2021 Tango's 'Little bit of Honesty'

TANGOLERO wrote:I take your points about stereotyping B4P, but it's a built in evil to all but the natives of anywhere. "All Spaniards wear flat hats and have a rose in their teeth" etc,etc.Personally I'd like to see more of a variety, step-dancing and group stuff as well as the "Feet of Flames" Flatley stuff. Anyway, "Slainte" to you....or Slàinte Mhath,  

You're right Tango, we humans do like to stereotype and put nations and people into little boxes! I was thinking this morning of Oti. She took Samba steps but put them to African rhythms a few series ago. That's the sort of 'out of the box' occasionally different choreography that I think can make a refreshing change.

I think that over the years it's been quite common for couples to bring in specialist choreographers to choreograph their Charleston routine. It's not one of the ballroom or latin dances that the pro dancers are familiar with. I'm sure I've heard couples in the past give credit to their choreographers once theyr'e up in the Clauditorium. Am I wrong with this?[/quote]

You are right Twirlie. I just thought that Kai has been a runner up in several of the Irish versions of Strictly and so I would have thought he would have a fair idea of what was involved in creating a Charleston routine. I'm not sure all the professionals still use a specialist except for A.Tango (I think they also used to get help with Salsa, remember back when we had a few years of more armography than legography!). Karen's been with Strictly for 10 years now and still uses outside choreographers for a lot of her dances, I'm not sure why. I remember Gio using one with Faye a few years back for their excellent jazz Couples Choice.

B4p wrote:


What I find disappointing, is a lazy stereotypical theme. Irish theme night = drinking stout in a pub.
Lets stick the modern Irish dancers (who were brilliant) in a Celtic bar (yawn) surrounded by dancers dressed like Victorian extras from Oliver or Mary Poppins (really?) wearing flat caps (What?). The only thing missing was Molly Malone and her wheelbarrow  
The pro dancers did a good job, but I would have thought the show's choreographers could have come up with something just a little bit more imaginative than that.

.

This is pretty much me and my cousins thought. We are bred from Murphy's (our parents) who married people who wereeither Irish or Irish ancestry, and though we LOVED the two guys on the bar, the oom pa pa pros in the bar were shockingly stereotyped.

Whilst I love your Romeo and Juliet/West Side story scenario, we all felt that it was time to give the pros a well earned sit down and just focus on the two specialist dancers. Something which hasn't been done in about ten years.

So, hard agree on your opinion.

B4p wrote:
You're right Tango, we humans do like to stereotype and put nations and people into little boxes! I was thinking this morning of Oti. She took Samba steps but put them to African rhythms a few series ago. That's the sort of 'out of the box' occasionally different choreography that I think can make a refreshing change.

I think the Samba was inspired by African rythms and has come away from that in recent years. Oti was just going back to its roots and choosing traditional samba music. Found this which gives more info: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zrk9dxs/revision/1#:~:text=The%20origins%20of%20samba%20are,their%20musical%20culture%20with%20them

The song, Maghelena, was written by Brazilian musician Carlinhos Brown and performed by Sergio Mendes, also Brazilian, on an album callled Brasiliero. My point being that the music is full on, traditional Brazilian music. And Brazil is the home of the Samba. So that dance wasn't actually 'out of the box' but actually very firmly in the box. It is the more usual sambas we see on Strictly that are out of the box (and awful!)

Also, Oti took inspiration and a some of her choreography from a performance on So You Think You Can Dance from several years earlier (2010 I think): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5oGak0urBw Not sure who the choreographer was for that (there is another version of this performed on the UK series, but I don't think it is as good).

The reason I adored Oti and Danny's Samba so much was because it was a PROPER Samba, with PROPER Samba music (which SHOULD have African rythms) and why I hate the Samba usually - because it is just inauthentic twaddle.

Yay - my inner Grumpy has re-emerged!

Twirlie -

Keep on with the old name substitutions - I love them

Does anyone know how many will be in the Final this year? My picks for the Final at this moment in time are pretty much the same as Mr T - AJ, Rose, Tom and John but maybe it will be a 3 couple Final with Robert having pulled out. (I could probably work it out for myself but got brain ache from work tonight )

Phew - just had a minor panic. Been locked out for a few hours but have managed to sneak back in!

If I get stuck tomorrow, I might have to find a new name to re-register under. Suggestions gratefully received for a new user name..............

mauveangel09 wrote:
My picks for the Final at this moment in time are pretty much the same as Mr T -  AJ, Rose, Tom and John but maybe it will be a 3 couple Final with Robert having pulled out

I would like to see Rose, John, Tom & AJ. I'm not agin AJ but always like an under dog like Tom.

B4p wrote:Phew - just had a minor panic. Been locked out for a few hours but have managed to sneak back in!

If I get stuck tomorrow, I might have to find a new name to re-register under. Suggestions gratefully received for a new user name..............

Mr Sandman..

TANGOLERO wrote:
Mr Sandman..

Good one. So if you see a new person arriving in the next few weeks called Mr Sandman it may be me in disguise

B4p wrote:Phew - just had a minor panic. Been locked out for a few hours but have managed to sneak back in!

If I get stuck tomorrow, I might have to find a new name to re-register under. Suggestions gratefully received for a new user name..............

Formerly known as B4p.

Or just a squiggle...

So we're doing picks for the final...

As long as Rose and her Fabulous White Boots are there, I'm not too bothered.  However, I would love to see Johannes get to the final - he works so very, very hard and really deserves it - bringing John along with him.  I don't like Kai AT ALL and I don't want him to be in the final one iota.  But I have noting against AJ and she is gorgeous to watch dance, so I don't mind if they are there either.

My underdog vote goes to Tilly first, and then Rhys.  Tilly is just a good egg - quietly taking on board all her instruction, being very sweet and improving slowly but surely each week. She is undergoing the archetypal Strictly j-word - which let's be honest, we all love. I'm not a huge fan of Nikita, but I think he is doing really well with Tilly and they are are good team. I think Rhys is a beautiful mover and I think he could be a fantastic ballroom and latin dancer if he could unlock it, but I don't think Nancy has given him the key.  I could be wrong, but I reckon Erin, Natalie, Amy or Giovanni are better and more experienced at teaching than Nancy and they might have succeeded with him.  And I am very much hoping that sNancy still can.

I've swung round to being Agin Tom.  Dull as ditchwater and slightly smug air.  Still adore Amy but I'm not really getting much from their partnership. He has good timing, but he doesn't really have much musicality in his body from what I can see (as opposed to Rhys) and he is very drooopy and loosey goosey of posture (desoite what they all said about his Spanish lines last weekend...)

So there you have it  I kinda agree and disagree with the majority of you all at the same time.

I'm clever like that

diamondsandpearls wrote:So we're doing picks for the final...


I've swung round to being Agin Tom.  Dull as ditchwater and slightly smug air.  Still adore Amy but I'm not really getting much from their partnership. He has good timing, but he doesn't really have much musicality in his body from what I can see (as opposed to Rhys) and he is very drooopy and loosey goosey of posture (desoite what they all said about his Spanish lines last weekend...)

So there you have it  I kinda agree and disagree with the majority of you all at the same time.

I'm clever like that

Agreeing in part re-Tom, D&P, because he needs somebody to whisper in his ear and tell him that dancing isn't just about learning a routine. If he hears the music and rhythm, relaxes and let's his body do the rest he'll probably lose that clockwork doll style and it will tell in his dance. Even though it's halfway house, if Amy simplifies instead of complicates they'll do fine. And thus it will come to pass.....

diamondsandpearls wrote:

Formerly known as B4p.

Or just a squiggle...

Like the Purple one formerly known as Prince

diamondsandpearls wrote:So we're doing picks for the final...

As long as Rose and her Fabulous White Boots are there, I'm not too bothered.  However, I would love to see Johannes get to the final - he works so very, very hard and really deserves it - bringing John along with him.  I don't like Kai AT ALL and I don't want him to be in the final one iota.  But I have noting against AJ and she is gorgeous to watch dance, so I don't mind if they are there either.

My underdog vote goes to Tilly first, and then Rhys.  Tilly is just a good egg - quietly taking on board all her instruction, being very sweet and improving slowly but surely each week. She is undergoing the archetypal Strictly j-word - which let's be honest, we all love. I'm not a huge fan of Nikita, but I think he is doing really well with Tilly and they are are good team. I think Rhys is a beautiful mover and I think he could be a fantastic ballroom and latin dancer if he could unlock it, but I don't think Nancy has given him the key.  I could be wrong, but I reckon Erin, Natalie, Amy or Giovanni are better and more experienced at teaching than Nancy and they might have succeeded with him.  And I am very much hoping that sNancy still can.

I've swung round to being Agin Tom.  Dull as ditchwater and slightly smug air.  Still adore Amy but I'm not really getting much from their partnership. He has good timing, but he doesn't really have much musicality in his body from what I can see (as opposed to Rhys) and he is very drooopy and loosey goosey of posture (desoite what they all said about his Spanish lines last weekend...)

So there you have it  I kinda agree and disagree with the majority of you all at the same time.

I'm clever like that

The final three I think will be Rose and Giovanni - a real solid team with good chemistry and Rose has done very well with whatever dance she has been faced will. Also A J and Kai as A J, like Rose, has pulled off the memorable dances of the series so far and can handle ballroom or latin. At present I'd say the final will also include John and Johannes - again a great chemistry between them and I think Tom and Amy will make it through perhaps edging out Tilly. Would love to see Dan involved but he's got to raise his self-esteem and really let himself go or he will be out pretty soon.

CaledonianCraig wrote:

Also A J and Kai as A J, like Rose, has pulled off the memorable dances of the series so far and can handle ballroom or latin.

I think I have said this before about AJ - that she is one of the few that can do both ballroom and latin. I actually think she is the best dancer of the competition and if she had been paired with pretty much anyone else (even Nikita) I would be gunning for her to win. But I am THAT agin Kai! (I saw a youtube video of him winning an Under 16 latin comp and you would swear he was 20. I reckon he came out of the womb in primary school uniform)

diamondsandpearls wrote:But I am THAT agin Kai! (I saw a youtube video of him winning an Under 16 latin comp and you would swear he was 20.  I reckon he came out of the womb in primary school uniform)

Oh Dear, Shame on you D & P. A downer on a guy because of his looks or age, neither of which he can help..? By that staple, A nton and Erin should be in an old folks home doing Simon Says and Hokee Cokee..

p.s. I don't mean it, just funning. I quite like Kai.

With Adam gone I'm now firmly Team AJ, she's the only one who's really wowed me so far this series (well, apart from John's pirate dance).
I'm actually really liking Kai, I like the way he showcases AJ and doesn't try to take the limelight. After the dance he often steps back and applauds her too, and takes a back seat in the interviews. If anything, I think he's rather too good at the PR side of the competition, but I guess his years with DWTS has helped. I've been looking over some of his past routines, and absolutely love this contemporary showdance with Anna Geary from 2018. Not sure if this style would suit AJ though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kLgj55BkLM

Other than AJ, I'd love to see Rhys in the final, but unless he has a couple of game-changing routines I think that's unlikely. I'm much of a muchness between Rose, John and Tom - like them equally.

The unknown factor is how long Dan's popularity will keep him out of the dance-off, as he's certainly one of the weaker dancers now.

Mmm my final three not sure which three yet for me.
Rose yes I think a definate for final.
AJ yes Ive enjoyed her dances more each week.
My third choice not so sure, John & Johannes Im not sure as often i feel both dancing the same role/lead that could just be me thou. Ive enjoyed their energy and both worked hard. Rhys Ive not bonded as much with its a up & down short trip to Dusseldorf.
Id love as outsiders either Sara or Dan, yes Dan as just love his enthusiasim and I like an underdog.
Tilly im as D&P would say taken agin against.
Leaves Tom who seems to fly by his pants thtough each week on a boy band smile & fan base of squealers:cyclops:
So I think Im uncertain of my third choice . We might get a shock or two re the dance off in the semi final.

TANGOLERO wrote:


Oh Dear, Shame on you D & P. A downer on a guy because of his looks or age, neither of which he can help..? By that staple, A nton and Erin should be in an old folks home doing Simon Says and Hokee Cokee..

p.s. I don't mean it, just funning. I quite like Kai.

It's not because of his ACTUAL age - which is allegedly 26 - but because he looks a good six year's older than that. and I found it amusing that he has clearly looked older than he is for some time, maybe since birth...

It's not even that he looks older than his age, but rather the implication that he might not be telling the truth (though clearly he must be judging by the clip of him at 15 which was in 2010 - it all adds up). And it has been noted that he dresses as if he is in a time warp - I say 1930s, others say post WW2 - and he has an air of thug about him. As if he hung out with the real Peaky Blinders, or was a minion of the Krays... I just... don't trust him.

A nton is in his 50s - barly eligible for Saga hols, so definitely not yet time for a care home, and Erin is the goddess of youthfulness. As I say, if he was actually 36 it wouldn't bother me in the slightest. It is the fact he SAYS he is 26 and looks as though he would thump if you dared to question. him..

saxonsiren wrote:
Tilly im as D&P would say taken agin against.

Marian, Sax. The blessed patron saint of Strictly, Marian Keyes. That's who says Agin. Not me. Though I have unashamedly and unabashedly copied her, along with several other acolytes. But I didn't originate it - I am not worthy.

(I think it is a contraction of 'against', often heard in Westerns and the like. Along with 'varmint' etc.)

diamondsandpearls wrote:


It's not even that he looks older than his age, but rather the implication that he might not be telling the truth (though clearly he must be judging by the clip of him at 15 which was in 2010 - it all adds up).  And it has been noted that he dresses as if he is in a time warp - I say 1930s, others say post WW2 - and he has an air of thug about him.  As if he hung out with the real Peaky Blinders, or was a minion of the Krays...  I just... don't trust him.

Brilliant, brilliant...

Is this the week the judges get picky?

B4p wrote:Is this the week the judges get picky?

It seems that would be a big, fat YES!

Apart from John. Thought John messed up his bochacadas (sp?) and compared to Johannes he was lumpen. So defintiely not deserving his tens (also, I was SO right about the tune... When I googled it, the first thing it says about the song is that it was by "Salsa Band DLG". Salsa band, see? NOT Samba band. Cuban, not Brazilian. Like using Italian music for a Paso because all Southern European?Mediterranen countries must be the same. Having said that, didn't they do a Greek music paso once? The point is, they are sloppy and lazy. I bet they thought this was 'traditional' samba music, just because it is latin. Pah.

Rose's dance, despite being contempo-waft was incredibly powerful. Joyous, but powerful and very, very emotional. And her speech to Gio....!! He looked quite overcome and had to gather himself before he could speak (which must be a first). It was a very special moment for strictly (the dance, not a lost-fro-words Gio. Though... that too)

Felt AJ and Sara's music hampered them -it was too distracting. AJ's dress was stunning as a dress and she looked stupendous up in the Clauditorium, but it was sucha wrong colour for a paso and also distracting. Ineed to look at Sara's AT with the sound off, because I couldn't tell if she was dancing well or not with the distracting disco n umber playing. I have a feeling that AJ was undermarked, but I need to do the same with her dance to get real persepctive.

Tilly was undermarked, but then she also had a dress which didn't go with the dance. It was a traditional tune and and a nice, traditional routine - she needed a gorgeous trad QS dress to set it off. They don't seem to like Tilly...

Dan looked very dapper and did a decent job but wasn't better than Tilly. Nadiya still living her best life, but the dress was one of two halves which didn't mesh together. I thought her choreography was lovely though - a really nice old style hollywood routine.

Rhys finally getting the recognition for his strengths, which is also old hollywood but that of the Nicholas brothers rather than Fred Astaire. The charleston suited him to a T, and it must be one of the few occasions where the celebrity was slightly more than the pro. I thought it the same standard as AJ's last week (though very different) and no idea why the fabu-u-lus darling one thought AJ was worth one less or Rhys one more. But hey ho.

Tom did a dance. Amy looked lovely. No idea other than that (find Tom instantly forgettable).

No doubt Amy will be taking the lead in the pro dance tomorrow, dressed in appropriate 40s garb. It's a style that suits her.

Over and out from me - got back from Norfolk just in time for the earlier start of Strictly (which I did NOT get the memo for - or for last week's half hour shift to 6.45; soon it will be starting at lunchtime) and I'm shattered.

diamondsandpearls wrote:

I was SO right about the tune...  When I googled it, the first thing it says about the song is that it was by "Salsa Band DLG".  Salsa band, see?  NOT Samba band.  Cuban, not Brazilian.  Like using Italian music for a Paso because all Southern European?Mediterranen countries must be the same.  Having said that, didn't they do a Greek music paso once?  The point is, they are sloppy and lazy.  I bet they thought this was 'traditional' samba music, just because it is latin.  Pah.

Felt AJ and Sara's music hampered them -it was too distracting.  AJ's dress was stunning as a dress and she looked stupendous up in the Clauditorium, but it was sucha wrong colour for a paso and also distracting. Ineed to look at Sara's AT with the sound off, because I couldn't tell if she was dancing well or not with the distracting disco n umber playing.  I have a feeling that AJ was undermarked, but I need to do the same with her dance to get real persepctive.

Tilly was undermarked, but then she also had a dress which didn't go with the dance.  It was a traditional tune and and a nice, traditional routine - she needed a gorgeous trad QS dress to set it off.  They don't seem to like Tilly...

Hi D+P -   Yes,   Janette and Jake Wood did that awful Zorba the Greek paso

Felt pretty much the same as  you about J+J's Samba music - don't get me wrong I loved the routine and I never thought I would enjoy two guys dancing together as much as I enjoy these two - but for me it was a '9' -   it did have the kitchen sink in it but for me it lacked samba bounce which was because of the music and at times it was definitely more like a salsa or even a cha cha for me.  I did think that John kept up with Johannes very well.

Also agreed on the music for AJ and Sara -  I think both tracks hampered the performances for me and it was one of those moments where I wanted to turn the sound on the TV down and imagine both routines danced to better music.

I also thought that Tilly's dress was wrong for the music and the dance.   I thought she could have done with something a lot more glam - I liked Nikita's costume and the deep blue theme and thought that the bodice of Tilly's dress was nice but the whole thing would have looked good in deep blue and silver.  The skirt was odd and was like one of those woollen skirts the pattern of which I really like - but not to do
a Quick Step on SCD!  My friends however liked the dress!
I enjoyed the routine and I thought her frame has improved - I liked the Charleston bits. I thought it was worth an '8' and found the marks a bit mean from 3 of the judges.

AJ and Kai - 8
Not sure they quite deserved the pasting that they got and to be behind Dan at the bottom of the leaderboard.  I will have to watch it again.   The music was terrible  and how can the judges talk about Spanish lines and lack of Flamenco with that music!   I thought the dress was spectacular.

Dan and Nadiya -   7
Precise footwork as always which I really like and some smooth moves. Covered the floor well and didn't dodge doing the full lifts even though he didn't look very confident with them.   He looked like he was intensely concentrating all the way through and I really wanted him to smile!  It would have really lifted the performance.   I didn't realize that he has had hardly any rehearsal time this week with injury - in which case gold star for him!

Rhys and Nancy - 10
Well you can't argue with that!   A pretty darn spectacular Charleston to the quintessential Charleston music and possibly one of the best I have ever seen on SCD.  Thoroughly deserved the marks in my book. However, at the risk of seeming like a grinch I want to see him execute a ballroom dance properly and a slower dance before I can consider him as a contender.

Sara and Alijaz - 7
Despite the music it was better than I thought it would be. On paper it was all there - all the steps and all the content but it lacked feeling for me although she made a great effort and looked lovely with her hair in that style.

J and J - 9 See above

Rose and Gio - 9
A lovely and uplifting routine.  She is such a lovely person and I think all this is quite unexpected for Gio!

Tom and Amy - 8
He looked more relaxed tonight and moved his body quite well I thought, but I kind of agreed with the judges that it needed more power and more floor coverage.  It seemed quite restrained although I liked the choreography.

Hard to work out who will be in the DO this week and the judges could have a hard decision.