It’s The Strictly Come Dancing Semi-Finals – Videos, Rank The Dances, Review The Show
Wow! What a blast this first season of Strictly Come Dancing has been for me. I can’t thank Nathan, Andrea, and Donna more for encouraging me to watch. What’s more….after all their encouragements, it was announced Gleb Savchenko was hired as a Pro. Can you only imagine how this set me over the top? 😯 Then there is ALL of you who have helped, watched, and taken in the show with us to make it even that more fun. Andrea took time out of her busy schedule almost every day and helped to post videos. Mr A, Nathan, Cidra, M8, Vin, and Daniel helped with dance information and Clair helped with her screen caps. Even Heidi (who doesn’t watch the show) covered when I couldn’t be here. Seriously, I can’t thank you all enough. You have made these posts possible and have all helped me to pull through a hard time more than you can know. ((((THANK YOU))))) I know my Dad is smiling in heaven thanking you too…and dancing!
Scroll below for updates…
So, here we are about to take in the Strictly Come dancing Semi-Finals! This week, the couples will be dancing TWO DANCES! Mr A has listed them all in comments in the former SCD post. And get ready. The Group number is looking amazing so far….
More teasers for the show here.
As always, let us know on all of your thoughts of the dances in comments. Rank them if you like too. Lastly and more importantly, BE SURE TO VOTE right after the show!
Here are the times and some Live Streams (works the best with a PC).
Week 12 Show 1 (1 hour)
Saturday Dec. 12th
6:50 GMT, 1:50 ET, 12:50 CT, 11:50 MT, 10:50 PT
Week 12 Elimination Show (40 min)
Sunday Dec. 13th
7:20 GMT, 2:20 ET, 1:20 CT, 12:20 MT, 11:20 PT
Watch SCD 1 (works for UK and other International viewers)
Watch SCD 2 (works for US viewers and possibly Internationally)
Watch SCD 3 (works for US Viewers and possibly Internationally)
Watch SCD 4 (works for US Viewers and possibly Internationally)
Watch SCD 5 (works for US Viewers and possibly Internationally)
Watch SCD 6 (works for US Viewers and possibly Internationally)
ETA: Wow. What a show! I’m freaking out for how close they all are. Well, except for Katie and Anton. More from me in comments with my rankings, etc. In the meantime and thanks to Andrea, below is Gleb and Anita’s Foxtrot.
Another video coming, Stay tuned.
ETA2: And here is Gleb and Anita’s salsa. What a show stopper!!
More dances at the official You Tube site.
ETA3: You can view some breathtaking HQ shots of the Semi-Finals here and here. They say it all on the night.
Entertainment Focus also listed their Top 5 favorite dances at this link. I don’t think I would have put Georgia and Giovanni’s Cha Cha at #2. Their V. Waltz was better imo. Yay for Gleb and Anita’s’s show stopping Salsa at #4. Though I would have put it higher. Though note also how Katie and Anton’s dances aren’t part of the top 5 which I agree with.
Also, Claire made some beautiful screencaps. Below is Gleb and Anita shining in all of their glory. Goodness! Thanks Claire! More coming soon here.
Thanks for all of your thoughts so far in comments. Here’s to the Results show later today. Let’s hope the right 4 go on….and in my opinion (and from yours too by the looks of it here and at twitter), that is Kellie and Kevin, Georgia and Giovanni, Anita and Gleb, and Jay and Aliona!!
ETA4: Well, I’m heartsick on the elimination of Gleb and Anita. They deserved to be in the finals before Anton and Katie. But, wow, let’s give it up to them. What a season they both can feel proud of. Not one time did they not challenge themselves and with such entertaining and show stopping dances. I’ll never forget not one of them. I am so proud of them both. Here is the dance off. Thanks to Andrea for recording. Love you, Gleb and Anita!!!
What a show! I’m freaking out at how close they all are. It’s seriously anyone’s ballgame. Well…except for Katie and Anton who I think should go. Here are my rankings for each dance. I can’t wait to read yours.
1st Dance:
1. Anita and Gleb – They are the winners of Round One imo. They were so delightful, entertaining, and fun out there. I loved Gleb’s hat. I loved the spins at the end. I thought this was some of Gleb’s best choreo yet.
2. Georgia and Giovanni – What a comeback. I agree how the hip action wasn’t there as it could have been, but, great expression and great choreo. I felt transported back to my Disco days. Loved them.
3. Jay and Aliona – So passionate and so beautiful as always. I would have liked to see a little more expression from Jay again, but other than that, really beautiful. They swept me away.
4. Kellie and Kevin – Such a beautiful rumba and so touching. I felt like she was a little nervous and could have been more stronger in some of her movements like Len mentioned. Still…just lovely.
5. Katie and Anton – I love their energy to start off the show, but, I agree with Len, it wasn’t slick enough. Her hips and arms were off ….and a lot.
2nd Dance: I give the first four a four way tie. I loved them all for different reasons. They were amazing.
1. Jay and Aliona – They brought that Charleston and then some. It was cool and furious all in one. HIS FEET! OMG,, they were one fire just like with their Jive. They were fun and full of style. One of their best dances of the season.
1. Georgia and Giovanni – This was like watching a movie. I felt transported in time again. I just wanted to “run away” with them. So so so pretty and just breathtaking. They made me cry.
1. Anita and Gleb – Wow, I was freaking out with all the content. What show stopping choreo! I loved their costumes and all the production. They challenged themselves again. So fun and full on dance. I loved them. So off the hook entertaining.
1. Kellie and Kevin – Their best dance yet. Omg, I just loved them. They were magical out there. And what about those grand jumps. Wow, they left me speechless. This had to be their best dance of the season. She’s made me a believer now.
2. Katie and Anton – Once again, I felt like they could have been so much better. Her legs and spins were weak and unstable like Len mentioned. I think her nerves got the best of her sadly. But, I loved her dress.
Pleasure Vogue, glad you’ve enjoyed the series. I think you saw why Craig just wouldn’t work on DWTS. A four in the semi final LOL.
Wow! Ok so I kinda loved every dance this week but ones gotta go so this just my overall thoughts on each couple. I’m going to start with Katie and Anton: Anton you had a good run this season and I appreciate it but this week was not the best lol. Solid dances but this is the semi finals and they were fun but didn’t measure up. Kellie and Kevin wowed me. When the only complaint that I have is that he looked dapper and she looked like her dress was made from a dead flamingo that’s a good thing. Keep up the good work. Georgia and Giovanni was another pairing that wowed me. first was a rough start but that second one was amazing. Jay and aliona’a first dance was solid but that second dance had my jaw on the floor. I finally pinpointed what makes me not like jay: he seems to be a nice guy and everything but he doesn’t have much facial variation in the slower dances. Everything is that stone face and then when his second dance happened I was like “yes more emotion in the other dances now!” Anita and gleb I’m just start going to call the perpetually underscored couple lol. I loved the second dance and the first dance was great too. Not sure what more to say other than “the judges are confusing”.
I sure did. He is too scary. lol
Couldn’t agree more with everything you wrote Vin. And you are right. The judges are really confusing.
Hit submit too quickly: honestly to quote my friends in England “it will take a miracle for Katie to stick around”. According to them (and I’m guessing they are on the right track) people love the idea of Anton having a good partner and everything but a lot of people seems to want Brendan and Anton gone after this season. Kinda weird.
Another great show and super fun evening. I am so tired but a quick ranking, even though I don’t really want because they are all so amazing.
1) Kellie and Kevin – loved thier rumba, loved their AS. He is not my fav dancer and she is not my fav celebrity but together they create magic and that is why I give the first place to them. Alone the 4 supported high jumps during AS made my heart jump. Remark about costume – the AS costume looked like she has no waist. The skirt should be higher at the waist for her type of body. IMO
2) Jay and Aliona – the Waltz was wonderful, the Charleston was playful and fun. I did not care for the liftfest towards the end of the Charleston but that is the only point I deduct. Remark about costume again – Aliona’s dress in the Waltz was …. It looked like they run out of fabric
3) Gleb and Anita – Both dances were choreographed wonderfully and diverse and totally brought the style out. She could have stayed a bit shorter on that piano to have more time for Foxtrott. The Salsa was quite different but perfectly executed.
4) Georgia and Giovanni – I guess everybody else has them higher up. But I was not exited about their Cha Cha. Some strange knees and other awkward things. Their VW was beautiful but I was not entirely sold on it.
5) Katie and Anton – by far the bottom couple. I was most disappointed in their VW, especially because Anton did the choreo and he should know how to do it better for her. It was not bad but she was uncomfortable and made mistakes. That Charleston in the beginning was awkward from hand to feet. And if our are not comfy with lifts – don’t do them.
I think that Anton and Katie are the weakest coople and I think they will be in dance off and leave. If they make up all the points in votes, they are really killing it in that category.
Can’t wait for the finale.
Lol a 4. I didnt think it was that bad. I wonder what Kim Zolciak’s salsa would get. I hope they dont give negative scores. Haha.
I loved Anita’s Foxtrot but wasn’t so keen on the salsa. I loved Jay’s charleston tho, but then again I’m a sucker for anyhting Doctor Who. I would have given it a 10 since other charlestons with mistakes also got 10s. And i enjoyed this one more.
Guys, i need a trained eye, did Jay do a mistake inthe Charleston or was it part of the choreo. It looked like a mistake at first glance, but then just looked like some weird choreo upon closer inspection…
Vogue, You’re such a sweetheart! *hugs* It was “meant to be” that you joined the Strictly fandom this particular season. I’m so glad we (and the show) have been able to help you pull through such a difficult time. This has been one of the best seasons in recent memory, as far as I’m concerned. Can’t believe next week is the Grand Final.
Starting with the bottom line: Katie and Anton are the ones who shouldn’t make the finals. I’ve got my fingers crossed the public doesn’t get carried away with “Anton pity” and put them through. They’re a lovely pair, and I’ve enjoyed them a lot; but this is where their journey should end.
As for the other four. While they have different strengths, they’ve all shown they’re capable of doing both Latin and ballroom (which is key for me), and each partnership brings something special to the table which makes them worthy finalists.
General thoughts:
* The couples were tense in the 1st round, but pulled it together for the 2nd.
* The judges are being quite particular. I liked that they weren’t throwing around ridiculously high scores.
My rankings:
1. Kellie and Kevin deserved the top spot on the leaderboard tonight in my opinion. They’ve been “also rans” for me most of the season (solid but not exciting), but I think they delivered the best package of dances in the semi finals.
* Kellie did a good job with the Rumba. Yes, could have used a bit more hips and there were a couple wobbles, but it was pleasing to watch. I adore the song and they didn’t “ruin it” for me which was an added bonus.
* I loved the American Smooth. Kevin pitched it perfectly to Kellie’s strengths. The performance quality and dancing was excellent and for once they nailed the lifts. Loved those 4 assisted jumps! It would have been a 10 for me if they hadn’t muffed the ending.
2. Jay and Aliona Delivered two very solid performances. I just love his quality of movement. There’s still not a lot of expression in his face in ballroom dances, but I do see expression in his body.
* I liked their VWaltz. Thought it was danced well but needed more power and flow across the floor. I blame the song for some of that. Don’t think it was a particularly good VWaltz waltz song, too soft and introspective.
* I loved their Charleston. The song was fantastic and the dance was full of content with lots of tricky steps and lifts. Jay danced with confidence and with a decent amount of expression, and I just enjoyed watching this number.
3. Anita and Gleb entertain the socks off me! They’re always a little rough around the edges, but week on week they deliver the character and emotion of the dance and there’s never a lack of content.
* The Foxtrot was enjoyable and I loved how it started and ended on the piano. The actual dancing seemed a bit slow and “held back” especially in hold. Maybe they were trying to show Anita could do the technique. Loved the drop spin at the end and thought she did it well.
* The Salsa was full on crazy! Gleb threw everything but the kitchen sink into that routine. I’m so impressed Anita was able to learn it and perform as well as she did. That speaks volumes about Anita’s work ethic and total lack of fear.
4. Georgia and Giovanni have really grown on me, but unfortunately Georgia’s illness kept them from delivering to their usual standard tonight. Hopefully, she’ll feel better and be able to put in the hours necessary to be close to top-form for the finals.
*The ChaCha was OK. None of the celebs really nail the technique (it’s so tricky) so I wasn’t expecting that, but it wasn’t a confident performance and definitely looked under-rehearsed. Georgia helped sell it with a good acting performance, which I applaud.
*The Viennese Waltz was beautiful. It felt lovely and lyrical, nice sweeping movement across the floor, excellent body contact. Just a pleasure to watch.
5. Katie and Anton gave it a good try but weren’t able to really deliver either dance to the standard needed for the semi finals.
* The Charleston had a good concept and the fun factor, but there were starts and stops in and out of the lifts and just an overall messiness about it. Katie didn’t quite “own” the choreography.
* The Waltz was a vast improvement, but her feet were unsteady, and I didn’t like all that fog which, for me, was a bit thick. I know fog is hard to control so I think it shouldn’t be allowed in the semi finals or finals.
Post updated again if interested in seeing….photos, screencaps, the top 5 dances (do you agree?) and more.
And thank you so much for your reviews and thoughts, All. Vin, I hope you are right and they don’t want another surprising elimination.
Nicole, I thought I saw a mistake in Jay’s Charleston too.
Andrea, I couldn’t agree more with almost all of your thoughts…especially on Katie and Anton. And OMG…I’m still floored on Kellie and those grand jumps she made.
Cidra, thank you and so true for how this was “meant to be” in more ways than one. It’s amazing when you think about how things happen for a reason. And I agree with all of your thoughts on the couples too. I so loved what you wrote on Gleb and Anita’s salsa and how fearless she is. So true for how Gleb threw everything in but the kitchen sink. *sigh* what a season it’s been,
THANK YOU, EVERYONE! Here’s to the results today. *nervous*
Aw Vogue, thanks for the words 🙂 I know I’m probably the most irritating child around but that’s just me, I’m always on negatives to balance things and despite everything of course I enjoy Strictly (and DWTS) dearly.
I didn’t watch the show yesterday and I think I made the right choice – no outstanding dance whatsoever, and a new low for semis? If Monkseal didn’t remind me, I’d probably thought Katie was the first ever to get a 4 in the semis.
Oh, and LOL @ Kevin making it to three consecutive finals. Pasha who? Aliona what? If he doesn’t get three Carol Kirkwoods in a row next I’m going to riot.
I agree with pretty much everyone says here about the dances, so knowing the OOT nature that I always have, I’m going to do a Jay vs Harry comparison instead! Since, you know, that’s obviously where Aliona is heading now.
HARRY JUDD vs JAY MCGUINNESS DANCE SHOWDOWN:
– Cha-cha: Oh, the first dance for both of them. So surprising! I don’t remember anything spectacular about Harry’s, and Jay’s was surprisingly neat. Winner: Jay
– Foxtrot: Harry’s was rubbish. Jay might slipped right in front of camera but other than that it’s nice. Winner: Jay
– Jive: Harry might have grease but Jay’s was already dubbed the Holy Jive already by the people at Digitalspy. Winner: Jay
– Paso Doble: I don’t recall Harry ever doing one, so no comparison can be made.
– Quickstep: Harry’s is the best Quickstep I’ve ever seen on this show. Jay made mistakes everywhere. Winner: Harry, by a landslide.
– Rumba: Both are corny as hell (Oh Aliona), but in the end, winner: Harry
– Samba: Jay’s turn now, he didn’t do one. Again no comparison.
– Tango: Even when he’s still my least favourite “When Doves Cry” out there, Jay simply STOMPED over Harry’s absolute Halloween mess. Winner: Jay
– Waltz: Alesha’s thirst on Harry aside, I think his Waltz was really beautiful. That if you edit out the stupid whispering portions. Jay’s was a bit meh. Winner: Harry
– Viennese Waltz: Harry’s is the best male celeb V.Waltz ever. Jay’s was a little too contempomessy mess. Winner: Harry
– American Smooth: I liked Jay’s but Harry’s totally encapsulated the spirit of the dance, not to mention danced to the best Elvis song ever. Winner: Harry
– Salsa: Harry did that on Wembley and it was just adequate. Jay’s, however, was amazing. Winner: Jay
– Argentine Tango: I don’t quite think Harry’s was deserving of a perfect score, but I still prefer it to Jay’s. Winner: Harry
– Charleston: I never get the appeal of Harry’s, and although Jay butchered that lift near the end his was way more neat. Winner: Jay
Wow, didn’t think it’d be this close. 6 for both of them. Well, I think the Showdance will be the defining dance for me to see which one’s the better dancer (and let’s face it, winner) overall. Right now I’m leaning towards Harry, but I’m all for Jay to overtake it. Here for the great finale!
(And sorry Cids, and Vogue, I guess I’m drunk again)
I can’t watch today but my buddies said and I quote “the wrong person goes home but the bottom two is right.” So just based in that I think I know who is in the dance off.
LOL Daniel. It’s ok, you are cracking me up!!! Loved your post. Thanks for balancing things and mixing things up….and confusing me too. lol Yes, here’s to the finals. Let’s have wine.
Vin, I heard who is going home too and I’m praying it’s not true.
Well, the show just ended and I’m heartsick. It should have been Gleb and Anita in the finals instead. They clearly had the best dances all season compared to Katie and Anton. With that said, I am so proud of them. Week after week, they challenged themselves with difficult choreography. They were fearless. I’ll never forget any of their dances for how creative they were. To Gleb and Anita!!
Praying that Anton screws up that show dance so bad that the powers that be go “well this was a fun experiment but never again.” They have had some great money a but they are not consistent at all.
Hit submit too quickly: I think the mirror ball is going to be in either Georgia or kelly’s hands when all is said and done to be honest. Just a gut feeling there since while jay is a solid dancer and a natural he isn’t exactly mr personality and Katie…well inconsistent. Would be great to see Giovanni get it on the first shot but maybe third times the charm for Kevin.
LOL, Daniel, no need to apologize to me. 🙂 It’s all good. For your sake, I wish you’d found more to like in the semis, but a bit “perspective” is fine for us to help balance out the rose-tinted glasses that I try to wear. (They’re not a natural fit on me like they are on sweet Vogue, but I’m trying to “live happy”.)
I loved your comparison of Harry and Jay. There are a lot of similarities, but I think I give the edge to Harry as well–although who knows Jay might knock it out of the park in the finals. Just as I find a lot to like in Jay, I was a Harry supporter. (Do you see a pattern? I think I prefer the quiet, hard-working, understated male celebs who turn out to have dance talent.) Chelsee had a lot of strengths and when she was on, she was amazing, but for me she let nerves undo her in the finals.
Vin, I’m heartsick too that Katie and Anton “stole” Anita and Gleb’s place in the finals. There’s no question that comparing their body of work over the season, Anita and Gleb were the better couple. Anita was able to do both Latin and ballroom and, while she had some technical issues with her feet, at least she never went wrong on the choreography and her performances were spot on all the time. Katie always seemed to be on the hairy edge of losing her choreography and it was so much simpler than what Anita had to deal with. *sigh*
I picked up the spoiler last night but haven’t watched the show yet, but I’m sure once Anita and Gleb landed in the DO, they knew their chances were slim to none. It’ll be interesting to see how the judges justify keeping the inferior couple.
Like you I’m so proud of Anita and Gleb. So glad they’re going on the Strictly tour. I’m sure they’ll bring the house down night after night.
LOL, I meant to say “Vin and Vogue” above…all those “V”s scrambled my brain.
Cids, That’s ok! I forgive you. Even the V scrambles my brain. lol
And I agree…..Katie’s choreo was a piece of cake compared to what Anita was doing. “Inferior” indeed. I think you nailed it too for how Anita and Gleb knew their chances were slim to none. The look on their faces the entire time today/tonight said it all. So sad.
Also, like Andrea pointed out at twitter, it’s sad too that they chose the Salsa to redo for their DO (or do the judges or producers decide on that?) as we knew right away there was no way Len would pick a Salsa.
Speaking of….I was just shocked when Craig picked Gleb and Anita as his choice to win the DO especially after downgrading them all season.
And Vin, from the couples left, I like Jay and Georgia, but, Kellie has really stepped up to the plate. You are right, she could win this whole thing too.
Thank you to all that made contributions so US fans could enjoy this show so much. I have loved watching SCD and really enjoyed seeing a different version, however, extremely disappointment at the outcome. I felt Gleb and Anita and Helen and Alijaz gave so many more memorable performances than Katie and Anton, what a shame these couples were eliminated.
The dances that Gleb and Anita were far superior and had so much more content, I think the judges wanted to see Anton in a finale. You have it, and I am glad for him, because if you have done this show 11 seasons and never a finale it is your time. I will remember Helen and Anita long after this show ends, I doubt I will remember Katie. Good luck to Jay and Georgia, I will be cheering for them. Kellie did show great improvement, not my favorite.
Couldn’t agree more, Julie. I thought Gleb and Anita and Helen and Aljaz should have stayed over Katie and Anton too. I feel like there was some manipulation or seniority going on. Sad.
Vogue, I still haven’t been able to watch the results show (grrrr, too much going on this time of year) so I didn’t know Craig voted for Anita and Gleb in the DO. I’m very happy about that because it restores some of my faith in him as a judge. I know you find him scary, but I like him. He has his pet peeves and a few biases, but so do they all, and I agree with him more often than not.
I’m pretty sure it’s the couple who decides which dance they want to use in the DO. As for trying to please Len, well, I don’t think Anita and Gleb had a hope of doing that with either dance.
I think we’re seeing the same thing with Anton this year on Strictly that we saw with Tony in DWTS All Stars. Both the public and the judges are caught up in wanting to reward a long-time pro who’s only had a few good partners. It’s not right, but it’s definitely human nature. I just hope it doesn’t end with giving Anton the trophy.
He is scary (omg those eyes when he’s about to give a 2 or 3 *hides under the table lol), but, I still like him. It’s good to have a person like that to mix things up and I don’t think I’ll ever forget watching him for the first time and he gave someone a 3. lol. But, for the most part, I agreed with him too except when he lowballed Gleb and Anita so much.
And you know…,you are probably right about Len. He would have picked Anton and Katie no matter what Gleb and Anita danced. uggh If Katie and Anton end up winning, I’ll just be floored.
Vogue, You don’t fool me! You could take down Craig Revel Horwood with one hand tied behind your back!!! 😉
I don’t think an Anton and Katie win is as likely as Tony and Melissa’s was (although I’ll defer to our UK friends if they say otherwise). However, we ought to prepare ourselves just in case. The GBP might turn out to be as soft-hearted (and soft-headed) as US viewers were, but I hope they’ll remember it is about the celeb and about dancing (not sympathy) and go for one of the other finalists.
Are you sitting it out or voting in the final? I’ll be voting, but I’m going to wait and see whose overall finals performance impresses me the most. Could be a tough choice, but somehow, I doubt that will be Katie/Anton.
I’m with Cidra, Craig’s bark is much worse than his bite, I’d fancy Vogue anyday in a fight between those two!! I think the biggest difference between Katie and Anton and Melissa and Tony is that TPTB were happy to allow Melissa and Tony to win over Shawn. I don’t think the UK TPTB will want to see Katie and Anton win, especially as they are not doing the live tour afterwards. I think it’s’ quite clear they want Jay to win and they’re confident of harnessing Katie’s vote with her scores in the final. Jay’s probably been topping the vote weekly and with dances including his jive coming up in the final, they probably don’t think Katie will be able to catch him on votes. I could be wrong though.
Well Aliona has said they won’t be doing the Jive for their favourite dance in the finale. I’m somewhat surprised – the Jive is definitely Jay’s most iconic dance, but I can see that she wants to “leave that to people’s imagination”. Though I don’t see any other dances they’ll re-do as their choice that is anywhere near close to the Jive’s popularity. Maybe Tango? Or Rumba? If those are pretty recent, then maybe his Paso or Argentine Tango then.
Before I continue, Vogue please say you’re going to make a thread about the finale!
Ahem. Continuing my OOT nature, I would like to half-predict and half-wish the two dances that the finalists might be dancing in the finale, as the Judges’ Choice and Favourite Dance:
1. Georgia
[b]Judges’ choice[/b]: I would LOVE to see the Samba again. It was set to be a truly iconic routine that could merit 40, had she not mess up in the middle. If she managed to perform this perfectly, then I’ll be fine with this getting the first ever perfect score for Samba.
[b]Favourite dance[/b]: I’d say the Charleston, although it could be the AS.
2. Jay
[b]Judges’ choice[/b]: Hopefully NOT his Cha-cha. I’m sick of seeing week one dances being danced in the finale (or worse – getting perfect score) (hello Abbey) (hello Caroline). I’m leaning towards one of the dances he messed majorly (Quickstep or Foxtrot) though.
[b]Favourite dance[/b]: Since Jive is out of question, I’d say Tango or Rumba, if not Argentine Tango.
3. Katie
[b]Judges’ choice[/b]: First of all, her Tango is still my favourite dance of all series. If nobody’s showdance impressed me like Denise’s or Ricky’s did, then congratulations, Anton. That’s the dance I’d love for her to re-do and make better.
[b]Favourite dance[/b]: If Tango is already picked for Judges’ Choice, then probably their American Smooth. If not, then the Tango.
4. Kellie
[b]Judges’ choice[/b]: I have this really weird feeling that they’re going to be asked to re-perform the Charleston. Which should be fine with me, since it’s one of her dances that I could tolerate.
[b]Favourite dance[/b]: Hopefully she’ll get eliminated before getting the dance to re-do her favourite dance, ha! Or, you know, whatever. Don’t care one bit about her.
Final prediction for winner: Jay, with Kellie ghastly floating behind. Georgia has lost too much steam for me, and just like M8 I’m not seeing the TPTB pushing Katie for the win. I guess for what might likely be Anton’s last series making it to the finale should be good enough for him.
Cids and M8, are you serious? Me taking down Craig? *faints* Seriously, I see what you how is bark is worse than his bite. I mean…even after all of his lowballing Gleb and Anita, I never expected him to pick them in the DO and only the opposite. He’s so unpredictable.
I hope you are both right about Katie and Anon not winning like Tony and Melissa did. And I’ll definitely still vote…most likely for Jay or Georgia just depending how the night goes.
Daniel (sorry about that), I will definitely be making a post for the finale. I’m loving SCD. I plan to keep watching it next season too and cover here too if you want (regardless if Gleb does it, but, I think he will). I’m hooked and because of you too. Thank you again, Everyone!
And Daniel, thanks for your dance and winning predictions too. Dang, I’d like to see Jay do something fast too like the Jive. He excels in those fast dances. I just hope whatever he does, he doesn’t forget facial expression. That is so key for him.
I’m hoping either Jay or Georgia win. If I had to pick one, it would be Jay.
Daniel, great discussion starter.
While I’d enjoy seeing Jay’s Jive again, I think Aliona is wise *not* to do it. I doubt Jay could perform it better, and just one misstep would make it go off-time; and what a letdown that would be! Better not to risk tarnishing the memory of a great dance.
Jay and Aliona
Judges’ Choice: Quickstep, I hope. If Jay gets it right, the improvement will be obvious. I hope they don’t give him a “trick question” by having him do a dance to show more emotion because what is or is not enough emotion is very subjective.
Couple’s Choice: How about the Salsa? It’s upbeat and Jay seemed to enjoy it. Also I think Jay does a better job getting his feelings to show on his face in the up-tempo dances. If they want something more intense, then I wouldn’t mind seeing the Tango again.
Georgia and Giovanni
Judges’ Choice: My guess is the Week 2 Waltz. I can see the judges going easy on her, and it would be a piece of cake for her to show improvement with this dance. If they want something more challenging, then maybe her Paso.
Couple’s Choice: I hope it’s their Charleston because I really enjoyed that dance. However, if Georgia’s energy is still low from being sick, they might decide to do the American Smooth.
Kellie and Kevin
Judges’ Choice: Probably her ChaCha or Foxtrot although I’d rather see her Tango.
Couples’ Choice: I fear it’ll be that travesty of a (non)Viennese Waltz Oom-Pah-Pah thing. I’d rather see their Jive. Of course they might be strategic and go with the American Smooth they just did because it’ll be fresh in Kellie’s mind. That would be fine with me because I liked their American Smooth.
Katie and Anton
Judges’ Choice: I’d like to see them redo the Salsa or Jive. Latin has been her downfall all series and I think anyone with pretensions to the trophy should be decent at both Latin and Standard. However, I think they’ll be kind and give her Tango or Quickstep because she has a chance at showing improvement there.
Couple’s Choice: Tango or American Smooth would be good choices.
Vogue, Glad you’re going to vote in the final. I’m happy you’re hooked on Strictly. I’d love to have you cover it here next Fall.
Hi. Sorry I’m late to the party but I guess I can help clean up the mess.
Of course I was pissed about the Anita situation first of all. We may have brought it on ourselves with complaining about Jamelia going, with the judges saying they were saving on the dance-off, but I think Anita won that too. I’ll bitch about the judges later, but for now I have to say Anita was truly fantastic, and deserved better than she got. I thought she won round 1 easily. Her Foxtrot was gorgeous! Yes, it was a little too American Smooth, but that argument holds no water for anybody who praised Kellie’s dance last week. The fact is the choreography was gorgeous, she nailed it and I loved it! Especially impressed that she kept one foot on the floor throughout those spins. Her Salsa was a little odd but I found it so much fun, and again among the most difficult choreography of the series. I wish she had worn heels, and that she had had a better song (many Pitbull songs are perfect for Salsa. This wasn’t one of them) but neither of those things was in her hands. I cannot believe she went home. I gave her Foxtrot 9 and her Salsa 8 for a total of 17 from me, and that put her in equal second with Jay. The rest I’ll do in as few words as possible
GEORGIA AND GIOVANNI-
Cha-Cha- Some “off” leg action and under extended arms, but such a vibrant and lively performance. 8
Viennese Waltz- Just beautiful. 10
JAY AND ALIONA-
Viennese Waltz- Not his best. I can’t remember quite why, which may be a bad sign, but not a winner for me. 8
Charleston- Shame he dropped her, because the dance other than that was among the best I’ve seen. Such spectacular technique. Still a little too much concentration on his face. 9
KELLIE AND KEVIN-
Rumba- I don’t get it. Quite apart from seeming determined to actively avoid any semblance of chemistry, I thought it completely lacked flow. It hardly looked like a Rumba to me. Nice feet, though. 7
American Smooth- Definitely good. Was it 3 10s of good? I don’t see it. Her ballroom’s not as smooth as it could be. I did love her performance, but it’s honestly a little silly to pit American Smooth against Foxtrots and Waltzes from all the other couples. The fact is, they wanted Kellie to top the leaderboard and they did what it took. 9 from me
KATIE AND ANTON-
Charleston- Nope. This is a dance which I would have said was in danger of going home weeks ago. She never let loose, she had next to no swivel action and it felt clumsy. 6
Waltz- If you are going to get to the finals on your ballroom alone, it needs to be better than this! I liked every single other ballroom number of the night better than the Waltz they delivered. It was nice, it was pretty enough, but Katie struggled HARD to keep up with Anton at times and out of hold she’s still stiff (she kept her arms in “frame” when they broke hold. 8
Had I been around I would have proposed the topic of dances for the final. I’m surprised Jay and Aliona said no to Jive, but I get it. For one thing, that serves as a reminder that he was that good in Week 3, as opposed to showing much growth. I’d go Argentine Tango if I were them. If I were to name the dances which I wanted to see again for each couple, they’d probably be Kellie’s Samba or Charleston, Katie’s Tango and Georgia’s Samba or Charleston also, but it would kill me not to see Georgia do ballroom in the final because it’s her biggest strength. As for the judges’ choices, give them something that needed real improvement. Jay’s Quickstep when he lost control, lost focus and generally lost the plot. Georgia’s Rumba, which like most of her early dances was fine but lacked excitement. Katie should do Latin. That’s the one thing I feel passionate about. Her Jive in Week 1 was cromulent, but after that a truly dreadful Cha-Cha,Salsa and Paso Doble, of which she should be made to redo one. I don’t suppose the judges will choose one of these dances for her, wanting as high a dance standard as possible in the finals, but they’d have got that better with Anita there over Katie. As a finalist, Katie should have to improve her weaknesses or have them exposed. As for Kellie, hard to say really. The one thing she does have in her favour is consistency. She’s amazingly even over a wide variety of styles. Her biggest misstep was probably her Paso Doble, but a Halloween dance so close to Christmas? Unlikely despite the fantasy theme. I’d suggest her Waltz, for which she was bottom 2 for the first time. That was the system used to choose Tango for Kimberley Walsh in 2012, and that was a major triumph.
Georgia and Giovanni will be performing their Showdance to ‘Fix You’ by Coldplay.
Jay and Aliona will be performing their Showdance to ‘Can’t Feel My Face’ by The Weeknd.
Katie and Anton will be performing their Showdance to ‘O Fortuna’ by Carl Orff.
Kellie and Kevin will be performing their Showdance to ‘Ding-Dong Daddy of the D-Car Line’ by Cherry Poppin’ Daddies
Mr A, I think you nailed your review and your scoring is correct too imo. I also loved what you said on Anita and I would have placed her the same with Jay. *sigh…if only the fans here could have been the judges. I still can’t believe we won’t see Anita and Gleb in the finals.
Thanks for the new dance info too! Question: By “showdance””, you mean “Freestyle”, right? Is it the same thing?
And welcome back too!!!
Vogue, Yes, SCD “Showdance” = DWTS “Freestyle”.
Mr A. Thanks for the showdance music list. I’ll reserve full judgment until I see the actual dances, of course, but my initial reaction to the song choices are:
Georgia and Giovanni: Seems too slow for a showdance with a monotonous drone-y tempo. Kind of a boring tune, if I’m honest. However, Giovanni is a pretty decent choreographer; he might turn it into something really beautiful. So I’ll let him change my mind.
Jay and Aliona: Well the title certainly suits Jay (LOL). Hope CRH enjoys the joke. Good, “modern” dance beat with a cool vibe that will work for Jay, and enough variation in tempo to allow them to incorporate a lot of different steps. I’m curious to see what Aliona comes up with.
Katie and Anton: Sorry, but this has “hot mess” written all over it. Anton is delusional if he thinks he and Katie have what it takes to perform to music this big! You need the power and presence of Anita and Gleb to use this type of music. It makes me sad and mad all over again when I think what a showdance we missed out on because the chicken-shit judges chose these two over Anita and Gleb (grrrrr)
Kellie and Kevin: Yeah, call me old school, but I love this piece of music and I think it’s an inspired choice for Kellie. The Swing style definitely plays to their strengths. It’s fast, fun and very character driven. If they nail it, this will be a crowd-pleaser and could get them a lot of viewer votes.
God.. Not another contempowaft -_-.
And is anybody seeing the pimping for KK on ITT. it’s getting a bit annoying.
just like the most of you, I want Jay or Georgia to win. Leaning towards Jay tho.
Intrigued by Jay’s song choice though… wonder what it will look like. (I appreciate the boldness)
Oh yeah, how do you guys vote? It says voting is blocked unless you are from the UK?
A huge +1, Cidra, on Katie and Anton! And thanks for the info. Just wanted to make sure.
Nicole, I haven’t seen the pimping thank goodness.
You’re welcome, Vogue.
As far as the pimping of KK on ITT, well, I’d say it’s a matter of opinion about how extreme the pimping is. There are a number of SCD fans who utterly despise the “Clifton Clan” and think Kevin, Karen, and Joanne Clifton are given extreme amounts of exposure and are favored over all the other pros by the Strictly producers. I do think Kevin (and to a lesser extent Karen) are put forward a bit more than other pros, but I don’t think it’s as bad as some fans feel it is.
I feel I can speak as a pretty unbiased observer on this because I don’t have a strong opinion on Cliftons. They’re really just another set of pros to me, with plusses and minuses.
One reason I think SCD wants to highlight the Cliftons is that they’re a “homegrown” British product (except Karen who married into the family) in a cast of mostly non-British pros. Whenever the show announces new pros for the upcoming year, inevitably there are a bunch of comments on the official Strictly page saying “more foreigners? why isn’t the BBC hiring British talent, blah-blah-blah.”
I think SCD would like Kevin to win a glitterball trophy (he’s been on 3 years and they’ve always given him good celebs), but I don’t think they’re going all DWTS and doing a “Maks/Val it’s your season”.
I just realised – Anita and Katie’s Salsa vs Waltz DO is exactly Lisa and Austin’s controversial DO back in series 6. And of course, the Ballroom once again triumphed.
My thoughts on the Showdance songs, also taking the pros’ former Showdances (if any) into consideration:
Georgia: Of course there should be another Contempowaft Showdance this year. Of course. I was excited to see Giovanni’s first Showdance but then it’s a Contemporary. Bleh. Not excited at all about Georgia now. Also, LOL @ him saying it’s going to be “different”. Yeah, a Contempowaft Showdance is sooooo different and original and one of a kind and never be seen before. Sorry, I’m overreacting, but I’m just so over of seeing Contemporary done as a Showdance/Freestyle. Hopefully what Joe Varney meant as different is “Fix You” remixed as a Disco Latin Showdance instead.
Jay: Cids I second that, the title is like a really slick snide of Jay’s face LOL! Aliona’s previous Showdances hadn’t been amazing (how did Harry’s got a 10 again? Oh yeah, Alesha’s thirst), but with Jay she’s been more focused than ever (no straight up bollocks like Rav’s Quickstep/Matt’s Salsa/Harry’s Tango here), so hopefully she’ll choreograph a Showdance that’ll do Jay justice.
Katie: Huh? “O, Fortuna” for Showdance? As someone said above being in a character has never truly been Katie’s strongest point (although her Sally was rather nice), so I’m not sure what to expect about her Showdance. Anton made it to final three of the very first series, but this is his very first Showdance so who knows really. We all know it’ll most likely be crap, but let’s pretend we’re hoping for something here.
Kellie: I remember someone from DWTS used her Showdance music before, for either a Charleston or Lindy Hop. Jacoby? Probably, couldn’t be arsed to do proper research here. Anyway, it’s probably going to be high energy and has Lindy Hop/Charleston/Jive vibes, which should be up on their alley, which should mean hell with me. Oh, and apparently their repeat dance is the Charleston, I guess she’ll get to re-do the Waltz. Btw, Kimberley wasn’t in the bottom two for her Tango, it was for her Viennese Waltz.
About the Clifton Clan, nah, I can try to be subjective but I can’t come with any other explanation – they are way too overly favoured by the producers. I mean, I get that they’re a cute couple and they’re a newlyweds and all, but is it REALLY necessary to put Kevin and Karen in the front forward of literally every single pro dances? And then Joanne. That rubbish decision of inserting her all alone twirling like some mad ballerina on the opening credits aside, she was just SO camera-aware. Like, one second camera pans away from the actual dancing couples, chances are I’ll be seeing her. On a more positive flip though, I think she’s rather effective on It Takes Two. Feel free to stay there forever then Joanne, just don’t take away lovely Zoe’s spot. To say I utterly despise the “Clifton Clan” is an overstatement, I just really can’t stand Kevin. Karen was mighty annoying with the even mightier annoying Mark Wright, but with Uncle Jeremy she’s a lot more tolerable. And I liked Joanne when she’s not around my telly too much and not speaking.
Also, I have yet to see Anton said thank you to practically anyone. Every time he’s saved he’s all “WOOOOHOOOOOO” as if he’s the most deserving out of anyone combined to be saved.
I’ll try and circle back to other points made later, especially about the judges favouring Ballroom over Latin, and the Clifton’s (I quite like Kevin) but for now just looking at the finale dances
Jay and Aliona- Love the irony in the song, but the dance seems very much a “recap of the series” cliché of a Showdance. Meh, those have won it in the past I suppose.
Katie and Anton- Now I LOVE this song. For those who don’t know, it’s both the opening and closing number of a massive show (not quite an opera but close) called Carmena Burana, which I have done before as both a singer and stage manager. Carl Orff conceived it as a much larger piece with extravagant staging, dancers and a huge production, but these days it’s often a rather static conventional chorus-and-soloists classical piece, albeit with awesome music. I wanted to do something huge and theatrical in the spirit of the original, and was even planning to dance in it myself (something similar to a freeform Paso Doble) but that was vetoed and we did the usual. Nonetheless, one of the highlights of my career was doing this song and I love it. They get 3 in any combination of “Anton’s first final;” “Anton’s first showdance;” and “Anton’s best series” before I get tired of it. They’re apparently going towards Tango, which is a good idea but they better not be doing Ballroom Tango as well. I’d heard they were doing some Paso too, which is interesting because her Paso was pretty terrible (scoring 21 iirc.) The fact is, this is potentially a very exciting dance but I think the song could swallow them completely. Apologies for deviation.
Georgia and Giovanni- Yes, we have seen a lot of contemporary freestyles over the years, more than I realised, but I don’t think this will suffer for it too much. I personally love the song, it’s also in my repertoire, and I think they’re doing ballroom contemporary rather than pure contemporary (like much of Gleb’s work this series I suppose.) It almost looks like a soft version of a Tango, which could be a really good idea or a terrible one. I think I have faith in Giovanni to make it work. Their couples’ choice is Charleston, and to be honest I’m bored of Charlestons in the final.
Kellie and Kevin- First of all, yes, Jacoby Jones and Karina did Lindy Hop to this song on DWTS Season 16. Kellie and Kevin are also doing Lindy Hop. How assigning a specific style to your freestyle might affect the judging I’m not sure but Lindy Hop is something very specific, and I wonder if that will invite more nitpicks than other styles. Having heard that they were doing Lindy Hop I assumed they wouldn’t choose Charleston for their choice, but they have. Not that Charleston and Lindy Hop are identical, but they consistency similar to do as two of three dances, especially when I do think Kellie’s biggest strength is consistency. Besides which, if both she and Georgia make top 3 we’ll be seeing 2 Charlestons out of 3. Again, SO bored of Charlestons in the final.
Who do you think will win?
I want Jay to win, but I’m not so sure anymore with all that has been happening. I really think KK is being pimped to high heavens.
I never warmed to Kellie; I’m sorry. I want Jay to win (or Georgia). Katie winning would be an absolute injustice, sorry to say.
Apologies for the apostrophe in Cliftons, I am so much better than that but autocorrect hates me. I will check more carefully in future
Last two couples’ choice dances fresh from It Takes Two:
Jay chose a dance which could use improvement and show growth, Paso Doble
Katie clearly had no such intention, and chose Viennese Waltz, because, and I quote, “We were quite good at it.” She, and especially Anton, cannot get off my screen fast enough. Their Showdance looks like a truly fantastic Tango, but that’s not what I’m looking for to be honest.
Mr A,
I’m not a fan of “retrospective showdances” either. They usually look hastily stuck together like a bad mosaic. However, given Jay’s dance background and skill level, Aliona should be able to choreograph a new routine using moves and steps from their different dance styles rather than stitching together sections from previous routines. I’m just relieved they’re not doing contemporary.
Daniel,
I agree with you 100% on Anton’s demeanor. He rarely directs a “thank you” to the cameras (viewers) when he and Katie have been announced safe on the results show. I find this particularly arrogant considering it’s mostly been public support that has kept him in, especially in previous years. Now some couples go overboard with the grateful gushing, but I feel a modest expression of appreciation is appropriate, especially when the couple has been in a precarious spot on the leaderboard and the viewers have “rescued” them.
I’ve also noticed in the post-results-show interviews, Anton rarely says anything about the eliminated couple. He even looks faintly bored and amused when his celeb talks about how she’ll miss “so and so”. Yes it’s a competition (of sorts), but it doesn’t hurt to be a good sport about it.
Oh well, I suppose I can put up with Anton’s delusions as long as the judges and the GBP don’t give him a pity trophy on Saturday.
You guys rock. Thanks for all the new dance info while I was gone and your thoughts and predictions. I’m so excited on the shows today. Also, the new post is up:
https://www.puredwts.com/2015/12/19/2015-strictly-come-dancing-finals-pre-show-info-teasers-review-the-show-videos/
Crossing fingers for Jay or Georgia to win!