Strictly 2021

[sheepdog]

So Strictly come Dancing is back this autumn with a new old judge (Anton du Beke), a new old presenter for It takes Two (Jenette Manrara), four new pro's who won't be involved and obviously even less money than ever before!

First three of the bottom of the barrel scrapings are:

Tom Fletcher - ex boyband member now writing children's books

Robert Webb - slightly creepy comedian looking for work

AJ Odudu - obligatory "Who's that, never heard of her"

Also there are 15 people defined as celebs this year. I'm half expecting Kathryn Ryan to be involved as she seems to be on every other program for no reason. Also no Blackpool week either. 

Sadly, looks like were stuck with the un-dynamic duo of Daly & Winkleman.

[RunrigForever]

Settled down last Sunday to watch the results show. New LG tv remote in hand. Totally messed up the screen which said Not Programmed. Could have watched it on the iPlayer, but the moment had gone. A big shout out to @sheepdog as OP Original Poster and @Cleoriff .Their opinions of the dancers etc is informative and entertaining. Luv Sheepdog's acerbic wit and Cleoriff's knowledge of example AT Argentine Tango. The banter / interplay between the two of them ..... well it all makes for a good thread. I have strong opinions of SCD. Personally I watch Dancesport on Facebook to enjoy seeing world professionals dance in top international competition.       *Sack the Musical Director immediately without any compensation*

[Cleoriff]

Turned over from an exciting F1 Qualifying but missed the opening Dance of SCD.

Tess back to the sparkly bacofoil. Claudia WELL!! Red bin bag plastic effort.

John and Johannes. Salsa. Actually left me cold. No dynamic to the dance. John dropped Johannes at the end

Scored 32.

Rhys and Nancy. Argentine Tango. Absolutely stunning. Wow. Synchronised and intense. Scored 39

Rose and Giovanni. American Smooth. What a beautiful dance and stunning lift. Loved it Scored 39

Dan and Nadiya. Tango Great music, great routine HOWEVER, then we had Dan who was great at the beginning and lost all sense of posture. Tango Dan turned into Crouchy Dan.  Scored 31 (note, only one point lower than John)

AJ and Kai. Salsa. Oh dear it was going so well until the end. Scored 30 (bottom of the leaderboard)

Not sure how the public will vote this week. Don't understand why AJ scored lower than John though,

I will be missing  for the results show tomorrow night. The Jeddah F1 race doesn't start until 5pm. SCD will be recorded @sheepdog 

[sheepdog]

I thought, wow Claudia has out-dressed Tess this week. Then kind of noticed perhaps the choice of material wasn't a great one but still better than holographic bacofoil Tess. Perhaps someone should point out to Tess that in a short dress you probably shouldn't have your legs too far apart when standing. 

Opening number was well, pretty good. Even the Celine Dion tribute act was far better than all of the mediocre music acts this series. Its quite easy to wreck a Celine Dion song (if you've never heard My heart will go on in Welsh, be thankful for that though the German version is just above that) and she pulled it off. 

Onto the show which was full of surprises:

Johannes & ego: Somewhere on youtube there is a disco dancing championship video from way back in the early days. You don't have to imagine it, they exist and are far better. All Johannes and not particularly interesting which was obvious being the first on. The drop was the best bit by far. 

Rhys: This is an Argentine Tango totally worth watching. I thought he'd ran out of ideas but then pulled out those two lifts and transitioned between them seamlessly.  Makes last weeks effort by J&J looked ridiculously overmarked. 

Rose: And then Rose & Giovanni come out and more than equals Rhy's performance! Oh so gorgeous and perfect in dance, movement, music and costume. Already booked her place in the final as far as I'm concerned. 

Dan: His best dance and the odd mistake here and there. Typical camera work meant the judges saw what we couldn't otherwise it was good. More engaging than John by far. Mistakes easily correctable in a dance-off though. Motsi: I don't want you here in the competition Dan so you know my vote in a dance-off  is not going to you.

AJ: oh dear. Littered with mistakes without the failed lift (which I thought she exited rather well considering)though some blame needs to go to Kai on the lift landings. More nerves I think but in a dance-off it could come down to the number of mistakes.

So worst of the night is J&J who should be in the dance-off by virtue of getting duller each week. Against Dan I'm not sure John would be saved and depends on the number of mistakes John makes. Versus AJ now this will be a judges dilemma to pick her or John. No mistakes from AJ and she's through as her routine was more technical but then again BBC orders may decide otherwise. I kind of rate Dan's chances in surviving the dance-off to be quite high to be honest. 

Oh and tomorrows act of desperation, we have retired Xfactor boy band chart toppers needing more money as they have kids now launching a comeback: JLS. The wolf pack have just downloaded the Just Eat app. 

[sheepdog]

Opening number sort of didn't get the look but an ok routine. Only because it was a Janet Jackson tribute but not featuring one of my favourites and a forgotten classic from 1986 (Paula Abdul was the choreographer). Also I still have that album on vinyl!:

I digress, back to normal service.

Claudia: office christmas party outfit. Tess: lets say my eyeline was focussed at a comfortable level 😊

JLS: neither good nor bad and one for their fans. Rather polite to be honest. The wolf pack made a good choice from Just Eat. 

So onto tonight unfortunate evictee. Came down to the expected AJ and avoiding-danceoff-by-the-public-votes-for-weeks of Dan. Both did exceptionally well though AJ & Kai modified their lifts to make sure of no errors. No surprises that all the judges went for AJ and I'd agree with that decision.

Next week is double trouble as they'll all be doing two dances. 

Surprise surprise, John is doing a Couples Choice to a standard misery song by Adele called Hometown Glory. Expect the usual boredom with out of hold synchro moves because Johannes ran out of ideas weeks ago. The song is pretty much a dirge and I'm hoping DAO singers will massacre it. Rose is doing an Argentine Tango so I'm expecting an equal to Rhys' effort at least. One of Rhys' dances is the Tango to a tune he wanted. 

[Cleoriff]

I should have been able to watch this as it went out but unfortunately the Jeddah F1 was such a clusterf*** it over ran by about an hour. Red flags, safety cars and crashes galore!!!!

However, I digress. I loved the opening number. Great music and excellent routine.

As for JLS, I'm sure they were miming?

Anyway, I didn't recognise the one at the front with dreadlocks. He has put on so much weight and squeezed into leather trousers, I thought he reached the Uber Eats before the wolf pack. 😂

Loved Rhys's reaction when Tess said he was through. Bless him.

Both Dan and AJ upped their game tonight in the dance off but AJ was better.

Shame for Dan, a real nice genuine bloke who is so amazed he reached the quarter finals. When he said HE would have voted for AJ and Kai I felt quite choked up. (Mind you, that could have been the after effects of the F1!!)

So 2 dances next week. I do hope Craig doesn't try and manipulate results by giving JoJo points they don't deserve. 🙄

[sheepdog]

Semi final week and the choices are:

AJ and Kai: Rumba to Show Me Heaven by Maria McKee and Quickstep to Sing, Sing, Sing by Benny Goodman

Rhumba meh and we have the DAO singer to torture us on Show me heaven. Whereas the Quickstep music is the perfect choice. Can't see her screwing either dance up so into the final she goes. 

Rose and Giovanni: Argentine Tango to A Evaristo Carriego by Eduardo Rovira and Waltz to How Long Will I Love You by Ellie Goulding

Guess it may be this version of Evaristo Carriego rather than the original as that's kind of boring. Not a fan of Ellie Golding and again DAO torture is bound to happen. Seems a reasonable choice though for a waltz. Given she's not been in a dance-off yet, I can't see it happening on Saturday/Sunday either. 

John and Johannes: Jive to Higher Power by Coldplay and Couple's Choice to Hometown Glory by Adele

Not just one but two acts of self-sabotage going on here. Seriously who can imagine this Coldplay song to a jive. Anybody? Anybody??? Is the music director on drugs? As for Hometown Glory, John stated last night on ITT there will be lots of symbolism going on so bound to be a "uh?" moment though in reality, it will be all Johannes circling around with John flapping his arms again. Dance-off and going home because a jive to Coldplay deserves no votes. Actually just picking a Coldplay song is justification alone. 

Rhys and Nancy: Samba to It Had Better Be Tonight (Meglio Stasera) by Michael Bublé and Tango to One Vision by Queen

Hmm, another act of self-sabotage with the Samba music. And its Michael Buble. Still better than jiving to Coldplay 😂 One vision: classic song classically savaged by the DAO. Tango music? Probably not but seeing his AT, should be good. Sadly, the dance-off has to feature two couples and Rhys has drawn the short straw by virtue of being there before twice. Has the advantage in the dance-off with either dance over John I think. 

[Cleoriff]

Coldplay?? I agree with you and my hubby @sheepdog . Ray calls them 'The most boring group on earth' so a jive to anything by them is farcical really.

Oh gawd I really hope John goes this week. Not sure the BBC will be beyond a bit of vote rigging though.

What a coup for them 'The First Same Sex Couple To Win SCD'. 😡

Rose is going nowhere. I hope to god she knocks it out of the park with her AT. I'm sure she will.

AJ I hope she is in the final so I please hope she doesn't mess up again.

Re F1. The last of the season in Abu Dhabi. Sat and Sunday, lunch time for Qualy and Race so will be about for both parts of SCD. I could be happy or crying into my 'soup' depending on who wins on Sunday!

(Get In There Lewis!!) 😂

[Cleoriff]

Well now it's semi-final night. Tess looked ok. Claudia was wearing sequinned pyjamas!

Rhys and Nancy . Tango Very well done although better in hold. (Sack the band for messing up One Vision! Scored 36

Aj and Kai. Quickstep. Simply outstanding. Scored 40

John and Johannes. Couples Choice. Mmmmmm. I was sure John dropped Johannes at the start although no-one mentioned it. Didn't like it. and STOP CRYING!! Overmarked with 39.

Rose and Giovanni. Waltz. Beautifully danced. Quality. Scored 39

Second Dance

Rhys and Nancy. Samba. Just smashed it in my opinion. Scored 38

AJ and Kai. Rhumba. Beautifully danced. Best Rhumba of the series. Scored 39.

John and Johannes. Jive. Where was the actual jiving? I'll point at you, you point at me. Yes @sheepdog, a lot of synchronised moves. Overmarked with 39. Pfffttt!!

Rose and Giovanni. Argentine Tango. Wow just wow. I have no words. Scored 40

Joint top. AJ and Rose

[sheepdog]

Ha @Cleoriff, I had exactly the same thought about Tess and Claudia in pyjamas! As for Motsi, um she really likes the Crystal Tipps look. Oh please can we start a petition to replace her? 

Rhys: First dance, definitely wrong music. Can really fault him on his enthusiasm on choosing the tune but forgot the DAO will have their way on interpretation. Second dance, thought he could be a bit fluid between the steps but what a technique. Probably the best male samba I've seen. Will it be enough to be the victor in the dance-off or will he pick the Tango?

AJ: Only fault in the Quickstep is that I found was the dress - too much feathers meant it looked a trifle messy when it wasn't. Mark this one as a shock: I found her Rhumba quite good and best one of the series. She's done enough for the final.

Johannes: You could almost smell the sweat from their training room attire. No effort in dressing up for the dance. Worst Couples Choice I've seen in all the series. Literally nothing there and the shoddy camera work disguised a lot of the issues like content. Actually it was nauseating with the contrived emotional build up. 

The jive? Apparently there in name only and yet another rehash of everything we've seen already from them. Good in places but if it wasn't the semi-final and the BBC agenda, the judges would have pointed out the mistakes. Also it was tedious enough with Coldplay playing and it was just tedious. We started discussing the similarity between him and Kelvin Fletcher's muscles and decided John can't really dance. 

Can't see him beating Rhys in the dance-off in my mind but then again, I don't want a contract renewal from the BBC. 

Rose: Waltz was just lovely and a sequel to last weeks American Smooth! Second dance: only thing wrong with it is that it ended. Shades of Flavia in there. Benchmark AT for future series I think. 

The wolf pack are eager to get out on Sunday: tomorrows night epitome of mediocrity is none other than Mabel. I think they may be bringing their own vat of hot sauce. 

[Cleoriff]

Very strange opening number.

Rose and Giovanni are through. Damn good job!

John and Johannes called first for the dance off

AJ and Kai are through. Right result.

Rhys and Nancy are in the dance off.

I'm typing this as it happens, so I think we know who will go tonight, even if JoJo fall over and mess it up. 🙄

So John and Johannes are through. Surprise surprise!

What happened to the singer or did I miss her when I was making a cup of tea?