Strictly '21 #3: Week one and on!

[PolkadotsAndMoonbeams]

Previous thread here

We're off!!!

@Maireas

Sara is only 37! She's the same age as Janette Manrara.

Yes, I was very surprised to see that Sara was 37 - thought she was at least 10 years older

Doesn't bode well to see Tom Fletcher won't be on stage with McFly tonight due to being unwell.. I hope he's ok, and not burnt himself out already taking on a tour and Strictly.

My leaderboard is
John and johannes -amazing chemistry
Ah and Kai - loved her
Adam and Katya
Katie and gorka
Tilly and Nikita
Nina and Neil
Dan and nadiya
Rose and joe
Ugo and oti
Tom and Amy
Rhys and Nancy
Greg and Karen - he gives me the ick but she's amazing and stunning
Judi and graziano
Robert and Denise
Sara and aljaz- she just seems boring/wooden

Love seeing their partners/parents in the crowd but I think they just caught Paul at an off moment (hopefully)

It must be hard to dance like that and have that chemistry without it developing further

John, Adam or aj to win

Sara Robert or judi first out I'm guessing

First black couple was Oti and Anthony (her first partner on Strictly, the boxer who had hurt his arm).
I agree the marking was erratic - undermarked, overmarked, wombling free. That said, there were marmite opposing reactions on here to some of the routines.
My favourites were AJ and John. Those are the two videos I have repeat watched the most.
I am not feeling the Adam love, sorry. The foot potstirrer was Katya over egging it, didn't actually work (looked clumsy and she nearly fell over) and I am not seeing what others are seeing in hips or footwork.
My favourite guilty pleasures were Ugo and Rob - neither great but both made me smile and big up for Ugo. I think as AJ and John are so far up the board to be safe that I might give Ugo my votes as to perform the same day you bury your dad, takes courage and strength I don't have in me.
Was bored by Rhyss and the I'm leaving you with a canvas holdall VW. Danny and Oti did that iirc and to better music.
Some routines overall left me more cold but I genuinely don't see anyone who cannot improve. There isn't an immediate obvious duffer which will make the first elimination interesting. It will come down to popularity and "least saved" so I suspect Tilly needs to pull something out the bag, unless Gordon's financing a mass-vote ahem cough Aljaz's viscountess cough. Sara might need to back herself an' all. I suspect Aljaz is choreoing a dreamy Waltz as we speak in the hope of moving her up the board.

Still my favourite pun-based dance. Shoulder not his arm and he did very well in the circumstances but Oti was not a happy bunny with the pairing.

@covetingthepreciousthings

Doesn't bode well to see Tom Fletcher won't be on stage with McFly tonight due to being unwell.. I hope he's ok, and not burnt himself out already taking on a tour and Strictly.

Just to add to this, I just checked and they have 3 gigs this week alone (then that's it till November).. but still, that's a massive commitment to take on that and Strictly training. I do wonder if he was banking on the tour not going ahead for these dates when he signed up to Strictly.

Another one pleasantly surprised by Anton as a judge. Expected him to be more nicey nicey but thought his comments and scoring were about right.

Yes I agree about Anton, he seems like a really fair judge and explains it well.
Seymour from Mcfly obviously thought the gigs would be cancelled - who could pack all that in? Poor Amy, it makes it hard for her, even though he's obviously a dancer and performer at some level.

Just caught up with it now. Thought Adam was great and he’s definitely my favourite. Also thought nothing much of Kai last week and agree with others that he looks far older than his years, but I thought he was fab and had a two minute crush while he was dancing.

@SequinsandStiIettos

Still my favourite pun-based dance. Shoulder not his arm and he did very well in the circumstances but Oti was not a happy bunny with the pairing.

Anthony is now a professional wrestler in America now his name popped up on my FB the other day (yes, I am a wrestling fan and follow wrestling pages ) and my very first thought was is that the same AO who was on Strictly and did the Rocky-theme dance and it turns out it was!

I agree that Kai certainly has 'something' - charisma, confidence and definitely masculinity! Good addition to the cast

Also Adam's physique is a good example of the benefits of swimming

Ooh, good lad, boy done good.

I might be responsible for very many of AJ's tube of you views... What I like very much is the glance she gives to Kai towards the end if the routine to which he gives a reassuring nod. I hope they do a microphone on week 1 video, I love hearing the orders through smiling teeth and what they say that we don't see. But that non-verbal affirmation from Kai was cute. Up there with Karen's wait for it hand on Jamie's chest in their Samba.
Shifting me round the floor would be like IKEA flat pack.

Kai reminds me of a previous, less lithe male pro , whose name i forget. Anyone?

@Fenelladepompom

Kai reminds me of a previous, less lithe male pro , whose name i forget. Anyone?

Was it the Irish one who partnered Jamelia? Tristan? I liked him a lot and was upset he only lasted a couple of series

sequins yes, I loved that nod to AJ aswell - very sweet! Plus a couple of winks to the camera 🔥

Here you go - he has bulked up a lot!

Tom seems a nice man. I always been bit put off him and his wife ie. all their perfect parents posts etc but he seems ok. I liked Rose too.

Oh no Tom has tested positive for covid
So he’s missing his tour dates and next weeks show at least

Oh no. That means he won't be out on Saturday.

Amy has tested positive too.

Hope it hasn't hit the backstage crew too.

Poor sod. So he's out for ten days from today? And only has Wed-Sat for week 3 movie week?
Amy must be gutted and feeling quite scared too.

Fingers crossed Amy won't be in hospital with it. They were both double jabbed presumably as well.

Apparently both Tom and Amy have Covid. I wonder what will happen if they were circulating it among the cast and crew last night? It could be a disaster. I was surprised that, for the continuity of the show, they haven't enforced stricter bubbles on the participants this year. Tom must have come into contact with so many people on tour. I hope it doesn't affect Amy too badly, with her health issues.

@SequinsandStiIettos

Poor sod. So he's out for ten days from today? And only has Wed-Sat for week 3 movie week? Amy must be gutted and feeling quite scared too.

In theory they could start “rehearsing” for Week 3 now via video call. If they can mark out a routine then 3 days of physical rehearsal won’t be too bad. Obviously depends on how they are feeling.

I would not have recognised Anthony, bless. So, is that real wrestling or choreographed wrestling? Cos of the guvnor moniker - is it like WWF I used to watch back in the day?