So our top three are:

Denise & James
Kimberley & Pasha
Louis & Flavia

Denise Van Outen & James Jordan – Charleston

So a dance that should really have got a 40 at Wembley, can they convince Craig to give them a 10 this time?

I’m not sure the change to the start worked quite as well as being carried in at Wembley, but overall a good performance. The cartwheel lift wasn’t held quite as well this time round.

I didn’t actually feel it was quite as polished as Wembley, a 9 for me.

Craig: 10 “It is simply the best Charleston we’ve ever seen”
Darcy: 10 “A memorable Charleston…a true professional”
Len: 10 “I will never forget your Charleston”
Bruno: 10 “That was world class…technical ability…versatility…you’ve been fantastic”

Total = 40

Kimberley Walsh & Pasha Kovalev – Tango

I’m still not happy with their frame in this dance, and it still doesn’t do it for me I’m afraid. Balance is much better though but I think I’ll give them a 9 this time.

Craig: 10 “10 times better than the last time you danced it”
Darcey: 10 “I so enjoy it when you’re moody…the tension in that Tango”
Len: 10 “You’ve improved your technique and your footwork”
Bruno: 10 “Strictly irresistible…in the last few weeks you really have blossomed”

Total = 40

Louis Smith & Flavia Cacace – Charleston

They really don’t look in time with the music at the start, but Louis has definitely improved his acting. An extra back flip above Flavia certainly got the pulses racing.

An improvement on his previous Charleston but the start seemed out of sync with the music, so I’m going to give them a 9

Craig: 9 “Basically I loved it”
Darcey: 10 “I love that you add the cheeky Louis into your performance”
Len: 10 “I’ve never doubted your ability to dance, or the potential you had…that was a gold medal performance”
Bruno: 10 “Just what the doctor ordered”

Total = 39

So the leader board (my combined score in brackets) stands at:

1. 119 – Denise & James [28]
2. 118 – Louis & Flavia [27]
2. 118 – Kimberley & Pasha [26]

Really Denise should win this, but there’s been so much bad press about her having previous experience that I’m afraid she won’t, it’s all down to the voting public.

The Winner

The winners are Louis & Flavia!

Louis: “I can finally say I’ve won something in 2012…[Flavia’s] been an absolute legend…I have to [keep dancing]”

The post Strictly Come Dancing 2012 – The Results! appeared first on Learn To Dance.

Denise Van Outen & James Jordan – Jive/Showdance

Jive
They start well, and they’ve made some changes to the original routine. Unfortunately Denise starts to look puffed out by the final third and it gets a bit stompy.

I’m going to give them a 9 though.

Craig: 9 “Sharp, clean, full of fantastic energy…timing as always impeccable”
Darcy: 10 “I loved it the first time, and your style is perfect for the Jive”
Len: 10 “I thought you combined athleticism with artistry there…fantastic Jive”
Bruno: 10 “That was a premium grade Jive”

Total = 39

Showdance

I’m never a big fan of the showdances, though they have included a lot more dance content than some of the routines. We’re watching the final round our friends house, and his fiance has just spent 1 1/2 minutes screaming at the lifts!

A flawless performance there, such impressive and dangerous lifts, I’m going to give them a 10!

Craig: 10 “It was a little bit lift-central…I cannot believe what your body did”
Darcy: 10 “That was flashy…you could travel the world doing that…made it all look far too easy”
Len: 10 “All or nothing…it had danger…I’m so glad that that came off like it did…you deserve to be in this final”
Bruno: 10 “What a feeling, what a dance!…you pulled it off in a way I’ve never seen before – except in professional dancers…that was epic”

Total = 40, well deserved I think

Dani Harmer & Vincent Simone – Tango/Showdance

Tango
Dani’s just a little ahead and off-balance at times, and I don’t think it was as good a performance as their first time – though the finish was better timed.

An 8 from me I think.

Craig: 9 “Apart from the minor stumbling your work has always been clean…delighted to see that the dance actually finished on time”
Darcey: 9 “You look beautiful together”
Len: 9 “You are the spirit of this show…consistent”
Bruno: 9 “You’ve always been a very good technical dancer…couple of wobbles…tried to get the character right”

Total = 36

Showdance

My all-time favourite song…lets hope they don’t ruin it for me!

They really shouldn’t have started with Denise & James, unfortunately this just can’t quite live up to the previous routine. It felt messy in places, and just didn’t have quite the same ‘wow’ factor.

Just an 8 from me.

Craig: 8 “Transitions in and out of the lifts were slightly lumpy…dance content was absolutely extraordinary”
Darcey: 9 “It’s not easy, but incredibly well done”
Len: 9 “You may be small but for me your talent is huge…intoxicating, well done”
Bruno: 9 “Very ambitious…felt you were a little bit nervous…not quite as slick as we usually see…very ambitious and brave of you to attempt”

Total = 35

Kimberley Walsh & Pasha Kovalev – Viennese Waltz/Showdance

Viennese Waltz
It looks like Kimberley just loses her footwork slightly before the attitude spins, but they’re much better than the first time they tried them.

I’ll give her a 9 though.

Craig: 9 “You have grown so much this series…topline is very strong, core is very strong…no hops [in the spins] than last time”
Darcey: 10 “You’re graceful, you glide”
Len: 10 “Last time I liked it, this time I loved it”
Bruno: 10 “Grace, skill, timeless elegance…perfection”

Total = 39

Showdance

A wobble during their first lift could have ended in disaster, but they recover well. A missed arm as they go into Salsa. There was danger in this routine, but more from the expectations that they were going to fall.

A messy performance that promised a lot, but felt shaky. An 8 for me.

Craig: 9 “Indecent, improper, absolute filth…I loved it”
Darcey: 10 “You certainly burned up that dance floor, that was wild”
Len: 10 “Impact, speed, flair…full on, flat out, fabulous”
Bruno: 10 “I love wildness, I love passion…it’s a hit”

Total = 39, yet again they have failed to mention her shakes and stumbles!

Louis Smith & Flavia Cacace – Salsa/Showdance

Jive
Is it just me or are they a little ahead of the music at times? I didn’t really feel this was as good as last time, I gave them a 10 then but just a 9 now.

Craig: 9 “I really didn’t like the shoulder roll with the big old pout before the lift”
Darcey: 10 “100% better…it wasn’t safe, it wasn’t controlled, you spiced up that Salsa…it wasn’t just the hips, there was upper body work…brilliant”
Len: 10 “I’m going to call you Flavulous…you put in far more Salsa content but you kept the essence of Dirty Dancing”
Bruno: 10 “It was worth waiting [for]…more content, more power…you’ve got the eyes on the ball”

Total = 39

Showdance

This could be amazing…or it could be a disaster…but I think it might just turn out to be a hit.

Shirtless, that probably guarantees his place in the final for the voting public. I still don’t like the way he uses his arms in Rumba though, and his posture still needs work.

Doesn’t quite match up to Denise & James for me but worthy of a 9!

Craig: 10 “Fab-u-lous…A-maz-ing”
Darcey: 10 “You blew me away…it was sensual…I love the feel of the contemporary art to it…I really, really liked it”
Len: 10 “When you started I thought it was all going to be gymnastics…you showed me some Argentine Tango, some Rumba”
Bruno: 10 “Nobody’s disappointed…the strength of a superhero…diabolical flexibility…memorable”

Total = 40

So the leader board (my combined score in brackets) stands at:

1. 79 – Denise & James [19]
1. 79 – Louis & Flavia [18]
3. 78 – Kimberley & Pasha [17]
4. 71 – Dani & Vincent [16]

So we’ll lose one of these couples in the next hour, and unfortunately I think it will be Dani & Vincent, but it’s such a high quality final that any of them would be unfortunate to go.

The post Strictly Come Dancing 2012 – The Final! appeared first on Learn To Dance.

So the last few months have been fairly hectic for us, apologies therefore that I’ve not been blogging about the last few weeks.

Right back at the launch show I predicted that Harry & Chelsee could both do really well, but never gave a thought to Jason – two out of three isn’t bad though!

First up tonight is Harry & Aliona with their Quickstep:

Harry’s frame has definitely improved over the weeks and I think this Quickstep is actually better than the first time Harry performed it, with no noticeable slips this time.

Given that he got a 9 and 3×10’s last time he performed it then this really should be a perfect score.

Craig: 10 “You seem to have improved [lazy left foot]…I loved it”
Len: 10 “You’ve come out all guns blazing…I loved that dance first time round…that was brilliant”
Alisha: 10 “Your quickstep is stunning…maximised the floorspace…very strong start”
Bruno: 10 “You came, you danced, and you conquered Blackpool…loved it”

Total Score: 40

Jason & Kristina Tango

Jason started the competition strongly but has struggled more with the second-half of the competition however his Tango was a very strong performance.

Starts well however has a bit of a bum sticking out issue after the ‘disco’ section and this results in gapping over the rest of the routine which is a shame.

It’s entertaining but just not as polished as Harry’s, just an 8 from me I think, though I imagine the judges will give 9’s.

Craig: 9 “Your bottom was sticking out a lot and the chasses were a little bit skippy”
Len: 10 “You have survived 14 weeks of blood, sweat and tears…you give those other two 20 years in age”
Alisha: 10 “Clever choreography…I loved it”
Bruno: 9 “Tango with split personality…incredible and barking mad but I loved it”

Total Score: 38

Chelsee & Pasha Jive

This was very energetic before and hopefully Chelsee can bring that same energy tonight, with just a little bit more polish.

It feels better than her previous performance, though still is a bit manic in places.  She looks puffed out near the end and falls out of sequence with Pasha when they are facing away from each other.

Not her best performance, which is a shame, but I can only give it an 8.

Craig: 9 “A complete and absolute bundle of joy to watch…thousand steps a minute”
Len: 10 “Watching that gives me as much pleasure as a world championship”
Alisha: 10 “For me personally that’s my favourite Jive of the series”
Bruno: 10 “That was a premium grade Jive…you were GREAT”

Total Score: 39

So it’s 1. Harry; 2. Chelsee; 3. Jason and the lines are open!

Now for the show dances

Harry & Aliona

Harry is excellent when it comes to lifts but there are a few moments when it loses a bit of polish for me with a few untidy hands and holds.

Their last lift looks a little wobbly and the drum section at the end didn’t really seem to work.

Not as good as their Quickstep so just a 9 from me.

Craig: 9 “You have an enormous amount of talent…transitions could have been a lot smoother”
Len: 9 “If you were a stick of Blackpool rock you’d have ‘Talent’ written right through you…thought that lift [near the end] was a little bit sticky getting into it”
Alisha: 10 “I loved the concept…lifts were verging on dangerous…smoothly done”
Bruno: 9 “Great guns Harry…impressive strength and physicality…tiny little incident on a lift”

Total Score: 37

Jason & Kristina

It’s good to see show dances that are based more on the actual dances they’ve been learning (I’m sure some of you will remember Brendan Cole and Lisa Snowdon’s ill-fated show dance).

I can’t tell whether they’re out of sequence or not in some of the sections…Jason doesn’t look out of time but we just can’t tell if they’re supposed to be exactly synchronised at those points.

I felt it was more polished in some ways than Harry’s dance but still only a 9 from me.

Craig: 10 “Ferocious and full-on darling…a-maz-ing”
Len: 10 “You’re a showman, this is a show dance, the perfect combination”
Alisha: 10 “If this was a marathon you’d have won already…that was a SHOW dance!”
Bruno: 10 “It was a showbiz extravaganza…brilliant”

Total Score: 40


Chelsee & Pasha

I’m hoping they haven’t gone too ‘showdance’ with this routine…though the music fills me a little bit with dread.

I’m not sure on quite a few of the lifts, and again it just feels a little messy at times but another 9.

Craig: 9 “I absolutely loved all those lifts…so close, impossible to call”
Len: 9 “I liked the element of hustle…bright and shiny…what saddens me is that in about an hour’s time one of our couples is going to go”
Alisha: 9 “Really going for it…totally natural”
Bruno: 9 “A vision of seductive beauty emerging from the mists…were a couple of moments darling when you nearly lost it”

Total Score: 36

So leader board is now 1. Jason; 2. Harry; 3. Chelsee

FIRST ELIMINATION

Our first elimination tonight is Jason & Kristina. They’re all so strong that it really will come down to the audience tonight – though Harry has overall been the best this series.

I’m personally cheering for Chelsee but purely because I did place a bet on her at the start of the series (20-1, but also won £80 on her being the final female, get in!) – however I won’t vote as I still want to try and remain impartial!

Right then, down to the final two, it’s anyone’s to win it.

Harry & Aliona American Smooth

Harry’s already shown he’s adept at the lifts, and Viennese Waltz is a good choice for them.  They seem to lose it a little in the standing spin after the first major lift.  The second lift exit doesn’t seem to have any transition, and the third lift looked a little uncomfortable on entry, but a lovely dance nonetheless.

Not perfect but a 9 from me.

Craig: 9 “If it wasn’t the final there’s a plethora of things I could say about your hands…but I loved it”
Len: 10 “When you did the Viennese Waltz before I loved it…you just made what was a great dance into an unbelievable dance”
Alisha: 10 “Such an accomplished dancer…I think the nation has fallen in love with you”
Bruno: 10 “Perfect fit for your princely charms…I salute you your highness”

Total Score: 39

Chelsee & Pasha Rumba

Out of the two, I think Chelsee has the more difficult ‘new’ dance, as Rumba is one of the harder dances for the celebrities to perform, and Chelsee’s acting hasn’t been great so far this series.

Nicely synchronised at the start and a great ronde.  Much better floor splits than the last time she did them.

The hand is a little forgotten at times but this is beautifully danced, and exceeding my expectations.

Again not perfect but damn close, 9.5.

Craig: 9 “I thought it was absolutely magnificent”
Len: 10 “Because it was so slow everything is magnified, every detail…nothing I could see I didn’t like”
Alisha: 10 “You put your heart and soul into every single dance you do”
Bruno: 10 “You nailed that Rumba…acted it like a movie star…I loved it”

Total Score: 39

Down to the final two dances then, their favourites from the series.

Harry & Aliona Argentine Tango

Let’s hope for a bit more passion from Harry this time around, it was all a little too ‘clean’ last time around.

He’s still a magnificent dancer and there’s a great lift above his head in the middle.

I didn’t feel as much intensity through the dance as I’d have liked but the performance was perfection.

Craig: 10 “Like the nation I have fallen in love with you too darling”
Len: 10 “Last time I said I wanted a bit more intensity…and you listened to me”
Alisha: 10 “Perfect choice for the final…exquisite dancing”
Bruno: 10 “So cool, so strong, so sharp…I think I’ve been Tango’d”

Total Score: 40

Chelsee & Pasha Quickstep

This was probably Chelsee’s best dance of the series, let#s ope she pulls it out of the bag.

I’d like Chelsee to keep her toes pointed when she kicks them out (the Rudolph looked a little messy) but the rest is excellent.  Can’t quite tell whether there was a problem with the jacket at the end.

I’m going to give this another perfect score.

Craig: 9 “I said it before and I’ll say it again…first class darling”
Len: 10 “It’s your favourite dance…could be my favourite dance as well”
Alisha: 10 “Perfect combination of a great dress, great song, great dance”
Bruno: 10 “Strictly stunning”

Total Score: 39 (would have preferred Craig to give a reason though – obviously the other judges don’t agree)

Leader Board

1. Harry & Aliona: 156
2. Chelsee & Pasha: 153.

Financially I’d like Chelsee to win, but I do think it’s going to be Harry.  What about you?

The post Strictly Come Dancing 2011 FINAL appeared first on Learn To Dance.

1. 150 points – Kara & Artem
2. 144 points – Matt & Aliona

I do think that Kara is a better dancer than Matt, but something tells me Matt might just win the audience vote though…who do you want to win?

The post Strictly Come Dancing Final – Saturday 18th December Final Leader Board appeared first on Learn To Dance.

Kara has a dodgy arm, and Artem probably still a dodgy neck, it’s going to be an interesting American Smooth!

I can see now what Emma saw in her arms earlier, she’s doing extremely well to keep smiling.  It’s going really well but then it’s head down just before the standing slide and a very shaky section.

A true professional to keep going but unfortunately not perfect, just a 9.

Craig: 10 “I would kill to be able to dance like that”
Len: 7 “Hint of Tango, bit of Foxtrot…unfortunately should be a certain amount in hold…think your dancing is brilliant”
Alisha: 10 “You have been a delight…I think you are a beautiful woman…together you are first class”
Bruno: 10 “Whatever happens, this was an inspired performance…blend of what you did in this dance was incredible”

Total Score: 37

The post Kara Tointon & Artem Chigvintsev – American Smooth appeared first on Learn To Dance.

I wasn’t entirely sold on this first time round, if I remember correctly (haven’t time to go back and look).  Shoulder line loses it a little bit, and it’s a bit too clipped at times.  Can’t quite tell if they miss a hand at the end or not.

Another good performance, but not perfect, just a 9.

Craig: 9 “Thank you darling for those thumbs, gorgeous, unlike your head placement”
Len: 9 “Excellent ballroom dancer…little pickle with your fleckerl”
Alisha: 10 “A beautiful performance…impressive from the very beginning”
Bruno: 9 “Dashing, elegant…very nice Waltz.”

Total Score: 37

The post Matt Baker & Aliona Vilani – Viennese Waltz appeared first on Learn To Dance.

I still wish Kara would keep her head up during spins, she always looks off balance, and this is a very shaky start, there doesn’t appear to be any confidence there.  She keeps dropping her head.

As Emma puts it, there’s just something not quite right there, she injured her arm in the Show Dance and Emma can see she’s just throwing the arm out rather than placing it.  The look on Artem’s face at the end suggests things were not quite to plan and Kara was obviously dancing through the pain.

I didn’t enjoy the performance like I thought I would, and actually think I can only give it an 8.

Craig: 9 “An occasional wobble…missing most, if not all of your heel leads…spot the floor [during turns] which is a no-no”
Len: 9 “Such musicality when you dance…truly lovely to watch…few foot things”
Alisha: 10 “Constantly pushing yourself…so relaxed and at ease watching you dance”
Bruno: 10 “It’s quality, quality of movement…a pleasure to watch.”

Total Score: 38

A bit too high if you ask me.

The post Kara Tointon & Artem Chigvintsev – Waltz appeared first on Learn To Dance.

Some nice strong Spanish lines at the start, there’s a bit too much posturing around, even for Paso if you ask me, and the Chasse Capes look a little awkward.  I’m not sure on the rolling hands from Matt during Aliona’s back bend, that’s usually the girls role.

A very good Paso, not perfect so just a 9.

Craig: 9 “Actually I rather liked it…wonderful Flamenco”
Len: 8 “I liked it, but I wasn’t over struck on it…kept getting your chin down…ok but wasn’t fantastic”
Alisha: 9 “I think this dance was made for you…for me a solid performance”
Bruno: 9 “It had the aggressive power, it was flamboyant…lose artistry…good but not brilliant”

Total Score: 35

The post Matt Baker & Aliona Vilani – Paso Doble appeared first on Learn To Dance.

So our third place couple is Pamela Stephenson & James Jordan, can’t say I’m surprised as the voting was unlikely to go with her, but I still think she deserved to win it.

It’s a real shame but you can’t say either of the other two finalists don’t deserve to be in the top two.

So we have two more dances to see before our 2010 winner is announced.  First up (again) Matt Baker & Aliona Vilani.

The post Strictly Come Dancing Final Part 2, first out – Saturday 18th December appeared first on Learn To Dance.

1. 77 points – Pamela Stephenson & James Jordan
2. 75 points – Kara Tointon & Artem Chigvintsev
3. 72 points – Matt Baker & Aliona Vilani

So Pamela has ended up on top so far, as I predicted, though I think her Show Dance was possibly over marked.  It’s up to the viewers to decide who stays for the final two dances though…who gets your vote?

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