Week 3

Ok, before I go into this week's performances, lets talk about the elephant in the room... the fall out from last week's vote off.  In any 'normal' dance competition, if you are injured & can't dance you have to pull out (or get disqualified for not dancing).  However, this isn't a 'normal' competition.  At best it's a saturday night entertainment show, at worst a popularity contest.  No-one should put their long term health at risk for a TV show.  Whatever you think about the way it was handled, they made the right decision (in my view) in not allowing her to dance (just think of the law suit it she had really hurt herself second time around!)  Also, I know they were close in the judges marks but I still think that it didn't make any difference & Melvin would (and should) have gone home.

Anyway, onto this week:

Daisy & Aljaz
Pleasant & good choreography (not much basic though). She still needs to pull back her top line a fraction & her head line was a bit wrong & looked a bit stiff.
My score - 8

Anastacia & Brendan
Romantic & classy.  Needed a bit more drive & she also needs to pull her top line away from her partner more. Good fleckerl though.
My score - 7

Danny & Oti
Did a good dance to terrible music - it wasn't the right tempo, timing or phrasing for a Paso! Good stance & shaping, good synchronicity. Probably one of the best male celeb Paso's I have seen in a while.  Just a bit flat for me in places (like Len's beloved Coup de Pique).
My score - 9

Lesley & Anton
I like her but shame about the mistake. Very light & quick.  Good performance but poise needs soe work (even though it oddly worked in this character!)
My score - 7

Will & Karen
Great twist to a Salsa. Good mix between styles. Good energy & lifts but I'm with Len, needed more salsa content for me.
My score - 8

Naga & Pasha
Better but still too many mistakes.  Looked like he was dragging her around at some points. Good head transitions & good drama though. Needed more heel leads.
My score - 6

Judge Rinder & Oksana
Shame about the mistakes. Good swivels, good lifts & energy.  Pleasantly surprised by the flip at the end!
My score - 7

Ore & Joanne
More her style - she likes show dances more. Lovely performance. Light, smooth, good control & frame. Very nice but just needs to watch the position on his right hand on her back, it went across to the other side of her spine a couple of times.
My score - 9

Laura & Giovanni
Good energy.  Annoyingly, I couldn't see the synchronicity as the camera only concentrated on one of them at a time!  Very sexy, good timing & I liked her hips.  Little bit too much attack at times & legs were a bit too stiff in places.
My score - 7

Greg & Natalie
Better ballroom then last week. Excellent lifts & good romance & chemistry.  1st foxtrot section was better than the  2nd. In the second section his frame was weaker & it definitely looked like his bum was stuck out to me!
My score - 8

Claudia & AJ
Amazing speed & control. Great swivels & lifts. Just lost timing with AJ in one small section but this dance played to her athleticism. Good to see her starting to perform it too.
My score - 9

Tameka & Gorka
Not bad. Timing & performance were good but again she needs to pull her top line off of her partner. Needed more heel leads too.
My score - 7

Ed Balls & Katya
I admit it, I love Ed Balls! (not literally, just as a performer!)  He might not be the best dancer but by golly he throws everything into hi performances! Not bad samba steps but great character. The 'pot stirrer' - the continual spins they did - is very difficult to lead for the man.
My score - 7

Louise & Kevin
The freestyle stuff was good but the Cha Cha Cha sections were too bouncy with not enough hips due to her being a bit too bent knee'd.  Good control & timing though.
My score - 8

My bottom 2 - Naga & Judge Rinder - due to the amount of mistakes.

I will just say that I don't think Ed should be bottom.  Craig clearly has an issue with him.  Ed didn't go wrong & performed it with 100% commitment. Naga, Lesley & Judge Rinder all made mistakes & Ed's technique (particularly for a Samba) was no worse than theirs.
We will see what the voting public think tomorrow!

Until next week

Keeeeep dancing!

Lloyd x