Belly dancing? I can imagine the perplexed looks crossing your faces trying to work out the connection between a writing blog and wiggling about.
Well the truth is from next week yours truly is going to be giving the belly dancing a go!
As you all know I am determined to lose weight and get fitter however with my back I need to build up slowly and avoid diving in with high impact work outs. A friend of mine has been trying to persuade me to go along and give the belly dancing a go for a while now and after a brief attempt at Zumba on the Wii I decided I had nothing to lose but potentially a lot to gain.
I love dancing but at the minute I just can’t take the strain of a vigorous Zumba work out, belly dancing will be gentler and put less strain on my joints until I get some more weight off and more importantly should be great fun to do.
Now obviously I will do everything I can to avoid any evidence of me shaking anything until only the bits I want to wobble do. I will live in hope of ending up being able to move like one of the most famous hip shakers out there once again.
Although I fear I will look more like Ellen
What unconventional forms of exercise have you considered?
(remember the opinions are mine as a viewer I have no actually knowledge in terms of the technical side of the dancing)
Oh we do like to be beside the seaside, oh we do like to be beside the sea….
Its Blackpool week where the remaining celebs get to dance at the spiritual home of sequins and feathers Blackpool Tower Ballroom and as always there are high expectations and they will have to raise their game to impress so lets see who puts a smile on my face…
Celebrity; Ashley Taylor Dawson, soap actor
Professional; Ola Jordan
Dance; Pasa Doble
Judges Marks; 35
What I thought; This has to be one of the few times in my life where I have found a cowboy a turn off, he was more Sid James in Carry on Cowboy than anything else to me, I just really didn’t like it, the music choice was okay and could have been an inspired theme with someone more imposing dancing the role, just didn’t do it for me sorry and the open shirt only shows how poorly he compares with the professional dancers physiques.
Celebrity; Mark Benton, Actor (starred in Doctor Who)
Professional; Iveta Lukosiute
Dance; Jive
Judges Marks; 29
What I thought; This is a dance which is notoriously difficult for the larger person and Mark fell foul of that, although it was incredibly fun to watch and I really do enjoy watching his and Iveta’s performances but technically it was poor, it was not his best dance and I would hate for him to go out on this one but I fear after the fans not getting behind him last week he may be in the dance off again and depending who he faces he could be going home.
Celebrity; Susanna Reid
Professional; Kevin Clifton
Dance; Pasa Doble
Judges Marks; 39
What I thought; Kevin decided to stick to the traditional roots for their routine and they nailed it. they looked amazing, the music was powerful and evocative and the dancing mirrored it. Susanna could easily have passed for a professional in this routine and her Pasa face was magnificent. Definite contender for dance of the week and if she keep going like this she will be fighting it out for a place in the final.
Celebrity; Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Singer
Professional; Brendon Cole
Dance; Quickstep
Judges Marks; 34
What I thought: I really enjoyed this it was literally as if by letting her hair down she was giving herself permission to thoroughly enjoy herself. There was a sense of fun and ease I have only really seen in the Charleston, the faster ballroom dances seem to be made for her. The dress was lovely and suited the occasion however I have said it before I wish they had covered her tattoo as it just does not fit with the ballroom image.
Celebrity; Natalie Gumede, Actress, ex-dancer
Professional; Artem Chigvintsev
Dance; Charleston
Judges Marks; 39
What I thought; Given there have been two amazing Charlestons already the series you cannot blame Artem for wanting to try something different, and for the most part it works. there were the odd bits which I didn’t enjoy quite as much and the thing they have slapped on Natalie’s head is proving very distracting. Technically her dancing is amazing but her overacting once again was off putting her as she gurned her way through the routine again.
Celebrity; Ben Cohen, ex rugby-player
Professional; Kristina Rihanoff
Dance; American Smooth
Judges Marks; 32
What I thought; I really loved this, a contender for dance of the week. Love how easily he picks her up and twirls her around like she were a child, for someone who has hearing problems and is neither an actor or performer he is proving to be fantastic. There is a really lovely feel to this dance, a tenderness which is beautiful to watch. He is proving to be the real dark horse of this competition as he goes from strength to strength each week.
Celebrity; Fiona Fullerton, Actress and Bond Girl
Professional; Anton Du Beke
Dance; American Smooth
Judges Marks; 29
What I thought; This was the dance I really thought would suit Fiona, she has a suave, sophisticated partner in Anton and you would expect Hollywood glamour and that they did deliver, sadly however it was rather ‘nice’ it lacked a spark and excitement, it was lovely to watch but wouldn’t leave you gasping in surprise. I fear Fiona’s days are numbered on the show as the younger ones pull out all the stops.
Celebrity; Patrick Robinson, Actor
Professional; Anya Garnis
Dance; Samba
Judges Marks; 35
What I thought; This was the best dance Patrick has done and it was a real shame his partner got her heel stuck in her dress, to be honest he coped very well it would have been very easy to lose count given how hard it was for her to free her foot. I think this was a real chance for Patrick as well to build his confidence he really seemed to feel this rhythm which hopefully will help him get into other dances as well as he did this.
Celebrity; Abbey Clancy, Model and Footballers Wife
Professional; Aljaz Skorjanec
Dance; Quickstep
Judges Marks; 37
What I thought; I have to say Abbey is becoming a firm favourite with me, another amazing performance, light, fast footwork, a huge smile and I really believed she was having the time of her life. Abbey when she is waiting to perform or stood afterwards looks like a nervous school girl expecting detention but when she dances she comes alive, a real contender for dance of the week, and of course she looked stunning.
My Dance Of The Week
Costume of the Week
The dress just flowed so beautifully especially when he was whirling her around in the air.
Frocky Horror Picture Show
It was not so much the dress but the wig that made this a disaster it made me think she had a ducks bum stuck to her forehead.
The Dance Off
The first name called for the dance off is Mark and I really fear he may be going home depending on who the second person is… he dances against Fiona but I would imagine it is getting closer every week. Mark ups his game in his dance but sadly Fiona falls apart and a split vote sees Len make the final choice and Fiona leaves us.
(remember the opinions are mine as a viewer I have no actually knowledge in terms of the technical side of the dancing)
Celebrity; Ashley Taylor Dawson, soap actor
Professional; Ola Jordan
Dance; Quickstep
Judges Marks; 35
What I thought; I want to say I liked it and most of it I did but there is something about him that puts me off and I think I know what it is. There is a surface layer of his Hollyoaks characters arrogance that for me he can’t shift but also there are a couple of little things that bug me such as the lack of pointy toes, this would not seem a big thing if he could not dance but he can so there is no excuse for not correcting such a little thing, I am also tired of hearing what a busy week he has had he knew what commitments he had when he signed up everyone else is just as busy so shut up and dance.
Celebrity; Mark Benton, Actor (starred in Doctor Who)
Professional; Iveta Lukosiute
Dance; Rumba
Judges Marks; 23
What I thought; I love Marks performances but I fear this week he could be in trouble, the Rumba is supposed to be a passionate, sensual dance and I understand that as a larger guy that is not easy to pull off. So choosing to play a character makes sense, choosing a Bond theme makes sense until you realise he chose to be Blofeld rather than Bond. While the bald head might appeal to a few people I doubt many will see this particular villain and think sexy, if Mark finds himself in the dance off depending on his competition it may be home time.
Celebrity; Susanna Reid
Professional; Kevin Clifton
Dance; Waltz
Judges Marks; 36
What I thought; They looked elegant, the perfect waltz dress (loved the feathers at the bottom) and the dance was divine. She looked like she was enjoying it and like this was something she does every day. Close contender for dance of the week and costume of the week, the competition really is getting that close already that you cannot assume any one is safe but it would be terrible if she were not in Blackpool next week.
Celebrity; Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Singer
Professional; Brendon Cole
Dance; Argentinian Tango
Judges Marks; 32
What I thought; My favourite dance of all the Latin dances so I have high expectations and I confess I was a little disapointed Sophie created some fabulous lines and shapes, she looked gorgeous but she was just a little too fluid. Where there should have been sharp staccato she flowed from one move to the next, she needed to be sharper, more passionate but it just didn’t quite get there which was a real shame, I really enjoy watching Sophie dance and I know she gives everything but I am beginning to get the feeling she will never really be able to excel at Latin.
Celebrity; Natalie Gumede, Actress, ex-dancer
Professional; Artem Chigvintsev
Dance; Jive
Judges Marks; N/A
What I thought; Sadly this week Natalie collapsed in rehearsals and was unable to dance, she does get a bye this week which does mean should she recover she will be in Blackpool next week. I may not have agreed with her being chosen as a competitor but it would be horrible to see her have to leave through illness so I hope she will make it back, she is a beautiful dancer and of course should she go out we would see less of Artem which would really be tragic when he has so many chest baring dances remaining.
Celebrity; Ben Cohen, ex rugby-player
Professional; Kristina Rihanoff
Dance; Jive
Judges Marks; 26
What I thought; Before he even took to the dance floor I knew this would not be Ben’s best dance, the jive is bouncy and lightening paced which is almost impossible for someone of his size to keep up. However despite not being the best Jive it was fun and his back flip at the beginning was very impressive. Outfit wise I can’t decide Kristina looke gorgeous as always but not sure about the Sailor theme.
Celebrity; Fiona Fullerton, Actress and Bond Girl
Professional; Anton Du Beke
Dance; Pasa Doble
Judges Marks; 26
What I thought; Technically she is not the best dancer, and she does not get the best outfits due in part to her age but also I think the does not have much of a waist which in some style does show, but and this is a big but I really loved the story telling in tonight’s dance, I loved her steely determination and while she might not get her best score I hope she will get through another week, saying that last week proved no one is safe and you cannot judge who the public will save or condemn to the dance off
Celebrity; Dave Myers, Hairy Biker Celebrity Chef
Professional; Karen Hauer
Dance; Tango
Judges Marks; 20
What I thought; Where do I start… I guess first with the whole theme a Scottish Tango, I would never have thought of using the Proclaimers song ‘500 miles’ for any dance let alone a Tango but somehow it worked, technically possibly the worst dance of the night but you know what I don’t care I loved it, it made me smile, it had everyone on their feet and if this were judged on entertainment value Dave would win hands down sadly as it is a dance competition his days should be numbered.
Celebrity; Patrick Robinson, Actor
Professional; Anya Garnis
Dance; American Smooth
Judges Marks; 37
What I thought; Great music choice and they looked great,
Celebrity; Abbey Clancy, Model and Footballers Wife
Professional; Aljaz Skorjanec
Dance; Charleston
Judges Marks; 36
What I thought; First I have to say I really did not like the wig they put on her this week, I get the bob is more suited to the dance but I wish they had just made it a straight bob and it would have been less distracting, However the distraction was soon blown away by the dancing wow maybe not quite as good as Sophie’s Charleston but it is very close and definitely the best of the fast dances for Abbey so far.
My Dance Of The Week
Costume of the Week
Classic elegant and flowing the perfect ball gown.
Frocky Horror Picture Show
I am sorry but Blofeld is just not sexy no matter what Iveta wears in response.
The Dance Off
Waiting for the dance off show to start no idea who will be in it, realistically it should probably be Dave and Mark but I doubt it will be, this has to be the most difficult series of Strictly to call.
First up to face the dance off are…Dave and Karen and I have to say that unless the people they face fall flat on their faces I think they will be going home. The second couple is Mark and Iveta, I think they will be safe, and unless they really mess up we will say goodbye to Dave and Karen so let the dance off commence…
both couples up their performances but as I expected Dave goes home and misses out on next weeks Blackpool extravaganza.
(remember the opinions are mine as a viewer I have no actually knowledge in terms of the technical side of the dancing)
Well it is Halloween and you all know how much I love dressing up so I expect to be highly critical of the outfits lol last year this week was amazing with not only great costumes but great character performances will this lot live up to it? I think certain people will shine at this theme others I fear will be left looking haunted rather leave lingering memories….love the opening number ‘The Timewarp’ it was fun while still keeping some of the original moves in.
Celebrity; Ashley Taylor Dawson, soap actor
Professional; Ola Jordan
Dance; Tango
Judges Marks; 33
What I thought; The costumes were really good, and the music suited the dance really well. I did enjoy parts of it and technically it was quite good but I am going to have to admit I am biased against him. I just see parts of his Darren persona come through each week and as it was a character I really disliked in Hollyoaks it is putting me off him on this, I can appreciate the technical side but I am not sure any more where Ashley finishes and Darren starts and if he can really play any other parts
Celebrity; Mark Benton, Actor (starred in Doctor Who)
Professional; Iveta Lukosiute
Dance; Pasa Doble
Judges Marks; 25
What I thought; Loved the idea and the twist on the interpretation sadly the dancing was not quite as good as the dancing, but it was real fun. It is great to see him play to his strengths and if he had tried to do a classic Pasa I think he might still have put in a decent performance not sure how this will go down considering that the alternative version of a dance didn’t workout to well last week for Deborah.
Celebrity; Susanna Reid
Professional; Kevin Clifton
Dance; Charleston
Judges Marks; 34
What I thought; Right lets start with the outfits loved him as a werewolf hated what they put her in. Susanna is a real woman with curves so why cove the curves with tassels that made her look bigger than she is? Plus she missed out on getting into the scary spirit but onto the dance, I did enjoy it not as good as Sophie’s which is obviously the benchmark for this series Charleston’s but it was fun, flirty and fast my only issue was the lifts. I mentioned last week my concerns given Kevin is barely bigger than her and I think it did show in the lifts during this dance and gives even more cause for concern should they need to perform a show dance.
Celebrity; Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Singer
Professional; Brendon Cole
Dance; Jive
Judges Marks; 28
What I thought; I really loved the outfit, the music and the story telling of the performance but and it is a huge but the actually dancing was yet again a disappointment, Sophie’s long legs and laid back style just didn’t suit the jive my dogs lift their legs higher than she did in her kicks and it was like watching slow motion at times. the energy was there it just looked like someone had pressed a button and slowed down the action, really not sure how she is going to change this but feel she really needs to to have a real chance at lifting the glitterball.
Celebrity; Natalie Gumede, Actress, ex-dancer
Professional; Artem Chigvintsev
Dance; Viennese Waltz
Judges Marks; 38
What I thought; Well what can I say except I loved it, unusually I loved everything about it, the music was romantic and haunting, the costumes were perfect for the dance and the occasion and the dance was exquisite. A definite contender for dance of the week. It was brilliant Natalie let the dance speak for its self and cut out the pulling faces this week.
Celebrity; Ben Cohen, ex rugby-player
Professional; Kristina Rihanoff
Dance; Pasa Doble
Judges Marks; 32
What I thought; Okay they really seem to have missed the whole horror/Halloween theme but I guess Ben stripping to the waist does compensate for that, over all I really enjoyed it though I think he did twirl his cape for a little bit too long. I am really enjoying watching his transformation from rugby player to dancer and can only image how much he could throw Kristina around in the show dance.
Celebrity; Fiona Fullerton, Actress and Bond Girl
Professional; Anton Du Beke
Dance; Charleston
Judges Marks; 28
What I thought; Okay was not tot.ally convinced by the ‘scarecrow’ costumes as a choice for halloween they were more comedy scarecrows than scary and reminded me a little of Judy Garland dressed up in one of her films but overall I enjoyed the dance, there were serious timing issues when they were supposed to be in sync and it certainly was no where near as good as Sophie’s Charleston a few weeks ago but it was fun and Fiona looked to be enjoying herself rather than being petrified, I don’t see her making it to the final but am glad to see she has conquered her nerves.
Celebrity; Dave Myers, Hairy Biker Celebrity Chef
Professional; Karen Hauer
Dance; Jive
Judges Marks; 19
What I thought; I confess I did cringe when I heard he was doing the Jive because I knew this would be another car crash. He brought fun to the show and brilliant entertainment but sadly once again the actual dancing was lacking. As much as I love him I do think his days are numbered and that the first time he finds himself in the dance off he will be on his way home unless his competition falls flat on their faces.
Celebrity; Rachel Riley, TV presenter and Maths Whizz
Professional; Pasha Kovalev
Dance; American Smooth
Judges Marks; 30
What I thought; I really liked the outfits and the concept behind this dance, most of the dance was lovely but there were just the odd moments where you saw the clumsy girl peep through, things like not quite finishing arm movements but it was quite fun and a big improvement on last week but I do think that the next time she finds herself in the dance off unless she is facing Dave she may be heading home.
Celebrity; Patrick Robinson, Actor
Professional; Anya Garnis
Dance; Quickstep
Judges Marks; 32
What I thought; I know last week he had hurt his hand but I am starting to get a little fed up with them going on about his injuries, they said in week one he has dodgy knees why keep reminding us get on and dance or go home. Music choice was good, costumes were okay but nothing outstanding and sadly I felt the same way about the dance, there were some really good sections but overall I was left feeling very underwhelmed. I do think the judges scores are possibly because they don’t want to see him in the dance off like last week but we shall see.
Celebrity; Abby Clancy, Model and Footballers Wife
Professional; Aljaz Skorjanec
Dance; Rumba
Judges Marks; 34
What I thought; The costumes were brilliant and she looked stunning, the song was one of my favourites and perfect for a spooky Rumba. I think it was pretty amazing but maybe could have done with just a little more wiggle and hip action not easy I know for a size zero with no natural curves but she certainly has the flexibility to twist to add the illusion of curves.
My Dance Of The Week
Really close between this and Abbey’s number but this just edged it for me
Costume of the Week
I totally loved this dress it moved so beautifully as she twirled and whirled around the floor
Frocky Horror Picture Show
Sadly this costume made me think of the turkey wrapped in foil at Christmas more marshmallow man than spaceman.
The Dance Off
This will be close and as I wait to see who will be in the dance off I really can’t call it if we were going on dancing I would have to put Dave and Rachel at the bottom for me but will the general public agree lets see…..
first into the dance off we have Abbey which is a huge shock to me she is joined by Rachel and now it becomes a real question of whose nerves hold out, if both repeat early performances Abbey should be safe but she gets very nervous.
Both couples danced even better than earlier, Abbey stays and I have to say before they danced Abbey showed what a sweet girl she was with getting so upset about having to go against Rachel.
(remember the opinions are mine as a viewer I have no actually knowledge in terms of the technical side of the dancing)
First this is a little late as those of you following my FB page know I had been rather ill last week and have been very lethargic and feeling sorry for myself thankfully I had a few post scheduled ahead so it did not effect my blogging as badly this time as illness has previously. I also then had a busy week this week with it being half term, I have just posted this months review which you can go check out here and please feel free to join my on FB or Twitter as there are lots of things I post and share there that are not really the sort of things you blog, including a daily song from my own music collection and final thought of the day I also share at least one blog I have read once a day you never know when it might be yours lol. Anyway on with the dancing…
Celebrity; Ashley Taylor Dawson, soap actor
Professional; Ola Jordan
Dance; Jive
Judges Marks; 31
What I thought; I was really surprised at how little I enjoyed this, the best thing about it was the music, I felt although he through himself into it he forgot half the basics. Not pointing toes in flicks and kicks then blaming the boots, at times he seemed a little bit slick rather than gritty, he gave it his all but I really just didn’t get into it I am wondering if I am being unfair and judging him on his TV character rather than his own personality at times but today I just didn’t feel it, maybe it was the fact the only had ten hours to learn it all but if that is the case he needs to find more time to practise.
Celebrity; Mark Benton, Actor (starred in Doctor Who)
Professional; Iveta Lukosiute
Dance; Waltz
Judges Marks; 28
What I thought; Loved they took him for deportment lessons lots of us could do with them, and I think they did help a little with his stance however his size does count against him at times in this dance. I know as a bigger person it does effect your positioning and it also effects the shape of your dance interms of how you hold your partner, I have said it again he is great at ballroom, fun at Latin but I fear eventually he will lose out because of the limits his size places upon him sadly.
Celebrity; Susanna Reid
Professional; Kevin Clifton
Dance; American Smooth
Judges Marks; 32
What I thought; I really really enjoyed this, it caught the Hollywood musical theme perfectly, I will confess to being slightly worried that the fact Kevin is so tiny would be an issue when it cam to lifts but in this dance they were perfect, should they get to the final and need a show dance it may be a concern and I really do expect her to be a contender for a place fighting for the glitterball.
Celebrity; Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Singer
Professional; Brendon Cole
Dance; Cha Cha
Judges Marks; 30
What I thought; This is the first dance that I have seen Sophie do that I have felt I really didn’;t enjoy, her ballroom is gorgeous but her Latin is another story, I think part of the problem is that she is not really built for these dynamic dances, she has long limbs and moves more fluidly which does not translate well to Latin and the laid back approach just can’t be used for all of them, I think she could win this competition if she could sort out getting some fire in her hips.
Celebrity; Natalie Gumede, Actress, ex-dancer
Professional; Artem Chigvintsev
Dance; Samba
Judges Marks; 35
What I thought; Okay I am going to leave my comments on the outfit for a later section and concentrate on the dancing. The choreography was good, music choice perfect and her feet work was sharp and crisp, decent hip action but overall it bored me. I didn’t feel like she was really enjoying the dance and her constant overacting facially made me think of a gurning competition. It should have excited me but left me shouting ‘next’.
Celebrity; Ben Cohen, ex rugby-player
Professional; Kristina Rihanoff
Dance; Quickstep
Judges Marks; 27
What I thought; I have to agree with Len they did spend too long getting into the dance but once they did I really enjoyed it, Ben could very well be the journey of this series as watching him each week come out of his shell and really begin to enjoy his dancing is a joy to see.
Celebrity; Fiona Fullerton, Actress and Bond Girl
Professional; Anton Du Beke
Dance; Quickstep
Judges Marks; 30
What I thought; I really enjoyed this and thought it was Fiona’s best dance so far, instead of looking scared she looked like she was really enjoying herself. Technically she is not the best dancer but she has the perfect partner in Anton who is excellent at laying to his partners strengths and this dance really suited her. It was also great seeing Anton’s reaction to getting 8’s given his recent partners.
Celebrity; Dave Myers, Hairy Biker Celebrity Chef
Professional; Karen Hauer
Dance; Salsa
Judges Marks; 17
What I thought; What can I say, it is car crash TV but I love it, what Dave misses out on in talent he makes up for with enjoyment and enthusiasm. It is impossible to watch him without smiling unless of course you are Craig, in theory his days should be numbered but I think his popularity may see him remain for a while longer.
Celebrity; Rachel Riley, TV presenter and Maths Whizz
Professional; Pasha Kovalev
Dance; Pasa Double
Judges Marks; 22
What I thought; Oh dear, I feel so sorry for the poor girl because really her partner should have told her that her ‘Pasa face’ was horrible and then the make up artist made it a hundred times worse with the make up. This was really not her dance she is just not the right type of person to get into character for this dance and so I really did not enjoy this and felt how uncomfortable she was for her. I fear the dance off my beckon again.
Celebrity; Deborah Meaden, Businesswoman and Dragon’s Den Investor
Professional; Robin Windsor
Dance; Viennese Waltz
Judges Marks; 27
What I thought; Hmmm this is a tough one I did actually enjoy it but the choice of music and choreography for this dance is either very brave or very foolish. This is the dance which screams romance and instead they danced it more like a Tango or a Pasa infact if they had done this as a Tango I would have been standing myself but as a waltz not sure it really worked and I fear they could be in trouble.
Celebrity; Patrick Robinson, Actor
Professional; Anya Garnis
Dance; Salsa
Judges Marks; 28
What I thought; Okay so Patrick injured his hand which did lead to having to change things round a little to accommodate what he couldn’t do but I did feel his foot work was a little stompy at times it is hard to know if this was just because he was thrown mentally by his injury or if he can be a little heavy footed at times, hopefully he will get the chance to come back next week without being impaired and really show he deserves to keep his place on the show.
Celebrity; Abby Clancy, Model and Footballers Wife
Professional; Aljaz Skorjanec
Dance; Foxtrot
Judges Marks; 35
What I thought; I absolutely loved this, the outfit was perfect and I hadn’t heard the song before but I really liked it, they looked stunning together and the dance was performed with real elegance and grace. What more can I say Abbey is becoming a real favourite as far as I am concerned and lots of other strictly fans I speak to at work agree.
My Dance Of The Week
Costume of the Week
Not sure I really need to say anything pure elegance.
Frocky Horror Picture Show
I can’t decide what was worse the colour or style of this dress, they style really did not flatter her figure but the colour really made her look washed out I have noticed certain people do tend to get better outfits than others and I hope that she gets better dresses as the numbers shrink.
The Dance Off
Really was unsure who would be in the dance off this week but was slightly surprised to see Patrick and Deborah there, they both danced better in the dance off but we had to say goodbye to Deborah which surprised me.
(remember the opinions are mine as a viewer I have no actually knowledge in terms of the technical side of the dancing)
Celebrity; Ashley Taylor Dawson, soap actor
Professional; Ola Jordan
Dance; Viennese Waltz
Judges Marks; 31
What I thought; The looked gorgeous, serious contender for costume of the week and this should have really suited them, it was nice, I wasn’t sure about the music choice as it has been over used on so many tragic stories of abuse, but even without that this dance just lacked the spark that makes this the most romantic dance that is performed on Strictly especially when compared to others.
Celebrity; Mark Benton, Actor (starred in Doctor Who)
Professional; Iveta Lukosiute
Dance; Cha Cha
Judges Marks; 26
What I thought; What can I say in theory I should have hated it, tacky costumes, cheesy song but I loved it. If pure joy was what this competition was judged on he would win hands down. Thought Craig’s comments were uncalled for Mark is not the best technical dancer but he is the best entertainer.
Celebrity; Susanna Reid
Professional; Kevin Clifton
Dance; Samba
Judges Marks; 29
What I thought; Didn’t like the start but once the music got going I really enjoyed it. There were a few moves that could have been a little sharper, she is certainly improving each week and growing in confidence I do agree with Craig that at the minute she is stuck in the middle ground and while it is enough to keep her there at the minute as the competition hots up she may find herself in trouble if the WOW factor does not improve.
Celebrity; Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Singer
Professional; Brendon Cole
Dance; Foxtrot
Judges Marks; 35
What I thought; I loved it that once more Sophie totally immersed herself in the whole feel of the dance complete with shopping trip to try on period clothing. The dance itself was fantastic, once more a contender for dance of the week, the costumes were gorgeous a close runner for costume of the week.
Celebrity; Natalie Gumede, Actress, ex-dancer
Professional; Artem Chigvintsev
Dance; Quickstep
Judges Marks;35
What I thought; First I have to say as someone who has gone through serious spinal issues I have so much respect for her keeping going with a bulging disc, that said I hope that she is listening to her doctors because I know the risks involved with any spinal issues an it is not worth risking your long term health for a dancing competition. Loved the dance but didn’t like her hair it made me think of my grandmas poodle, it is almost as if the are determined to make it look strange.
Celebrity; Ben Cohen, ex rugby-player
Professional; Kristina Rihanoff
Dance; Salsa
Judges Marks;31
What I thought; Was great to see Matt Dawson pop back to give his mate some inspiration and show clearly he still has the moves. Sadly I didn’t feel they rubbed off in this dance in terms of hip action but I did love it and the ease with which he threw her around excites me for some of the dances to come.
Celebrity; Fiona Fullerton, Actress and Bond Girl
Professional; Anton Du Beke
Dance; Rumba
Judges Marks; 22
What I thought; Fiona looked great, and you can certainly see she still has Bond girl legs, but the dance itself lacked for me, there was no real spark or sensuality between them, I know in someways this is harder for older women to get away with but with Anton she could have achieved it without it looking as inappropriate as some other pairings. Needed
Celebrity; Dave Myers, Hairy Biker Celebrity Chef
Professional; Karen Hauer
Dance; Waltz
Judges Marks; 23
What I thought; We all know Dave is not the best dancer but I think he actually put in a really good performance this week, his strictlification ensured he looked the part and it even looked as if he has actually lost a little weight since the American Smooth in week one. Ballroom generally suits him better than Latin, hopefully he will be here for weeks to come but the competition is getting harder and everyone is improving.
Celebrity; Rachel Riley, TV presenter and Maths Whizz
Professional; Pasha Kovalev
Dance; Quickstep
Judges Marks;26
What I thought; Technically the dance was good but it did not blow me away. I think the problem was I didn’t like the costumes and music and really didn’t understand the need for all the messing about with the safe. Disappointing because I know she can do so much better.
Celebrity; Julien Macdonald, Fashion Designer
Professional; Janette Manrara
Dance; Salsa
Judges Marks: 23
What I thought; High energy, he was obviously having a great time dancing to a song he loved. They looked great and as you would expect his costume was fantastic. He is not the best dancer and his partner has tried to compensate for the fact he seems to have trouble straightening his legs
Celebrity; Deborah Meaden, Businesswoman and Dragon’s Den Investor
Professional; Robin Windsor
Dance; Jive
Judges Marks; 23
What I thought; Perfect song for this dance, fun, flighty and flirty but I am sorry to say I didn’t enjoy the performance, firstly I was distracted by the wig Robin was wearing and as Darcy said this just wasn’t Deborah’s dance, not enough bounce and kicks and flicks.
Celebrity; Patrick Robinson, Actor
Professional; Anya Garnis
Dance;Cha Cha
Judges Marks; 33
What I thought; I really enjoyed this, I admit he is not my favourite contestant sometimes I feel like he is getting there technically but the performance chemistry is missing but in this dance he came alive, he seemed to be totally enjoying it and he had relaxed into this dance,
Celebrity; Abby Clancy, Model and Footballers Wife
Professional; Aljaz Skorjanec
Dance; Tango
Judges Marks; 35
What I thought; Loved the fact she threw herself into the assault course to prepare,serious contender for costume of the week and the woman in red was amazing, choosing dance of the week this week just got even harder, I love the tango it is one of my favourite dances and this is possibly one of the best I have ever seen on strictly, if she could only get her Latin to match her ballroom I think she would take some beating in this competition.
My Dance Of The Week
Okay I couldn’t choose between these two for very different reasons one is fabulous, glamorous and sexy the other is fun, crazy and wrong on so many levels.
Costume of the Week
Love this, it reminds me of the monochrome costumes in the race track scene in My Fair Lady
Frocky Horror Picture Show
I may be biased because I don’t like the colour but I have yet to see anyone mustard really suits so mustard, red and leopard print I just don’t think it does anything to flatter her.
The Dance Off
The dance off sees Rachel pitted against Julien and I think to be honest we all know the dance off is pure formality, even Julien seems to know that as he prepares for it, and as I expected Rachel stays and Julien has to put away his sequins.
First apologies for the delay in posting this I started it on Sunday evening but my internet was cutting out ever few minutes so I decided to leave it till Monday to finish but since have got distracted rearranging my bedroom, sorting out my Twitter account to make it more suitable for Tweetdeck and registering to do Nano this year. But better late than never….
Week one everyone was safe and the marks were carried over to this week (remember the opinions are mine as a viewer I have no actually knowledge in terms of the technical side of the dancing)
Celebrity; Ashley Taylor Dawson, soap actor
Professional; Ola Jordan
Dance; Samba
Judges Marks; 31
What I thought; I really didn’t like this. I have to be honest and I hated it, the dancing was probably great but I was totally distracted by the music. They looked good, his physique doesn’t quite match Artem but its not too bad to look at and of course Ola looked stunning, but the music for me was all wrong at first I thought it was starting slowly and going to speed up but it never did it was like listening to a song on a radio when the batteries are dying. It was a real shame because I think given different music I might have enjoyed it but I have to be honest it was spoilt for me.
Celebrity; Mark Benton, Actor (starred in Doctor Who)
Professional; Iveta Lukosiute
Dance; American Smooth
Judges Marks; 26
What I thought; Great music a song a really love, Iveta looked stunning and the dance was charming and reminded me of the American films from the 50’s and 60’s but there is just one thing. I can say this because I am overweight, it is a fact that being certain shapes effects your ability to do certain things and in this dance the lifts are an important part of it which was sadly lacking. The real sad thing is he gets each dance so well and I can’t help but think if he had been just a little slimmer that he really would be a contender for the glitterball.
Celebrity; Susanna Reid
Professional; Kevin Clifton
Dance; Viennese Waltz
Judges Marks; 34
What I thought; This must be the most beautiful and romantic dances when it is done well and tonight it was. Great music choice, glamorous,elegant costumes, they looked like they had been dancing together for ever and I totally bought the performance. Definite contender for dance of the week and costume of the week, it just looked such a natural performance as if she danced this every week.
Celebrity; Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Singer
Professional; Brendon Cole
Dance; Samba
Judges Marks; 31
What I thought; After last weeks Charleston this felt like a bit of a let down which I know is probably not fair. It was a nice samba but it seemed a little elegant for a samba for me. I would love to have seem a little more high energy fun, it was like watching someone pretend to have fun rather than actually having fun even though I know she was. Hopefully the next dance will suit her style a little more.
Celebrity; Natalie Gumede, Actress, ex-dancer
Professional; Artem Chigvintsev
Dance; Rumba
Judges Marks; 36
What I thought; This is a hard one to describe my feelings on because I don;t know if I am being fair but I guess it is my blog and about my feelings. First her dance training really showed here the dance itself was breathtaking the moves so well executed but and here is another big but her face spoilt it there was definitely a lot of over acting going on. But I also get there is a real dilemma here Artem and Kara were the huge love story a few series ago and they are still a couple, for there to look like there was real chemistry between him and another soap actress would no doubt send the tabloids into a frenzy so the realistic romantic, sensual Rumba like Ben performed was not an option but this overly dramatic one would have had she left the gurning at the stage door.
Celebrity; Ben Cohen, ex rugby-player
Professional; Kristina Rihanoff
Dance; Rumba
Judges Marks; 28
What I thought; A very steamy and sensual rumba, this is a contender for dance of the week. The music was brilliant, the chemistry between them sizzled a little more hip action from Ben would have been nice but it is a giant leap in the right direction and if he keep improving like this he could go all the way. It is hard for the bigger guys to move about at times but in someways this is a good Latin dance for them because it is that little bit slower, it certainly worked for Ben this week.
Celebrity; Fiona Fullerton, Actress and Bond Girl
Professional; Anton Du Beke
Dance; Waltz
Judges Marks; 28
What I thought; It was Fiona’s birthday this week and you know what as birthday presents go dancing a Waltz with Anton is actually a damn good present. Lovely music, smooth, elegant and charming. Maybe lacking a little bit of magic and the connection between them is definitely friends rather than lovers which okay in real life we know is the case but for the dance it could do with the hint of a little extra but I still enjoyed it.
Celebrity; Dave Myers, Hairy Biker Celebrity Chef
Professional; Karen Hauer
Dance; Pasa Doble
Judges Marks; 16
What I thought; You know I fully appreciate this is a dance contest but sometimes sheer entertainment value has to win the day. I LOVED this, the music was fantastic, and I don’t think Dave will get to the final but I hope he is here for weeks to come the enthusiasm with which he throws himself into each dance is a joy to watch and to see someone having such a laugh is contagious.
Celebrity; Rachel Riley, TV presenter and Maths Whizz
Professional; Pasha Kovalev
Dance; Cha Cha Cha
Judges Marks; 27
What I thought; Once again she looked fab and a great music choice, the dance was a bit of a mix. She certainly looked and moved better than last week. Yes more improvement needed still and at times she looked a little scared but when she let go she did so much better. I enjoyed it and think it will be interesting to see how far she can go if she keeps improving at this rate.
Celebrity; Julien Macdonald, Fashion Designer
Professional; Janette Manrara
Dance; Jive
Judges Marks: 22
What I thought; I really thought this dance would have suited Julien’s energy levels sadly I was hideously mistaken. I have to say it wasn’t all his fault I was not in love with the routine and styling but one thing that was wonderful was his smile and seeing how much he enjoyed it. Maybe that is why they did the dance this way, they possibly realise he could be heading home and wanted to have a great time before he goes. I love him as a personality but his days as a dancer are numbered I fear.
Celebrity; Deborah Meaden, Businesswoman and Dragon’s Den Investor
Professional; Robin Windsor
Dance; Quickstep
Judges Marks; 28
What I thought; If I had to pick one of the professionals to teach me to dance it would be Robin, he manages to teach while still having fun and Deborah is certainly learning. I loved this dance, it was fun and flighty and I have to say looking at Deborah dancing agrees with her and she is looking younger each week. I think hers could be the journey to watch as she goes from strength to strength each week.
Celebrity; Patrick Robinson, Actor
Professional; Anya Garnis
Dance; Foxtrot
Judges Marks; 27
What I thought; They looked stunning the costumes really suited the character of the dance, so elegant and the music was perfect for the dance. Loved the start and finish at the piano and I really enjoyed it maybe not the most exciting dance and I will confess the Foxtrot is not one of my favourite dances but it was stylish, suave and I enjoyed it not much more to say.
Celebrity; Vanessa Feltz, TV Presenter
Professional; James Jordan
Dance; Tango
Judges Marks; 20
What I thought; Oh dear! She looked much better this week the little sleeves disguised the batwings a little better but sadly the dance let her down. The acting and character at the start was great but once into the dance this was not one that was great fro her. I think Latin is harder for those who are not naturally gifted at dance and her only hope is to improve enough in the ballroom to keep her in but I fear she will go in the next week or two.
Celebrity; Abby Clancy, Model and Footballers Wife
Professional; Aljaz Skorjanec
Dance; Jive
Judges Marks; 28
What I thought; Loved the outift and of course dancing to the Beatles how could anyone not love the music but I wasn’t overly thrilled with the dance. It was okay there was nothing really wrong it just didn’t make me go wow. Maybe having such long legs it takes away from the sharpness of the flicks and kicks but I think of the three dances she has performed so far for me this was the weakest. However I think she will be safe and look forward to seeing her next week, she is actually one of my favourites.
My Dance Of The Week
Costume of the Week
I liked this outfit the only thing I might have been tempted to change would have been to either wear white knee boots or to wear Mary Jane style shoes rather than the sandals.
Frocky Horror Picture Show
I didn’t like this dress, I know she has the figure for it and maybe if a bit more thought had gone into it it could have worked but it looks like she is wearing a school swimming costume or leotard with the top layer of Vanessa’s dress from last week shrunk onto her. The tassels on the leg split stops randomly about 6 inches from the bottom and I just think they could have been creative and also the make up did not match her outfit, sometimes you wonder if one department talks to the other.
The Dance Off
Julien VS Vanessa this will be a close one, Julien and Janette stayed and we say goodbye to James and Vanessa it was close one and I will be honest I expected Julien to go.
First apologies for the delay in posting this I started it on Sunday evening but my internet was cutting out ever few minutes so I decided to leave it till Monday to finish but since have got distracted rearranging my bedroom, sorting out my Twitter account to make it more suitable for Tweetdeck and registering to do Nano this year. But better late than never….
Week one everyone was safe and the marks were carried over to this week (remember the opinions are mine as a viewer I have no actually knowledge in terms of the technical side of the dancing)
Celebrity; Ashley Taylor Dawson, soap actor
Professional; Ola Jordan
Dance; American Smooth
Judges Marks;
What I thought; Well the baby has arrived and it shows, his face had lost the strain it was showing last week and he looked totally into the dance. I really loved this perfect music and a great interpretation, could almost have been watching Fred Astair or Gene Kelly, great musicality and totally enjoyable to watch. Looked fabulous and great lifts everything sadly the other American Smooth of the evening from Dave was not.
Celebrity; Tony Jacklin. ex-Golfer
Professional; Aliona Vilani
Dance; Charleston
Judges Marks; 13
What I thought; Sadly the cutesy golfing theme did nothing to distract me from the dancing. I hate sounding like Craig but it was a dancing disaster! I do confess I have issues with older men doing certain dances until today this was not on the list but now it is. I feel so sorry for Aliona, sadly Tony is not a natural dancer but also because he is a sportsman he does not have the showmanship to compensate, I think as I watch this he may be going home.
Celebrity; Mark Benton, Actor (starred in Doctor Who)
Professional; Iveta Lukosiute
Dance; Salsa
Judges Marks; 22
What I thought; Loved the music and loved her outfit. His outfit was very unflattering but what distracted me more was seeing him without his glasses which was very strange. Not exactly a sexy salsa more Austin Powers meets the Fast and the Furious but it was certainly fun and totally enjoyable. I hope he will stay but fear his size will count against him in the other Latin dances.
Celebrity; Susanna Reid
Professional; Kevin Clifton
Dance; Tango
Judges Marks; 31
What I thought; Loved her outfit, liked the music choice but was not convinced by her performance. It did seem to me at times a little like he was pulling her around, nothing really major and definite potential maybe confidence may have been an issue. There were times when it all fell into place and overall I did enjoy it and look forward to next week as I am sure she will still be here.
Celebrity; Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Singer
Professional; Brendon Cole
Dance; Charleston
Judges Marks; 36
What I thought; Loved everything about this, it was just about the perfect dance, you could actually believe that they were just doing it without it all being planned it looked so natural and effortless. I also loved that she spent time learning about the history of the dance and I think that really showed in the dance with the way she immersed herself into it. As you can see below my dance of the week.
Celebrity; Natalie Gumede, Actress, ex-dancer
Professional; Artem Chigvintsev
Dance; Waltz
Judges Marks; 34
What I thought; Okay first thing is a negative I didn’t like the dress, not her fault but I just thought the lines of the dress did not float like you would expect it to. Over all I loved the dance except the head rolls which all the judges raved about, I get they are technically difficult but given the huge bun she had on the back of her head it just made me think she was being weighed down but apart from that I did enjoy the dance and the music was a good choice.
Celebrity; Ben Cohen, ex rugby-player
Professional; Kristina Rihanoff
Dance; Waltz
Judges Marks; 25
What I thought; Loved the music perfect for a waltz, her outift was great, his I am afraid made me think of the incredible hulk and I kept expecting them to rip and fall from his body. I do think he would have done better in a black tail suit which might have hidden the bulging muscles a little more. Normally the bigger guys tend to do quite well at this dance but I didn’t enjoy this. I can’t put my finger on what it was, maybe just his tight clothes distracting me, the footwork looked okay but there was just no magic and no real connection between the two of them but it is only week two and he should be there for a few more weeks to come so plenty of time to improve.
Celebrity; Fiona Fullerton, Actress and Bond Girl
Professional; Anton Du Beke
Dance; Cha Cha
Judges Marks; 22
What I thought; Loved the music choice, was not thrilled with her dress think with a little thought it could have been more flattering, the dance was not perfect but I liked it, she really looked to be thoroughly enjoying it. If she does not get her nerves under control her stay may be cut short which would be a shame because she has the ability now just needs the confidence to carry it though.
Celebrity; Dave Myers, Hairy Biker Celebrity Chef
Professional; Karen Hauer
Dance; American Smooth
Judges Marks; 17
What I thought; Oh dear! I have to say I love his enthusiasm and I really hope he does stay in but this really was not his dance. Infact I would question Karen’s decision to go for this dance so early in the competition as it is one that most save for once their celebrity partner has had tie to gain a little fitness and technical skill especially in order to take advantage of the lifts but in this the lifts were unspectacular and the whole thing was rather stompy and lacked grace. I still really hope he will be here next week but I fear he could be in the dance off.
Celebrity; Rachel Riley, TV presenter and Maths Whizz
Professional; Pasha Kovalev
Dance; Salsa
Judges Marks; 20
What I thought; She looked fantastic, the music was great but sadly I didn’t enjoy it. She just seemed stiff and for want of a better word terrified. I didn’t believe she was enjoying it and there didn’t seem to be any chemistry between the two of them. She did okay shaking when she was stood still but moving she was awkward and it showed. I think she will be here next week but unless she start improving she won’t be here till the end.
Celebrity; Julien Macdonald, Fashion Designer
Professional; Janette Manrara
Dance; Tango
Judges Marks: 18
What I thought; Well what can I say my thoughts on the costume are further on in the blog, I loved the music choice but that’s where the good points finish. I love Julien but the idea of him doing a macho tango well lets face it this was never going to be his dance and his attempts make him look like a stomping toddler having a tantrum. He is trying bless him but it just doesn’t work, part of me can’t help thinking maybe they should have done role reversal and he should have played the female role for the dance. I really hope he stay in but he may be in trouble.
Celebrity; Deborah Meaden, Businesswoman and Dragon’s Den Investor
Professional; Robin Windsor
Dance; Cha Cha
Judges Marks; 24
What I thought; I don’t care what the judges thought I absolutely loved this. I wanted to get up and join in bouncing round the living room. Okay she is not the best dancer but it was fun, engaging and just made me smile so much. I love it when you can see someone having such a good time. her dress was great actually for a woman her age which at times you can feel the costume department aren’t sure how to dress older ladies for Latin. The music choice was not something I would have thought of for a Cha Cha but worked really well.
Celebrity; Patrick Robinson, Actor
Professional; Anya Garnis
Dance; Tango
Judges Marks; 27
What I thought; Overall I really enjoyed this I loved her dress and the music choice was good but I was really not sure about the clockwork puppet start and finish. I didn’t get the need for it, it didn’t match the rest of the dance really it added nothing to it and wasted seconds where they could have been getting into the dance. I think he has potential to go far in the competition but at the minute he is not a favourite, he is a good dancer but not blowing me away.
Celebrity; Vanessa Feltz, TV Presenter
Professional; James Jordan
Dance; Waltz
Judges Marks; 23
What I thought; I really loved the dance. The music was perfect and it was a joy to watch how much Vanessa connected with the dance. I have had moments on the dancefloor where the music connects with emotion and the room disappears and can imagine how she felt experiencing the true magic of dance for the first time. Her dress however was a different story and I fear may feature later in the blog.
Celebrity; Abby Clancy, Model and Footballers Wife Professional; Aljaz Skorjanec
Dance; Cha Cha
Judges Marks; 30
What I thought; Brilliant music choice and of course she looked stunning how could she not. I have to say though I think he body worked against her in this dance, she lacks the natural curves for wiggling which may be an issue in some of the Latin dances but also because her arms and legs are so incredibly long she has a fluid grace which did make this look a little slow and ‘lazy’ at times by which I do not mean she was not giving it everything rather that it just looked like she wasn’t. Overall I still really enjoyed it and for me they are the favourites but I do think it will depend on making her limbs move with more snap.
My Dance Of The Week
Costume of the Week
The dance may have been terrible but the costumes were fabulous.
Frocky Horror Picture Show
This is something I find a little annoying, the wardrobe department are really good at dressing the stick insects and dancers but when it comes to the larger figure lady they forget to actually consider they have to actually move in the dress. I have put on lots of weight and for the first time in my life size +age had equalled the pull of gravity and slight bat wings, this dress needed sleeves every time she held her arms out as she whirled it was so unflattering to her and I feel really unfair, the costume department need to give everyone the same attention.
The Dance Off
Julian VS Tony and the vote was unanimous and we said goodbye to Tony
Okay I am combining half a dozen things into one post here so please bear with me while I race through them all.
First the September round up is up on the site and you can read that here. Because I chose to do the writing Resolutions and subsequent monthly posts as pages I don’t think you get email notifications so I have to let you know via other posts until I find a way round it.
The second thing even more exciting is I have been published…. my poem My Child has been published in Zest Journal which you can go to by clicking on the title page below (after you read the rest of my post obviously lol)
Now you may have noticed the title of this post, yes I have dusted off the sequins and feather boas and can now be found prancing round my living room on a Saturday evening. I have decided normally I post book reviews on a Monday but for the next few weeks they will be suspended while I share my love of dancing with you all. Now I know some of you might not be dance fans but I hope my comments will amuse you enough to get you through the run up to christmas and the glitterball champions being crowned. I shall scratch out people from the sweepstake picture below as they are booted out
I promise as there are quite a few people in at the beginning I shall keep my comments brief, for today I shall do a brief intro for each couple what they danced, quick thoughts plus a couple of extra features I intend including each week. No one goes home this week and all scores are carried over to next week.
Celebrity; Ashley Taylor Dawson, soap actor
Professional; Ola Jordan
Dance; Cha Cha
Judges Marks; 25
What I thought; loved the outfits, Ola of course was amazing and at times so was he but at times he looked a little bit too much like his Hollyoaks character Darren and was a little smarmy. Potentially a front runner if he learns to move his hips in future Latin dances. The routine was okay but nothing that made me want to jump out of my seat, I did wonder if the fact that his girlfriend is expecting any day might be a factor in that,
Celebrity; Tony Jacklin. ex-Golfer
Professional; Aliona Vilani
Dance; Waltz
Judges Marks; 16
What I thought; I know the theme for this was supposed to be something along the lines of a Brief Encounter but it reminded me of a dad dancing with his daughter at her wedding, Ailona of course looked stunning and graceful but I already hate to think how he will look doing Latin. Craig was a little harsh with his comments and his mark giving just 2 but if I am honest I cannot see it getting much better.
Celebrity; Mark Benton, Actor (starred in Doctor Who)
Professional; Iveta Lukosiute
Dance; Tango
Judges Marks; 24
What I thought; Loved this, from the humorous start it had me hooked, for a big man he is light on his feet and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I do worry that his build will effect his ability to do the Latin dances but I think he will certainly be one of the most entertaining after this opening performance. I think that he will do very well at ballroom just hope he can survive his Latin weeks.
Celebrity; Susanna Reid
Professional; Kevin Clifton
Dance; Jive
Judges Marks; 28
What I thought; I loved this. It may not have been technically perfect but the energy and fun levels were off the scale. You could not watch this without a smile on your face. I also love the fact she looks like a normal woman she has curves but still looked sexy and was not dressed in the frumpier dresses they normally choose for curvier ladies. They also got the first 8 of the series,
Celebrity; Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Singer
Professional; Brendon Cole
Dance; Waltz
Judges Marks; 28
What I thought; Beautiful, elegant, I loved her dress but hated her tattoo showing, don’t get me wrong I love tattoos I have my own hers just did not go with the dress or the feeling of the dance. Loved the song choice of Moon River. Possibly my favourite ballroom of the week. It will be interesting to see how she copes as from her dancing I have seen in her videos she is more of a stand and wiggle type dancer than one used to moving her feet.
Celebrity; Natalie Gumede, Actress, ex-dancer
Professional; Artem Chigvintsev
Dance; Cha Cha
Judges Marks; 31
What I thought; Okay let me first say what I am about to say is not a slight on her I get she loves dancing and would jump at the chance to appear but she is a trained dancer, she only went into acting when an injury at 19 ended her dancing career, the judges are already singing her praises, though Darcy pretended to be surprised by her placement and finishing. I do not know what the injury was that ended her career and whether that will prove to be limiting in some way but I do feel she has an unfair advantage on the others. Right rant over, I was not actually thrilled by this routine, she was dressed in a Cleopatra style dress, he was a shirtless Russian dancing to Boney M, I like Bruce kept expecting him to burst into cossack dancing which was a little distracting, I think a different music choice or costume choice for Artem would have served them better and I don’t often think Artem should have more clothes on lol.
Celebrity; Ben Cohen, ex rugby-player
Professional; Kristina Rihanoff
Dance; Cha Cha
Judges Marks; 19
What I thought; First I think it is worth mentioning that Ben only has 50 percent hearing, which I think may have played a part in him losing his timing on this first dance, while I have no doubt that confidence will help him compensate as he progresses I would imagine that for this first number it did play a part. I am also thrilled to see he had his chest on show and it had not been waxed, hopefully his chest hair will be allowed to remain. It was not the best dance but it was okay and I think Craig was overly critical but nothing new there. Loved the outfits, liked the song choice, think he will be good in ballroom.
Celebrity; Fiona Fullerton, Actress and Bond Girl
Professional; Anton Du Beke
Dance; Tango
Judges Marks; 24
What I thought; This was one where I was torn. They certainly got my vote for music of the week using Duran Duran’s View to a Kill, the theme to the bond film in which Fiona appeared, and she certainly played the character well within the dance. For the most part I loved it there were just a few moments where it was almost as if her mind had gone blank and Anton was throwing her into place. It is good to see Anton with a partner who can actually dance and I think with time Fiona will improve, should be interesting to see if she can get her bond girl attitude back for the sexy Latin dances,
Celebrity; Dave Myers, Hairy Biker Celebrity Chef
Professional; Karen Hauer
Dance; Cha Cha
Judges Marks; 16
What I thought; Dave describes his dance style as dad dancing crossed with a gyrating troll, I have to say in technical terms it was pretty close to a car crash but you could not take your eyes off him and it was fantastic, totally crazy, energetic and fun. I challenge you to watch it without a grin on your face. I really hope he stays in for weeks as I can;t wait to see what he will do next. I am not sure what he would be capable of dancing wise if Karen could rein him in but I am not sure that will be even possible,
Celebrity; Rachel Riley, TV presenter and Maths Whizz
Professional; Pasha Kovalev
Dance; Waltz
Judges Marks; 27
What I thought; Beautifully elegant but it felt a little sterile, I know it is obviously early days they have only been dancing together a couple of weeks, and the fact she is not an actress means she can’t fake a bond between them and I just didn’t feel any connection between them. I hope that they will get better as they get to know each other more, they look like they will be a great couple, the costumes were great just needs a spark to bring the partnership to life.
Celebrity; Julien Macdonald, Fashion Designer
Professional; Janette Manrara
Dance; Cha Cha
Judges Marks; 20
What I thought; First I think he suffered this week from trying to organise his fashion show and train at the same time so possible it is unfair to judge him too much on this performance. The music choice and the catwalk setting were perfect for him, he definitely looked to be having the time of his life and I can see potential there it will be fun to watch him develop, though the costume department will probably by squirming every time they have to show him costume designs.
Celebrity; Deborah Meaden, Businesswoman and Dragon’s Den Investor
Professional; Robin Windsor
Dance; Tango
Judges Marks; 24
What I thought; Deborah could not have a better partner than Robin, last year he took Lisa Riley almost to the end of the series and showed that personality teamed with some dance ability can compete with technical perfection. I think she will de really well in the ballroom I am not sure if her age might not count against her in the Latin unless she plays it with character rather than trying for outright sexy.
Celebrity; Patrick Robinson, Actor
Professional; Anya Garnis
Dance; Jive
Judges Marks; 28
What I thought; They drew the short straw getting this dance first on so many levels, fitness levels, Patrick’s dodgy knees and the general speed especially for a bigger guy but all that said I enjoyed it, it was fun and fairly fast although he looked to be tiring towards the end. It could be a blessing that he has actually got this dance out of the way week one with a decent first performance rather than later in the competition when more will be expected for him as he definitely has potential to go to the end.
Celebrity; Vanessa Feltz, TV Presenter
Professional; James Jordan
Dance; Cha Cha
Judges Marks; 19
What I thought; Okay it was amusing but a dancer she is not. I think that James will have to take off more than his shirt to cover up Vanessa’s failings when it comes to the Latin dances. I think she will do a little better in the ballroom but I fear she does not have the acting ability to put enough character into performance to compensate for the lack of technical competence.
Celebrity; Abby Clancy, Model and Footballers Wife Professional; Aljaz Skorjanec
Dance; Waltz
Judges Marks; 32
What I thought; Truly beautiful. elegant, serene, as a model it is to be expected that Abby would have a degree of poise but as has been proved on previous series that is no guarantee of the ability to move. Many other models have failed in impress on Strictly and I hope that the public can forget any preconceptions they have about her as a footballers wife and judge her on the dancing.
My Dance Of The Week
Costume of the Week
I confess I do rather love the Latin costumes with all their frills, tassels and glitz, and of course am envious of the figures in them lol but one can only aspire to Kristina curves in my dreams so I shall have to leave the cut out dresses to her for now lol
Frocky Horror Picture Show
I have no idea what Darcy was thinking with this dress, it actually reminded me a little of a WWF Diva’s wresting costume and does make Darcy look a little butch, maybe she upset the stylist but her boobs were rather distracting trying to work out what was actually going on whether it was a wardrobe malfunction or the squashed in look was intended.
As I have mentioned before I love dancing not only doing it (back when I could) but also watching it and my favourite is the Tango. For a writer this should not be a surprising choice, latin dances tell stories, stories of passion, lust, betrayal, in the space of a few minutes they create a whole tale of intrigue. As I am playing catch up still this week I am going to share a couple of my favourite clips of Tango’s enjoy…
Belly dancing? I can imagine the perplexed looks crossing your faces trying to work out the connection between a writing blog and wiggling about.
Paula Acton 