Strictly Come Blogging: Friday Thoughts: Week 1 Show 1

We've dusted off out glitterballs, opened the wine (or beer), secured some Strictly snacks and got comfortable. Strictly Come Dancing is back!

So what happened?

Kellie & Kevin kicked things off with one of the most bizarre tangos we have ever seen. Kellie was great, but I hated everything about the routine. The styling was terrible. Kevin ginned like a buffoon throughout (where was the tango face?). It took forever to get into hold. If you didn't know it was a tango, you might have struggled to suss it out. But Kellie definitely shows potential. She danced the choreography she was given very well.

Anthony & Oti performed the jive. Anthony showed lots of personality, which was great. There were timing issues at the beginning, and there is plenty to work on. He was pigeon-toed and a bit flat-footed, but he has potential. It was a nice routine, but unfortunately his injury meant that some of the tricks didn't really come off.

Helen & Aljaž did a good job with the waltz. I actually thought it was a bit frantic on the choreography, but Helen coped well. It had lovely movement and sway, and amazing acting as you would expect. Helen is going to be a great storyteller, and she will sweep us away. She was lacking in heel leads, but I can totally sympathise with that. There are no heel leads in ballet - doing anything heel first would be a sin.

Carol & Pasha. Oh dear. Pasha did everything to try and distract us, but even his gyrating ascent on a cloud could not save their cha cha cha. Sara Cox does a "Strictly Mum Dancing" slot on the Radio 2 breakfast show when she sits in, and this will be what I will now picture forevermore. I felt that Pasha left Carol on her own too much, which meant he couldn't control and lead her. In a ballroom hold, she'll be easier to steer. She looked like she had fun, at least.

Daniel & Kristina's waltz was actually pretty nice. It was clear that Kristina was doing a lot of the work, especially on the floor spin. Their height difference made the frame look odd. His right arm looked a bit droopy. For week 1, it was a good effort. Kristina is definitely one of Strictly's best choreographers, having worked with all levels of ability and making them all look good.

Anita & Gleb closed the show with a cha cha. Anita will need to learn to control her very long arms and legs. She has long limbs for someone who isn't especially tall. There was a wee mistake in the middle, but she carried on. The routine was packed, and she did a good job. Anita doesn't appear to have any inhibitions, which is great, although she pulled some weird facial expressions in places. I think Anita will be one to watch.

Overall, the standard was high for the first show. I can't wait for tomorrow's show to see how the others get on.

Here are the videos...

Kellie & Kevin