Strictly Come Dancing 2015: Week 8 (part, the only)

Sorry for this being so late, 12-8 shifts have made for a tired Enigma (that, and my internet hasn't been brilliant this week, hence why this post is an elongated '5 thoughts' as I haven't been able to watch the clips back).

After our weather presenter went somewhere over the rainbow (I had to try and get a weather pun in, c'mon!), just 9 couples remain, and one of them won't get to Blackpool (spoiler: the comedy contestant's time has come).

In the Style Stakes this week, both Claud and Tess looked great, and I've heard that the choice of blue was perhaps meant as a tribute to the victims of the Paris attacks; if so, then bravo ladies, bravo. Think Claud just about edges it though, as Tess' hair made her look quite old. As for the couples, I think I'll have to go for Katie, Helen, Gio and Karen as best dressed (with a special mention for Anita).


Anita & Gleb - Quickstep - "Don't Get Me Wrong"

*RECYCLED SONG ALERT! (Louisa & Vincent in series 4, Harry & Aliona in series 9)

Ooh here's the part where it's Gleb's turn to have the 'stereotypical nationality' VT. He's Russian so he's strict, basically he's the new Artem (either that or Artem has had some cosmetic surgery done, changed his name and it is actually him doing this series). 

Onto the dance, and *strange, I've seen that bridge before.....* (Audley & Natalie's VW I believe). It's not just the songs that we're recycling, folks! On a separate note, is it just me or do these so-called Quicksteps seem to get slower and slower every year? (If this is bad, then Jeremy's later is awful, just a heads up) This one took a bit too long to get going, but it all looked relatively decent - not as much gapping as Helen's for one. Anita still needs to fully extend on the arm lines, but that's the only real criticism I could give. 

I did love how in the Clauditorium: 1. Katie nodded 'yes please' to Claud's joke about Blackpool hen parties - I'm starting to think that Monkseal wasn't wrong about her doing the whole series being utterly gazeboed, and 2. Gleb's embarrassed face when Kevin got his boombox out - I wasn't even being dirty-minded then, you filthy animals - he was clearly thinking 'God knows what this is, but okaaaaaaay?'

Next time, Anita has the Paso Doble to deal with, and I reckon this could be her WOW dance. She has good traditional music (Chelsee's music, and just to warn you, almost every song next week is a recycled one), and if there's any time where she can prove that she's been working on her lines then it's with this dance. I'd say possibility for top 3 if all goes well.

My score: 7.75


Jay & Aliona - Foxtrot - "Lay Me Down"

Sam Smith is back I see, I'm guessing this is what the bloke from the 00s boyband was brought in for? (He didn't do that bad a job actually, but I prefer 'Writing's on the Wall' guy who I think was called Chris?)

Dance was a bit boring, but then the song was boring and not really a Foxtrot (Aliona tends to have bad luck with music choices for this dance - Harry's wasn't that great either). When Jay kept saying 'I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry' after they'd finished, my heart melted as I saw the slip as well, and even Aliona looked like she was about to cry. Oh Craig, I get that you're going along with the crafted storyline arc with some vehemence, but what emotion are you expecting to get out of a bloody Foxtrot that had music more suited to a Rumba? Thank god for Len talking some sense, I definitely sent them a vote or two thanks to that.

Next week, uh-oh, it's the party Latin that we've all been waiting for! Salsa for Jay, and although technically I'm sure it will be fantastic as always, this is the point where we find out whether the judges want him in the final or whether he's too much of a threat to their favourite (I suspect the former, we can't not see THAT JIVE again!)

My score: 6.75


Jamelia & Tristan - Samba - "A Little Respect"

I do love this song, not necessarily for a Samba mind, but I do love it (shame the singers murdered it though). Question though - what the hell was Tristan wearing? It's almost as bad as Matt Baker's Austin Powers Jive costume (I still wonder why Matt didn't go the whole hog and have the wig as well).

As for the dance, it wasn't bad but it was nowhere near the level of Georgia's, Helen's, or even Anita's. The start with the balloons actually put me in mind of Chelsee's Spice Girls Samba at Wembley (that was awesome too, sorry Jamelia). She obviously forgot some of the dance again, and at times like that I just want to shake her and say 'C'mon Jamelia, engage brain!'. She also still needs to sort out her arm and hand lines, but then Tristan's weren't that good either.......

Not surprised that she was in the dance-off, and now they've set the lovely record of most dance-off survivals (let's see if we can get them to set the record for most bottom 2 appearances as well, I believe that they'd have to get to the final and not be in the dance-off at all to avoid that, so here's our challenge as the GBP). 

Next time, she's doing the Quickstep, to Chelsee's Jive music. So that's another song that's really another dance but has to be rearranged to fit this one (Georgia's QS, and I think the Scissor Sisters song for Helen's Samba was sped up a bit as well). Sometimes I wonder whether the producers get given 2 or 3 new CDs for a series and they just have those and the ones they already have to use (it would explain the 2 Sam Smith songs used so far, just saying). Yeah, I think it's bottom 2 and goodbye this time.

My score: 6


Helen & Aljaz - Tango - "Hold Back the River"

An early slot for her. Again. Well, we do have to save La Andre for the end after all. 

As with last week, I'm not really sure what to think with this dance - some of that is likely down to the song (the whole thing just didn't feel like a Tango for me), and some of it down to me thinking that it wasn't as good as the judges made it out to be. I felt that she was off-balance at some points and if the judges go on about Jay having emotion, then what on earth was Helen doing here? In all honesty, I preferred Anita's Tango to this, that's just me.

Next time, Helen has to do a Charleston, oh good lord this should be funny if nothing else. I do want to see if she pulls off the #smugface that Pixie Lott managed in her Charleston last year though (got nothing against Helen, just get the feeling that she'll go so OTT in the facial expression department that she'll get close to that #smugface).

My score: 7.25


Katie & Anton - Rumba - "Never, Never, Never"

An Anton Rumba that wasn't a cringe-fest? Do my eyes deceive me?

No, this was much better than I was expecting, nice work Kanton! Probably the best older person Rumba since Cherie Lunghi, and Anton's obvious delight made me go 'Awwww'. She did lose her beautiful lines on occasion, and I didn't see that much hip action? What I did see however, was when Katie's foot came off the floor as Craig mentioned, and I thought that I saw something similar during the drag as well. She's got most of her bad dances out of the way now (only AT, Charleston, or Samba could really trip her up still), so provided everything goes smoothly (and this is a good segue into my next paragraph, wasn't intending it but oh well), she may well have an outside chance of getting to the final.

Next week, American Smooth beckons for Katie (see, I did tell you). Her real challenge here is the lifts - they weren't good in her Salsa, so here's hoping that she's got them sussed for this dance as I want her and Anton to do well this week.

My score: 6 (had to take a point off for the lift)


Kellie & Kevin - Samba - "Boom! Shake the Room"

There are no words to describe that dance, so instead I'll just say the following: 1. Kevin took me right back to Iveta and her bonkers routines for Mark Benton. 2. Getting comfy there Tessy! (the hand on Kellie's stomach). 3. Loved Craig telling Darcey to open her mind! and 4. Joanne going 'erm?' in the background in the Clauditorium when Kellie said that Kevin was brilliant, absolutely priceless!

Next time, KK will be Quickstepping to '9 to 5'. I feel a bit sorry for Kevin, it's as if the PTB are trying to ensure that he won't be in a 3rd consecutive final, so they keep giving him crap music choices/themes (well it's no 'Good Morning' (Susanna) or 'Town Called Malice' (Frankie) now is it?).

My score: given what they had to do, I'll say 7.5


Peter & Janette - Viennese Waltz - "You're My World"

Not last? Now there's a change! Thanks Tess for warning me of Kid Wars before the VT started, at least we know which side of the debate Junior is on (he looked better than his dad btw).

Onto the dance and I thought he looked quite good when actually in hold, however he does still need to work on finishing off his lines and hand shaping. Agreed with what Craig said about the dance being 'frantic', however Kristina's VWs are usually quite similar (Jason Donovan's comes to mind) and I don't recall anything ever being said to her? On that note actually, why was Kristina in the audience with Daniel and not in the Clauditorium? Darcey, challenge accepted. And Natalie's reaction to the 'donkey' joke was brilliant.

Next dance for Peter is a Jive, and given the song choice ('River Deep, Mountain High', the Alex Jones Jive song complete with rag doll if you recall) I get the feeling that Janette is going to chuck the kitchen sink, and the dishwasher, and even the tumble dryer at this routine. All I can say is, if he ends up beating THAT JIVE then he better do the dance of his bloody life ('because it's week 3...' pssh).

My score: 7


Georgia & Giovanni - Charleston - "Hot Honey Rag"

*RECYCLED SONG ALERT! (Patsy & Robin in series 8)*

Oh Georgia, I'm still not a fan of yours, but boy can you dance! It was absolutely fantastic and if only she wasn't so hesitant before going into some of the moves then it would be 10s all the way (for me anyway, we know the judges (ok, Darcey) have form for giving something a 10 even with mistakes - Patrick's AS anyone?) The lifts were awesome, they both handled them so much better this time in comparison with their Salsa. And if you want me to be frank, Georgia actually looked better than Giovanni at some points - he may have been underdancing, who knows? But you have to give her some kudos for that.

This might be naughty, but when they were about to give the scores, I was chanting 'Please beat Peter.... please beat Peter....' and when they did, I was ecstatic. And Natalie looked so happy for them, bless her!

Next up they've got the American Smooth, which means that it's them vs Kanton. Somehow I think Kanton will win - Georgia hasn't had slow Ballroom since week 2, so she has a bit more to prove in that respect. Also, Anton is the King of Ballroom, so Giovanni would have to really pull something out of the bag to out-do him. 

My score: 9


Jeremy & Karen - Quickstep - "Going Underground"

*gasps* He's last on! YAY!

Ok, onto the dance and as much as I love Jeremy, this was awful. So awful that I just don't have the words. You always know that when the judges give a comedy contestant praise, it means that they want him out and most likely he's going home. Hate to say it but I did agree with Craig on the 'dressage' part (my dog does something similar when he's getting up the courage to have a wee or poo outside, also Craig, where were you when Peter was doing his 'I'm a little horse, look at me trot' Quickstep in week 2, hmm?!). Darcey, he was never going to be able to keep his frame when he's so much taller than Karen (I said this last week but I think it's worth repeating). 

In the Clauditorium, and I love Karen's commentary whilst the scores are read out, whereas you can see Natalie thinking 'if only he was with me'. Also, Gleb and Pasha in pink fluffy cowboy hats, whilst Jamelia and Oti were shimmying with the candy floss completely made my night.

I am sorry to see him go, but on this showing, definitely the right time and Jamelia deserved to stay for another week. Bon soir Mr Vine, bon soir.

My score: 3 (sorry Jezzy, had to be done)



My Leaderboard (scores multiplied by 4 so therefore out of 40):
1. Georgia & Giovanni - 36
2. Anita & Gleb - 31
3. Kellie & Kevin - 30
4. Helen & Aljaz - 29
5. Peter & Janette - 28
6. Jay & Aliona - 27
=7. Jamelia & Tristan, Katie & Anton - 24
9. Jeremy & Karen - 12


*RECYCLED SONG ALERT!* count: 33 so far