Strictly finals
Dec. 15th, 2019 06:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shallownessVery nice pro number, with Johannes getting a lot of attention, which feels right for the breakout pro star of the series. They didn’t give the finalists too much to do either, which was nice. And Karim didn’t injure himself jumping down to the dancefloor.
Enter Tess in a glitzy metallic thing and Claudia in a trousers and blouse combo that she could have worn at any point in the series. The judges were all glammed up. I was a bit concerned about Shirley’s movement, but she seemed to managed to get up at the judges’ table fine.
Given the way things panned out this year, all three finalists get to do all three dances.
ROUND 1 – Judges’ choice
A touch of evil from the producers in using the dance-off music before revealing what the dances were (bet Karim thought it’d be the paso, Emma thought it’d be the rumba and Kelvin whatever he had a 7 in).
Karim’s quickstep was even better, and he deserved his 40. (Sorry, I was eating more than scrawling notes at this point.)
Emma got her (very recent) Charleston, but sans backing dancers, which meant Anton had to step up, which he did on the lift front, but there was a moment where he just stopped moving, hilariously. Let’s blame him for the 39. I thought it was joyous.
Kelvin’s much anticipated rumba did look better overall. Has Craig ever given a malerumba a 10? It’s a rare sight in the finals, but reminded us that he was strong where everyone else was weak.
Karim won with the judges, but we all knew that was irrelevant (and I think Amy had drilled this into Karim’s head too.) I voted for Kelvin and Oti three times, which is relatively restrained, but I felt quite calm overall, beyond thoroughly enjoying a lot of the routines.
ROUND 2 – SHOWDANCE
ClaudnTess went into every training room to do impressed reaction shots.
Kelvin’s showdance was a Contemporary II this time it’s even more personal, which is fair enough, even though that is when it became clear they didn’t have the public’s support. Is Amy planning for a future as a choreographer in a different genre? Anyway, I liked it more than their first contemporary number and I liked it more as it went on. The design elements only added to it, and that lift with Amy that they’d show in all the clips of the dance was gorgeous. But, like, Craig, I noticed when they went out of sync. (As ever, props to Craig for being the only one with any integrity within this set up. Baying audience and over-excited pros can shut it.)
Shocking no-one (I mean, even if I hadn’t seen them on ITT, this would be predictable) Emma’s showdance was Hollywood glitz, and she possibly looked the best she’s ever done in that colour. As for the dance, well, I suppose it reflected her year that she looked a tad under-rehearsed. CANES? It also doesn’t help that she isn’t as good as Fay was so recently, though there were some gorgeous touches. Classic thing where the showdance asks for a little too much of a tired celeb doing three dances and the rest. (So, I was a bit peeved with Motsi for noting the hesitation, but not whipping out the 9 paddle. I’d given up on Shirley and Bruno. In fairness, the judges were was wound up as anyone.)
Oti gave Kelvin a ‘celebrating my journey’ showdance, which is not my automatic favourite flavour of showdance, but I should have trusted her. It was jam-packed, he was amazing and the STYLISATION demands all-caps and they pulled the final lift off.
This is the point where Claudia lost track, although it was almost a given that Kelvin would get the 40. I’d say that Tess was the more focused presenter on the night – there was also the issue that Claudia’s connection with Karim was hit and miss, as it’s always been. Granted, I have a Tess filter where I just ignore some of the stuff she does where she repeats what contestants have said or tells us which judges have been standing.
So, Kelvin won that round and I wondered if the judges would be able to split the two Ks in the next one.
ROUND THREE: Couples’ Choice
I presume all the finalists had their fingers in their ears before the ‘my journey/proud family/switching the lights off on the training room’ VT.
Kelvin and Amy brought back the jive, again, sans the dancers, and I actually got more out of this version, because the focus was on them instead of too much going on. So, that was another 40 in the bag.
Emma danced the Viennese Waltz so much better this time, so it had a stronger foundation, whereas before it had been more about acting and potential. Such a beautiful dance, and, as with last week’s waltz, an effective contrast on a hysterical night. She never got a 10 from Craig.
Kelvin had tightened up and improved his samba (I needn’t have worried that he’d be too exhausted for it after the showdance). It was striking that there were some (needless) week 1 choreographic tricks from Oti, like her inserting herself between him and the judges. Of course I groaned as Craig raised his problems with the bounce, but the judges made the point that it’s not many who would be doing the rumba and samba in the finals, with the calculation being they’re such crowd pleasers that the harder technique didn’t matter.
So Karim won that one according to the judges.
I keep wondering how Amy and Karim would have played the rumba, given it was all sibling vibes.
And then came the waiting game. Excellent lippy, if not sound levels, from Taylor Swift, and lovely dancing.
Amid al the chat with the ‘class of 2019’. I was reminded of how I would not have called Chris outlasting Dev, and how Michelle and Saffron could just as easily have been in the finals. Anyway, they had a well-managed montage of the year group dance, and I wasn’t expecting Will to turn up. Lovely to see him mobile.
Some ‘REALLY? THAT is what you remember’ moments in the vox pop.
And cue the results: surprised Kelvin (? - nobody else was), tearful Oti, chaotic camerawork – although it was nice that they got Motsi being moved For her sister. Right couple won, I feel. And now I won’t have my glitzy Saturday night distraction. Also, the Strictly Christmas special is genuinely the TV show I’m most looking forward to.
Enter Tess in a glitzy metallic thing and Claudia in a trousers and blouse combo that she could have worn at any point in the series. The judges were all glammed up. I was a bit concerned about Shirley’s movement, but she seemed to managed to get up at the judges’ table fine.
Given the way things panned out this year, all three finalists get to do all three dances.
ROUND 1 – Judges’ choice
A touch of evil from the producers in using the dance-off music before revealing what the dances were (bet Karim thought it’d be the paso, Emma thought it’d be the rumba and Kelvin whatever he had a 7 in).
Karim’s quickstep was even better, and he deserved his 40. (Sorry, I was eating more than scrawling notes at this point.)
Emma got her (very recent) Charleston, but sans backing dancers, which meant Anton had to step up, which he did on the lift front, but there was a moment where he just stopped moving, hilariously. Let’s blame him for the 39. I thought it was joyous.
Kelvin’s much anticipated rumba did look better overall. Has Craig ever given a malerumba a 10? It’s a rare sight in the finals, but reminded us that he was strong where everyone else was weak.
Karim won with the judges, but we all knew that was irrelevant (and I think Amy had drilled this into Karim’s head too.) I voted for Kelvin and Oti three times, which is relatively restrained, but I felt quite calm overall, beyond thoroughly enjoying a lot of the routines.
ROUND 2 – SHOWDANCE
ClaudnTess went into every training room to do impressed reaction shots.
Kelvin’s showdance was a Contemporary II this time it’s even more personal, which is fair enough, even though that is when it became clear they didn’t have the public’s support. Is Amy planning for a future as a choreographer in a different genre? Anyway, I liked it more than their first contemporary number and I liked it more as it went on. The design elements only added to it, and that lift with Amy that they’d show in all the clips of the dance was gorgeous. But, like, Craig, I noticed when they went out of sync. (As ever, props to Craig for being the only one with any integrity within this set up. Baying audience and over-excited pros can shut it.)
Shocking no-one (I mean, even if I hadn’t seen them on ITT, this would be predictable) Emma’s showdance was Hollywood glitz, and she possibly looked the best she’s ever done in that colour. As for the dance, well, I suppose it reflected her year that she looked a tad under-rehearsed. CANES? It also doesn’t help that she isn’t as good as Fay was so recently, though there were some gorgeous touches. Classic thing where the showdance asks for a little too much of a tired celeb doing three dances and the rest. (So, I was a bit peeved with Motsi for noting the hesitation, but not whipping out the 9 paddle. I’d given up on Shirley and Bruno. In fairness, the judges were was wound up as anyone.)
Oti gave Kelvin a ‘celebrating my journey’ showdance, which is not my automatic favourite flavour of showdance, but I should have trusted her. It was jam-packed, he was amazing and the STYLISATION demands all-caps and they pulled the final lift off.
This is the point where Claudia lost track, although it was almost a given that Kelvin would get the 40. I’d say that Tess was the more focused presenter on the night – there was also the issue that Claudia’s connection with Karim was hit and miss, as it’s always been. Granted, I have a Tess filter where I just ignore some of the stuff she does where she repeats what contestants have said or tells us which judges have been standing.
So, Kelvin won that round and I wondered if the judges would be able to split the two Ks in the next one.
ROUND THREE: Couples’ Choice
I presume all the finalists had their fingers in their ears before the ‘my journey/proud family/switching the lights off on the training room’ VT.
Kelvin and Amy brought back the jive, again, sans the dancers, and I actually got more out of this version, because the focus was on them instead of too much going on. So, that was another 40 in the bag.
Emma danced the Viennese Waltz so much better this time, so it had a stronger foundation, whereas before it had been more about acting and potential. Such a beautiful dance, and, as with last week’s waltz, an effective contrast on a hysterical night. She never got a 10 from Craig.
Kelvin had tightened up and improved his samba (I needn’t have worried that he’d be too exhausted for it after the showdance). It was striking that there were some (needless) week 1 choreographic tricks from Oti, like her inserting herself between him and the judges. Of course I groaned as Craig raised his problems with the bounce, but the judges made the point that it’s not many who would be doing the rumba and samba in the finals, with the calculation being they’re such crowd pleasers that the harder technique didn’t matter.
So Karim won that one according to the judges.
I keep wondering how Amy and Karim would have played the rumba, given it was all sibling vibes.
And then came the waiting game. Excellent lippy, if not sound levels, from Taylor Swift, and lovely dancing.
Amid al the chat with the ‘class of 2019’. I was reminded of how I would not have called Chris outlasting Dev, and how Michelle and Saffron could just as easily have been in the finals. Anyway, they had a well-managed montage of the year group dance, and I wasn’t expecting Will to turn up. Lovely to see him mobile.
Some ‘REALLY? THAT is what you remember’ moments in the vox pop.
And cue the results: surprised Kelvin (? - nobody else was), tearful Oti, chaotic camerawork – although it was nice that they got Motsi being moved For her sister. Right couple won, I feel. And now I won’t have my glitzy Saturday night distraction. Also, the Strictly Christmas special is genuinely the TV show I’m most looking forward to.
