I think, of those that are left, l would like Joe to win. As l have said before, l like his approach to the whole thing. Lauren is the same, but l am not too keen on AJ, sometimes l think he shows off more, rather than showing her off. I have always had a soft spot for Pascha, he is such a gentleman, but l think the perception of Ashley as someone with lots of dance experience will count against them, true or not. Faye has rather gone under my radar the whole way through, so maybe she will turn out to be the dark horse. Stacey, l am not sure, she is a good dancer, l think it just depends what Kevin comes up with. We shall see !
I have found AJ to be an insufferable "Me Me" oik from the first time he appeared on SCD. However he has been very sympathetic with Lauren this year in how he's handled her and worked his choreographies around her missing forearm and hand. She, in turn, has been amazing with some awesome lifts early on and now that she's relaxed and started to dance instead of just producing the movements she's looking great.
The other thing I'm pleased about is that, finally, someone has done better than Giovanni in the Pro Challenge on SCD ITT. Wish that programme would concentrate more on teh steps, choreographies and figures tho and less on the stupid stuff.
As for tonight's show I loved both Lauren's frocks but not her samba and did wonder why they were doing tango to a tune I know as a Boogie Tap. Thought Faye's samba frock was a horror tho her Argentine Tango dress was fab and she danced both very well. Stunning Argentine tango. Absolutely loved both of Stacey's dances and smiled all the way thru both.
Once again, too much going on in Ashley's Paso but that's down to Pasha's choreography. He doesn't seem as deft this year but she is a brilliant dancer. I'm afraid it wasn't Joe's night tonight and he looked out of his depth in both dances but especially the Argentine tango.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Once again, too much going on in Ashley's Paso but that's down to Pasha's choreography. He doesn't seem as deft this year but she is a brilliant dancer.
I think so too. Yet, repeatedly the people choose not to vote for her. Some say that's because she's had dancing experience; but, so has Faye. Indeed, Jay- the 2015 winner - had over 15 years of it. It smacks of xenophobia to me and it makes me rather uncomfortable.
It's not so much xenophobia as anti-American. A lot of Brits find Americans to be quite false in the way they act. So added to her obvious skills as a professional dancer for most of her working life, it doesn't endear her to the GBP. Plus we like a journey on SCD. We like to see someone progress from being quite bad to being really good. And the 'Strictly Moment' adds a lot of votes. Stacey had one when she did the Minions. Lauren and Joe have had one. Lauren's, especially, was quite touching. So that adds to the votes. Ashley has had no 'journey', she's had no Moment, a lot of Pasha's choreography has been repetitive... so she's not going to get the votes. I think the final will be between Stacey and Faye. But you can't discount Joe because of his huge YT fanbase.
I wish I was a glow worm A glow worm's never glum Cos how can you be grumpy When the sun shines out your bum!
I thought Faye's AT was fairly conventional. She performed it well but there was nothing there we haven't seen a thousand times before.
I did get a bit peed off with Joe excusing his bad AT with him being small. That's no excuse. Vincent is small but he's been a World Champion in the AT. Size has nothing to do with it.
I wish I was a glow worm A glow worm's never glum Cos how can you be grumpy When the sun shines out your bum!
The other thing I'm pleased about is that, finally, someone has done better than Giovanni in the Pro Challenge on SCD ITT. Wish that programme would concentrate more on teh steps, choreographies and figures tho and less on the stupid stuff.
I don't always watch ITT, but l tuned in the other evening to see Darcy Bussell who was going to answer viewer's questions. Zoe said they'd had loads come in and would try and get through as many as possible. In the end, she answered 3 ! When it gets towards the end of the series, they could devote almost the whole programme to something like that - the questions and answers were interesting and it was so frustrating ! I also wish they'd do an ITT after the final as we get all the emotion of it and the winner announced, but no follow up which leaves me feeling a bit flat.
Increasingly I find ITT repetitive, formulaic, gimmicky and silly. The bits they should be concentrating on are the dancing and performances and the best bit is when someone like Joanna or Erin come in and explain steps and figures and posture or they get one of the judges in to talk about what they're looking for or one of the professionals talking about their choreography and training techniques. I also like the late addition of that dance director chap using professional dancers to show the basic steps and hold of a dance. They could get a producer in to explain the crappy camera work and music choices.
The juke box and Ian's "magic wand" are a waste of time. Zoe's birthday will be on Saturday next year so we'll be spared all that nonesence. I like Gethin but don't think his backstage reports add anything and I find all the set pieces in the rehearsal studios a waste of time too.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Never watch ITT cannot stand Zoe. The Dancers come on and it is all love and kisses, "we are a family" rubbish, all the gimmicks and old has beens talking about something they know little of. End of gripe.
Laying back in my chair in my now somewhat comatose state watching what to me is now just a wall paper Saturday night soporific balm, I suddenly shot to full attention as I saw this image of my Mother dancing the Charleston and Black Bottom around our kitchen whilst I a wee lad tried to copy her and both collapsing in laughter. It was the start of an eye opening night which I enjoyed though my two favourites did not do well. Faye I thought did a fantastic Argentine Tango to the correct music for once and about time. Ashley a great American Smooth. The disappointment was the Viennese Waltz, the very first dance I learnt at a tender age and one of the most difficult too, last night reminded me of the slower English Waltz we did in many of the dances with funny names we did at that time. What will the GBP think I wonder?
PS, Mother could still do the Charleston ay 70 amusing my Granddaughters as they too tried to copy her moves, happy memories. Frank.
I see the current producer of Strictly is stepping down after 6 years, so it maybe that ITT takes the opportunity to have a shake up as well. Whether Zoe will continue to present it when she starts doing the breakfast show, l don't know, but l wonder if they need Ian Waite as well as choreography corner ? He shows what they should do, and then Jo, Erin and co show us what they did. As you say, the jukebox segment is a waste of time - when the couples come in during the week, a snippet could be played, or just do it all on the hour long Friday Show. I find the costumes segment with Vicky Gill quite interesting, especially when she says they have to wait for the studio run through to check against lighting etc. Why? What are the effects of lighting and the other gimmicky stuff ? What can't they use because the cameras can't pick it up? So much of the background and technical stuff is ignored or rushed.The pro challenge is okay, but all that pulling faces to camera, hiding behind cushions etc. drives me mad !
Posts
Interesting who The GBP will put into the Dance off 💃🏼
The other thing I'm pleased about is that, finally, someone has done better than Giovanni in the Pro Challenge on SCD ITT. Wish that programme would concentrate more on teh steps, choreographies and figures tho and less on the stupid stuff.
As for tonight's show I loved both Lauren's frocks but not her samba and did wonder why they were doing tango to a tune I know as a Boogie Tap. Thought Faye's samba frock was a horror tho her Argentine Tango dress was fab and she danced both very well. Stunning Argentine tango. Absolutely loved both of Stacey's dances and smiled all the way thru both.
Once again, too much going on in Ashley's Paso but that's down to Pasha's choreography. He doesn't seem as deft this year but she is a brilliant dancer. I'm afraid it wasn't Joe's night tonight and he looked out of his depth in both dances but especially the Argentine tango.
A glow worm's never glum
Cos how can you be grumpy
When the sun shines out your bum!
I did get a bit peed off with Joe excusing his bad AT with him being small. That's no excuse. Vincent is small but he's been a World Champion in the AT. Size has nothing to do with it.
A glow worm's never glum
Cos how can you be grumpy
When the sun shines out your bum!
The juke box and Ian's "magic wand" are a waste of time. Zoe's birthday will be on Saturday next year so we'll be spared all that nonesence. I like Gethin but don't think his backstage reports add anything and I find all the set pieces in the rehearsal studios a waste of time too.
Laying back in my chair in my now somewhat comatose state watching what to me is now just a wall paper Saturday night soporific balm, I suddenly shot to full attention as I saw this image of my Mother dancing the Charleston and Black Bottom around our kitchen whilst I a wee lad tried to copy her and both collapsing in laughter. It was the start of an eye opening night which I enjoyed though my two favourites did not do well.
Faye I thought did a fantastic Argentine Tango to the correct music for once and about time. Ashley a great American Smooth. The disappointment was the Viennese Waltz, the very first dance I learnt at a tender age and one of the most difficult too, last night reminded me of the slower English Waltz we did in many of the dances with funny names we did at that time.
What will the GBP think I wonder?
PS, Mother could still do the Charleston ay 70 amusing my Granddaughters as they too tried to copy her moves, happy memories.
Frank.