I love that the stylists are leaning into Emma’s own style now rather than putting her in another evening dress. The very loose-fitting trouser suit was gorgeous and very her. Jojo, meanwhile, wore the only two colours that make my teeth itch when worn together: orange and pink. Tara’s verdict in the group chat was that “Only Jojo could make getting tangled up in Xmas wrapping paper look THAT good!!” She’s right. I still wouldn’t want those colours in my wardrobe.
I’m also still wondering whether the presenters are in the right places. Jojo could offer something useful on the floor immediately after a dance: a professional’s perspective, a bit of reassurance and an understanding of what the couple has just attempted. Josh’s humour feels more suited to the Clauditorium, where he could help them relax while they wait for the scores.
Will and Dianne gave us a lovely, if safe, Waltz. After the first two weeks, safe was probably exactly what they needed. It gave him a chance to concentrate on dancing rather than a character, and the costume department finally let him wear more than half an outfit. Progress on several fronts.
Alexis definitely has her work cut out with Shaun. There’s still plenty to sort out, but he’s improving and looks as though he’s having fun. I don’t need everyone to arrive fully formed in Week One. Watching somebody learn is supposed to be part of the attraction, otherwise we may as well hand out the Glitterball at the launch show and reclaim our Saturday evenings.
Which brings me back to Couple’s Choice. Cach can dance and the routine was entertaining, only two weeks ago he was being told to master the basics. This week we’ve moved away from them again. How are we supposed to see whether he’s taken that advice on board?
He also gives me the impression that he’s auditioning for a West End musical. I don’t mean that as an insult: he knows how to perform, and this sort of exposure can lead somewhere beyond the competition. Whitney Leavitt from The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives went from Dancing With The Stars to playing Roxie Hart in Chicago on Broadway. Whether or not that was the original plan, there’s your example. I’d still like Cach to learn the ballroom and Latin before we start picking his opening-night outfit.
A moment’s pause for Jaime’s bronze dress, which reminded me of the Bronze Flip custom colour on our bikes at work. Apparently I can’t even watch Strictly without mentally consulting the Ribble paint chart. Her Viennese Waltz was a much-needed comeback, and I spotted her fleckerl before Anton mentioned it. Len would have loved that too. She looked more comfortable, the performance had feeling and there was proper dancing to get excited about. Fourth on the leaderboard was a considerably nicer place to finish than last week’s dance-off.
Sarah had some good shaping in her Paso, but I kept getting distracted by the facial expressions. I described it in the chat as the gurning on a comedown from ecstasy, which is probably not the performance note Julian had in mind. The general consensus was that her score was too low compared to other dances. I can appreciate the drama while still wanting the face to calm down a bit.
And then, to save the evening: DISCO DELTA. I am totally loving her partnership with Kai. Yes, she comes with performance experience, but that doesn’t automatically create chemistry with a professional partner. These two have it. She trusts him, he knows what to do with her ability, and I’m enjoying watching them far too much to pretend otherwise.
You all know I hate a Rumba. It gives me second-hand embarrassment and I’ve previously likened watching one to hearing your parents have sex. There has been the occasional routine that’s made me reconsider, but Lawrence’s wasn’t going to join that very short list. Shirley was right about the control and this is another dance I’d rather see later, once the celebrity has enough confidence and technique to make it work, rather than relying on the atmosphere to do the job. And a small note to costuming: I’d have put Jowita in orange pants rather than white.
Dani’s Tango was much better than I expected. There were a few stumbles and little foot adjustments to find her balance, but this was a massive improvement on the first couple of weeks. It gave us something to build on rather than another debate about how much practice she may or may not have had. Her dramatic eyeliner also deserves its own mention. Excellent work.
Graeme is very light on his feet, if a little pigeon-toed, and I love how Lauren dances WITH him. She doesn’t seem to be trying to out-dance her partner or distract us from his inexperience. She lets us see what he can do.
Katya took a different approach with John. She did plenty of spinning around John, with slower silhouette sections that felt designed to disguise the bits he was struggling with. She’s inventive, but I still want to see his dancing rather than admire how cleverly she’s covered it.
It made me think how much we understate the professionals’ job. They need versatility across dance styles, the ability to teach and choreograph for someone who may never have danced before, a personality that works on camera, and chemistry with whoever they’re paired with, all while making their own dancing look effortless. Being brilliant at the steps is only the starting point.
Bethany and Nancy gave us some lovely heel turns in their American Smooth. After all the discussion of performance and personality, it was satisfying to notice a specific piece of footwork and think: yes, that.
Tabby’s Argentine Tango closed the show and had the group buzzing. Vanessa called it “Dance of the night”, and I could see why the performance had people excited. I still want more discipline in the dancing, though. She wasn’t doing a bad job; I just kept thinking how much stronger this could be with more weeks of technique behind her.
I know I sound like a stuck record about Couple’s Choice, Charleston, Rumba and Argentine Tango arriving too early. Yes, early appearances have happened before. That doesn’t mean I have to like them. I want to see the celebrities establish their ballroom and Latin basics, then use that foundation to tackle the other dances. We’re in Week Three and there is plenty of time.
Meanwhile, Vanessa neatly summed up the voting dilemma: “I'm not voting for the best dancers but those mid table I want to save!” We judge the dancing all evening and then vote to protect the people we’re worried about so are we back to that popularity contest?
TL;DR - Lacey needs to borrow some of Vito’s confidence, Jaime gave us a fleckerl for Len, Dani is improving and Disco Delta can stay. I’m still policing the dance order, the choreography and, apparently, Jowita’s pants. Nobody is safe from the Faffing Police.
༻❁༺