Strictly '21 #5: It's the first Dance Off Daaah-lings!

[PolkadotsAndMoonbeams]

Previous thread.

Apologies - commented on the wrong thread. That will teach me to multitask! I have asked MNHQ to remove

@cricketmum84

Apologies - commented on the wrong thread. That will teach me to multitask! I have asked MNHQ to remove

Ha! I was wondering where you worked! Gilead?

I was watching Astaire Rogers one take skate to Let's call the whole thing off which is something like 84 years old! Which of course took me back to Gio and Debbie's routine. There are some oldies that haven't been done yet or as often, also some film instrumental, also some Oscar nominated. Most have been plundered though, if not on Strictly then on dwts. I don't mind Movie Week but suspect at some point they will need to change it. Whether Nina would have done a Bollywood number, we'll never know but it would have been interesting to see how it went down.
Dwts did it as a film genre week one year which gave us Mark and Lindsay's AT.

Awww... the week 2 listening video is up on Insta.

Aliaž made my heart explode, leaning into Sara 'you made me cry a little, you made me cry a little.'

No Aliaž, YOU made me cry a little. What a lovely partner and teacher.

Thank you! Week one here

Week two. I concur kitchendancefloor

Also, while I'm here, I've been thinking about why Katie isn't connecting with people.

She doesn't have the competitive streak that the sports celebs have, or the career revival/familiarity of some older stars, but most importantly she doesn't have The Joy.

Some of my favourites are the celebs who have loved learning to dance, regardless of the result, so Susan, Bill, Deborah and Ruth are top examples of The Joy. They were so grateful to be there and it showed in their body language.

Katie looks like she's been told to do Strictly by her agent and doesn't want to be there. Just look at the body language between her and Gorka in the results show, eek, so uncomfortable. Or maybe I'm being unfair to her and he's just being Pissy Gorka.

I'll take her place and look grateful 😇

@KitchenDancefloor

Wholly agree

Have just watched Rio with the children. There are some perfect Latin songs in that film.

cricketmum84

@StormyCornishSeas oh no Jay and Aliona's jive was incredible! Best one by far!

Danny and Oti and that American smooth! Omg I'm a proper soft shite but that dance actually brings me to tears!

... I agree, Cricket, it’s one of the all time great dances on Strictly. The ending makes me catch my breath every single time

Here you go grouchy
I often wonder whether Holly was meant to look like Blue, with the dress but this wasn't movie week. Maybe it's why it hasn't been used for a third outing (Lesley and Anton also used it). There are other tracks though from Rio and it's sequel.

I knew you'd have something for me Sequins.

The theme song (something about feathers) would be a fabulous samba. I hope someone uses it one day.

Just looked, Rio came out in 2011, earlier in the year (Holly's series was same year). They had movie night as a quarter final and Artem did Zorro. Broadway night was the earlier theme week slot). It is possible though that this song was chosen by Artem originally for movies but used instead a different week, or was chosen from another dancer's list who left earlier. Brenda and Kirsty took the Lady and the Tramp from an early boot's set list.
Some series I have also noticed lots of songs that leant themselves to the themed weeks e.g. Musicals but were used
wasted on a 'normal' week instead.

its sequel

Autocorrect honest guv

lent

That was me

I feel that I'm going to have to YouTube both jives to decide once and for all. Which is best 😤😆

@KitchenDancefloor

Also, while I'm here, I've been thinking about why Katie isn't connecting with people.

She doesn't have the competitive streak that the sports celebs have, or the career revival/familiarity of some older stars, but most importantly she doesn't have The Joy.

Some of my favourites are the celebs who have loved learning to dance, regardless of the result, so Susan, Bill, Deborah and Ruth are top examples of The Joy. They were so grateful to be there and it showed in their body language.

Katie looks like she's been told to do Strictly by her agent and doesn't want to be there. Just look at the body language between her and Gorka in the results show, eek, so uncomfortable. Or maybe I'm being unfair to her and he's just being Pissy Gorka.

I'll take her place and look grateful 😇

Also she has the worst case of resting bitch face every!!

I'm finding it very difficult to warm to her. Whereas Nina was so lovely, fun and bubbly. And I loved her in goodness gracious me.

[quote SequinsandStiIettos]Well, that has pissed on my chips.
Nina didn't deserve to be there.
Greg's back story made it impossible to mark impartially, what was essentially Dad dancing.
I won't join in the Neil pile-on, because I think had he done comedy, we'd all have said what a waste of talent. Nor is he the first to add some AT to a tango. But I do think the narrative of that tango was as disastrous as Alex's and he should have simplified the routine for Nina.
I also think Craig marking up Rob in week one and Judi week two for 'entertainment' is a choice, but not one that he ever used to do, unless he is already eyeing up routines for his tour next year.
Nina wuz robbed and now I have to sit through Greg as 007 rather than a Bollywood bangra couple's choice. I am sulking (less so if it turned out Jai Ho would have been recycled or another theme entirely). Instead Kermit the bloody frog. Insane (they would have been better off in legwarmers to Maniac than kids' dress-up. Diane is banking on kiddies' vote that Janette had as a flaming pokemon. Good luck with that). Plus it's been done on DWTS, albeit without noses or green face.

[/quote] This is a really good point. Laying it on thick about his sister's cancer meant that there was no way the judges could be anything but generous about Greg. I though Nina was a lovely dancer and deserved to stay.

Poor Nina. She seemed like a Strictly fan and was gutted to leave. She was very likeable too but with so many couples in the early weeks the votes get split in strange ways.
I wish she'd had better choreography to make her more memorable, in a good way.

You have to stick to the early Salsa’s on SCD to get the best ones as they were mostly choreographed by Chris Marquez and Jaclyn Spencer, as seen in this Salsa Pro Dance:

Reports in the mirror that Gorka and Katie have not hit it off, hence the sour face.

Just watched some of the DWTS performances from last night - there was some very weird styling for an Argentine Tango bright pink and purple tartan dresses with weird flat shoes in matching fabric

Oh and just in case anyone is interested in my opinion...Danny and Otis American Smooth remains the best dance ever

#dannywuzrobbed

@PolkadotsAndMoonbeams

They still should deduct marks if it's one of the normal 10.

They never used to put lifts in the salsa, and American Smooth was only allowed two, which has gone up to three at some point.

Back in day you got "done" for an illegal lift if both feet were off the floor for a millisecond in a twirly around ladies feet dragging move (sorry no idea what the technical term is). Pros had to carefully weight up the crowd pleasing vote winner of sticking in a lift against the mark losing and dressing down from the judges. I seem to recall a bit of spat in Brendan basically admitted breaking the rules because he it was worth it.

Paage 12 already!

Blimey!