Sunday Service: Week 2

Week 2. Second numb behind of the series.

I guess disco cha cha makes a change from disco salsa. Tom's posture was a little better than last week, but unfortunately, his cha cha was a bit flat and ploddy. Nadiya did a lot of the heavy lifting. He did have a bit of performance, though, which was nice for a non-performer.

Punam once again seemed to be given the mummy on a night out role, this time with a bit of Shania Twain. Her foxtrot with Gorka was nice enough. He footwork needs work, but wasn't horrific. Her topline could have been tighter, but for Week 2, it was pretty good.

The most interesting thing about Paul & Karen's salsa was the mirrorball barbecue. Paul did lots of walking, lots of standing and a little bit of lifting. Not much else. Any attempt at dancing was atrocious. I did not enjoy it at all. Poor Karen.

Wynne & Katya's Viennese waltz was captivating. Wynne's timing was lovely, and they glided around the floor as one. The hard work on his posture was evident. The routine had lovely musicality. So much better than last week.

JB & Amy's cha cha was slick and smooth. JB was ever so slightly pigeon-toed, but otherwise it was great. The chemistry between the two of them is starting to come along. I disagree that it was jagged or spiky, I thought it was pretty smooth. Any spikiness was in keeping with the music.

Sam really needs to watch her timing. She was out at times last week, and she was again this week. The Charleston needs the partners to be completely together, and she wasn't in step with Nikita. The swivel came and went throughout the dance. But she managed to get from one end of the dance to the other.

Chris & Dianne absolutely lived up to last week's start with a wonderful foxtrot. His frame could be more solid, and a little less sloppy up top, but he is such a joy to watch that we don't really care. The benchography, particularly the stop up and jump down at the end were a nice surprise. Loved it.

It was a brave decision for Jamie & Michelle to tackle the rumba so early on. But why not get it out of the way when you're very unlikely to go home. I'm inclined to agree with Craig that while the rumba was technically solid, they did look a bit like siblings dancing together. I'd love to see it again in a few weeks when their chemistry has developed a bit more. Maybe that's why it's not a good choice for Week 2.

 Toyah did a better job than last week but a long way. But her and Neil's jive was too flat-footed and lacked tone. The most exciting and most 'Toyah' part was the crawl across the bar. The pony steps seemed to be out of time. She is clearly having a good time, but we need more control and focus on technique.

Nick really threw himself into the American smooth, and fair play to him given his injury. The injury meant that he couldn't really lead Luba and his frame wasn't as strong as it could be, but I think when he is fully fit again, he could be a dark horse.

I really enjoyed Montell & Joannes' samba. She is a confident dancer, and I loved that she started the dance by herself. I wished that there was a little less of the slow rhythm and more up-tempo because I wanted it to be more packed, but it was all executed well and she's so watchable.

Tasha is definitely looking like the early frontrunner. Tasha & Aljaž's Viennese waltz was glorious. It was dreamy, smooth, elegant. She understands the rhythm, and she understands how to move her body and how to make it flow. Stunning.

Before we talk about Shayne & Nancy's tango, I want to take a moment to appreciate Nancy's dress and make-up. I think it's possibly the best she has ever looked on Strictly. Gorgeous. I loved Shayne & Nancy's tango. It had drive and attack, and he looked totally in control. I loved the drama.

Out of hold, Pete looks dynamic. In hold, he looked like a tentative novice. It's a good job this was an American smooth, because it meant that Jowita could get away with not having too much in hold. He's a safe pair of hands for the lifts.

Sarah & Vito's paso was a great way to close the show. It had intent and attack. She needs to be a little bit more grounded, and it looked as if she shoulders were rising, although that could've been the jacket. But otherwise it was a brilliant performance.

I agree that Toyah and Paul are the bottom of the leaderboard, and as you have probably gathered, I wouldn't be sorry not to see any more routines from Paul. Please can we give Karen a ringer next year?

Saturday Service: Week 1 [Better Late Than...]

I'm a little late, but I'm back to review the first week of Strictly Come Dancing, just in time to get in the mood for tonight's show.

Nick & Luba had the honour of kicking off the whole series with their jive. I thought Nick did quite well. It was very 'placed' in the way someone who is not a natural dancer has to be - arm goes here, foot goes here - but it was an enjoyable routine, and a good start.

Foxtrot is a tough ask on Week 1, but Sam & Nikita made it look as if they had been dancing for weeks. Sam released her toes and looked really elegant. However, her timing was off on the parts out of hold, and I fear she might look a bit gangly when it comes to the Latin dances.

I really enjoyed Shayne & Nancy's samba. All hail the disco samba! Shayne looked in control, and was certainly leading on the spins. It was relaxed and comfortable. He has lots of potential, and I can't wait to see what comes next.

I don't know what happened in Toyah & Neil's tango. It started off quite well, and then went to pot. Something went wrong in the middle of the dance, and she never quite recovered. She was frequently on the wrong foot and out of time. Neil seemed to be dragging her around like a ragdoll. Hopefully this week will be better, or she could be on the chopping block.

Tasha & Aljaž's cha cha was really good. Tasha was so confident, and paired with the big summer banger in Espresso, the routine was magic. Lovely leg action, if a little light in places. And it's good to have Aljaž's energy back in the room.

JB & Amy's waltz was very sweet. Waltz is such a hard dance to sell, and they did a good job. JB could have had a little more drive, and a little more sway, but a good job for Week 1. It was a showcase for beautiful Amy's return, but I can't wait to see what happens when they have a dance with more drama.

Pete is clearly not a dancer, but it was clear he was trying hard, and Jowita did well to get him to the standard he was. He had some lovely paso lines at times. It just want a bit Pete Tong when he needed to move his feet. His timing is not there.

Sarah looked as though she has been dancing her whole life. Her quickstep with Vito was effortless. Fast, light, bright, they covered the floor well, and a lovely grand jeté towards the end. If she keeps this up, we'll see her in December.

I think the only thing wrong with Tom & Nadiya's tango was his posture. He was lent forward. It was odd because he didn't seem to be doing it to come down to her height, which some male celebs do. Otherwise, everything else was good. Good footwork, good timing.

Poonam looked as though she was living her best mummy life - glammed up on a Saturday night, dancing with a hot man. She looked as though she was having the time of her life, and it was enjoyable to watch. She's got potential. Her cha cha legs were a bit bendy, but I'm sure Gorka can work on that.

I really don't want to talk about Paul & Karen's alleged American smooth. Poor Karen. What did they expect her to do? His timing was OK. That's the review.

I thought the judges were a bit tough on Jamie & Michelle. Their Viennese waltz was solid, and for a Week 1 routine, it was a good effort. His timing was good. It lacked a bit of drive, it was a bit small, but not bad for a first routine.

I think we were all quite surprised at just how entertaining Chris & Dianne's cha cha was. His timing was good, and he really went for it. It was fun and I can't wait to see more. Of course the technique wasn't quite there, but there is time for that.

Montell & Johannes were everything I wanted them to be. Their foxtrot was perhaps a little too American smooth for my taste, there was lots of of hold. But they were beautiful together. She is a beautiful dancer, and she is going to go far.

I'm not really sure why they saved Wynne & Katya until the end. He is clearly very musical, but he's a bit of a dad dancer. Their samba was nice, but I don't need to see it again. A personality dance like this was fine for Wynne, but I'm not sure how he'll get on with something more serious.

So there we have it. Numb bums have finally woken up after a week, and they'll be back asleep in a few short hours.

I think Toyah, Paul and Pete were the right bottom three. They are going to have to work some to not be in the dance off.

2024: The Pairings

I have struggled to decide if I should retire my blog. I still love Strictly, and having watched Saturday’s programme, I’m all in once again, but writing thoughts every week is becoming a chore that I endure, rather than a pleasure. The world has changed, too. If I was coming to Strictly now, I’d probably have a podcast. There was a point a few years back when I thought about starting one. But here I am, ready to talk about this year’s pairings and still not 100% sure if I really want to make this commitment.

I enjoyed the pairing show immensely. It’s a really interesting cast, and I’m already enjoying the pairings.

Chris McCausland & Dianne Buswell – Chris has already proven to be a bit of a loose cannon on a pre-recorded show, so I can’t wait to see what he says on the live shows. It’s clear from the group number that Chris is not natural dancer. I’m ready and waiting for Craig to make a comment about some lack of ability being a bigger disability than his lack of sight. I presume Dianne still has a massive fan base on social media, and this will probably keep them in for a while.
 
Wynne Evans & Katya Jones – Did Wynne have an argument with the wardrobe department? He definitely had the worst threads of the group! Katya’s clever choreography will probably take Wynne further than he might go with someone else. This pairing doesn’t excite me like some of the others.
 
Shayne Ward & Nancy Xu – I keep forgetting who Shayne is. He looks so different to the guy I remember from The X Factor and Rock of Ages. I think it’s a good opportunity for him to elevate his profile again. Nancy took Will Mellor a long way, and I expect Shayne to have a similar safari.
 
Jamie Borthwick & Michelle Tsiakkas – Michelle has been given a real opportunity to show us what she can do. Jamie proved on the Christmas special that he is very capable, so she should have an easy time getting him to a good standard. It could be a lot of pressure. I hope she really shines.
 
Pete Wicks and Jowita Przystał – Pete was definitely the moodiest looking one on the launch show. He is going to need a bit more than ‘blue steel’ to get through until Christmas. I think he’ll be mid-table.
 
Montell Douglass & Johannes Radebe – Let the Fire puns commence! This team if definitely going to be fire, though. Their chemistry bounced off the screen. I have a feeling already that she is going to get similar comments about ‘attack’ as Fleur. I expect fantastic latin, but I hope she can bring some elegant ballroom numbers as well.
 
Sam Quek and Nikita Kuzmin – Sam looked a little lost at times in the group number, so I think she might have to rely on personality on the dancefloor. I get the impression that it’s not going to come naturally to her. Nikita is a very patient partner, though. I think they’ll have fun. I’m expecting Angela & Carlos energy here.
 
JB Gill & Amy Dowden – I really don’t expect anyone but Amy winning this year, and I think JB can absolutely facilitate that. He’s a good mover, and as long as he doesn’t get an Aston wig of doom or get done a disservice by the judges, I think he’ll be around until the end. I also think JB has a bit more pizazz than the usual ‘nice guy’ celebrities that come Amy’s way.
 
Toyah Willcox and Neil Jones – Toyah is either going to be a revelation (think Debbie McGee) or she going to become annoying quickly. I’m really glad to see Neil back with a partner, but I don’t think everyone ‘gets’ him. I think their success will depend on their chemistry, and how much the public warms to them.
 
Sarah Hadland & Vito Coppola – This couple is going to be chaos. Sarah is bonkers and paired with Vito’s rambling streams of consciousness this couple is going to do well in the personality contest. I have no idea if she can dance, but I’m going to enjoy whatever they bring to the floor.
 
Tasha Ghouri & Aljaž Škorjanec – Tasha is probably one of the least well-known of the participants, but she seems sweet, and she is going to do well with Aljaž, whom everyone is happy to see back on the show. Rose proved that having a hearing impairment is no barrier on Strictly, and Aljaž is a strong lead. Bring on the ITT captions!
 
Punam Krishan & Gorka Márquez – Punam is giving me dark horse vibes. I think she’ll be secretly a bit good. Gorka can send himself up as well as being serious, and if they can straddle that line I think they’ll be fun.
 
Paul Merson & Karen Hauer – Aren’t we at the end yet? The live shows are going to be long… Poor Karen. Has she ever had a ringer? She’s probably got her work cut out again. Paul doesn’t seem like he’ll be a natural. He’ll get the dad votes.
 
Tom Dean & Nadiya Bychkova – Tom looks as though he’ll do OK, but I think he might get lost in the crowd here. He’s going to have to work hard to get votes and be memorable.
 
Nick Knowles & Luba Mushtuk – Nick always seems to be Marmite with the public. Some people seem to have an irrational dislike for him. He’s been omnipresent on our screens for 20+ years, so everyone will know who he is. I fear he might be a bit of a dad dancer, and I wonder if he might have been a better contestant 10 years ago than he will be now.
 
Having Amy back, giving Neil a partner for the first time in years and giving Michelle her first partner means that three pros find themselves on the subs bench. Sadly, despite a truly brilliant debut, Lauren does not have a partner this year. Carlos and Kai also have to sit out. It’s unfortunate, but better that than 18 couples!
 
So, there we go. Fifteen couples, full of hope and possibilities. I don’t usually make predictions, but I expect to be seeing JB and Montell dancing in December. Probably Jamie too. I can’t wait to see how this tuns out.