Week 6 - Pre-show reactions

I wish the dancers would use what Len Goodman and I call proper ballroom and latin dance music and not the current music being selected then the dances might stand a fighting chance of dancing in time for a change.



Not to keen on some of the outfits either.

Music is less of an issue for me. Lack of actual dance style content is though!

At this stage of Srictly there should be a good amount of content from the couples and with the ballroom I prefer to see a good amount done in hold.

What a pair of pretentious comments! Its just a fun dace show !

Hi all,



The standout couples for me this week are the couples with the faster more electrically charged dances and fantastic music choices and my potential danger list is the couples with the more slower dances and also rubbish music choices.



My top 5 standout routines this week are.



Anita and Robin despite what I've heard about the rehearsals I have a feeling they will capatilise on their winning form as they have a fast and fun dance in the Charleston and also a great strong music choice in I've Got Rithym and they make a fantastic couple on the dancefloor and I do not think Anita will have troubke keeping up with Robin she is one srprightly lady on the floor.



Chelsee and Pasha after last week's wardobe malfunction Chelsee needs a dance routine to lift her sprits and a Charleston is the most fantastic dance to get that confidence lifted and with Pasha by her side this should be one fantastic partnership and a great routine looking forward to this one.



Holly and Artem Artem will of course be bare chested but to a gay man like myself that isn't much of a complaint hopefully the chemistry might just shine through this week because Jennifer Grey star of the orginal Dirty Dancing will be looking out for in my opinion will be chemistry.



Robbie and Ola after thrustgate last week Robbie needs a dance to settle him down and a Waltz might just do that as he needs to impress the hard to please CRH and with a ballroom routine he might just do that hopefully his footwork doesn't let him down.



James and Alex despite what is being said about the rehearsals they have a quickstep and a strong music choice with It Don't Mean A Thing If It A'int Got That Swing and even though rehearsals have been a bit dodgy James will bring all together no problem.

Now for my potential danger list and these are the routines with the slowest dances and weak music choices and these are in my opinion.



Jason and Kristina: Now Jason is a solid good dancer and he has proven that with 99% of his routines my favourite so far being the quickstep to Bewitched but the 1% that has been flawed was his not so good Paso whuch lacked attack and I have come to conclusion Latin is not Jason's strongpoint and Rumba in my opinion has to be the most boring dance style ever and it suits some couples but will it be more Mills and Boon or Love Scene from Albert Square jury is still out on this one.



Harry and Aliona this week have the dance of death the Samba the trouble here is over the past couple of weeks Aliona has given Harry very little to do in the Latin routines making the dance all about her and my feeling on this will be is she could possibly make Harry feel redundant and make the routine all about her jury again is out.



Audley and Natalie now this a concern as always said the top half of Audley is great but the bottom half not so great Audley's footwork is rubbish and he has majot timing issues and I just wonder will a combination of these let him down and put him into the bottom two for a 2nd time.



Lulu and Brendan personally a tango ticks the box the music choice doesn't Kiss by Prince sprry doesn't do it for me and is not the kind of music choice you dance a Tango to a dance that is intense and passionate needs a more stronger music choice than the choice they have been given.



Russell and Flavia with the walking disaster that is Nancy exited stage left will Russell take on the mantle of novelty act in a word yes they have the Paso great music choice but this dance requires the man to be strong and Ruseel to me is more cuddly Kids TV presenter than strong bullfighter and for me it will be Paso carry on camping style and in all honesty Russell for the taxi home this week.



Potential bottom three this week for me



Audley and Natalie(For his footwork and timing issues)

Russell and Flavia(Bit of a one trick pony for me now that Ms De'lolio has exited)

Lulu and Brendan(Rubbish music choice which in my opinion will bring Lulu's mistakes out for public inspection)

Here's my prediction:



Safe

Chelsee

Holly

Harry

Jason



Fairly safe

Anita

Robbie

Alex

Russell



Not so safe

Audley

Lulu

I love Len to bits but Im glad he's not on the panel this week. He's lost all credibility for me since he decided to constantly have a go at Aliona's choreography! Len, give Aliona a break please!

Nicely thought out post Fergal, but surely anyone can get tired of Artem's bare chest? It's like gorging on too much chocolate.

We both share the same views ojtocs though I have to disagree with 2 choices in your safe category and 1 choice in your fairly safe category.



Those are



Jason and Kristina

Russell and Flavia

Harry and Aliona



Jason and Kristina they have got one of the most boring dances ever which is the Rumba no matter what couple performs the rumba it is just one of the most boring dance styles ever Carol Voderman's rumba from the 2nd year of Strictly in 2005 and it was so boring she tried to look sexy and alluring and she was about as sexy and alluring as a wet lettuce but getting back to my point I can't really see Jason carrying off sexy and alluring in my opinion his Paso wasn't up to scratch and I think he will struggle with this one.



Harry and Aliona, Aliona treats her male celeb partners like fashion accesories she was the same with Rav Wilding and Matt Baker gave them very little to do and made the dance all about her and made her last 2 male celeb partners redundant it's a wonder they did not sit on the sidelines while she danced with 7 topless male dancers and they have the dance of elimination this week the Samba and couples have bitten the dust on this dance so if there ever was a time for Aliona to realise it takes two in a dance partnership that time would be tomorrow night.



Russell and Flavia I think a taxi and a jacuzzi for his knee I think they have a paso and a great music choice but in all honesty Russell has been camping it up for the last 4 weeks why change the habit of a lifetime and in all honesty his camp dance routines are way past their best.



So those three would make my at risk category for this week.

where is Len on saturday then n why ask Jennifer Grey what is wrong with our own jewel in the crown....Karen Hardy..she would make a great judge

Damage-limitation on ITT tonight ... BBC gave Ola and Robbie a long time on screen and we were told that Robbie's wife had come in to their waltz rehearsal, and been reduced to tears. Assumably because she found it so lovely.



Too late, as far as I'm concerned.

Sadly I don't think Artem will be bare chest Fergal, he and Holly are apparently wearing matching pin striped suits!!

looking forward to this week getting back to some proper dancing...although there might be lots of faffing about as Len isnt there ;)



I like the music choices for everyone

Like the music choices for this week. Hope the dancing is better this week with not say much phaffing around this week!!!!

Well at the risk of sounding pretentious (@ Comment No. 4), I'd like to see some actual dance content as well. Yes, Strictly is fun, but can anyone remember the thrill of seeing a really excellent dance (Jill Halfpenny's jive, Rachel Stevens' rumba, for instance) rather than having a mean-spirited laugh at middle-aged, overweight people being thrown around a dance floor?



I'm looking forward to Chelsee's charleston on Saturday - I think that dance will suit her perfectly, and I'll probably like anything that Holly and Jason can do.



Have to agree with the comments about Aliona - I find her routines quite dull as well.



Not sure about having Jennifer Grey - I loved her in Dirty Dancing, but it's bad enough we already have one non-dancer judge (Alesha), do we really need another one?

Well teddyandgypsy I like a man's bare chest no harm in that being gay and Artem has one fine physique and I do have a passion for chocolate if you know what I mean.



But getting back to the subject in hand the dancing matching pin striped suits I have a pretty good feeling about Holly and Artem's jive this week and it will be one of the main highlights of the week.



Also Jennifer Grey might be a non dancer judge but it will be nice to have a change to the judging panel for a week and I would say Jennifer might bring some much needed change to the panel she has won Dancing With The Stars and her film credit in Dirty Dancing speaks volumes as well and in my opinion she might bring a bit of class to the judges bench.

Well said Fergal... Jennifer Grey is lovely!

It will be great to have a change to the judges panel this week just as long as she did not study the judges cliches book before coming I'll be happy I do not want to hear such things as.



You owned that dance or You owned that dance floor.



Apart from that a welcome addition to the panel.



To sum up my top picks this week are



Holly and Artem

Anita and Robin

James and Alex

Robbie and Ola

Chelsee and Pasha



The jury is still out on Jason and Kristina and Harry and Aliona with Kason as he has been given the Rumba it will either keep me interested and wanting more or send me to sleep and Harry and Aliona will she make the routine all about her or figure Harry into the routine as well.



Danger list is Audley and Natalie his timing issues and footwork, Russell and Flavia Carry On Paso once you have seen one camp routine you've seen them all and Lulu and Brendan great dance shame about the music choice.



That's me for tonight

Goodnight all

Keeeeeep Dancing

Good Luck to Harry and Aliona, you have been the fantastic every week and had the best dance of the night last week in my eyes.



Looking good in training...sexy samba hips!!



cant wait until tomorrow..know you wont disapoint us.

I've got a right moan about a serious issue....Zoe's fringe! It's too long, in her eyes so she blinks all the time and, so she can see presumably, makes her talk with her chin thrown upwards and her head back! It's SO distracting! Get it cut or pin it back!

Seem to remember Claudia went for the same "peering out from behind a too-long fringe too" Please, nobody tell me it's "fashion" either!

Interesting that even Karen Hardy has said quite openly that a lot of the dances are show dances and not real ballroom dances and mentioned Harry's tango of last week as a prime example - great dancing but no ballroom content (It Takes Two this week - Wednesday I think)... so it's not just us mere mortals who think this way.



As for Jennifer Grey as guest judge, a really genuine, likeable woman... but I wonder if the 'skill set' of the panel is being skewed by not having a substitute with real ballroom experience and talent - Karen would be an obvious choice.



And... I'd echo some of the other posts in this blog (and others)... please give us REAL ballroom music and not some half baked pop song that just vaguely has the required tempo and rythmn.

I think that people need to give Aliona a break. Her choreography really portrays her dancers well....I don't think she wants to steal their spotlight as she would not be on this show. She would be on the wrong show if that was her intention. The only critic I have is that sometimes the content is limited in terms of what is required from the judges but overall I love watching her routines.

You got me there Fergal. Chocolate and Artem - Yum!

Hi all,



Just thought I'd check in and give advance warning anyone not wanting the cheesy VT's anymore will be sorely dissapointed because I have just caught a glance at the pics on the Sun newspaper and they are they have extra cheese this week.



Won't spoil it but will give you a teaser we have Jason Donovan in one looking like a poor woman's John Travolta out of Saturday Night Fever complete 70's suit and custom medallion as well.



Will comment after I watch it later tonight



Keeeeeep Dancing

Thanks for that warning Fergal. I really just wish they would stop those dodgy VTs I hated them on Dancing with the stars. The props are going too far as well, ah I remember the days when Strictly was prop free and cheese free, used to be about sophistication and the laughter was classic. I think Chelsee is having a car prop in her dance from the clues given. I also heard that Holly's got one too.

COULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO GET LULU TO SING HER SONG :TAKE ME WHERE THE POOR BOYS DANCE ON THE SHOW PLEASE MR DIRECTOR MAKE THIS HAPPEN

Hi all,



Just had a look at the dress rehearsals and for me it's a battle of the Charleston's this week with Chelsee and Pasha and Robin and Anita two different styles of Charleston to suit each celeb.



Personally I think it's a draw between both in my opinion but I would go with Anita and Robin because I love Anita's dress and Robin's outfit and also I love their song total big band to I've Got Rthymm and Anita looks to be having fin with this and that is what the Charleston.



Not to sold on Chelsee and Pasha's though on reflection not because of the actual routine but because they don't have a Charleston inspired music choice more a pop song but the jury however is out on both.



My top picks look to be in fine shape for tonight and I like Holly's pin striped suit very businesslike I would have thought.



Jason and Kristina I think will do well but I would be doubtful as I haven't really taken to rumba as an viewer and also Harry and Aliona hopefully we get hot nights in Havana as opposed to rainy night in Brighton.



Final Thoughts.



Top picks



Holly and Artem

Jason and Kristina

Anita and Robin

Harry and Aliona



Possible Dangers



Lulu and Brendan

Russell and Flavia

Audley and Natalie



Keeeeeeep Dancing

Also forgot to say my other top pick is James and Alex they look good according to the pic I've seen and they have the right ingrediants for a quickstep let's hope it doesn't fall flatter than a souffle.

So Jennifer Grey brought over as a judge at great expense ? Why couldn't they bring back Arlene for a night then we could remember what we are missing and get some proper critiques from an expert. And how long have we got left with Alesha please producers ? Please give us some hope?

Did anyone else notice Zoe this week saying "I wonder who will get the first ten" and then quickly add apart from Alesha's 10s ....as if she realised they obviously don't count.

Would of been nice to see our Karen Hardy on the panel tonight but Im sure Jennifer Grey will give out plenty of '7's'

Love the music but wished it was a little more dance tempo, how many dancers would love to buy this CD to dance to if was more danceable.... I think most dancers know what I mean, but generally fab music.

nobody is realising how good chelsee and pasha actually are....they are ammense!!!!xox,