SCD '23 #17: Semi finals — double the dances, triple the scores, quadruple the 10 paddles? (NO SPOILERS)

[PolkadotsAndMoonbeams]

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I was thinking about the Layton situation. The show directors must wonder each year how far they can push it. I remember one year where there were a number of disproportionately poor dancers, and it did get a bit tedious watching them all clunk about in the early to middle rounds.

They must know that the ratings go up when Nikita and Layton perform a Vaudeville-type routine like they did last night and it elevates the whole show.

I think it is ultimately very unfair though when you have a contestant who will always be put through or who will automatically win any dance off he is in.

I think next year they could up the ratings by introducing an element of improv instead.

I think the winner will be Ellie or Layton.

There are quite a few different polls around - which couple you want to win, which couple you voted for etc and Bobby comes last in all of them.

In one of the "which couple do you want to win" poll the votes Bobby only got 15% of the votes. Layton and Ellie were very close on votes

Absolutely

i think the final will be a bit boring, 3 young people with no real sparkle.
its been obvious from the start of the series that layton and ellie would be in the final. ruins it a bit for me. ellie will win i think as she has never been in do, so must be getting a lot of votes.

IMO Layton's rumba was terminally lacking in connection with his partner. Compare it to, say, Adam's – he was technically much weaker but he and Luba danced together. In fact that's a big issue with Layton's dancing; I don't feel like he knows how to partner. He's great in solo or side-by-side stuff, but while I do believe from their interviews that he and Nikita are hugely fond of each other, it doesn't come across when they dance. And or me Strictly is all about partnerships.

I agree that Layton doesn't know how to partner. I enjoy his solo and side-by-side stuff, but I don't feel the connection with Nikita at all.

I think KGM and Lauren had the best connection this year, but that may be because KGM is used to developing quick connections with people due to his day job. Annabelle and Jojo perhaps the next best.

I agree about Krishnan and Annabel both having a great connection. I think with Krishnan it was also his sheer joy and enthusiasm for it; a pro dancer can't help but be charmed by that.

I think it is ultimately very unfair though when you have a contestant who will always be put through or who will automatically win any dance off he is in.

At the beginning of his series, Aston Merrygold was expected to make it to the finals, but he was eliminated very early on in a dance off. But I guess he was a rare exception.

Aston Merrygold had a bad week with one dance where I think Janette had made some duff choices on music and choreography. He found himself in the dance-off against AJ and Mollie, who was saved by Shirley using her casting vote, hence the fact that he went out. The difference is that Layton would very rarely be up against someone better, unless perhaps he has a week when he is getting 8s and is up against Ellie when she is on 9s and 10s.

However, I have vague memories of one series - probably in the early days - where one person who was a good dancer kept ending up in the dance-off. Eventually one (or more) of the judges said effectively that the person concerned clearly wasn't clicking with the great British public, and that they couldn't ignore that, and voted them out. Not sure that that would ever happen now.

I'll tell you what else wouldn't happen now, with the byes and medical weeks off — Phil Tufnell having a knee op on the Monday and dancing again on the Saturday!

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And Rose and Giovanni repeated theirs.

I enjoyed seeing both Bill and Rose's CC again but I still think as a principle they shouldn't repeat it

I won't be able to watch it live on Saturday but I'd have no wish to see any of them do their CC again.

Aston was a shock boot because

1. Curse of the afro wig - viewers hated the Barber shop theming
2. It was Bonfire Night weekend - more viewers didn't vote as they were at bonfires on the Saturday
3. Janette always suffered from the Can't do Ballroom, almost as much as Anton Couldn't do Latin
4. The song itself was more niche but it was one of Aston's favourites
5. Shirley was more influenced by social media at the time imho. She had had flak for "not liking Mollie" the week before, so I think she chose her to disprove the naysayers not because of the performance per se (Mollie was okay but nowt special). I think Shirley still looks at what is being said: hence Eddie's 10, but less than she used to, although I do think she lies like a cheap Seiko watch when it suits her to give a pity "I'd have saved"!

Re Aston's shock boot, a lot of people were furious about Shirley saving Mollie and AJ... and wasn't it the case that AJ was a former pupil of hers, which rather suggested an element of favouritism?

I think the hate Layton gets online is more about his sexuality rather than him being a pro dancer in a 'learning to dance' programme.

But did John Waite get so much hate, or is it that Layton is gay and black? But then does Johannes get as much hate as Layton gets? Whatever it is, it's sickening that people can be so abusive.

So Bobby and Dianne are dancing their Couples Choice sob fest in the final. Not impressed with that and won't be watching it.

I do truly think that the hatred for Layton is because he's the ringer to end all ringers.

And he wears women's clothes, too. I don't hate him for that but I do think he looks silly in them.

There is a segment of society who are very prejudiced about cross-dressing.

Leyton is irritating because he won’t fit nicely in a box. He changes it up, is kind of inconsistent and doesn’t seem to progress in a linear fashion. He started fabulous and has continued fabulous with the same strengtha and weaknesses.
Sometimes he dances as a woman, sometimes he swaps the lead back and forth, you don’t get to follow what’s going on properly.

On ITT, they said which dances the couples have chosen:

Bobby/Dianne - Couple's Choice
Layton/Nikita - Argentine Tango
Ellie/Vito- American Smooth

They'll announce the judges' picks on ITT tomorrow.

I was in two minds about watching the final. Bobby doing that god awful couple's choice again might have made my mind up for me although I would love to see Ellie's American Smooth again. I'm not keen on Layton's Argentine tango. I thought it deserved 40 as a dance but only if it was a show dance. It didn't have enough resistance and didn't feel like a conversation. It was a wild watch but it was too Layton. I don't doubt it will get a 40 in the final and I don't doubt that it will be stunning to watch but it doesn't feel AT enough for me. I am a miserable bitch thobut.

I don't think I can watch Bobby's CC again. It really sums up all that is wrong with CCs. They should not be allowed in the final. Would love to see Ellie's AS again with Vito in tails! I liked Layton's AT too.

I was impressed at Bobbys CC. The jumps were high and landed precisely, perfect timing with Diane’s. Not easy.

I hope Bobby does a ballroom style number for his show dance. Hoping judges might pick his jive.

Are Bobby and Dianne hoping to get a lot of sympathy votes for them doing that awful dance? Are we going to have to listen to the whole sob story again?

I will either turn the tv over or go out of the room when they dance it. I hated it and don't watch Strictly (especially the final) to feel sad or teary. The final should be fun and happy.