Sunday Service: Week 12 - The Final

They think it's all over. It is now. Strictly Come Dancing is over for another year. But what did the final bring us?

Round one: Judges' Choice

Harry & Aliona kicked things off with their quickstep. This was one of my favourite dances of the series, mostly due to its simplicity. It was old school Strictly. The routine was even better on the big Blackpool Tower dancefloor. Harry was so light on his feet. He even smiled a tad more than before (though not much).

Aside from the fact that I hated Jason & Kristina's tango the first time around, and I still do, I didn't think Jason's performance was as good as the first time around. His posture was really odd throughout. It didn't quite have the same drive and intent as the first time. The serious tango sections seemed a little camp - whereas Jason was totally in character the last time they performed this and only camped it up on the disco section.

Chelsee & Pasha's jive was another of my favourite dances of the series. It is such an amazing routine, which Chelsee seemed to really love. There did appear to be a tiny timing issue or two last night, but it was still fantastic.

Round two: Showdances

Showdances. So built up. So often disappointing.

Harry & Aliona's routine to Great Balls Of Fire was all about the lifts. There was some nice jive content, but it got lost between all the lifts. The lifts were well-executed. I just wasn't all that taken by the routine. I didn't like the drumming bit at the end, as it took away from the dance, and destroyed the possibility of a spectacular ending.

Jason & Kritina's showdance was the best of the three choreographically. They opted for a more theatrical dance, and I loved the song choice - Dancing Fool. I loved all the Bucks Fizz costume moments. It had some nice lifts, which were within Jason's capabilities, and a nice mix of quickstep, jive and Charleston. The routine totally suited Jason. It's just a shame he didn't execute it that well. The side-by-side sections were his undoing yet again.

I felt that Chelsee & Pasha's routine was a little ambitious, which made Chlesee appear nervous and tentative. There were some daring lifts, which seemed a little tough for a non-professional dancer. They looked great when both feet were on the ground, but I think that Pasha may have gone just one step too far for Chelsee. As she came out of each lift, it was not a smooth transition into the next section. It was a great song, though - One Night Only is the kind of song a dancer just loves to perform to.

Round three: New Dance

It was probably right for Jason & Kristina to place third. If Jason had nailed the showdance, he might have squeeked in, but as things stood, it was right.

Harry & Aliona's American smooth was gorgeous. The choreography was romantic and the performance was elegent and tender. It was still a bit serious - Harry is the antithesis of Jason when it came to facial expression. I loved the lifts, especially the first one which was very lyrical.

Chelsee & Pasha's rumba could've been tighter. There were a few stumbles. But it was still very romantic. Chelsee has more beautiful lines than anyone else in the competition. Like their showdance, I felt that the rumba was a little too ambitious. The running split was better than it had been in the American smooth, but it was still not perfect, and the look on her face before she went for it was not a happy one. I loved the 'angry' section after the creschendo in the music, but it was followed by an awkward lunge.

Round four: Favourite Dance

Harry & Aliona opted to do the Argentine tango again. It was slick and polished. A brillint performance to end on. Harry was totally in control and lead Aliona all the way through the dance.

Chelsee & Pasha ended with their quickstep. It was a great choice, as it was the routine where Chelsee really started to look like a contender. It was brilliant to see them perform the routine on the large Tower floor, and it was Chelsee's best performance of the final.

Personally, I would have preferred Chelsee to win, mainly because I found Harry generally quite boring. He lacked expression on the floor throughout the competiton, and the dances where he scored well were the ones where you don't need to smile. For some reason, he seemed to escape the accusations of being too laid back that plagued Holly.

That said, Harry was clearly the better performer in the final, and based on last night's performances only, Harry was stronger than Chelsee.

Next time we need a tripwire around the ballroom. No more pitch invasions. Bloody McFleas. And why did we not get to hear from Chelsee & Pasha? Or Aliona?

Another year is over. That's been my sixth year blogging about the series. I really do appreciate all of you who still come and read my ramblings, even if you do not necessarily agree with my opinions. As always, I will continue to blog about all things Strictly throughout the year, so please keep checking back for updates, and follow me on Twitter.

Keeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep dancing!

Here are the videos...

Harry & Aliona - Quickstep



Jason & Kritina - Tango



Chelsee & Pasha - Jive



Harry & Aliona - Showdance



Jason & Kristina - Showdance



Chelsee & Pasha - Showdance


Harry & Aliona - American smooth



Chelsee & Pasha - Rumba



Harry & Aliona - Argentine tango



Chelsee & Pasha - Quickstep



The moment of truth...