Sunday Service: Week 10
Week 10? Where is the time going?
After the big production of Blackpool, it feels quite cozy to be back in the studio.
The show started with a performance from Bruno Tonioli, which I can only assume is filler because we are one couple short. Rumour has it it's Criag's turn next week.
The first couple on the floor were Saffron & AJ with a samba. Samba is the AJ killer, eliminating him from the last two semi-finals. Choreographically, I liked their samba. It was very traditional, the kind of routine we would have seen in the early days of Strictly. Unfortunately, it wasn't that well executed by Saffron. Her timing was out in a few places, as if she didn't really understand the rhythm. It was fine, but this late in the competition, with so few couples left, it send you home.
I desperately wanted to see a different side to Karim in his contemporary routine. I wanted some light and shade, some emotion, something more adult. I felt that the routine was on the way to that, but didn't nail it. It was a showcase of his technical ability, no question. But parts of it were so frantic is was overwhelming. Perhaps Craig was right about the lack of emotion. Did Karim really connect with Amy? It just so happens that I watched last year's final yesterday, and seeing Ashley & Pahsa's contemporary showdance just highlighted how good the style can be. I think that may have clouded my judgement of Karim's routine.
Alex & Neil had the first Argentine tango of the series, and I wanted it to be brilliant, but it was totally spoilt by her upturned toes. If she had pointed her toes, the performance would have been a whole lot more beautiful. The first lift was really laboured and the ending was awkward. I did feel that there was chemistry, which was good. The performance just needed to be slicker.
Kelvin & Oti's Northern Soul themed street commercial routine was very sweet. I'm definitely going to dance around the kitchen next time I'm waiting for the kettle to boil! Kelvin looked relaxed and was in the groove of the routine. It wasn't flashy, it was just fun and easy-going. A nice step-change from the intensity of contemporary and Argentine tango. I'm just sad it didn't have any of those famous Northern Soul spins and drops. That really would have been the icing on the cake.
Emma & Anton's quickstep was very much like their American smooth, but without the added interest of the additional dancers. It seemed to have some issues too. I wasn't sure if the hesitations were choreographed, or came after errors where they had to wait to catch back up. There was gapping again, an issue which seems to have plagued all of their dances and something which is rare for Anton. I'm afraid, that I didn't like it.
After a night of somewhat underwhelming routines, I found myself really enjoying Chris & Karen's paso because it had some passion and spark. Chris actually looked as though he was leading Karen. Admittedly, some of the shaping wasn't quite right, and it was stompy in places, but after a night of mediocrity, Chris shone. He's probably done enough to avoid the dance-off.
My favourites last night were Chris and Kelvin. I voted for Alex as well, because I really like her and her routine, even if it didn't quite hit the mark.
Emma was easily the least entertaining, and Saffron was probably the weakest technically. So they would be my bottom two, although I am not sure who I would send home between them, But with so few couples left, anyone could be in the dance-off.
After the big production of Blackpool, it feels quite cozy to be back in the studio.
The show started with a performance from Bruno Tonioli, which I can only assume is filler because we are one couple short. Rumour has it it's Criag's turn next week.
The first couple on the floor were Saffron & AJ with a samba. Samba is the AJ killer, eliminating him from the last two semi-finals. Choreographically, I liked their samba. It was very traditional, the kind of routine we would have seen in the early days of Strictly. Unfortunately, it wasn't that well executed by Saffron. Her timing was out in a few places, as if she didn't really understand the rhythm. It was fine, but this late in the competition, with so few couples left, it send you home.
I desperately wanted to see a different side to Karim in his contemporary routine. I wanted some light and shade, some emotion, something more adult. I felt that the routine was on the way to that, but didn't nail it. It was a showcase of his technical ability, no question. But parts of it were so frantic is was overwhelming. Perhaps Craig was right about the lack of emotion. Did Karim really connect with Amy? It just so happens that I watched last year's final yesterday, and seeing Ashley & Pahsa's contemporary showdance just highlighted how good the style can be. I think that may have clouded my judgement of Karim's routine.
Alex & Neil had the first Argentine tango of the series, and I wanted it to be brilliant, but it was totally spoilt by her upturned toes. If she had pointed her toes, the performance would have been a whole lot more beautiful. The first lift was really laboured and the ending was awkward. I did feel that there was chemistry, which was good. The performance just needed to be slicker.
Kelvin & Oti's Northern Soul themed street commercial routine was very sweet. I'm definitely going to dance around the kitchen next time I'm waiting for the kettle to boil! Kelvin looked relaxed and was in the groove of the routine. It wasn't flashy, it was just fun and easy-going. A nice step-change from the intensity of contemporary and Argentine tango. I'm just sad it didn't have any of those famous Northern Soul spins and drops. That really would have been the icing on the cake.
Emma & Anton's quickstep was very much like their American smooth, but without the added interest of the additional dancers. It seemed to have some issues too. I wasn't sure if the hesitations were choreographed, or came after errors where they had to wait to catch back up. There was gapping again, an issue which seems to have plagued all of their dances and something which is rare for Anton. I'm afraid, that I didn't like it.
After a night of somewhat underwhelming routines, I found myself really enjoying Chris & Karen's paso because it had some passion and spark. Chris actually looked as though he was leading Karen. Admittedly, some of the shaping wasn't quite right, and it was stompy in places, but after a night of mediocrity, Chris shone. He's probably done enough to avoid the dance-off.
My favourites last night were Chris and Kelvin. I voted for Alex as well, because I really like her and her routine, even if it didn't quite hit the mark.
Emma was easily the least entertaining, and Saffron was probably the weakest technically. So they would be my bottom two, although I am not sure who I would send home between them, But with so few couples left, anyone could be in the dance-off.
posted by Loulabelle44 @ 12:56 pm
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home