Strictly Come Dancing 2017: Week 8

Blackpool-mania starts now, people! The fact that they even have a record says everything…..

Nice shimmy there Shirl, Darcey’s dress is…. Odd.

The Fashion Police Segment:

Tess or Claud?: Claud, hands down. The cut-out on Tess’ dress does not do her any favours.

Best Dressed Couple: Mollie & AJ, with Gemma & Aljaz close behind

Worst Dressed Couple: they’re not too bad this week, but Davood & Nadiya

Not a Match: Davood/Nadiya, Joe/Katya, Susan/Kevin, Jonnie/Oti

Audience celeb-watch: Caroline Flack, Joe Lycett (comedian), VINCENT!!, Matt Johnson

Susan & Kevin – Tango – “Firework”

1.       Her left hand looks odd in the training footage, hope that improves in the performance

2.       That was better danced than I thought. Her whole frame was a little off for me though, her right arm seemed loose and her left hand was positioned oddly throughout.

3.       She’s still taking steps that are too large for her sometimes, and I thought she had trouble closing her feet occasionally.

4.       The sharpness was great though, and Kevin’s choreography was brilliant as usual, perfectly matching the accents in the music.

5.       Scores about right overall. Loved Ruth with the pom-pom streamers (and no Janette hogging at the front, yay!)

Joe & Katya – Rumba – “One”

1.       I must admit, I did like Tess’ ‘get ready to Rumba’ joke, and the fact that their ‘last week’ VT had Muse as the background music.

2.       Kudos to him, nowhere near as cringeworthy as I worried it might be. Hip action could have been more flowing I think.

3.       Seemed a bit on one spot for most of it, and was a little off-balance at times.

4.       Lovely lyrical choreography, fully agreed with Bruno on the hands, that’s one thing that Joe really needs to work on as he had some issues with it in his Paso Doble too.

5.       A little overmarked for me, I would have gone for 30 myself. Credit to Katya for trying to get her leg as high as Debbie there.

Ruth & Anton – Foxtrot – “Mack the Knife”

1.       Well she enjoyed that a little too much didn’t she?

2.       Left hand position was incorrect, wobbles in the frame….

3.       GAPPING! Craig criticising Anton’s choreography (they were out of sync at the beginning)

4.       Ruth was going too quick and couldn’t keep up with Anton (bit harsh from Darcey about her being out of her depth!); Shirley criticising Anton too, and Bruno calling him ‘Antun’.

5.       Amy and Susan sneaking in in the Clauditorium, love how Dianne is holding Susan’s shoulders. Scores are sadly about right.

Davood & Nadiya – Charleston – “Lambeth Walk”

1.       So now we know why Nadiya wasn’t taken to Albert Square – because for once this week is a pure training VT!

2.       So Caroline’s market stall has been reused (was that produce from Ainsley’s Salsa?) and so has some of her choreography….

3.       It was going so well but I could see a fair few times where Davood was clearly waiting for the next move. The 2^nd lift seemed to go wrong too.

4.       Erm, were they seeing something different to me?

5.       I have to laugh at his daughters voting for Jonnie, but he’s going to be Bond next week? Sorry judges but that should not have got 10s, who are you trying to get rid of to keep Davood? Would go about 34.

Gemma & Aljaz – Viennese Waltz – “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me”

1.       Breakthrough dance, right there people!

2.       Her head position still seemed a little off to me, and her left hand sometimes clung to Aljaz, but I thought her footwork was good.

3.       I was with Matt Johnson after Shirley’s remarks (SMH).

4.       What are the judges on tonight? I thought she did show the emotion through the face, you don’t have to smile the whole way through a Ballroom dance for it to have emotion.

5.       “Go on Gemma, go on!” Thank you Neil. Undermarked for me, I would have gone all 8s for 32. Stop trying to read the autocue Aljaz!

Alexandra & Gorka – Argentine Tango – “Mi Confession”

1.       I much prefer Shirley’s explanation of the Argentine Tango compared to Len’s “ooher, gercha, sweaty pampas” blether.

2.       Same shoes as Susan there in the training VT

3.       That was pretty good, I have to say. Took a bit of time to get going but it was great.

4.       I did feel that Alexandra struggled with this dance a bit, she looked down at the floor at times and her free arm was sometimes a little off, but the footwork looked fantastic.

5.       Loved Claud asking Alex about standing on Gorka’s feet given that she did it in their Ballroom Tango. Overmarked for me would have gone 35.

Mollie & AJ – Paso Doble – “Layla” (RECYCLED SONG ALERT! – Laila & Anton in series 7)

1.       I think that VT is setting us up for a comeback dance.

2.       I cannot believe I am saying this, but AJ’s Paso with Claudia last year to “Shut Up and Dance” was better than this: AJ being shirtless saved it.

3.       She seemed off-balance quite a lot, and I do agree with Darcey on her throwing away her lines. And also agreed with Shirley on her head as it did drop at times

4.       Aww bless her she seems so upset, love AJ being so reassuring.

5.       Oh Mollie, it’s as if you think you’re going already. Bit stingy on the scores, for once I agree with Brendan saying undermarked, would have gone 24.

Jonnie & Oti – Foxtrot – “Someone Like You” (RECYCLED SONG ALERT! – Kimberley & Pasha in series 10)

1.       I liked Jonnie’s explanation of why his bum tends to stick out.

2.       That almost made me cry, beautifully acted by them both and choreographed by Oti.

3.       Again, what is with the judges? Bugger off Darcey his hold was a lot better, thank you Shirley for saying that he’s constantly improving.

4.       I do love Jonnie’s interplay with the judges, and haha Tess ‘he’s never danced before’…. Indeed.

5.       I did laugh at the celeb guys going ‘oooh’ when Oti mentioned about Jonnie leading. Undermarked, think that should be 26 at least.

Debbie & Giovanni – Salsa – “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You”

1.       The forumites will be going on about injury porn

2.       He said ‘Debbie’ correctly!

3.       Entertaining but messy, not her best dance.

4.       Full credit to her for going all out on the lifts, but like Shirley I saw some mistakes and there was hesitation in places. I did think the footwork sometimes looked off, it was as if she couldn’t close her feet?

5.       A tad overmarked for me, I would have gone about 31.

My Leaderboard:

1.       Alexandra & Gorka – 35

2.       Davood & Nadiya - 34

3.       Gemma & Aljaz - 32

4.       Debbie & Giovanni – 31

5.       Joe & Katya – 30

6.       Susan & Kevin - 27

7.       Jonnie & Oti – 26

8.       Mollie & AJ – 24

9.       Ruth & Anton – 18

RECYCLED SONG ALERTS – this week: 2 (could have been a lot worse)

RECYCLED SONG ALERTS – overall: 29 (3 per week? Must do better little pixies)