Sunday Service: Week 6

There were some really good routines this Halloween, and a few less strong. But it’s always a joy to watch.
 
John & Johannes kicked off the night with a werewolf quickstep. It was fast and it covered the floor well. I felt as though the hold could have been a little tighter and more solid, but that’s being really nitpicky. I guess it just wasn’t as showstopping as previous weeks.
 
AJ & Kai continue to kill it! Their Viennese waltz was fantastic. It covered the floor well and had all the drama of previous weeks. Brilliant choreography from Kai. Loved it.
 
I didn’t really enjoy Dan & Nadiya’s jive. There was a lot of Nadiya dancing around Dan, while his feet were not really moving. The jive steps were a bit heavy, his feet weren’t pointed on the kicks. The timing looked a bit off at the start. Dan is OK, but this just wasn’t his dance.
 
I liked Rhys & Nancy’s paso. Rhys had more control than he has shown in other dances. He led Nancy well and showed fire. Some of his shaping wasn’t quite right, but I think it was Rhys’ best performance for some weeks.
 
Sara & Aljaž’s Couple’s Choice routine didn’t do it for me. It was paso inspired, but Sara lacked purpose and shape. She needs more attack and core strength. Her walks looked a little like she was walking to the bus stop. It just didn’t land. It still feels a bit pro-am, rather than a true partnership.
 
Such a brilliant tango from Rose & Giovanni. As Craig said, they smashed it. The quality of her dancing is wonderful, and she brought her acting skills. The way she grabbed Giovanni’s face in the middle was a proper moment. Totally deserved scores.
 
Tilly & Nikita’s cha cha was cute. It was fun, and was something nice and light in a night full of dramatic numbers. Cha cha isn’t really a crowd pleaser, and they did a good job. I loved her look too, one of my favourites of the night. Well done hair, make-up and costume.
 
I think this might be Adam’s best performance so far. His Viennese waltz with Katya was good, especially in hold. His flerkerl was a bit ploddy, and the timing toward the end was a bit iffy. He’s not the best dancer in the competition, but he continues to slowly improve.
 
It was a massive thrill to see Judi & Graziano training at my old dance studio in south-east London! It was clear that they didn’t have much time to train. It was fine, but it lacked a bit of confidence and there was an error or two in there. I hope Judi gets the opportunity to do something else, as I would hate to see her go out on this.

I think Tom & Amy overdid it with the fake tan this week! The tango was good, but he really needs to work on his frame and pull his shoulders back. He was leading with his left arm and lent forward a little. I didn’t love it.
 
I think the leaderboard was actually a pretty good reflection of everyone’s position this week. Rose and AJ were my favourites of the week by a long way. Dan, Sara and Judi could all be in trouble.