SCD 2016 #7 - They're! In! Blackpool! The spiritual home of ballroom dancing, donkey rides, rock and... huge amounts of theming apparently?

[PolkadotsAndMoonbeams]

The last thread is almost full, so I thought we'd be prepared.

Despite the title I do love the Blackpool week really Fingers crossed for a nice ballroom dance from the pros.

Not a good advert for Blackpool this weekend is?

I am looking forward to Louise's salsa/samba (I don't think she has done either of those yet??) Whilst the steps will no doubt be technically correct, I just can't see her letting herself go to 'feel' the dance

I agree about Louise, I do think she's getting better and I've enjoyed her last two dances, she's not as boring and is trying to let go, and doing a reasonable job IMO.

the judges would have to have a huge climb down for Ed to win as the final result is up to the judges

So if Claud is booked for the Strictly Tour, does that mean she can't EVER be voted off by the judges ?

Gutted to see the departure of lovely Greg and the endlessly gorgeous Natalie. I didn't enjoy Claudia's jive at all, it seemed extraordinarily stompy to me and lacked any kind of chemistry. I kind-of agree about the bounciness of Greg's quickstep in the main performance, probably due to the springy Blackpool floor, but I thought he sorted that very well in the dance-off and he deserved to stay.

Monkseal said something about the edits at the start of the results show - they show the critical comments of the people who are going to end up in the DO. I tried that this week and he was right.

And unfortunately, also due to Monkseal, I can't see Louise without the refrain 'Hey big toaster, please use a coaster' popping into my head. Monkseal was certainly on great form last week, I'm looking forward to this week's commentary.

the final result is up to the judges

I thought it was 100% public vote.

Perhaps I am wrong soup
someone more knowledgeable will know.

I wonder if Claudia's dance looked better if you were actually in the tower ballroom than on TV? The judges were full of praise for it first time round, but I and from what I've seen a lot of other people found it heavy footed and just not that good.

I think Nat is just one of those people whose emotions run very close to the surface. She's not British and doesn't have British reserve, and a lack of that reserve is sometimes misinterpreted.

Poor Gorka, he seems so lovely I hope the thugs who attacked him get caught. I very much doubt he's reading this but if he is.

Ainsley was on the tour last year and he was out fairly early.

Is there any way of finding out the number of votes for each couple?

The final is definitely 100% public vote so the judges scores are irrelevant at that point.

eddie No, the BBC do not release the voting figures ever! They have successfully defended a FOI request due to 'commercial' reasons I believe.

So if Claud is booked for the Strictly Tour, does that mean she can't EVER be voted off by the judges ?

No. By definition the tour includes people who have been voted off by the judges. Ann Widdecombe, for instance.

Still scratching my head over that result. For sheer artistry Greg shiuld have won hands down. Claudia's effort was more about getting to the end rhan doing an interpretation of a dance style. Totally wrong. I hope Ed does get to the final now - the judges' faces would be a picture if he won the public vote! Can't see it happening though.

The final is definitely 100% public vote Oh dear.... well if Brexit and the Trump result are anything to go by, the public has a lot to answer for, and is not to be trusted with such an important decision

Just seen Gorka was beaten up on Saturday night in Blackpool cant do links but was set upon on his way to a nightclub

Have often thought that the Blackpool experience is overestimated. The centre of Blackpool is rough and everybody knows it's rough. Why they would all want to uproot from their studios for a weekend up there I don't get. Probably they don't enjoy going and this accounts for the flat atmosphere this Saturday. There must be other ballrooms around that they could go to if they really must go somewhere else.

Oh xpost sorry

Tbf Blackpool is really quite special for ballroom. It's just that a Saturday night isn't the best...

They'd be better in the Winter Gardens though - just as nice and probably more suitable for supporting the tech needed.

Yes Blackpool is really the home of competative ballroom just pity its a shithole poor Gorka.

Danny Mac is on This Morning and coming over as a very nice fella and not smuggy mcsmugface at all Danny

The Winter Gardens did look beautiful when AJ went there, and much more intimate. Yes, shame Blackpool is such a shithole AND the 'home of ballroom'

We used to go to Blackpool every october for the illuminations last time we went I vowed never to go back it is indeed a shithole. I was a member of a wheelchair ballroom dance team for 10years and we had comps in the tower ballroom it really is magical

yes I was there a couple of weeks ago as dd wished to see the lights( can't wait for her to grow out of it, she's 16!) and it wasn't tooooo bad, though we were out of there by about 8pm. Am sure it gets a bit lawless later.

Dd2 was 17 at the time i think we are done

So sorry to hear about Gorka. Had some fun times in Blackpool many moons ago, but would only go for day trips now. My DD is 15 and pestered to go to see the lights this year but I managed to "ignore" successfully. Went to musical fireworks evening in Southport instead, much naicer.

Thought the judges had been watching a different dance to us when they commented on Claudia's jive, so gushing, me and DH were . Glad we weren't the only ones.