Sunday Service: Week 8
Are they going to Blackpool next week? I don't think anyone mentioned it...
It was lovely to have Alex back with Neil this week. Their jive was fast and free. There was lots of choreography, and Alex nailed all of it. I loved the leaning end position. The only thing which let it down was her feet. She really needed to point her toes. Her leg lines could have looked so much more attractive. I'm surprised that after a week of working with two pros that her toes were still not pointed. She could have had more retraction in the legs as well. But I am really enjoying this new Alex who is dancing for herself. It makes for a better performance all round.
It was clear that Mike had trained hard for the paso this week, but I think it was a dance too far. There was a bit of the Ola Jordan choreography school going on (keep your partner still while you dance in circles around him). He was in control, and there were no errors, but he just isn't up to the standard of the others. The final position was another 'wow' moment from Katya, though. She's always so inventive, and I love seeing what she is going to do. I'm glad she has been a part of the competition again this year.
I didn't really enjoy the 'get the Amy to Blackpool' narrative in Karim's VT this week. Blackpool means a lot to any pro who has competed there, so I am not sure why Amy was singled out. Maybe because Kevin is already out? Karim & Amy's Viennese waltz was too much out of hold for my taste. I miss the days of keeping it pure, it gets too much like American smooth otherwise. I didn't spot the mistakes that the judges referred to. Karim did a couple of lovely double pirouettes, but that's not a VW step. I love Karim, but I didn't love this routine.
I felt that Chris & Karen's tango was a bit 'small' Chris should have taken much longer steps, which would have given the routine more attack and movement. The pivots really highlighted the lack of stride. He also didn't emphasise the heel leads enough, which made his steps look flat. It was odd. I liked his characterisation, though. He got into the mood of the dance.
I can't help thinking that Michelle & Giovanni were given a bit of an easy ride this week. Having done the foxtrot a couple of weeks ago, they were now doing American smooth. The fact that she was already comfortable with the technique showed. It was a great routine. I really loved the choreography. Giovanni used the accents in the music so well. The run into the standing spin was divine. I would have liked to have seen a more daring lift. The storytelling was brilliant. Michelle is a fantastic actor and played the part of the sexy housewife to a tee.
Oh, Emma & Anton. What a disappointment. The chroeography they were given was really boring. I was hoping for something like Faye & Giovanni's theatre jazz routine, but it didn't come close. I feel really bad for Emma. She's had some pretty poor choreography from Anton, and in a week where she gets external choreographers, she still gets a turkey. Fair play to Emma, though. She performed what she was given well. A couple of small moments were not quite as slick as they could have been. I really feel like Emma was let down by everyone but herself this week.
Saffron & AJ's waltz was her best dance by a country mile. It was romantic. Her footwork was good. She didn't look unbalanced at all. Her lines were lovely (OK, her attitude leg wasn't perfect, but she's not a ballet dancer any more than she is a ballroom dancer). And the storytelling was there. I believed that this was a romance. And on top of all of that, her dress and hair were beautiful. She looked like a princess. Great job.
Kelvin & Oti's salsa (which I watched three times thanks to a drunken friend who kept claiming she hadn't seen it even though we had sat together and watched it!) was everything you expected it to be. Great hips, great timing and crazy lifts. Bruno even managed to rein in the perv-factor a bit this week.
My favourites were Saffron and Michelle this week.
It surely has to be the end of the road for Mike this week. Unless someone literally falls down in the dance-off, I can't see him putting anyone else out. I think Emma is the most likely to be in the dance-off with him. People seem to love Chris, and Emma was royally stitched up with a dull routine.
It was lovely to have Alex back with Neil this week. Their jive was fast and free. There was lots of choreography, and Alex nailed all of it. I loved the leaning end position. The only thing which let it down was her feet. She really needed to point her toes. Her leg lines could have looked so much more attractive. I'm surprised that after a week of working with two pros that her toes were still not pointed. She could have had more retraction in the legs as well. But I am really enjoying this new Alex who is dancing for herself. It makes for a better performance all round.
It was clear that Mike had trained hard for the paso this week, but I think it was a dance too far. There was a bit of the Ola Jordan choreography school going on (keep your partner still while you dance in circles around him). He was in control, and there were no errors, but he just isn't up to the standard of the others. The final position was another 'wow' moment from Katya, though. She's always so inventive, and I love seeing what she is going to do. I'm glad she has been a part of the competition again this year.
I didn't really enjoy the 'get the Amy to Blackpool' narrative in Karim's VT this week. Blackpool means a lot to any pro who has competed there, so I am not sure why Amy was singled out. Maybe because Kevin is already out? Karim & Amy's Viennese waltz was too much out of hold for my taste. I miss the days of keeping it pure, it gets too much like American smooth otherwise. I didn't spot the mistakes that the judges referred to. Karim did a couple of lovely double pirouettes, but that's not a VW step. I love Karim, but I didn't love this routine.
I felt that Chris & Karen's tango was a bit 'small' Chris should have taken much longer steps, which would have given the routine more attack and movement. The pivots really highlighted the lack of stride. He also didn't emphasise the heel leads enough, which made his steps look flat. It was odd. I liked his characterisation, though. He got into the mood of the dance.
I can't help thinking that Michelle & Giovanni were given a bit of an easy ride this week. Having done the foxtrot a couple of weeks ago, they were now doing American smooth. The fact that she was already comfortable with the technique showed. It was a great routine. I really loved the choreography. Giovanni used the accents in the music so well. The run into the standing spin was divine. I would have liked to have seen a more daring lift. The storytelling was brilliant. Michelle is a fantastic actor and played the part of the sexy housewife to a tee.
Oh, Emma & Anton. What a disappointment. The chroeography they were given was really boring. I was hoping for something like Faye & Giovanni's theatre jazz routine, but it didn't come close. I feel really bad for Emma. She's had some pretty poor choreography from Anton, and in a week where she gets external choreographers, she still gets a turkey. Fair play to Emma, though. She performed what she was given well. A couple of small moments were not quite as slick as they could have been. I really feel like Emma was let down by everyone but herself this week.
Saffron & AJ's waltz was her best dance by a country mile. It was romantic. Her footwork was good. She didn't look unbalanced at all. Her lines were lovely (OK, her attitude leg wasn't perfect, but she's not a ballet dancer any more than she is a ballroom dancer). And the storytelling was there. I believed that this was a romance. And on top of all of that, her dress and hair were beautiful. She looked like a princess. Great job.
Kelvin & Oti's salsa (which I watched three times thanks to a drunken friend who kept claiming she hadn't seen it even though we had sat together and watched it!) was everything you expected it to be. Great hips, great timing and crazy lifts. Bruno even managed to rein in the perv-factor a bit this week.
My favourites were Saffron and Michelle this week.
It surely has to be the end of the road for Mike this week. Unless someone literally falls down in the dance-off, I can't see him putting anyone else out. I think Emma is the most likely to be in the dance-off with him. People seem to love Chris, and Emma was royally stitched up with a dull routine.
posted by Loulabelle44 @ 5:51 pm
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