Saturday Service: Week 6

I don't think I've really enjoyed Halloween week since 2010. But we still stick with it and hope for better every year...

Before we even started came the shocking news that Will & Janette would not be able to perform as Will sustained a knee injury earlier in the day, and Neil was replaced by Kevin who was also ruled out due to injury.

I didn't love Emma & Anton's tango on first viewing, but watching it again I appreciated it more. It had some good tango content, some classic steps, but it didn't move me. She could have brought more somehow. It was good, but good isn't going to cut it. Good leaves you in danger of being in the dance off.

Emma brought Johannes' vogue walks to the floor, but they supposed to be Charleston swivels. Aljaž literally did all of the heavy lifting. A sequence of lifts with little else in between. It lacked cheekiness. I think what Craig was getting at was that it was a little bit placed and lacked the earthiness needed to be a convincing Charleston.

I like Chris, and I really wanted to like Chris & Karen's samba. But I didn't. Chris lacked hip action. It was a bit wooden and a bit campy at the same time.  I liked the choreogrpahy, it just didn't really come off.

I couldn't get over how much Saffron looked like half the girls I saw walking around Tokyo Disney a few weeks ago. They all dress like that. The music choice for a jive was questionable, so AJ had a bit of a job. Saffron was a little heavy on her feet for my liking. She kept putting her heels down - we can still spot it even if you are in high heeled boots! The choreography was all there, though.

Mike exceeded my expectations this week. Despite the odd theme, Mike & Katya's tango was quite sharp. I liked the arm section in the middle. It was serious, and it worked. He needs to work on his posture, of course, but this was not the comedy nonsense I was expecting to see.

I really, really wanted a paso to Small Town Boy to work, but alas, it didn't really hit the mark. Fair play to Amy for defending Karim when the judges started to criticise the choreography. The Stranger Things theme was a little lost on me. I think it's a dance you need to watch more than once. Perhaps the judges were right that the routine was too packed. Karim did his best with what he was given.

Catherine & Johannes' cha cha was about the third routine I wanted to love, but didn't. A great Steps track, and one of the few of the night where the song actually suited the dance set to it. Catherine's timing was off in places, there was at least one error, and it seemed devoid of hip action.  Her legs were a bit bent, and her arms didn't fully extend. I'd hope that if they had a second go at that it would be better.

Michelle & Giovanni finally delivered a dance worthy of Halloween. It was clean. Great top line, great timing, great storytelling. The foxtrot choreography was spot on. Pivots used sparingly look great. Anton take note! Lovely footwork. It all came together.

Kelvin & Oti's tango had a bit of a paso feel. I didn't really need for Kelvin to fly. That was just distracting. It had lots of drive. It was clean and razor sharp. Lovely top line, the work he has done in the week paid off.

I can't help thinking what Alex & Kevin's street commercial routine might have been if Neil had been there. It was looking so slick in training. Alex did brilliantly well, but because Kevin wasn't confident in the routine it lacked the synchronicity that it could have had. Fair play to both of them. They were absolute troopers. I suspect they were last to give them a few minutes' extra training time.

My favourite tonight was Michelle. Honourable mention to Alex for her fighting spirit. Most of the others I liked better on second viewing, but you only only one shot, do not miss your chance to blow, this opportunity comes once in a lifetime and all that.

Chris sadly has to be in my bottom two this week, but I don't know who I would put there with him. Possibly Saffron, despite her excessively high placing on the leaderboard. Or maybe Emma W, who lacked swivel. Mike is on the up, while Catherine is on the slide, but I know Catherine can do better. It wasn't a great week for Emma B or Karim, so both could so easily end up in the bottom.

If Chris is in the bottom, I think he's going home. If Mike is in the bottom, he could well be going home if he's against anyone but Chris. But if they both make it out, it could be another shock exit...