitious, occasionally gimmicky choreography but they clearly have a good relationship on and off the dance floor. A favourite with the judges, which can work for or against her.

Lisa - Tall and slightly clumsy but has had a trajectory of improvement over the course of the show. Definitely undermined by her partner who is 'love him or loathe him'. I think there is also some tension in their relationship which is translating itself to the dance floor, and not to her advantage. Again, favoured by the judges, although not the extent Rachel has been.

Jodie - Again, that very useful narrative trajectory of going from poor dances to better ones. The improvement is clear which makes for a nice story line. Tall and a bit ungainly which could be a problem for faster dances (and has proved to be in both the rhumba and the paso) but has been a real benefit in ballroom. A fabulous relationship with her partner and a great attitude about learning dancing which is clearly winning over the fans.

Christine - Has had an inverse narrative trajectory and is really suffering for it. She has gone from three good to excellent dances to one that didn't suit her at all (and which she didn't perform terribly well) to one where her improvements were overshadowed by soundbite criticism. Thus the impression is that she isn't improving in the same way Lisa and Jodie are, despite the fact that they both seem to have similar problems with footwork and line (again, the problems of using height and limb length effectively). On the plus side, she does have the capacity to improve, she clearly loves learning to dance and she has a really lovely, warm relationship with her partner (based on what little we see of their training and their interviews on ITT). Plus he is popular in his own right - not a deal breaker, but it does help.

So I will be interested to see, as and when two of these four end up in the dance off together, what happens. I suspect Rachel will inevitably be chosen over any of the other three, but it could come down to the actual dance and its performance on the night for any of the other three, I think...
Last edited by TheHistoryGirl : 06-11-2008 at 11:52

Normally my favourite is one of the better dancers (Jill, Zoe, Matt Dawson, Alesha), and I had been struggling this year - not warming to the more skilled dancers. However I must admit I am starting to support Jodie and Ian - love how she is getting better each week, think Ian deserves to do well, and realise that it is probably not fair to continue to promote John, in spite of the general mirth that ensues at his dances and his quips - don't know if he can ever equal the whole cave man dragging sketch. Maybe if he went now they could change ask Len to ask John - better value maybe?!

Yup, no favourites here yet. However, I think they'll emerge once the competition hots up in the next few weeks.

We still have some fairly obvious 'dead wood' to clear out - as much as I like them both, John and Heather are not up to it at their present standards. I think a fast Latin will be Jodie's undoing too, which means she could go this week.

That would leave only the people I view (not that any of you others have to!) as real competitors - and THAT's when it'll get interesting.

I reckon Austin and Tom have a clear path to the final no matter what (unless the curse of Camilla strikes again.) That leaves Rachel, Lisa, Cherie and Christine fighting it out for the last final spot - although I wouldn't rule out a comeback from Jodie either!

Far from detracting from the enjoyment, this openness is only going to make things better. You listen to Auntie Lorelei!

I don't have a clear favourite yet but I have kinda split the couples up into groups in my head of those I'd like in the finals and those I want out asap

In - Lisa & Brendan, Austin & Erin, Jodie & Ian, Rachel & Vincent, Heather & Brian

Out - Tom & Camilla, Cherie & James, John & Kristina, Christine & Matthew

It has to be the delightful Jodie.

Consistently undermarked by the "judges", charming, endearing and a great dance last week.

Can we please get the totally over-rated Lisa out asap. She's almost as irritating as the plank of wood known as Arlene. Almost.

I am new to the boards and i see things like 'the dreaded J word' here and there. What does this mean?

Oh and back to the question, i don't have a favourite yet.

For me i like some of the professionals but not the partners. I love Brian but don't like Heather. Love Vincent but don't like Rachel. Like Lilia but Don is out now. I 'enjoy' Jodie and Austin but don't *love* them yet.

The only thing i want is Lisa and Brendan to go!

A Journey! Means they're improving week on week.

AH Journey thank you lol!! I have been so confused by that!

It's often mentioned on the XF forum too so thankfully i will have an idea what people are on about.

Like - Heather (I'm frustrated too!) & Brian
Rachel & Vincent
Jodie & Ian

Not keen on
- Austin & Erin
Tom & Camilla
Christine & Matthew

Not sure
- Lisa & Brendan
Cherie & James

Needs to go soon
- John & Kristina

I haven't had an out and out favourite like I normally do from the beginning but like a lot of people it seems, I am warming more and more to Jodie. I normally go for the best ability straight off but this year it was Cherie and Austin, two boring characters imo plus I admire how Jodie is growing each other.

I'm a Welsh rugby fanatic, so my favourite came as a complete surprise. Before SCD I thought that Austin was a gobby little snotrag, and an English gobby little snotrag at that!

Now I love him! He's a totally different person from his rugby playing days, he's hardworking, humble and a little bit cheeky, he has me in stitches at times and awe-struck with his talent at others.

For me, he is the best dancer, but I also like him as a person.