WEEK 3, STRICTLY

Strictly Come Dancing Blog

WEEK 3

 

Hollywood week but which of our couples will be ‘putting on the Ritz’ and which would be ‘Singing in the Rain’.  A fabulous showgirl opening routine from our professionals and as if the BBC have brought back the over head camera! How many memories does that rekindle?

 

Fern & Artem      Charleston

C 5   D 6   L 6   B 6   T 23

A simple little Charleston routine that was full of drama and performance, Fern was however a little heavy footed in places and I would have liked a little more dance content, but a very clean a well polished routine.

 

Victoria & Brendan     Rumba

C 4   D 5   L 7   B 6   T 22

 

I knew this would be worth waiting for, the routine started off fantastically despite several mishaps with her dress, which then through Victoria off track as she quickly lost her confidence, she also needs to release her front knee when stepping backwards, rather than lifting the foot of the floor, it looked as if Brendan was having to drag in her round in the second half a little, but despite this all the foundations are now in place.

 

Michael & Natalie     Cha Cha

C 3   D 6   L 6   B 4   T 19

Michael does have a cheeky hip action, but it is still too forced, he now needs to control his hips through his knees and soften the lowering foot by pressing it into the floor, but a vast improvement on his Jive from last week.

 

Jerry & Anton     Quickstep

C 3   D 6   L 5   B 4   T 18

A huge improvement on previous routines a true full on Quickstep, full of technical content, Jerry’s posture still needs more work and I thought the judges marks were very mean, but it is great to see Anton dancing.

 

Sid & Ola     Tango

C 4   D 4   L 5   B 4   T 17

A great dramatised performance, but for me again there was not enough dance content, even when they were in closed hold their routine was too fluid and floaty, rather than attacking and sharp.

Kimberley & Pasha     Quickstep

C 7   D 7   L 7   B 8   T 29

No one can argue that these two don’t look good together, a great show stopping performance with great technical content, definitely a red hot roaring Quickstep, a little erratic in places on the scatter chasse’s, I think a slightly simpler timing would have helped here, but easily a higher standard than we expect for a week three dance.

 

Denise & James     Foxtrot

C 8   D 8   L 8   B 8   T 32

Wow, grace, poise, sway, and a beautiful topline, this is how Foxtrot should be danced, a great storyline a real professional performance, this has to be one of my favourite Foxtrots ever on Strictly and easily deserving of a nine, do you agree?

 

Colin & Kristina     Argentine Tango

C 7   D 7   L 6   B 6   T 26

Another brilliant show stopping routine, with great storyline, Colin was definitely leading his lady well and she obviously trusted him on the fantastic lifts they demonstrated, the Tango figure they performed were executed very well and despite them only having 10 hours to rehears this week due to Colin’s other commitment, was brilliant, I thought .

 

Richard & Erin      Quickstep

C 6   D 7   L 6   B 6   T 24

A well choreographed routine with signs of good control, Richard has obviously worked very hard this week but there still needs to be more technique on his rise and fall to help give the Quickstep its true flight, but a good attempt.

 

Dani & Vincent      Foxtrot

C 7   D 6   L 8   B 8   T 29

Yet another fabulous Foxtrot , remembering that this dance is one of the hardest dances to master, a great heartfelt story, with great line and poise, beautiful shaping and sway, Dani keep up this good work, and Darcey check your paddles a six! Please.

Lisa & Robin     Jive

C 8   D 6   L 7   B 8   T 29

Another lively performance from these two this week, but for me it was more jazz rather than Jive, I would of liked to have seen a lot more Jive content as I found it a little gimmicky, and to keep in the running with the other ladies this year is now going to need steps and technique, despite that it was fast her kicks were clean and made me smile.

Nicky & Karen     Quickstep

C 6   D 7   L 7   B 7   T 27

I loved the opening to the routine, but the majority of the time Nicky was dancing on bent knees and Gorilla walking around the floor, Nicky now needs to spend more time on mastering his basics and his technique will come.

Louis & Flavia     Salsa

C 8   D 8   L 6   B 8   T 30

An amazing true interpretation of Patrick Swayze Mambo, fabulous choreographer and Flavia obviously was loving performing the routine, I do agree with Len’s comment though, the attitude that Salsa demands over Mambo was not there, and this was because they were dancing a Mambo, but as a show routine it was fab.

I thought the standard of Saturday night’s show was fantastic, but I do think that the judges need to have their comments matching their marks.

SUNDAYS RESULT SHOW

An opening routine to beat all others to open the result show this week, a fantastic Quickstep from Anton & Erin with Tom Chambers and the cast of “Top Hat”, performing ‘Top Hat, White Tails’.  Jerry & Anton and Michael & Natalie in the bottom two this week, however I thought their demonstrations were similarly matched in the dreaded dance off, but for improvement alone I would have saved Jerry & Anton but we will see Michael & Natalie dance again next week in the Halloween Special. Do you agree with this result?