Sunday Service: Week 2

With someone leaving the competition this week, the pressure is now on for the couples. Some rose to the challenge, others faltered. The enduring memory of this week will be some odd choreographic choices.

My concerns with Stacey & Kevin's cha cha were similar to last week. She brings the performance, she brings the attack, but she needs to control her limbs. The whole thing is a big gangly. She needs to straighten her legs more throughout. However, Stacey has loads of potential. She has great timing, and didn't miss a step last night. I can't wait to see her do ballroom.

Charles & Karen's quickstep was clean and light. The routine was packed with steps, and Charles danced it well. It was a shame that he was ahead of the counts on the Charleston section, but otherwise I thought it was a very confident performance. The splits was a nice touch.

I so wanted to enjoy Katie & Gorka's paso doble. I was willing Katie to do well. Her attitude was better, she seemed to have shaken off the nerves. But sadly, she was out of time quite a lot, and didn't really have the technique. It was a lot of uncomfortable walking and not much else. One of the weakest in the competition, sadly.

Like the judges, I found Graeme & Oti's American smooth very confused. I usually love Oti's choreography, but last night's didn't work for me. I loved everything in hold, but not the parts out of hold. Aside from the choreography, I thought Graeme did well. His footwork looked good. His posture needs work. He was leading with his left arm, and started to hunch over.

Kate & Aljaž's tango was passionate. It had great drive, good footwork. I thought Kate's facial expression was a bit severe, and her shoulders dropped slightly in a couple of places. But that's being picky. For week 2, it was a brilliant performance. After such high praise from the judges, I thought her scores would be higher.

I wasn't a fan of Joe & Dianne's Charleston choreography. Perhaps it was the Cotton Eye Joe track, but it just wasn't as much fun as Charlestons usually are. I also thought it was just too quick and overly packed. However, Joe danced it very well. How he kept up with the speed I'm not really sure. Perhaps he's related to Tigger. And can we take a minute to admire their shirts, please?

When the 'King of Ballroom' can't get a foxtrot to look good, you know you're in trouble. Susannah & Anton's routine started off well. It was all good until they got into hold. Then it was a disaster. She was out of time frequently. She made lots of mistakes. They lot body contact because her posture was so poor. I don't think I've ever seen a heel turn done on the balls of the feet before. Total disaster. The best part was Anton's grimace about two-thirds of the way through. You could see the moment when he realised that his competition was probably over for this year.

I quite enjoyed Lee & Nadiya's jive. I liked the Elvis styling. The routine had lots of choreography, and Lee managed well. There was a small mistake in the middle, and Lee is still a bit pigeon-toed, which is really apparent on the kicks. He has bags of potential, though. I'm looking forward to seeing more.

I found Danny & Amy's cha cha a bit sharp. Danny hit all the positions and didn't miss a step, but it all felt a bit jagged. He needs to smooth things out a bit. His leg action is nice, and sometimes his hips and arms are on point. But it just wasn't quite there. I'm confident that Danny will go a long way, though. What I love about Danny is he finishes his lines - his arms are never left dangling.

I loved Vick & Graziano's waltz. It was smooth and balletic, elegant and engaging. So much better than last week.

Another upbeat routine from Ranj & Janette. Their salsa was hot and energetic. Props to Janette for continuing no matter what. I'm very interested to see how Ranj will get on with something a little more sedate like a waltz or rumba.

Faye & Giovanni's Viennese waltz was totally captivating. I loved the slightly darker interpretation. It was gorgeous. The rotation on the turns in hold was fantastic. Fantastic fleckerl, too. I was surprised that Shirley was so down on Faye. Faye looked quite upset at the negative feedback. Unfortunately, it looked like Shirley might have been right about the footwork. It's so hard to see from home when the cameras cut their feet off. But to be honest, I didn't care. I loved it anyway. If Faye makes the final, I think we'll see that routine again, with all the heel leads in place.

Lauren & AJ's Charleston wasn't quite as confident as last week's waltz. Lauren looked a bit tentative in places, although not surprising when there are all those lifts on her mind throughout the routine. It's a shame she got a little lost on the side-by-side section at the end. I liked the choreography better than Joe & Dianne's, but I don't think they executed it quite as well.

I'm Still Standing should just be retired. No-one else should be allowed to dance to it. I guess the saving grace is that Seann & Katya's jive was so bad, it hasn't tarnished the memory of the Ha'penny in any way! There were lots of points were Seann was off time, and even did extra steps to fill the music because he was so far ahead. But in other places he was on time. He remembered the whole routine, though. And there is something quite watchable about Seann.

My husband walked in while I was watching Ashley & Pasha's cha cha. "Is that the ringer? The Pussycat Doll?" he asked. "Is it that obvious?" I replied. It so was. Ashley looked like a professional. Probably because she is a professional dancer. Her arm placement, leg action, hip action was all on point. It was a fantastic performance. I think the only reason she didn't get more 9s was because it is week 2, and the judges don't want to give them out yet. In my opinion, that dance was a 10.

My favourites of the week were Faye and Ashley. But there were so many good performances it feels unfair to single anyone out.

There is no question in my mind that Susannah should go home. Both of her routines have been woeful, and the general public don't like her enough to save her. I'd probably put Katie in the dance off with her, but it felt that Katie had put more work in.

We'll find out tonight.

Sunday Service: Week 1

It's Strictly 2018, people! I'm so excited that Strictly is back for another year. And I'm excited that you have swung by to have a read of my blog!

I loved the opening pro number to Your Song. I can't imagine what time in the morning they had to get up to film it in such peace. I couldn't help thinking the ladies must have been freezing in those dresses, especially with the fountains going around them. But it looked beautiful.

On to the first couple, Danny & Amy. A foxtrot is a very difficult dance for Week 1. Or it would have been if it didn't look like an American smooth! Way too long to get into hold. However, Danny looked slick and confident. His footwork looked a bit dodgy, not enough heel leads, although it was difficult to see under Amy's dress. Darn camera angles. All of that said, I really enjoyed Danny's performance. It was classy and he performed well.

Kate & Aljaž did a reasonable job with their cha cha. Kate had the attitude, but she must straighten her legs. She's got very long pins, so bent legs do not look good. The performance was there, but it was all a bit heavy. I can see her potential, I hope it's realised a bit more next week.

What an amazing waltz from Lauren & AJ! Beautiful top line, beautiful underarm turns, beautiful footwork. Lauren look relaxed. Such brilliant choreography from AJ. I loved it. I always get nervous when couples dance to Kissing You, because it's such a beautiful song, but Lauren & AJ were up to the challenge. Undermarked in my opinion.

Shaunn & Katya were a pleasant surprise. Their tango was strong and pretty slick. Seann surprised me. It was a tad aggressive in places, but his timing was better than I anticipated. A solid start here.

I'm afraid I didn't like Vick & Graziano's jive. The routine wasn't very enjoyable. I didn't like the choreography. There wasn't enough jive content. Vick was out of time at one point. Her limbs were a little uncontrolled and she didn't elevate the springing steps enough. A combination of poor routine, and uncontrolled performance. But I think Vick has potential. I want to see more.

I don't blame Anton for wanting to set the samba over and done with early doors. I enjoyed the band and the props more than Susannah & Anton's performance. Susannah did not seem to know what was coming next and was relying on Anton to push her around the floor. If I never see that routine again, I think I'll be OK.

Charles was one I was looking forward to seeing the the opening show. He didn't disappoint. He looked in control, and was even leading Karen in places. I wasn't too keen on the routine, but Charles performed it well. Great timing.

I don't begrudge any celebrity a bit of dance training in their past, but when their job was to be part of a dance troupe (not a girl band as they try and make out), you can't help thinking the others don't stand a chance. Ashley & Pasha's Viennese waltz looked almost professional. There was very little wrong with the routine. Maybe her legs could have been straighter in places. Maybe her frame could have been a little more pulled up. The trouble they will have is getting better. They don't have much further to go.

Ranj & Janette's cha cha was fun. Ranj looked like he was having a ball on the floor. It looked a bit awkward in places, and was bordering on camp. He has great timing, and the footwork was OK. He just needs to control his body a bit better.

Katie looked so nervous. The opening was romantic, and see looked like she had a connection with Gorka. But once the routine started, she looked like a deer in the headlights. Bruno is right, she needs to feel it rather than think it. She has potential. Maybe a crazy latin number will be her thing.

Can we take a moment to talk about Graeme's hips? Very surprising hip action. It was a great routine, good timing. A little awkward looking in places. I think he and Oti are going to work well together. I look forward to seeing what comes next.

In hold, Stacey & Kevin were marvelous. They were clean and poised. I didn't really like any of the parts out of hold. Stacey looked gangly and uncontrolled when on her own. She needs to keep her legs together, toes pointed and arms controlled. It was fun to watch, and I look forward to seeing her progression.

A solid start from Lee & Nadiya. Lee was a little pigeon toed. The little slip definitely threw him, and he raced the music on the part after. There was a lot of content to the routine. It was technically shaky, but I think it was solid start and I think Lee will get better.

A great start from Joe & Dianne. The jive had lots of energy and control. Joe kept up with Dianne perfectly. I wasn't too keen on the robot armography on the stage, but that's not anything to do with Joe. A nice suprise.

Faye's enthusiasm could light up a room. He beaming smile was a delight. Her cha cha with Giovanni was a great end to the show. Faye certainly knows how to sell it. I can't help thinking that ballroom will be Faye's strength. There wasn't anything really wrong with her cha cha, and maybe it'll improve with practice. Latin action is difficult to get.

My favourites of the night were Lauren & AJ, followed by Joe & Dianne. Weakest were definitely Susannah & Anton, and I don't think they'll be long for the competition.

Until next week...

Pros Demand More Money

The Strictly pros are reportedly working together to try and get paid more for being on the show, and could even threaten strike action.

According to The Sun, all pros are paid £50,000 for the series, regardless of how many series they have appeared on or past success in the competition.

A source told the paper: “The professionals have been talking among themselves and are going to come together to ask Strictly bosses for a pay rise. They put in incredible hours rehearsing both with their celebrities and also group routines. A lot of them are putting in 10 hour days which is a lot of dancing. It has been on the cards for a long time and they haven’t had a pay rise in years. They love the show, they just want to feel their money reflects the amount of work they put in and also the celebrity status and profile that comes with it. Some of them are now almost better known than the celeb contestants and they feel that should lead to more cash — especially when the judges get paid so much just for turning up once a week. Some feel it’s a bit of a joke.”

Their pay is reportedly significantly less than the judges, who only have to make themselves available for the studio shows. Strictly is a big money spinner for BBC Worldwide, and none of the spin-off products and international productions would have been possible without the pros.

Although no-one is bigger than the show. Presenters, judges and pros have all come and gone over the years and the show still continues its juggernaut-like march though the Autumn nights. Maybe through collective action they can reach an agreement.

Strictly: The Board Game

If, like me, you're not actually a celebrity (there's still time, right?) or a professional dancer (OK, maybe that ship has sailed) your chances of being invited on to Strictly are somewhat slim. 

But there is an alternative. Enter Strictly Come Dancing: The Board Game. I was lucky enough to be invited to the launch of the game recently.

The game tries to capture some of the key elements of the show in a family-friendly board game format.

Players move around the board trying to gain votes. These can be picked up through dice rolls, answering trivia questions (a mix of general knowledge and questions for the Strictly fanatics), and even performing a few iconic dance moves.

The two winning players then battle it out in a real dance-off (or a finger-cha cha for those not brave enough/too full of mince pies to do a proper dance), with music provided by a mini-glitterball. Not only will fellow players vote for their winner, but Craig Revel Horwood himself will also pass his own judgement. His real voice is used in the game.

The quality of the game is very impressive. The board and 'stairs' that playing pieces move around look good and feel like the studio. The voting paddles look great. And who wouldn't want to raise the mini-glitterball at the end of the game?

The only disappointing thing about the game is that it needs at least three players, and would probably work best with the maximum of six. I wanted to rip open the box and get going, but I shall have to wait until I have some friends over. I have some dancing friends who are itching to play.

The game is available now, RRP £29.99. Don't just take my word for it. Amazon just named the game as one of their top picks for Christmas 2018.

Disclosure: I was invited to attend the press launch and was provided with a copy of the game to take away. And I was also awarded a bottle of champagne for being the best dancer, as chosen by CRH, after we learnt a little routine from Ian Waite. Not that I like to brag...

Strictly 2018: The Pairings

We now know who is partnered with whom, so it's time to have a look at the pairings in a bit more detail.

Kate Silverton & Aljaž Skorjanec

It was no surprise to anyone that these two have been put together. I like this pairing. They look great together, and I think they'll get on well. They'll have fun, and she'll do her best. I think they'll go quite far.

Vick Hope & Graziano Di Prima

This is a difficult one to call, as we don't know anything about Graziano and his style of teaching or choreography. But Vick looks good so far.

Faye Tozer & Giovanni Pernice

Faye is going to do well. We saw a very caring side to Giovanni last year with Debbie. He knew how to choreograph to Debbie's strengths, so I think Faye is in safe hands. We know she can dance.

Susannah Constantine & Anton du Beke

Poor Anton. Another dud. Susannah looked as though she was having problems with 'step and clap' in the group number, so I don't hold out much hope. Anton's fans will keep them in for a week or two, but I think Anton will have plenty of time to promote his book this autumn. And Susannah has already rubbed me up the wrong way with her 'curse' comment. Poor taste.

Lee Ryan & Nadiya Bychkova

I like Lee, he seem's like a good bloke. I didn't think Nadiya's choreography was the best last year. It was Davood's charisma that carried her through the competition last year. Perhaps Lee's likability will do the same.

Ranj Singh & Janette Manrara

Ranj seems a bit excitable, so I think he is a great match for Janette, who is a bundle of energy. Janette always seems to be a great partner to whoever she has. Ranj looked as though he might be able to move a bit, too.

Danny John-Jules & Amy Dowden

We didn't really get to see what Amy can do last year, but Danny is a much stronger partner than Brian Conley. I think these two could go quite far. I think they'll have fun, but work hard too.

Joe Sugg & Dianne Buswell

Joe Sugg is going to be this year's Mollie King, the one who gets a tad further than they should because of a legion of fans voting. If Joe's millions of followers all vote for him, he's going to be hard to beat regardless of his ability. I find Dianne a bit full on at times, but I'm interested to see how she'll do with a much younger partner than last year.

Katie Piper & Gorka Marquez

I think this pair will work well together. Katie is into her fitness, as is Gorka, so they'll have some common ground. I think he'll show her off well.

Lauren Steadman & AJ Pritchard

Lauren seemed to be hidden in the background of the group numbers, so it's hard to say if she'll be any good, although she has done salsa dancing as a hobby so perhaps not a complete novice. AJ has done well the last couple of years, and seems to be building up a fan base. They could do well.

Stacey Dooley & Kevin Clifton

They clearly wanted to be partnered together, so that's a good start. They seem to have a bit of chemistry. I'm not sure how well Stacey can dance, but Kevin always seems to get the best from his partners regardless of their ability. I think they'll go quite far.

Ashley Roberts & Pasha Kovalev

Team AshPash should be unstoppable. She's the biggest ringer in the competition. He is the master of presenting a partner, and one of the least selfish male pros on the dancefloor. If they don't make the final, it will be because she is too good from day one.

Seann Walsh & Katya Jones

Seann was clearly the weakest male celebrity in the competition. He cannot dance. But Katya made a dancer out of Ed Balls, so maybe she can make a dancer out of Seann.

Charles Venn & Karen Clifton

Charles was the surprise of the night for me. He looked really good in the group number. Karen has arguably never had a partner as strong as Charles. She's possibly done better in the past than she should have when you look at the list of her past partners. I think she has a genuine chance this year.

Graeme Swann & Oti Mabuse

Graeme also surprised me last night. He looked as though he might do well. In my opinion, Oti is one of the strongest choreographers among the pros. I think that will make them a good team.

I think Ashley and Charles will be the strongest dancers. I think Joe will probably outstay his welcome because of the votes he'll get. I think Susannah and Seann will be out quite early.

Personally, I am looking forward to seeing Kate, Danny, Faye and Charles on the floor. I think Vick might be one to watch too.

A lot has been made about the quality of the celebrities this year, but looking back on last night's show, I think there is a diverse mix of abilities and personalities. I can't wait to see what happens in two weeks' time. Bring on the dancing!