Strictly movie night
Oct. 9th, 2022 01:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shallownessIt Takes Two
This week, I learned Kai and Nadiya are a couple – I wonder if they were before he joined the show. Surely he’ll be doing the Christmas special with AJ, if she’s available and healthy; it’s the least they can do.
Strictly movie night
I loved the Encanto opening number (never seen the film.) Never mind the meta of the song being ‘We don’t talk about Bruno’, because as Claudia said, they do talk about him, but not so much about Arlene, Alicia or Darcey, it was a properly narrative-driven dance with light and shade.
I suppose Tess decided end-of-Grease Sandy needed a reference too, but Motsi and Craig looked like they’d put in an appropriate level of effort for movie night.
Richie and Giovanni opened proceedings, possibly because they were in the physically hottest outfits, doing a ’Hakuna Matata’ samba. I can’t even say that was the most surreal thing of the night. ‘Effervescent’ is what I jotted down at the time, FWIW.
I’m presuming being on second isn’t a diss this year, either, but more a reflection of the fact that Molly and Carlos were doing a waltz, which is one of the quieter dances. (As she ended up second on the leaderboard, I’m definitely presuming as much.) My notes say ‘caterwauling’, the song was from West Side Story and the singers did not get on with it. This may have taken me out of the dance a bit. But it was accomplished. I could have done with a little more fluidity from her in the transitions, myself.
Kym and Grazziano were doing a Sweet Charity Charleston, and she nailed being the leading lady. I thought her timing was great (although I could see what Craig meant about energising, because she felt a little…compact) but that was a step up and I hope it’s the launch pad for more.
Yes, obviously, John Williams’s score for Jurassic Park would make you think ‘Rangers rumba’ if you’re doing Strictly movie night (in no other context would you think that.) First (male/’leading’) rumba of the season. The music was way too grandiose for a rumba, but I thought that Hamza’s feet must have been okay, because there was a real ease to his movement. Better than the jive. Hamza’s hair played its part.
Ellie T and Johannes’s shoop shoop cha cha didn’t quite work for me. While I was watching it, I thought that having a light film-referencing top turn into a cha cha friendly darker blue skirt did her no favours, but I’ve been persuaded that the footwork was the problem. They then went on an emotional journey up in the Clauditorium with a message from her sister in Australia, Johannes doing his Cher, and the scores.
But what did the fighter jet make of Matt’s practice run? (Primary schoolchildren beat fighter jets in this context.)
I did see improvement in his Top Gun Maverick VW, he was clearly engaged throughout, but there were issues as well. The judges’ comments were confusing taken together if he’s seeking guidance for how to improve, although it doesn’t seem as if he’s going to improve enough in time.
Tyler and Dianne’s ‘What a Picture’ Charleston was a class above Kym’s (yeah, he’s got longer levers, but she didn’t run a marathon just before either.) He was so much springier and THERE throughout. 10s! YASS! (I know it’s the gimme of the Charleston, but when you take the impact of the marathon on his body and ability to train, you can’t grumble.) I want to see how he does with calmer dances, though, because lifts aside, his first ballroom wasn’t as good.
I have never watched The Little Mermaid, but Fleur and Vito’s American Smooth was probably my second favourite dance of the night. It was just so beautiful – the computer FX, her costume, her dancing. I thought there were lovely little touches and the lifts were especially good. It turned me into a six year old girl, so I liked it more than the judges, although they were clearly talking to her as a good dancer who could be better yet.
My feelings about Guardians of the Galaxy (mainly positive) got in the way of m reaction to James and Amy’s cha cha, although I thought he looked better when he was in Amy’s vicinity, but he can’t move like Chris Pratt and couldn’t get it out of my head that Amy was playing Gamora like she was on Es or something. One above Ellie T and Matt.
Apparently, Ellie S and Nikita have cast a spell on me, because I loved their dance while the judges weren’t happy with the footwork. If they’re claiming that was down to her nerves, they’re going to have to work on them.
I applaud the effort that went into Will’s American Smooth, I appreciate that he was doing his best Patrick Swayze and the dance was filled with all sorts of homages to Dirty Dancing as a whole, but I couldn’t quite get over the fact that the pro was dancing Baby and the amateur was playing Johnny in a role reversal, so I wasn’t quite there with the judges or the dance.
Tony and Katya did a Full Monty samba as choreographed by Katya Jones, and I was more ‘urgh’ than entertained. I thought there were attempts to do a samba in there somewhere and as many dance-y things that I liked as there weren’t. Katya’s jumpsuit was, in its way, an attempt to do a Nadiya from last week, but then the routine got increasingly DNW, and while Craig was harsh, getting out the 2 paddle, it did deserve to be bottom of the LB.
I thought Helen’s dancing was better than her performance in her ‘Hopelessly Devoted To You’ VW, if that makes sense – I was with Craig on the finesse. Improved score.
Well, there was an opportunity to be the best cha cha of the night, and Jayde produced that with her Flashdance closer. There were a couple of sticky bits ad doing so much alongside Karen drew unflattering comparisons, so I dunno about the 8.
My faves were Tyler’s Charleston and Fleur’s American Smooth, and my heart is with Ellie S and Hamza, but I applaud Kym, Helen and Will. Maybe Molly’s dance would be better with the sound turned down, and, in fairness, the singers didn’t get in the way of anything else. Actually, the The Little Mermaid song was well sung. Ellie T (much as I love Jelly), Matt, James and are in trouble, probably more so than Tony. Disney beat the sixties and Steven Spielberg. Could not pick the most surreal moment, really.
So, that happened.
[Edited for typos 7/2/25.]
This week, I learned Kai and Nadiya are a couple – I wonder if they were before he joined the show. Surely he’ll be doing the Christmas special with AJ, if she’s available and healthy; it’s the least they can do.
Strictly movie night
I loved the Encanto opening number (never seen the film.) Never mind the meta of the song being ‘We don’t talk about Bruno’, because as Claudia said, they do talk about him, but not so much about Arlene, Alicia or Darcey, it was a properly narrative-driven dance with light and shade.
I suppose Tess decided end-of-Grease Sandy needed a reference too, but Motsi and Craig looked like they’d put in an appropriate level of effort for movie night.
Richie and Giovanni opened proceedings, possibly because they were in the physically hottest outfits, doing a ’Hakuna Matata’ samba. I can’t even say that was the most surreal thing of the night. ‘Effervescent’ is what I jotted down at the time, FWIW.
I’m presuming being on second isn’t a diss this year, either, but more a reflection of the fact that Molly and Carlos were doing a waltz, which is one of the quieter dances. (As she ended up second on the leaderboard, I’m definitely presuming as much.) My notes say ‘caterwauling’, the song was from West Side Story and the singers did not get on with it. This may have taken me out of the dance a bit. But it was accomplished. I could have done with a little more fluidity from her in the transitions, myself.
Kym and Grazziano were doing a Sweet Charity Charleston, and she nailed being the leading lady. I thought her timing was great (although I could see what Craig meant about energising, because she felt a little…compact) but that was a step up and I hope it’s the launch pad for more.
Yes, obviously, John Williams’s score for Jurassic Park would make you think ‘Rangers rumba’ if you’re doing Strictly movie night (in no other context would you think that.) First (male/’leading’) rumba of the season. The music was way too grandiose for a rumba, but I thought that Hamza’s feet must have been okay, because there was a real ease to his movement. Better than the jive. Hamza’s hair played its part.
Ellie T and Johannes’s shoop shoop cha cha didn’t quite work for me. While I was watching it, I thought that having a light film-referencing top turn into a cha cha friendly darker blue skirt did her no favours, but I’ve been persuaded that the footwork was the problem. They then went on an emotional journey up in the Clauditorium with a message from her sister in Australia, Johannes doing his Cher, and the scores.
But what did the fighter jet make of Matt’s practice run? (Primary schoolchildren beat fighter jets in this context.)
I did see improvement in his Top Gun Maverick VW, he was clearly engaged throughout, but there were issues as well. The judges’ comments were confusing taken together if he’s seeking guidance for how to improve, although it doesn’t seem as if he’s going to improve enough in time.
Tyler and Dianne’s ‘What a Picture’ Charleston was a class above Kym’s (yeah, he’s got longer levers, but she didn’t run a marathon just before either.) He was so much springier and THERE throughout. 10s! YASS! (I know it’s the gimme of the Charleston, but when you take the impact of the marathon on his body and ability to train, you can’t grumble.) I want to see how he does with calmer dances, though, because lifts aside, his first ballroom wasn’t as good.
I have never watched The Little Mermaid, but Fleur and Vito’s American Smooth was probably my second favourite dance of the night. It was just so beautiful – the computer FX, her costume, her dancing. I thought there were lovely little touches and the lifts were especially good. It turned me into a six year old girl, so I liked it more than the judges, although they were clearly talking to her as a good dancer who could be better yet.
My feelings about Guardians of the Galaxy (mainly positive) got in the way of m reaction to James and Amy’s cha cha, although I thought he looked better when he was in Amy’s vicinity, but he can’t move like Chris Pratt and couldn’t get it out of my head that Amy was playing Gamora like she was on Es or something. One above Ellie T and Matt.
Apparently, Ellie S and Nikita have cast a spell on me, because I loved their dance while the judges weren’t happy with the footwork. If they’re claiming that was down to her nerves, they’re going to have to work on them.
I applaud the effort that went into Will’s American Smooth, I appreciate that he was doing his best Patrick Swayze and the dance was filled with all sorts of homages to Dirty Dancing as a whole, but I couldn’t quite get over the fact that the pro was dancing Baby and the amateur was playing Johnny in a role reversal, so I wasn’t quite there with the judges or the dance.
Tony and Katya did a Full Monty samba as choreographed by Katya Jones, and I was more ‘urgh’ than entertained. I thought there were attempts to do a samba in there somewhere and as many dance-y things that I liked as there weren’t. Katya’s jumpsuit was, in its way, an attempt to do a Nadiya from last week, but then the routine got increasingly DNW, and while Craig was harsh, getting out the 2 paddle, it did deserve to be bottom of the LB.
I thought Helen’s dancing was better than her performance in her ‘Hopelessly Devoted To You’ VW, if that makes sense – I was with Craig on the finesse. Improved score.
Well, there was an opportunity to be the best cha cha of the night, and Jayde produced that with her Flashdance closer. There were a couple of sticky bits ad doing so much alongside Karen drew unflattering comparisons, so I dunno about the 8.
My faves were Tyler’s Charleston and Fleur’s American Smooth, and my heart is with Ellie S and Hamza, but I applaud Kym, Helen and Will. Maybe Molly’s dance would be better with the sound turned down, and, in fairness, the singers didn’t get in the way of anything else. Actually, the The Little Mermaid song was well sung. Ellie T (much as I love Jelly), Matt, James and are in trouble, probably more so than Tony. Disney beat the sixties and Steven Spielberg. Could not pick the most surreal moment, really.
So, that happened.
[Edited for typos 7/2/25.]
