Strictly Week 5
Oct. 23rd, 2023 08:01 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shallownessLive show
Strapless metallic gown from Tess, strapless white and black two piece from Claud. Motsi sparkled in hot pink, while Anton got to do a lackadaisical spin. I liked Lauren’s understated green outfit and Zara’s lilac trousersuit, and I thought Katya’s orange and gold dress was intriguing. Tess confirmed what had been announced on ITT, i.e. that because Amanda was unwell, she and Giovanni wouldn’t be dancing that night.
Annabel (clearly playing a Glamorous Flapper) and Johannes opened the show with a Charleston. I was confused by their messing abaht involving hand mirrors when they were sitting in front of a giant one. Anyway, she’s always so elegant! Obviously, less sharp than Johannes and I spotted one hiccup, but she was clearly enjoying it. I’m not sure if the hiccup I noticed was THE mistake (or were there several.) If Craig hadn’t given them a 5, I’d be querying Anton’s 8.
The design for Nigel and Katya’s foxtrot with the patterns and colours was great. He got a gift of an opening, getting up to dance a bit on the bar. His technique in hold wasn’t quite all that (I missed the whole kicking Katya and gong a bit wrong or that he styled a lot of it out thereafter.) Despite the comments, he got 7s and 8s.
(Ooh, Amy sighting in the Clauditorium!)
Eddie and Karen had a samba (which I thought would suit him better than most, especially after being in the dance-off.) I thought it was fine, with some good bits, including, obviously his rhythmicality, but it didn’t feel samba-ey, and I wasn’t sure if that was me. But then the judges didn’t love it.
(Ooh, Giovanni sighting in the Clauditorium!)
Krishnan and Lauren were gifted a (classic) quickstep, much as Jody had been, and it was a fun routine. Krishnan’s standard of dancing was a bit in and out (like his smile), but it definitely fitted with the happy Krishnan, happy audience narrative. After Claudia stepped up the trolling of his son, their clean routine (after mistakes from everyone else) put them top of the leaderboard! As with Adam last week, would not have called that.
Angela S and Carlos performed an American smooth. She sold that she was living her best life like anything in the dance, and showed great flexibility in one drop. I could see what the judges meant, though.
Ellie and Vito’s paso had a Very Dramatic Opening, but the meat of the routine was great. Lots of shaping, dancing big for someone of such small stature and she maintained the intensity right up to the extended ending. Vito got complimented as much as Ellie, and I’ll await proper explanations for that figure. He was rather overwhelmed what with his parents watching and the scores (their first 9s and a 10 from Motsi after a low-scoring week) and Ellie injuring him again. So, Krishnan’s reign ended swiftly.
Layla and Nikita followed that with a salsa, and obviously, it was excellent, but about half of the routine reminded me of group numbers (because Layton is a pro dancer even if he’s not a pro Latin dancer, and Ellie, who AFAIK has no dance training, is actually way more impressive, and the difference between him and Zara, say, is ridiculous) while the other half was more what you’d expect from a salsa routine. I can’t tell if the going from competitors to partners story worked. Anton got in on the 10 paddle act, meaning the top of the leaderboard changed again.
Bobby and Dianne danced a Viennese waltz. Talk about drawing you into a dance (and I think he should probably do contemporary for couples choice, although he’s an all-rounder.) It had flow and softness and Anton’s comment about the confidence to stride felt right. Dianne pointed out that Bobby had no dance experience. Top 3.
Adam and Luba’s couples dance was sold as street (but was street/commercial, surely?) Their synchro and energy were good. There were some pop video moments, somewhat inevitably. I was surprised by how much I liked the chairography. It went better than I expected.
Zara and Graziano were also doing an American Smooth after ballroom like Angela R, and I thought the lifts were the clear highpoints. But the transitions not so much – I agreed with Motsi’s point about Zara just standing there, even if I wouldn’t have put it so bluntly. The bits in hold were a leeetle stiff too. (I rolled my eyes at Layton nodding like he empathised behind Zara when she talked to Claudia about being a non-dancer.)
Inevitably, Angela R and Kai would close with The First Argentine Tango of the series, and it did not disappoint. She did what she was given to do very well. Very precise and with some moments that made me gasp. Two 9s made it her highest score yet, which is fair enough.
A look at the scoreboard to see that Eddie was at the bottom after having been in the dance-off last week, with Annabel dipping below a few people on 28. I couldn’t bring myself to vote for anyone in the bottom half because they had either made mistakes or disappointed, and ended up voting for Ellie and Vito twice (they’re kind of my favourite couple) and Bobby and Dianne once.
Results
BRILLIANT opening routine, both Fosse tribute and a little bit extra with its own story. (I sarcastically thought about how Layton could have danced the number, if not one of the four leads.) Good weekend for chairography.
I’d say Tess in a sparkly black dress and Claudia in a white frou-frou dress were about tied (I also loved what Shirley and Motsi wore.)
Recap put the top 3 in the top group, the next four in the middle - I hadn’t realised Bobby and Adam were tied - and the bottom four in the bottom. We got to see some of the mistakes in slo-mo.
If Eddie was going to be called safe, he’d have been called safe first, but that relief went to Ellie and Vito after having been tortured last week. Nigel was a surprise safe call in the first group (he really needs to do a good ballroom routine, or even a mistake-free one.) But Zara, despite not being in the bottom two, was not. Motsi told her to trust in herself.
In the absence of one couple, the first set of safe couples could all sit on the sofa.
Was anyone else expecting augmented reality animals or something, other than a few clips of Planet Earth III? It took me a while to realise I did know the song, but I was mainly being unimpressed by the Bastille lead singer’s posturing, because the vocals didn’t live up to the body language. Fortunately Kai and Lauren (gorgeous drape to her dress) came on and distracted me with their dancing. I loved how she came out of the floor spin.
Enter the judges, and we relived Vito explaining that figure, Shirley said something more coherent (though I think we need a VT with pros demonstrating it on ITT, TBH) and Anton cracked a joke.
Second group, and quite rightly Angela R and Bobby got called safe early. Angela S was VERY relieved to be called safe too. Annabel had to wait to learn that it would be Eddie in the dance-off. That’s a bit ouch for Zara, because Annabel was saved due to her (and her and Johannes as a couple) popularity, although once you’ve been in a dance-off once, you’re more likely to be back than not. Craig basically told Eddie the performer to perform.
Amusing back-and-forth between Angela R and Claudia about how much control Claudia has as a presenter. A Halloween VT in which Neil was the punchline (again) followed. He deserves a celeb partner next series!
Dance-off: didn’t see much improvement in Eddie’s dance, and he ended it with some improvised wiggling at the judges that Karen couldn’t see. I thought Zara tried to improve all the bits in hold and transitions, though maybe the lifts were a little less controlled, but you could tell who’d had four more points for their dance. Unanimous decision, good speech from Eddie, and his tribute to Karen was eloquent. Telling that they danced together like you could imagine them doing at a party before getting swallowed up by the commiserating group hug.
Strapless metallic gown from Tess, strapless white and black two piece from Claud. Motsi sparkled in hot pink, while Anton got to do a lackadaisical spin. I liked Lauren’s understated green outfit and Zara’s lilac trousersuit, and I thought Katya’s orange and gold dress was intriguing. Tess confirmed what had been announced on ITT, i.e. that because Amanda was unwell, she and Giovanni wouldn’t be dancing that night.
Annabel (clearly playing a Glamorous Flapper) and Johannes opened the show with a Charleston. I was confused by their messing abaht involving hand mirrors when they were sitting in front of a giant one. Anyway, she’s always so elegant! Obviously, less sharp than Johannes and I spotted one hiccup, but she was clearly enjoying it. I’m not sure if the hiccup I noticed was THE mistake (or were there several.) If Craig hadn’t given them a 5, I’d be querying Anton’s 8.
The design for Nigel and Katya’s foxtrot with the patterns and colours was great. He got a gift of an opening, getting up to dance a bit on the bar. His technique in hold wasn’t quite all that (I missed the whole kicking Katya and gong a bit wrong or that he styled a lot of it out thereafter.) Despite the comments, he got 7s and 8s.
(Ooh, Amy sighting in the Clauditorium!)
Eddie and Karen had a samba (which I thought would suit him better than most, especially after being in the dance-off.) I thought it was fine, with some good bits, including, obviously his rhythmicality, but it didn’t feel samba-ey, and I wasn’t sure if that was me. But then the judges didn’t love it.
(Ooh, Giovanni sighting in the Clauditorium!)
Krishnan and Lauren were gifted a (classic) quickstep, much as Jody had been, and it was a fun routine. Krishnan’s standard of dancing was a bit in and out (like his smile), but it definitely fitted with the happy Krishnan, happy audience narrative. After Claudia stepped up the trolling of his son, their clean routine (after mistakes from everyone else) put them top of the leaderboard! As with Adam last week, would not have called that.
Angela S and Carlos performed an American smooth. She sold that she was living her best life like anything in the dance, and showed great flexibility in one drop. I could see what the judges meant, though.
Ellie and Vito’s paso had a Very Dramatic Opening, but the meat of the routine was great. Lots of shaping, dancing big for someone of such small stature and she maintained the intensity right up to the extended ending. Vito got complimented as much as Ellie, and I’ll await proper explanations for that figure. He was rather overwhelmed what with his parents watching and the scores (their first 9s and a 10 from Motsi after a low-scoring week) and Ellie injuring him again. So, Krishnan’s reign ended swiftly.
Layla and Nikita followed that with a salsa, and obviously, it was excellent, but about half of the routine reminded me of group numbers (because Layton is a pro dancer even if he’s not a pro Latin dancer, and Ellie, who AFAIK has no dance training, is actually way more impressive, and the difference between him and Zara, say, is ridiculous) while the other half was more what you’d expect from a salsa routine. I can’t tell if the going from competitors to partners story worked. Anton got in on the 10 paddle act, meaning the top of the leaderboard changed again.
Bobby and Dianne danced a Viennese waltz. Talk about drawing you into a dance (and I think he should probably do contemporary for couples choice, although he’s an all-rounder.) It had flow and softness and Anton’s comment about the confidence to stride felt right. Dianne pointed out that Bobby had no dance experience. Top 3.
Adam and Luba’s couples dance was sold as street (but was street/commercial, surely?) Their synchro and energy were good. There were some pop video moments, somewhat inevitably. I was surprised by how much I liked the chairography. It went better than I expected.
Zara and Graziano were also doing an American Smooth after ballroom like Angela R, and I thought the lifts were the clear highpoints. But the transitions not so much – I agreed with Motsi’s point about Zara just standing there, even if I wouldn’t have put it so bluntly. The bits in hold were a leeetle stiff too. (I rolled my eyes at Layton nodding like he empathised behind Zara when she talked to Claudia about being a non-dancer.)
Inevitably, Angela R and Kai would close with The First Argentine Tango of the series, and it did not disappoint. She did what she was given to do very well. Very precise and with some moments that made me gasp. Two 9s made it her highest score yet, which is fair enough.
A look at the scoreboard to see that Eddie was at the bottom after having been in the dance-off last week, with Annabel dipping below a few people on 28. I couldn’t bring myself to vote for anyone in the bottom half because they had either made mistakes or disappointed, and ended up voting for Ellie and Vito twice (they’re kind of my favourite couple) and Bobby and Dianne once.
Results
BRILLIANT opening routine, both Fosse tribute and a little bit extra with its own story. (I sarcastically thought about how Layton could have danced the number, if not one of the four leads.) Good weekend for chairography.
I’d say Tess in a sparkly black dress and Claudia in a white frou-frou dress were about tied (I also loved what Shirley and Motsi wore.)
Recap put the top 3 in the top group, the next four in the middle - I hadn’t realised Bobby and Adam were tied - and the bottom four in the bottom. We got to see some of the mistakes in slo-mo.
If Eddie was going to be called safe, he’d have been called safe first, but that relief went to Ellie and Vito after having been tortured last week. Nigel was a surprise safe call in the first group (he really needs to do a good ballroom routine, or even a mistake-free one.) But Zara, despite not being in the bottom two, was not. Motsi told her to trust in herself.
In the absence of one couple, the first set of safe couples could all sit on the sofa.
Was anyone else expecting augmented reality animals or something, other than a few clips of Planet Earth III? It took me a while to realise I did know the song, but I was mainly being unimpressed by the Bastille lead singer’s posturing, because the vocals didn’t live up to the body language. Fortunately Kai and Lauren (gorgeous drape to her dress) came on and distracted me with their dancing. I loved how she came out of the floor spin.
Enter the judges, and we relived Vito explaining that figure, Shirley said something more coherent (though I think we need a VT with pros demonstrating it on ITT, TBH) and Anton cracked a joke.
Second group, and quite rightly Angela R and Bobby got called safe early. Angela S was VERY relieved to be called safe too. Annabel had to wait to learn that it would be Eddie in the dance-off. That’s a bit ouch for Zara, because Annabel was saved due to her (and her and Johannes as a couple) popularity, although once you’ve been in a dance-off once, you’re more likely to be back than not. Craig basically told Eddie the performer to perform.
Amusing back-and-forth between Angela R and Claudia about how much control Claudia has as a presenter. A Halloween VT in which Neil was the punchline (again) followed. He deserves a celeb partner next series!
Dance-off: didn’t see much improvement in Eddie’s dance, and he ended it with some improvised wiggling at the judges that Karen couldn’t see. I thought Zara tried to improve all the bits in hold and transitions, though maybe the lifts were a little less controlled, but you could tell who’d had four more points for their dance. Unanimous decision, good speech from Eddie, and his tribute to Karen was eloquent. Telling that they danced together like you could imagine them doing at a party before getting swallowed up by the commiserating group hug.
