SCD '23 #10: It's Hallowe'en night and sone scary things are happening on the dancefloor! NO SPOOKY SPOILERS

[PolkadotsAndMoonbeams]

Previous thread

Starting it a bit early as we're chatting fast, please check the other thread first!

Also I thought Krishnan with that wig with the fringe really looked like his son Jay. You could see the resemblance.

Adam scored well - 5th on the leaderboard - and had good comments from the judges, so maybe people assumed he was safe and didn’t vote for him? I like him, seems such a cheerful smiley fella, and I’m so sorry to hear of his recent RA diagnosis, horrible disease.

Adam has been diagnosed with RA?! How awful for him!

Thanks - so they aim for 4 in the final but often end up with 3 - that makes more sense now!

I follow Katya and in Instagram, and she and Neil do seem to be close still.

Even after their split in 2019, they were very supportive of one another on Strictly.

She's also posted stories of her and Nigel visiting him, his fiance and their baby a couple of weeks ago.

Year before last they aimed for a four person final, then Robert Webb dropped out early on, then AJ dropped out the week of the final leaving just John and Rose. That must have been a nervous few days for the producers, because bringing back the sweet and talented but manifestly unpopular Rhys (semi final evictee) for the final would have been a huge anticlimax.

And tbh Ugo only managed to stay in until he was eliminated by the skin of his teeth.

Tess kept shrieking on about Layton doing a "back flip from standing". How else are you supposed to do one?

Often you get momentum from running forward and doing a cartwheel before going into the backflip. Like gymnasts in a floor routine.

Ah, right. I thought she meant, as opposed to taking off from seated.

If anyone fancies a steamy Tango to brighten their Monday morning, then hie thee to the Video thread - maybe take a fan with you 🔥😜

Loved that tango

I thought Nikita looked Hot As, and it definitely looked like a Westwood-style man-skirt to me.
Feel like I'm the only one who has always known how hot he is; spotted him i his first year And yes, THAT dance he did with Carlos: 🔥

I'm sad to see Zara go. She's a classic beginner dancer: learning, slowly improving, slowly building confidence. As Anton said, a very good student. I guess the voting public just don't want to see that sort of 'journey'.

I was worried for Krishnan this week and am pleased he went through; I love him and Lauren but that dance didn't touch me as his others have. He DID look like someone from Monkey. Intrigued about his CC next week; what style will it be?

Adam was lovely and gracious about being in the DO: 'that's the way the cookie crumbles' – I've warmed to him quite a bit for that.

I think Nigel looked disappointed rather than not liking the criticism. He needs to get hold of his nerves.

Layton and Nikita: agree what's the point of a same-sex couple where one is trying to look like a woman. And I'm glad Shirley picked him up for his footwork; he's a pro dancer and needs to be critiqued like one.

Ellie and Vito: I can see she's a good dancer but I just don't particularly feel it when she dances. I don't know why; I like Vito and she seems nice and like a grafter. I won't be disappointed if she makes the final but I won't be excited about it either.

I loved Angela R. Such clean footwork and I love her and Kai together. I do worry about when she can no longer avoid dances like the jive and samba though; how much sitting down can you choreograph into those?

Angela S and Carlos: much better than when they do something sugary and sentimental. I want to see her do an AT.

Annabel was a bit staid, I thought. I feel like they're overpraising her. But I like Johannes.

I continue to be baffled by the love for Bobby. I find his dancing embarrassing to watch, not just for the trousers (get the man a jockstrap!) but he seems so lanky and… not uncoordinated but just odd-looking when he dances. I can't quite articulate it but I don't enjoy him.

I'm missing Amanda and Giovanni.

It's not just you @MarkWithaC - I've found Nikita attractive from his first year with Tilly. Something has happened this year to make him extra attractive though. I'm pregnant and have had several very ahem detailed dreams in recent weeks. I would have said it was the hormones but others seem to be finding him extra hot this year. Perhaps because Layton is such a good dancer Nikita doesn't have to tone himself down?

I'm also rather partial to Vito. Maybe it's due to 2 years with limited Joe Varney. Or I'm just a sucker for an Italian dance nerd.

I noticed this series how thick Nikita’s neck has become, as though he’s been seriously gymming it. It seemed new to me, plus he’s still only 25, so was practically a boy when he first joined the Strictly pro dancers - maybe he’s just matured over that time.

My money’s on the gym, though.

Just catching up.
Vito looked so pumped up and overly hyper after their dance...
Do ppl think they get tested for drugs?

He was very sweet with Tilly, who was fairly unconfident if I remember.
Yes, it is nice to see him dancing at more like his full tilt. I feel like he also gets foregrounded in quite a lot of the pro dances.
For me he isn't particularly attractive at rest, as it were, but becomes incredibly charismatic and attractive when he dances.
I love Vito a little bit too, but for me it's more that he's a sweetheart, not full-on hot.

Right person went last night Zara’s time was up. Will be close next one to go as a few in the mix …I think it should be Angela R but they clearly want to keep her in.

I find it annoying that they are choosing to overlook mistakes and overscore Angela Rippon, because of her age and association with Come Dancing.

Apart from Ellie and Layton, I don't think anyone is genuinely safe from the dance off next week. Angela R is only safe because of where the judges out her on the leaderboard.

How far away is Blackpool? I'm thinking week after next but by no means sure.

I rewatched Nigel and Katya's routine, but couldn't see any mistakes. Perhaps there were though? I thought he was pretty good.

Nigel is “pretty good” and has been since the first show… but has he actually improved in that time?

It's usually the same week as Children In Need isn't it?

Visit the spiritual home of ballroom dancing, with the added bonus of freeing up some studio space in London!

That would make it 18th November.

Forgot the edit function existed, I just changed the date to avoid confusion!

CiN is the 17th November, which is the Friday.

I do love Blackpool week (apart from all the irritating Strictly VTs about how much they all want to go to Blackpool and how thrilled they are to be there). All the dances are somehow better than usual, must be the bouncy floor, and I love seeing all the extra dancers, presumably booked to help fill the enormous dance floor.

But this year it will be all about Angela R, who’s my least-favourite contestant.