Strictly Come Dancing - Saturday 9th October

As a change this week I've decided to blog my analysis all in one post, it'll make it easier for you guys reading too.

However I will post links as I go so you may need to refresh the page to see each new comment if you're watching live (well I'm starting about half an hour late!).

No dance offs this year, a bad move I think if we're left with Ann Widdecombe for 10 weeks!

First up, Matt Baker & Aliona Vilani Foxtrot.

A great performance last week, let's see how their Foxtrot goes this week.  Looks like they're going for an intense, almost Tango, feel to the dance (Emma's not sure on the beard).  Overall it does feel more like a Tango than a Foxtrot and whilst it's danced well I'd prefer a more smooth feel.  His arms can sometimes be a little too straight.  Very strange ending, almost looked like a mistake!

I'll only give it a 7 - I may be being harsh, but.it didn't feel like a Foxtrot to me.

Craig: 7 "Very sharp and very cleaning, ending was too hard"
Len: 8 "You shouldn't come out dancing that well in week 2"
Alisha: 8 "A tad serious, reminded me a bit of Tango"
Bruno: 8 "I've never seen a Foxtrot danced with so much passion"

Total score: 31 points

Peter Shilton & Erin Boag Salsa

Training hasn't looked good I'm afraid and the wiggle at the start is just wrong.  I don't really know what to say, Peter's worn out and there's not a sign of hips or a good arm movement - he is smiling though!  Really shouldn't be left on his own.  I hate to say it but I think I've seen the worst dance we're going to see tonight...well until Ann comes on anyway.

Shame as I like Erin, but I think she could be going out this week.  A 4 from me this week I'm afraid.

Craig: 3 "Very stompy, very wooden...deliberate and child-like...looked like you'd broken your ankle"
Len: 5 "Salsa is all about fun, rhythm, hip action...a lot of it you were just standing around too much"
Alisha: 5 "I don't think Latin is your strong point...you seem a lot more confident this week"
Bruno: 4 "I don't know if it was a wise decision to attract attention to your bum with that football"

Total Score: 17

Tina O'Brien & Jared Murillo - Foxtrot

Already looking a lot better than last week, mistake in the Feather Step at the start though, rise and fall seems to be out of sync.  It still feels like a very introvert performance.  Good spins near the end, though Tina looked like she was going to fall as Jared got her back in hold.  Overall a better performance than last week but I still feel that there's a serious lack of charisma to their dancing.

An ok performance but fairly uninspiring, I'll give it a 6.

Craig: 6 "Your timing got out a little bit...you were out of time together...ending spin was very good"
Len: 6 "As a performance I thought it was very good...in hold it lacked a bit of movement around the floor"
Alisha: 7 "You seem to be growing in confidence...much better than last week"
Bruno: 7 "You were trying so hard to get your frame right that it looked like you had a neck brace on"

Total Score: 26

Patsy Kensit & Robin Windsor - Salsa

Only 3 hours of training this week, doesn't bode well though training looked good.  A little too stompy at the start and doesn't really have much by the way of Salsa basics - lots of walking around waving arms.  A less nervous performance than last week but you can tell there's been a lack of training.

Only a 6 from me.

Craig: 7 "Compared to last week which was appalling...I thought the 'desk' moment was unnecessary"
Len: 7 "You've come out and took command of the floor...it did need more polish"
Alisha: 7 "You came out and attacked the dance"
Bruno: 7 "You found your confidence, it's something to build on. Watch your turns [and] Cuban motion"

Total Score: 28

Paul Daniels & Ola Jordan - Foxtrot

Looking quite nice up on stage, elegant and calm.  Not quite as good in hold though, Paul needs to get his chin up and keep the shoulders down.  There's no real rise and fall and the footwork's pretty bad.  However I think a much better performance than last week.

An improvement on last week and I'm going to give it a 5.

Craig: 4 "Had some rise and fall in the beginning, then it disappeared...you're looking down which I hate"
Len: 6 "A tad pedestrian here and there...better than last week"
Alisha: 6 "Ballroom definitely suits you more than Latin"
Bruno: 5 "There are some sections that are actually not bad...some sections you go around aimlessly"

Total Score: 21

Scott Maslen & Natalie Lowe - Salsa

Interesting costume choice, I'd expect it more for Jive than Salsa.  A good start on the bridge but I still feel like there's a lack of emotion on his face.  A Swayze inspired leap from the stage, but the floorwork looked a little laboured.  Nice hip action though and he's finally starting to liven up.  Some very complicated 'armography' though.

A good performance, I still want more from him on an emotional level and energy.  A good 7 though.

Craig: 8 "Flame grilled, red-hot"
Len: 8 "All the way through I'm thinking 'Go on my son'...a really good Salsa, well done"
Alisha: 8 "Nice to see you really going for it...good hip action...as good as your Ballroom"
Bruno: 8 "So strong, so tight, so footloose...always your eye on the prey cos you know you're going to get it"

Total Score: 32, hmm

Michelle Williams & Brendan Cole - Foxtrot

A surprise visit from Kelly Rowland appears to perk Michelle up, let's see if it translates to the dance floor.  Michelle still looks like she's forcing movements, Brendan does a marvellous full length slide down the banisters though.

Once Michelle is in hold there is improvement though, however she does need to watch her left shoulder.

Overall again a much better performance than last week and worthy of a 6.

Craig: 6 "Top line was tense, shoulders were raised, pigeon toed...but you put a lot of hard work and effort in"
Len: 7 "Far superior performance to last week...I thought you did a great job and well done"

Alisha: 7 "It's nice to see you in a Ballroom gown...I'm not 100% relaxed when I watch you dance"

Bruno: 6 "Who slipped?...don't raise your shoulders, the shoulders stay down"

Total Score: 26

Goldie & Kristina Rihanoff - Foxtrot

Could be a bit smoother in the initial walk in, the crosses across the floor started well but he'd lost it by the time he got in front of the judges.  Looks very uncomfortable in hold and needs to keep his bum in.  Again once he's out of hold there's a massive improvement in his dancing - not a good sign when you're dancing in a partnership competition like this.

As Emma puts it 'not hideous'.  If he'd been better in hold this could have been a 7 but I think only a 6 for me.

Craig: 6 "Your weight was a little too far back when you took your heel leads...still needs work but it's getting there"
Len: 7 "It was more brassy than golden Goldie...I thought it was a far superior performance than last week"
Alisha: 7 "I think you put your own little Goldie swagger on the routine"
Bruno: 6 "I liked the beginning and the end...you didn't get your frame right"

Total Score: 26

Pamela Stephenson & James Jordan - Salsa

Out of all the training videos I've seen this has looked to be the best, let's hope they continue it on the dance floor.  I'm still not a fan of the prop-based starts but some nice hip action once they start dancing and some very good turns, though I almost feel like it could be faster.  I wouldn't have done the floor spin, a fact supported by her almost falling.

A shame about the loss of balance as that was a great dance.  I'm still going to give it an 8 though.

Craig: 8 "Darling you went off like a firecracker...fantastic rhythm...hip action...you claimed the floor once again"
Len: 8 "The confidence you came out on the floor with...you coped with both of them [Waltz & Salsa] brilliantly"
Alisha: 8 "That had everything I expect from a Salsa...best of the night"
Bruno: 8 "Stumble apart you're the only person tonight that managed to convey the correct balance of rhythm and fluidity of the Salsa"

Total Score: 32

Felicity Kendal & Vincent Simone - Foxtrot

I still don't think the music was the best choice for a Foxtrot but it does give a nice sweet feeling, though it lacks a little excitement at the start.  It's a little too safe and boring for the majority of the routine, I would have preferred a bit more contrasting rhythms.

For me it was too safe and I'm going to give it a 6.

Craig: 6 "Lovely Spanish lines...open your hip out a bit more...smoother transitions between steps"
Len: 6 "Everything's ok but everything needs to improve slightly...little bit better than last week"
Alisha: 6 "For me overall it was a little bit average...I think you're a capable dancer"
Bruno: 7 "It was classy...a bit stately at times...you have to push it a level further"

Total Score: 25

Ann Widdecombe & Anton Du Beke - Salsa

I honestly thought they were going to leave this one to the end, especially with Anton bringing out the chest - thank God Ann put it away again.  Well aside from the lack of balance at times, complete lack of hip action and the sight of Anton trying to go under Ann's arms, it still has it's own charm.  Impressed at Anton lifting her at the end.

I'm going to be generous and give her a 5 though.

Craig: 1 "[Ann - don't bother, it's over, you haven't got a 0 so you may as well give us a 1 and get it over with] There is not one word in the English language that could describe what 10m people have just witnessed"
Len: 4 "It was a bit like the Hokey Cokey, you put your left foot in...but there wasn't much shaking about"
Alisha: 4 "It might not have been a Salsa but it was highly entertaining"
Bruno: 3 "It was unique and compelling, somewhere between horror and comedy"

Total Score: 12 (Is that the lowest score ever??? Apparently it's the lowest for the Salsa at least)

Kara Tointon & Artem Chigvintsev - Foxtrot

A great, flexible and elegant start, is it me or do most of the Foxtrots this week have Tango based beats?  It looks good though, her head is slightly out on occasion but overall a lovely performance.

I think I'll have to give this an 8 as well.

Craig: 7 "I thought you danced that very, very well...relax your left index finger darling"
Len: 8 "You did a heel turn...she did it beautifully"
Alisha: 9 "You are a fine dancer, that was a stunning routine"
Bruno: 8 "Mission accomplished Mr Bond...the chemistry between you two could power a nuclear power station"


Total Score: 32

Gavin Henson & Katya Virshilas Salsa

A bit too much running around at the start, but some nice hints of hips there.  Gavin does need to isolate his lower half of his body from his top half.

Better than I expected, but not really good enough.  I'm going to give it a 6 though.

Craig: 3 "Three fundemental flaws...timing...rhythm...hips, three things you definitely must work on"
Len: 6 "Have a bit of decorum...last week you were so good...unfortunately you didn't live up to the promise"
Alisha: 5 "I was a little bit disappointed...your muscles didn't distract me"
Bruno: 5 "You look self-conscious...the six pack is not enough"

Total Score: 19

Jimi Mistry & Flavia Cacace - Foxtrot

Needs to be careful about bunching his hands into fists and his head's a little too high when in hold.  A very nice performance though, calm and controlled.

Not quite an 8 for me but a very good 7.

Craig: 7 "I thought you were leading Flavia well...you danced all those wonderful little accents...well done"
Len: 7 "I didn't think I was going to like it...all the messing around on stage...the more it went on....I began to enjoy it"
Alisha: 8 "I loved you throughout that dance...it was a very sexy Foxtrot"
Bruno: 8 "At the beginning I thought you were going into a Full Monty...you're a great performer and it shows"

Total Score: 30