Patrick Acts Like "Hollywood A-Lister’’

Is Patrick Robinson difficult to work with?

According to the Daily Star, Patrick has been acting "like a Hollywood A-Lister" on-set, keeping to himself and reportedly reducing partner Anya to tears on occasion.

The report claims that doctors had declared Patrick fit to dance following his wrist injury, but he demanded that the routine be changed as he did not want to risk further problems.

A source told the paper: “Everyone else on the show wishes they had sent Patrick packing. He is giving off vibes he’s had enough and, to be frank, there won’t be many tears when he goes.”

Torvill Versus Dean

Olympic ice dance champions Torvill & Dean will be swapping the Bolero for the paso in aid of Children In Need next month, the BBC has announced.

Jayne Torvill will be partnered by James Jordan, and Christopher Dean by Aliona Vilani. The special will be broadcast on Children In Need night on 15th November.

Shrinking Mark

Mark Benton is the latest celebrity to endorse the Strictly weight-loss plan. Training for the show has helped him shed two stone.

UnrealityTV reports that Mark told The Sun: “I’ve lost three or four stone this year, at least two since I started Strictly. It’s wonderful. I’d say to anybody, if you want to get fit, go and dance.”

Like Lisa Riley last year, he is causing headaches for the costume department: “They have to keep an eye on the costume. My gold top from week four had to be taken in because it was too big.”

Lisa Joins Live Tour

Lisa Riley is joining the Strictly Come Dancing Live tour in 2014 as the show's host.

Lisa follows in the footsteps of Kate Thornton, Amanda Byram and Zoe Ball.

COMPETITION TIME: Win A Copy Of Pasha's Autobiography

Pasha Kovalev has written a brilliant autobiography, Pasha - My Story, which I reviewed recently. It is a fantastic book and a must-read for every Strictly fan.

And now you have a chance to read it yourself. Thanks to the nice people at publisher John Blake, I have a copy to give away to one lucky Strictly Come Blogging reader.

To be in with a chance of winning, simply answer the following question:

Who did Pasha audition with for So You Think You Can Dance?

Send your answer to loulabelle44@outlook.com, marking your email PASHA COMP. The competition closes at 8pm on Sunday 10th November 2013.

GOOD LUCK!

There is one prize of a copy of Pasha - My Story. The prize has been provided by John Blake Publishing. By entering, you give consent to have your name published on Strictly Come Blogging. Only one entry will be accepted per email address. Duplicate entries will be removed. The competition opens at the time indicated on this blog post, and will close at 8pm on Sunday 11th November 2013. No entries will be accepted after this time. The winner will be chosen at random from all correct entries and will be notified by email no later than Friday 15th November 2013. The winner will have 5 working days to respond and confirm their postal address. If no response is received in this timeframe, the editor reserves the right to re-draw. Contact details will not be used for any purpose other than competition entry. The editor's decision is final.

Sunday Service: Week 5

Week 5, already? Seriously, where does the time go?
 
I thought the samba was Brazilian, rather than Spanish... No matter, Natalie & Artem did a good job anyway. Natalie certainly has the facial expressions of a pro! It was a lovely routine, and it was a pleasure to watch. Natalie is such a natural mover.
 
I didn't think that Abbey & Aljaž's foxtrot was their best work. Sometimes it looked lovely, at other times it looked like they were battling each other, almost like a tango I thought the judges were a bit generous with their comments. I love them, but I just didn't fall in love with the foxtrot. They were not quite as one.

I did not enjoy Dave & Karen's salsa at all. It was off-time, crazy, messy and not that entertaining. I'm glad Dave had fun, because I didn't really. Julian Clary had better maraca action, and I was quite pleased when the music stopped.

I really liked Deborah & Robin's Viennese waltz routine. I liked the story. Sometimes it was a bit skippy, and she lost her neck a few times. It was better than last week, but I almost wish this routine had come later in the competition when she could have executed it better. Deliciously dark. 

Patrick & Anya's one-armed salsa was a bit odd, but it worked. I think it was one of Patrick's better routines, actually. I sort of liked it. I'm still waiting for Patrick to fly. I can't help wondering what it could have been like if Patrick hadn't been injured.

Fiona looked gorgeous. Her quickstep with Anton had moments of brilliance, but there were a few sticky moments, too. It was better than last week. They covered the floor well. Somehow I just don't think she was concentrating quite enough.

Rachel & Pasha's paso was a bit cringey. Rachel had the attitude, but not the dancing ability. Her core is still not strong enough. She needs to point her toes on the kicks. It was very wobbly. I so wanted Rachel to better, but this wasn't her dance.

Mark & Iveta's waltz was quite cute. Mark presents Iveta very well. His posture has improved over the weeks. I loved the emotion of the dance. His technique is not perfect, but he captured the emotion well.

Ashely & Ola's jive was energetic, bouncy and full of choreography. The side-by-side stuff was well mirrored. Yes, he could have pointed his toes more, but it was still fun to watch. One of the better dances of the night.

Susanna & Kevin's American smooth brought a smile to my face. She lights up the floor. She had some lovely footwork, and a nice heel turn. It did not have the most spectacular lifts, but it didn't matter because it was all so lovely. Not a show-stopper,  but vey nice.

I liked the opening of Ben & Kristina's quickstep, although it shouldn't take until the first chorus to get into hold. Ben seemed to be slightly out of sync with Kristina as they crossed the floor in hold. I think Ben can do more. A mid-table number. Not amazing, but solid.

Sophie did not look as though she was enjoying the cha cha. It all looked a bit awkward. It wasn't the party I wanted to see. She and Brendan didn't seem to have much chemistry this week. Sophie still shows great musicality, but she just didn't have much flair this week. It was probably Sophie's weakest dance so far.

So, I would put Dave in the bottom two this week. I didn't enjoy his routine as much as I have in previous weeks. And with him has to be Rachel. Rachel did not have a good week. In fact, it was probably worse than last week. I'd quite happily see Dave go home, but I wouldn't be gutted if Rachel went either. Anyone else would be a bit wrong...

Fiona: People Are Voting For Anton

Fiona Fullerton is pleased to still be in Strictly Come Dancing, but suspects that viewers are voting for her partner Anton, rather than her.

UnrealityTV.co.uk reports that Fiona told The Sun: “The public support has been extraordinary. The vast majority vote for Anton, and that is lovely. Everyone is being so sweet that Anton has a partner that can dance, and then I keep goofing up. I feel I am letting him down. I have the capability to do so much better.”

Fiona & Anton will be performing a quickstep on Saturday. Ballroom is always going to be a safter bet if you're working with Anton, so if she can keep up with him, she should be able to make it through to the next round.

Book Review: Pasha - My Story

Before I started this book I didn't know that much about Pasha. I knew he was from Siberia in Russia, and I knew he had been on So You Think You Can Dance. That was about it. And it had never occurred to me to wonder any further.

I did wonder what a man in his early thirties would have to talk about in an autobiography...

Pasha's book turned out to be one of the most interesting Strictly-related books I have read. Pasha talks about his early life in communist Russia, his moves around with various studios, and then his move to the United States with dance partner Anya.

I didn't know that Pasha was an established dance teacher before he auditioned for SYTYCD. I didn't know that he didn't actually want to audition - it was Anya who was keen to do so. He talks very honestly about his time on the show, and the doors it later opened, including Burn The Floor.

If you're looking for a kiss-and-tell though, you won't find it. Pasha is very private about his relationships. He only mentions Anya and a SYTYCD stylist called Melis by name, and provides only factual information about their time together. Other girlfriends are unnamed. Pasha comes across as being very respectful of his privacy, and that of those he is involved with.

One interesting thing is the comments about his dance partnership with Anya. The book was obviously written before he was reunited with Anya for Strictly. He mentions that they had gone their separate ways when he joined Strictly and were no longer really in touch, yet now they're partnering up in the pro numbers every weekend on the show!

The book is really interesting, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm a much bigger Pasha fan now than I was last week!

I spent hours looking for Pasha's performances from SYTYCD on YouTube after reading the book, and I'm sure that you will want to do the same. Here's his audition with Anya to get you started...



This book is a must for any Strictly fan.

Pasha - My Story is available now in all good bookshops and online retailers (big thanks to the nice folks at John Blake Publishing).

Weighty Issues

As always, weight-loss is a story among the Strictly stars.

FemaleFirst reports that Ashley Taylor Dawson has lost two stone. He said: "I've lost nearly two stone since I started the show. I always find it hard to put on weight so I was trying to get a bit more muscle on me. But since starting Strictly weight was just dropping off me."

Meanwhile, Abbey Clancy has gained weight, but this is only because she's gaining extra muscle through training so hard. Tess Daly told Yahoo! OMG!: "[Abbey] told me that all the training has made her lovely long legs a LOT more muscular – even to the point where she can't get into her usual skinny jeans!''

And despite being boosted by glitterballs on Sunday (yes, you know what I mean!), Rachel Riley has fund that her top-half is changing. She told the Metro: "I don’t know what size I am because I live in training gear. A lot of my Strictly outfits are being altered and my bra is definitely looser. My body feels completely different. I’m using muscles I've never used before. I've always been self-conscious about my big bottom, but if I have to shake my butt, there’s no point being shy."

Hip Hip Hooray

Craig Revel Horwood says he is recovering well from his hip replacement surgery.

Craig, who had the operation on Sunday, tweeted on Monday: "Shoot me down, but I won't fall, I am titanium! Hip op done and have stood for the first time now for the walking bit...feeling great tho."

Craig expects to be back to Strictly on Saturday night.

Chest Or No Chest?

Have the Strictly boys been banned from getting their pecs out, or not.

According to DigtialSpy, Ashley Taylor Dawson had stated that shirtlessness had been banned. He said: "Ben [Cohen] was going to take his top off last week but he wasn't allowed. There had been complaints about me having my top open. Imagine that? I was like, 'Hang on a minute, Louis Smith had his top off all the time last year.' I don't know what I was showing that was so bad ... my boobies? I don't know."

But a BBC spokesperson told the website that it is not true, and there is no such ban: "We certainly haven't been inundated with complaints about the male celebrities performing topless."

It's a very odd story. Perhaps someone was messing with Ashley. Maybe he got hold of the wrong end of the stick. Or maybe the BBC didn't want too many shirtless fellas at the same time. Who knows?

As long as Artem isn't banned...

Congraulations, Erin!

Congratulations to Erin Boag, who is expecting her first child with husband Peter.
 
She broke the news on her blog this morning: "I can't keep it covered up any longer... There's been much speculation about my absence from this year's Strictly Come Dancing, but I can now reveal the real reason why I turned down appearing on this year's show... Yes, I'm truly excited and delighted to say… I'm pregnant! My husband Peter and I are expecting the arrival of our first child in the spring of next year. It's such a relief to be able to tell all, as it's been 'strictly mum's the word' these past few months!"

Erin also revealed that she and Anton will be back with a new tour in 2015, and she will be helping him put together his solo tour which hits the road early in 2014.

Sunday Service: Week 4

I'm back from my holidays, and was able to watch Strictly on a Saturday night at last. Just as a reminder, I don't look up spoilers, so I am writing this with no knowledge of the show's outcome.

Sophie & Brendan delivered a really nice foxtrot routine. Sophie needs to take more care with her arms, but it was generally pretty good. She showed good musicality. The routine had lots of foxtrot content, and Sophie presented it well.

I thought the song choice for Fiona & Anton's rumba was odd. Too upbeat. The routine had no heat. There were quite a few errors from Fiona. Fiona is a sexy woman, but it just did not come across in this routine. It seemed very disjointed. Very disappointing.

I really enjoyed Mark & Iveta this week. It was a fun cha cha, and was fairly well executed. If this was Let's Dance rather than Strictly, it would've been a winner. Mark was very flat footed. Technically, it was poor, but the routine was pretty watchable.

Ashley really seemed to lead Ola in their Viennese waltz. He attempted a fleckerl and, although it wasn't great, it was good to see. Usually Ola would shy away from challenging her partner, but she seems inspired to take risks with Ashley. The routine had lovely fluidity. Ashley needs to watch his arms when not in hold. Very stylish. A little safe, but pleasant.

Julien tried really hard, but I think it might be the end of the road for him and Jeanette. His salsa was messy. He was overexcited, and seems to have little sense of rhythm. After two appearances in the dance-off, I don't know how much longer he can hold on.

It looked as if Rachel didn't know what she was doing throughout the quickstep. She seemed to be relying on Pasha too much, either to lead her, or she was looking to him for cues. She didn't seem to know what was coming next. She was often out of sync with him. Not Rachel's best performance.

I couldn't help wondering where the dancing was on Ben's side of the salsa. The routine was all Kristina. Ben barely moved his feet. The lifts were excellent, but that was all Ben got to do. It's a shame, because Ben has lots of potential. Ben's performance seems to have improved, and he's now a lot more connected with the dance than he was before.

Deborah seemed to be off time quite a lot in the jive. She seemed a bit out of her depth. She was flat-footed. It looked like a bad pro-am performance, which I guess is exactly what it is. I really didn't enjoy it. She and Robin did, but I didn't.

Natalie & Artem's quickstep was packed with steps and Natalie executed them all beautifully. I thought the song choice and arrangement was inspired. It was amazing, considering that they lost training time to Natalie's injury.

Patrick & Anya's cha cha was probably their best routine so far. Patrick seemed to be in control. He's still not setting the world alight, but he has probably done enough to see him through to next week.

Abbey & Aljaž's music choice was a little odd to me, but they did a great tango routine. Abbey had great musicality. They had lots of drive and attack. She maintained her hold well, and it was pretty hot. Much better than last week's jive.

Dave & Karen were quite good. There wasn't much waltz content, but what there was was OK. Probably his best dance so far. Dave needs to move a bit more. There was little musicality. I was glad to see Dave not be the clown this week. He seemed to take it seriously, and that was good to see.

Susanna & Kevin's samba seemed to be over really quickly. Susanna certainly gave it lots of "welly". It was good fun. It wasn't as good as Sophie & Brendan's samba, but there was enough samba content and loads of energy. Susanna needed a bit more hip action, but a good job.

Abbey was my favourite of the night. She was excellent. There is no question in my mind that Julien should be in the bottom two, and should probably go home. I wouldn't be upset to see Deborah, Fiona or Dave there too. But Julien & Janette should be heading home.

Here are the videos...

Sophie & Brendan



Fiona & Anton



Mark & Iveta



Ashley & Ola



Julien & Janette



Rachel & Pasha



Ben & Kristina



Deborah & Robin



Natalie & Artem



Patrick & Anya


 
Abbey & Aljaž



Dave & Karen



Susanna & Kevin

Friday Panel: Week 3

Blogging about two weeks back-to-back so early in the series is hard work! I must go on holiday later in the series next year!

Week three, and already a theme - Love Week. Pft. At least most songs are about love, so it didn't disrupt things too much.

The jive didn't really suit Abbey. She seemed to struggle with the pace, and her kicks were quite laboured. It was probably good that she and Aliaž got it over with quite early on. She had lots of energy, and maintained it throughout. Enough to see her into the next round.

Patrick & Anya's foxtrot was nice enough. Patrick needs to get a bit closer to Anya, there seemed to be some gapping. I still don't think Patrick has quite found his mojo. It was classy, but lacked a bit of drive. I want more.

Once again, I loved Dave's energy and spunk, but technically it wasn't good. His paso cape work was messy, and everything else was stompy. But he and Karen are having fun. He's the most likable contestant since The Grant. We need to see him on Len's Lens!

Fiona & Anton's waltz was functional. It lacked real flow. It needed more rise and fall. Her legs were too stiff. I don't see what the judges see. She needs far more finesse if she wants to go further.

I love that Rachel had a Strictly-themed birthday party before she was even famous. There is hope for all of us! I liked Rachel & Pasha's cha cha better than the salsa, but it's still a little messy. She needs to work through her feet more, as Arlene would say. She's on the right track, though.

I liked Mark & Iveta's American smooth much more than the salsa. It was sweet rather than smooth, though. He needs more drive. I didn't really feel as though he was leading Iveta. Darcey hit the nail on the head when she said he dances too "small".

Ben & Kristina were so much stronger this week. They really connected in the rumba. He looked lovely in hold, and produced some nice lines. There was a bit of hip action, too. Some of the transitions could have been smoother, but it was a big improvement on last week. I think the latin suits him better than ballroom.

Sophie continues to surprise and impress me. I loved the samba. She had a nice bounce and a good amount of hips. She is still cool, but it works. I loved the body rolls near the top. I loved Brendan's choreography. PROPER SAMBA CONTENT! I hope the other pros take note.

Julien got lost in the jive. His timing was off almost all the way through. It suited his personality, but not his legs. I liked Janette's choreography, but it was never going to be Julien's dance. In fact, I'm beginning to wonder if any dance will be Julien's dance.

Susanna & Kevin's Viennese waltz was magical, and her best dance to far. It was romantic and glided around beautifully. She needs to watch her left shoulder, although she corrected it as the dance went on. It was almost as if she noticed and corrected herself. And well done Kevin for making Susanna do a fleckerl, which she executed well.

Vanessa's tango was very stompy. She looked like James was dragging her about. The dance was a bit beyond her. She needs to point her feet, especially if she is going to kick her legs so high.

Ashley & Ola's samba was good. It was great to see Ola actually getting her partner to dance. She gave him content, and he rose to the challenge. He got the rhythm of the dance. It could have more sophistication, more bounce and hip action, but impressive for a novice. Samba is not an easy dance, and he did a good job.

Natalie & Artem's rumba was delicious. There was passion, longing, technique, everything. It was stunning. Fantastic choreography and beautifully presented. I'm surprised Bruno didn't whip his 10 out!

I really enjoyed Deborah & Robin's quickstep. It wasn't perfect, but she did well with an energetic and step-packed routine. She brought joy onto the dancefloor, and even made Craig smile.

The bottom for me had to be Julien. He was all over the shop. I'm not sure who I would have put in the bottom two with him. It should be Dave, but he is so joyful that I think he gets away with it, so that leaves Vanessa.

Friday Panel: Week 2

I have been on holiday, so I'm just catching up on all things Strictly. Week 1 is a distant memory, but here are my thoughts on Week 2...

I was quite surprised to see Claudia standing next to Tess!

Susanna & Kevin's tango had great intensity, but lacked something. She needs to point her toes and create longer lines. Everything seemed a bit truncated. She shows potential, and she certainly has the attitude. She'll go far.

I liked Tony & Aliona's Charleston costumes, but sadly I didn't like the dance. There was very little happening, and what did happen wasn't very well executed. As Craig would say, it was dull, dull, dull. I was bored. It wasn't even cheeky. Moving on...

Despite complaining about the spinning in the training footage, Natalie's spins in the waltz routine was gorgeous. She spotted beautifully and looked like she's being doing it for years. She and Artem glided around the floor beautifully. She has lovely lines. I just wish we could have seen more of her footwork.

Dave is very likable  but not very good. I saw the lift in the American smooth and shouted "lift". It was some 10 seconds later before I remembered which dance he and Karen were performing. He's a bit scarecrow-like. He was a pretty flat-footed and didn't have much timing.

Patrick & Anya's tango left me a bit cold. Patrick needs to tuck his bottom under more, and they seemed to be dancing too far apart. He has potential, but I'm underwhelmed at the moment. He has good timing, so with the right dance, I think he'll be better.

I thought Deborah & Robin did much better this week. I liked their cha cha. There were things that could have been better - she needs to extend her arms more and use her feet. She showed some great hip action in the training footage, but that seemed to be missing in the performance. I loved her energy, though, and performance is half of the battle.

There was something awkward about Rachel & Pasha's salsa. The lifts were brave, and I will give her credit for that, but it was all a bit odd. And I agreed with Darcey that it lacked passion. They seem to have brother/sister fun, but there isn't enough chemistry. And Bruno was right that she needs more strength in her core.

Vanessa & James' waltz was really hit and miss. There were some lovely moments, but the transitions were quite ugly. I liked the emotion of the dance, but technically it wasn't great, and I didn't enjoy it enough to overlook those things.

Julien's tango really didn't do it for me. He needs to keep his legs together, tuck his bottom under and not raise his shoulders. I really liked Janette's choreography, but it wasn't very well executed at all.

Fiona & Anton's cha cha wasn't a patch on the tango. Fiona lacked hip action. Darcey is right that sometimes Fiona is great, and sometimes she looks like a fish out of water. Making a mistake in the middle didn't help. I'm sure there is more to come from her.

I didn't really like Mark & Iveta's salsa. I felt like Iveta was doing all the work, and Mark did a lot of not very much. I didn't find it was much fun as the judges did. But I haven't written him off yet.

Sophie & Brendan's Charleston totally exceeded my expectations. It had so much energy, and they performed some very brave lifts very well. The cool style worked for Sophie. I don't think the more 'cheeky' style of Charleston would have been for her. Loved it.

Ben & Kristina's waltz was competent, but uninspiring. He needs to make sure he maintains his topline, and make sure he doesn't stoop over her despite their height difference. He seemed a bit disconnected from the dance. He needs to inject more personality, or maybe just find his inner actor.

Abbey & Aliaž's cha cha wasn't as quite as strong as the waltz, but she is one of the most confident performers on the floor. As the judges mentioned, she needs to finish her moves and control her long arms, but she is already a frontrunner in my opinion.

For a man who had just welcomed a new baby into the world, and must have missed some training hours, Ashley's American smooth was bonzer. It had great performance and looked quite polished. He needs to watch his free arm, which was ugly at times, but it had lovely flow and he presented Ola beautifully.

Jack would be in the bottom two for me by a country mile. Any number of people could also be there. Mark, Vanessa, Fiona, Julien, Dave. Take your pick!