SCD '20 #6: Have no fear, Judge Anton's here!

[PolkadotsAndMoonbeams]

I'm a bit worried we'll run out the other thread tonight, and it'll be too fast-paced for me to get a new one going during the show, so I'm getting prepared early!

Feel free to place mark or watch this thread, but head back to the previous thread for the moment, and we can move across later.

Charles and Karen doing an almost identical routine

I think both routines were probably inspired by Janet Jackson's Alright video (bench, newspapers, briefcases, pinstripes) and primary-coloured suits later.
I like them both - it was Chucky's finest hour along with his salsa - but Bill pulling off the routine at his age without irony/comedy and it not looking like a mid-life crisis, was impressive (Tony Beak's comments were spot on there).

There's definitely homage there in Bill/Oti's, less so in Karen's besides the Cab Calloway yellow suit. I wonder if a guest choreographer did both routines?

Tommy Franzen (SYTYCD Wuz Robbed Tommy, partner with Kev in real estate?, choreos with Lizzie Gough - last week's Simpsons and KevnStacey's showdance) did the Chucky Venn one.

Same choreographers people!
Tommy Franzen and Lizzie Gough did Bill and Oti's tonight as well as Chucky and Karen's.
They also choreoed the Hercules routine.

It really annoys me when the pros/slebs/production don't do a shout-out and give credit where credit's due. We know that the pros do not tend to choreo charleston, salsa or ''cupple's'' choice so Tommy and Lizzie ought to get a thank you!

twitter.com/TommyFranzen?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Sorry (obsessed) - I like to watch the side-by-sides above because last week when BVB jumped onto Karen's back before lifting her I thought something had gone awry...but no, it's in the original choreo.

Aw, just been having a look on Twitter. Bill lost his rescue dog this week, always so sad when you have to say good bye to a pet. So even more kudos to him for pulling off such a feel good routine.

It really annoys me when the pros/slebs/production don't do a shout-out and give credit where credit's due. We know that the pros do not tend to choreo charleston, salsa or ''cupple's'' choice so Tommy and Lizzie ought to get a thank you!

If you head to Instagram they get a thank you there: www.instagram.com/tv/CHV5kEJnyX8/?igshid=1vka6zzrwywjq

They also did Nic and Katya's contempostreet number.
All the side-by-sides on the twitter feed if you enjoy that kind of thing.

Here are both of them performing Many Moore's choreo from the US version.

Mandy

Don't mind my trip down memory lane. Here he is with eventual winner Charlie Bruce - who is expecting her first child with Louis Smith next February. Where did the last decade go?!

Ah thank you Shirley. Karen's a good 'un.
And iirc Dianne thanked Trent for Joe's salsa live on telly.
Don't misunderstand me - Oti is a legend - but how many normal viewers won't realise that two others actually choreoed that?
Plus don't get me started on how it might not be an even playing field for those pros that have had to choreo 4 weeks straight (Gio) and those that had a week off from that side of it (although aware it can go both ways).

I had no idea so many dances were choregraphed by others, just spent ages watching videos of Tommy - WOWZERS!

I really liked Anton as a judge, I liked his comments and criticisms, although he was too gushing and his marks were too high. . . but I suppose that was his remit: "you are replacing the gushy one who thinks everyone is fantastic and overmarks hugely, so can you do that? Yep? Right, you're on!"

Morning all, just checking in. I watched live last night but had sacrificed the ipad for the greater good (DS) so I couldn’t join in the chat.

I really enjoyed last nights show - there was a lot of fun and fizz about it all.

[quote CaveMum]Anyway, back to the dancing!

I roll this video out every year but THIS is what Salsa should look like. Salsa is a “club dance”, it’s meant to be danced in a hot, sweaty, crowded nightclub so you contain your moves. There are no lifts, no exuberant gesticulating, just smooth and constantly rotating around your partner. What they dance on Strictly (and the same applies to many of the other dances) is an exaggerated “cabaret” version of the style and if you joined a salsa class thinking you’ll learn a Strictly style routine you’d be very disappointed!

[/quote] Whenever I see ballroom dancing versions of Latin dances, it always makes me think of the scene in the film Strictly Ballroom where they demo the paso doble to her family and get laughed at because it so far from the original version (and then her dad completely kills is showing what a paso doble should look like).

loved Bill and Oti he seems to be bang on every move and note

I hope MEaisie goes shortly although the judges love her she doesnt do it for me bit like the other pushy bloke last year from the telly

Carolines top half moves but the middle just doesnt

The judges do love Maisie. I think that theatre school training helps you present well. "Tell a story". I'm not sure why Shirley rates Caroline so highly, maybe I'm missing something? Anyway, it'll be an interesting dance off tonight.

I do not get all the Maisie hate on here!
It seems very unfair to claim Shirley is not very sisterhood and then go on to criticise a confident young woman for being a confident young woman.
And claiming CQ has somehow broken Johannes? I just don’t see that at all, feel like I’m watching something totally different.

Anyways, aside from that I thought Anton was a very fair judge although he seemed to be kissing ass with the pros a bit.

I also thought Bill and Otis routine was great, but I didn’t think it was as sharp as it should have been? Even when they showed the best bit, it seemed like his footwork was a bit out of sync. Which of course doesn’t effect the feel of the dance at all, but makes it difficult to accept 10s.

BVB will never get my vote no matter how charming he seems. That mans got enough privilege IMO

Clara was great, tho agree with a PP that she definitely seemed to tire towards the end. Not that I can blame her, it was a packed routine!

Bill has got amazing musicality but I watched it back and there are some definite mistakes - ie using same hand as leg which is wrong.

Caroline has beautiful posture and very neat arms, finishes lines beautifully etc. But she’s very obviously classically ballet trained so is dancing everything like a ballet dance, very neat and well placed but essentially exact the same style in every dance. Maisie also is guilty of that but the other way around - I reckon she must have done street / jazz and dances everything “club” style, really low down.

I think Caroline gets disappointed with the judge’s comments and marks, because it feels and looks nice to her but isn’t very authentic. Even when she’s running off stage she does the “ballet run”, all tiptoes and turned out feet.

Know it's been said before, but I cannot imagine Caroline being married to Paul Merton! He is so funny and down to earth.

If the choreography is done by others. Why is it mentioned by the judges, especially if it's not great. It's not the dancers faults. So why is it taken in consideration when being marked?

Thoroughly enjoyed yesterday’s show.

Clara – love her and Aljaz. So pleased this came off so well for her.

Ranvir – there’s something so likeable about her. She’s intelligent and funny and it’s amazing how she does so well with those early starts. Gio has developed into an excellent, empathetic teacher who no longer overshadows his partners. There was a very interesting interview with them on ITT where Ranvir explained why Gio was such a good teacher.

Bill – I get that he’s musical and very good. I love Oti. I just don’t warm to him. Apparently he has had dance experience which he’s never mentioned – that I’ve heard at any rate. Quite unlike Caroline who was upfront about having done ballet.

Caroline – I agree with the comments that she doesn't come across well and that Johannes doesn’t seem as happy. It’s very odd as there are so many comments on Twitter about how lovely she is, including from Richard Osman who said he did his first telly gig with her and she was so supportive. She seems to be friendly to the extras etc on set which is unlike most stars. My theory is that Strictly means so much to her that she can’t be her true self. I think the ones who come across well on TV are sometimes those who are better at PR. A friend went to see the live show the year Ore won said that he was the only celeb to say hello to the crowds of people queuing to get in. Others who came across very sympathetically on TV etc totally ignored shouts of hello from the crowd. I think in that scenario Caroline would probably be great.

Jamie – love him and loved the routine. Always makes me smile. Great partnership with Karen.

I’ve always liked Karen. I think it’s been notable how good she is with all of her partners, even those who are not very good like the Hairy Biker and Jeremy Vine. She seems to get the best out of them and to still have genuine affection for them, a bit like Natalie or Dianne. Unlike Aliona who would make it very obvious how unhappy she was to be paired with a poor celeb.

Does anyone else think Aljaz seems even more camp this year? There’s his delight at Clara’s dress and how Clara said he could borrow the dress whenever he liked? He also called himself a Princess another time. That and having read this article ages ago www.pinknews.co.uk/2016/11/21/strictly-dancer-gorka-marquez-loses-two-teeth-in-unprovoked-attack-en-route-to-blackpool-gay-club/ I think he and Janette are an adorable couple but aren't these comments are a bit odd?

Thought Anton did a great job. Okay, some overmarking – but not as much as Shirley. Good combination of kindly worded, interesting criticism and praise. Definitely deserves a longer slot.

It was such a shame Jason left last week. Was there no option for him to be brought back in when Nicola and Katya had to leave?