A Little Bit of Honesty.

TANGOLERO wrote:Not sure I have much worry any more about losing sleep whoever wins. Must admit I find the annimosity towards Danny Mac rather surprising. So, he's an actor and has appeared in shows, ;did he learn ballroom dance anywhere amongst it? If he did I can't find any evidence of it. He entered the show like many a one before who has turned out a dazzling dancer, Louis Smith, Jay, Mark Ramprakesh, Austin Healey, Tom Chambers, Gethin Jones, etc,etc. For me, he's no ringer, just a better dancer than the rest. The judges and public may not agree on talent or who is the best dancer, but in just the same way we do. For me it's certain that Robert Rinder isn't as good a dancer as the others left in. Who will win I know not, but whoever it is, they'll deserve it. It'll probably be Danny, Louisa, Ore and Claudia in that order for the trophy, but that's just my view.

I agree with you about Danny Mac. I totally don't get the "ringer" appellation. As for the thing about him going to stage school, well what did he do there? So he's been in Les Miserables. There's absolutely no dancing (except a brief waltz for the full company not to Strictly standards at all) in Les Mis. I have no idea about Wicked as I've never seen it. Arts Ed has two very definite sides to it. There's an actor's course, and there's a course in musical theatre. Even if he did the course in musical theatre, I can't see him going very far in that line of work. His singing in the Musicals Trailer on Sunday was pretty awful. Ed's was better! When Darcy was at Arts Ed, it wouldn't have been called that and would have been at Tring section of the shool where all the dancers - real dancers - trained in ballet etc, hence the President at that time being Dame Alicia Markova. Not at all the place for Danny. As you can see on Wikipedia as well as people like Bonnie Langford and Will Young, it also has Nigel Havers and Martin Clunes among it's alumni. I doubt that they went to the Tring section. You can't make assumptions about actors just because they've been to drama college. He is, as you say Mr T, just a better dancer than the rest!

I'm rather astonished at some of your choices for winner of the show. Judge Rinder? Really?  I'd have thought he was the last of the middle level dancers left, and now that Ed's gone he seems the obvious next to go - unless the public keep him in which seems to me as bad as keeping Ed in. It puts the better dancers in the DO. I would hate to see Louise and Danny in a DO. I think it'd spoil the final as whichever is left is a likely winner. I'd like to see next week's four Ore, Claudia, Danny and Louise with Danny and Louise making it to the final. I'm not bothered whether Ore or Claudia joins them. However - from here on in, who makes it to the final really is a toss-up!

Are you watching ITT Tango? Erin and Matthew's on tonight

B4p wrote:Are you watching ITT Tango? Erin and Matthew's on tonight

Sadly no, B4p, I gave up on the Zoe Ball show a while ago. Only just seen your post or I would have done. How was the queen of ballroom?

I'm not against Danny being on the show but I don't think it's overly surprising that some people haven't become invested in him when he started near perfect and will finish near perfect. That doesn't mean I can't appreciate his quality of dancing it just means I'm looking for more from my Strictly favourites. I want to see them grow, develop, overcome hurdles, have mini breakthroughs, provide me with the unexpected.

Danny fans needn't worry though - he's got this!

TANGOLERO wrote:

Sadly no, B4p, I gave up on the Zoe Ball show a while ago. Only just seen your post or I would have done. How was the queen of ballroom?

She was excellent. Try and find it on catch up TV if you can.

Twirlie wrote:

I agree with you about Danny Mac. I totally don't get the "ringer" appellation. As for the thing about him going to stage school, well what did he do there? So he's been in Les Miserables. There's absolutely no dancing (except a brief waltz for the full company not to Strictly standards at all) in Les Mis. I have no idea about Wicked as I've never seen it. Arts Ed has two very definite sides to it. There's an actor's course, and there's a course in musical theatre. Even if he did the course in musical theatre, I can't see him going very far in that line of work. His singing in the Musicals Trailer on Sunday was pretty awful. Ed's was better! When Darcy was at Arts Ed, it wouldn't have been called that and would have been at Tring section of the shool where all the dancers - real dancers - trained in ballet etc, hence the President at that time being Dame Alicia Markova. Not at all the place for Danny. As you can see on Wikipedia as well as people like Bonnie Langford and Will Young, it also has Nigel Havers and Martin Clunes among it's alumni. I doubt that they went to the Tring section. You can't make assumptions about actors just because they've been to drama college. He is, as you say Mr T, just a better dancer than the rest!

I'm rather astonished at some of your choices for winner of the show. Judge Rinder? Really?  I'd have thought he was the last of the middle level dancers left, and now that Ed's gone he seems the obvious next to go - unless the public keep him in which seems to me as bad as keeping Ed in. It puts the better dancers in the DO. I would hate to see Louise and Danny in a DO. I think it'd spoil the final as whichever is left is a likely winner. I'd like to see next week's four Ore, Claudia, Danny and Louise with Danny and Louise making it to the final. I'm not bothered whether Ore or Claudia joins them. However - from here on in, who makes it to the final really is a toss-up!

My opinion is formed on how much he hit the ground running. Far too good far too soon for him not to have had schooling prior to Strictly. Okay people want him to win but I see it more of a touch of fraud but that is just my take on it or at least my ideal world where celebs are totally devoid of dance schooling/stage work in musicals. Various sources point to his stage schooling and arts drama background and the fact he was to go into musicals on stage suggests the stage producers went for him for a reason. You may say that is heresay and rumour but the fact he looked so polished on his first week on Strictly is the giveaway.

As for those rooting for Robert I am sure that is merely because his win would be more palatable as in he has had to learn to dance more. True he'll more than likely exit this week but people will still root for him and not just root for Danny because he is the hunkiest and best dancer.

Cc I don't find Danny hunky one bit In fact this year it's been rather hunk disappointing and no phwoar factor with rippling muscles! Where have the Rugby players, Cricket players,swimmers disappeared too?

saxonsiren wrote:Cc I don't find Danny hunky one bit  In fact this year it's been rather hunk disappointing and no phwoar factor with rippling muscles! Where have the Rugby players, Cricket players,swimmers disappeared too?

It hasn't stopped the presenters and judges drooling over him though.

For me some celebs I'd like to see

Tim Love joy from Big Brunch

Sheldon from Big Bang Theory

Ant or Dec

Dawn French

Kathy Burke

Catherine Tate

Matt Smith

David Tennant

Chris Evans

Paul Young please reel

Leonard Lewis

Stacey Solomon

Dom the posh guy from Google box

Jamie Rednapp

Brown Lee brothers

Mark Cavendish nice bloke

Wigginton to see if he is a prima Donna

Singer from Madness sorry forgot name I should know it

Richard Madeley

Danny Baker

Adele

saxonsiren wrote:For me some celebs I'd like to see

Tim Love joy from Big Brunch

Sheldon from Big Bang Theory

Ant or Dec

Dawn French

Kathy Burke

Catherine Tate

Matt Smith

David Tennant

Chris Evans

Paul Young please reel

Leonard Lewis

Stacey Solomon

Dom the posh guy from Google box

Jamie Rednapp

Brown Lee brothers

Mark Cavendish nice bloke

Wigginton to see if he is a prima Donna

Singer from Madness sorry forgot name I should know it

Richard Madeley

Danny Baker

Adele

Good post that.

I'd like to see the following celebs have a crack:-

Bradley Walsh
Lorraine Kelly (phwoarr factor)
Any of The Chasers (From The Chase)
Andy Murray
Alan Shearer
Gary Lineker
Philip Glenister
Greg Hemphill
Alexander Armstrong
Kathy Grainger

Personally I find Danny lovely to watch, an excellent dancer and a fine bit of eye candy. But I always secretly want him to go a little bit wrong.

Judge Rinder, on the other hand, isn't my type but he feels the j.ourney and loves the dancing and I always want him to shine (as I did Ed).

It's taken me a while to work it out but I think that means I'd prefer Judge Rinder to succeed.

I fully expect Danny to win but, if it is too much of a foregone conclusion, then it almost makes me think why bother watching? I like the upsets and the "shoulda gone earlier/shoulda stayed later" arguments, makes the show more interesting.

I suppose it is clear that viewers want different things from the show winners. Some go for eye candy, some go for the best dancer (regardless of background), some want the winners to be genuine learners and some like the entertainers/fun couples. Also depends on how you see the show as well and what you value the most.

Erin's comment on Strictly was interesting when she and Matthew Cutler appeared on ITT last night. She was asked about how the show had changed and she mentioned all the things we talk about here. That in the beginning it was all about the dance, (which I feel she thought was right) but it's changed with the introduction of props and backing dancers  She said it's just (just) another entertainment show now. I'm sure she meant that as a damning inditement!

Twirlie wrote:Erin's comment on Strictly was interesting when she and Matthew Cutler appeared on ITT last night. She was asked about how the show had changed and she mentioned all the things we talk about here. That in the beginning it was all about the dance, (which I feel she thought was right) but it's changed with the introduction of props and backing dancers  She said it's just (just) another entertainment show now. I'm sure she meant that as a damning inditement!

I cannot recall the early years entrants all that well but the first series winner Natasha Kaplinsky never had any dance training - she was well-versed in media training not dance. There again though there were fewer entrants in the early years as well but still the resident fun factor entrant in the form of David Dickinson.

CaledonianCraig wrote:
I'd like to see the following celebs have a crack:- Any of The Chasers (From The Chase)

Oh boy, all of em..please....I'd love to see the beast doing a Charlston.....and Anne Hegarty doing a jive....oh, wow, bring it on..

Is the fierce looking woman in the grey suit who looks like the teacher from Mail da the chaser?

If David Tennant is on someone's list then I'll have

Olivia Coleman

Martin Clunes

Hugh Bonneville and/or Jim Carter

Lily James (for eye candy)

Gemma Chan from Humans (also for eye candy)

Kris Marshall (Death in Paradise)

Philip Glenister

Keeley Hawes

Anna Friel

Fred Sirieix from First Dates

Julia Bradbury

Anyone from Gogglebox! (Well nearly anyone.)

Oh, and David Mitchell! Except that he could never be persuaded to do it! Too much touching involved!

It looks as though Jensen Button will have plenty of free time next year!!! The first F1 person on Strictly?

Ooh good choices love idea of Hugh Bonnerville

Another Hugh

Hugh Laurie

Hugh Grant

Stephen Fry

Alan Sugar your fired round one

Rowan Atkinson not as Mr Bean

Sean Bean mmmmmmmmmmm

Robson and Jerome

Prince Harry

Okay tonight was musical night and here is how I thought the night went:-

Ore's Foxtrot - Not sure how clean it was as I spotted one or two moments of hesitation. Not his best but not his worst either. An 8 from me. A tad over-marked by the judges.

Robert's Samba - You always felt he needed his absolute best dance of the series here to save him. A noble effort which I thoroughly enjoyed. He always gives it his all and clearly loves dancing but you feel his number is up. An 8 from me.

Louise's Quickstep - A dance you felt had the right music and she caught the flavour of it well in a very technical dance. The dance of the night for me worth 9.

Claudia's Salsa - She danced this very well but just felt the choreography was too heavily-laden in lifts for my liking. However, what she was given to do dance-wise she did well. An 8.5 from me and a tad over-marked by the judges.

Danny's Tango - The attack was good and the tempo but first set of kicks looked kung-fuish to me and L.en and C.raig spotted errors. An 8.5 from me. Over-marked (two tens when errors were picked up on - just give him the trophy now).

I loved the first group dance and thought An.ton pulled his lead role off very well and The West Side Story dance really took off with the classic number 'America'.

To me it looks like Robert cannot be saved (apart from by the viewers). Whoever he faces in the dance-off (if there) the judges will save over him. His only hope is to avoid the dance-off. I see perhaps Claudia ending up in the dance-off with Robert and judges will save Claudia.

I must say that I thought the extra Pros in tonight's routines were great. They were in shot when needed, but mostly in the background adding to the scene without overwhelming it.

I've done a quick trawl of other sites and have been surprised at the amount of venom thrown Louisa's way. I didn't see Friday's ITT but it sounds as if there was yet another sob story, or begging for marks fest.

Ore - The costumes were fabulous. I couldn't see some of the footwork. I think the breaks in hold in order to tell the story, affected the usual smoothness of the foxtrot for me. I liked the choreography but thought it was a little overmarked. I appreciate that the judges are able to see things the TV camera doesn't focus on.

Robert - A recognisable Samba. The weakest dance of the night, but a fun routine. I shall miss him when he's gone.

Louise - I enjoyed it. I was worried it would end up a yeehaw-skippy-polka but it was full of content. The props were in heavy use, but to be expected. I need to re-watch it but it had a bit of a QS patchwork feel to me, the way the sections were divided around the props then sewn together. I did enjoy it. My favourite dance of the night.

Claudia - Loved how she really got into the personality of the dance. Amazing make-up. Too many lifts for me. Liked the Salsa steps I saw.  I would have given it 9's I think. If I hear Tess or Claud say 'Isn't she sweet' one more time I'll throw up. She's short on inches, not years!

Danny - Glad two judges picked up on foot faults. Not meaning to be , but hyper picky, the guy is talented, not perfect. Again, the extra Pros were in the right places to enhance rather than overwhelm. Oti looked fabulous. Difficult to Tango to disco music but a good compromise. A bit overmarked to me.  

I don't think I'd have given 10's to anyone tonight despite enjoying the show. Loved the opening Pro number and thought An ton was superb. West Side Story is one of my favourites, and that Jet vs Sharks scene is far too iconic to be messed with!

You all saw the show and will have personal opinions, so....here's mine on tonight:

Housewives choice and the pros did a fantastic job of show opening that set the mood for a very good night. Housewives choice didn't let us down in his warbling debut and I enjoyed the whole thing.

This is the honesty thread so I'm not pulling punches. On this showing there should be no doubts in anyone's mind as to next weeks four.

Ore was pretty decent, faultless but not dazzling because his routine was dictated by a Willy Wonka costume and a wacky role for a foxtrot, that Queen Victoria of ballroom dance. His scores showed he made an impression on the judges but I found it didn't make me jump for any joy. 36 was his impressive total.

"Carmen Miranda", Silver tongued Italian Stallion called Robert Rinder and he should neither need to do that or have a reason to do so. Gender, regardless of who are what you are should not be a feature in a dance competition in today's world. My own opinion doesn't matter, but the publice, the Madame Defarge of the great social revolution,does rule the roost. That said, Silver tongued Italian Stallion did that because he was just being honest. R.R was camper than an adventure holiday showroom display. Any dance skill was overshadowed by his almost Mr Humphries like performance on the maple. He spent too long out of hold (maybe not his fault) gyrating around like a snake on an oil slick with expressions to match. He can dance, but not well enough to beat the other four. My wife would be happy to tell you I said all this before the judges spoke. 31.

Louise and Kevin. I'll be quite happy now to see this girl take the glitter ball or at least share it because frankly, she deserves it. A slick, polished and, for me, faultless display of high energy enjoyment ( well done Kev) with foot work that was a joy to watch. Everything about Louise oozed joy and confidence and her dancing could have had at least one more ten for me. At least equal with Danny's Tango as Dance of the night. 37. I was knocked out. Lovely girl and great dancer. Gets a yee-ha from me. 37.

Despite dressing them up like All creatures great and small meets the Jungle Book charcters, Claudia and A.J pulled off a great routine and performance. What a revelation this young girl has been. Decent music, treating them like adults and who knows how far they could go. A well deserved 37 (which proves Louise could have been given one extra mark)

Danny and Oti. Credit where it's due and all else regardless, I wrote four tens in during this tango and I'll stand by it. Right on a very fast beat, sharp, skilled and entertaining Danny is a superb dancer. Top class dancing and dazzling skill. 38.

Finally, what a cracking finale from the pros. Not since Rita Moreno and George Chakiris led the Puerto Ricans in "America" in the original West Side Story have I enjoyed that routine so much. Was it Janet Manrana who led the dance? (forgot her name, senior moment there) . Great end to a very good show.

I loved the opening of Musicals week. A.nton doesn't have a terrible voice. Not wonderful, but not terrible. The number was good fun and inventive.

Ore and Joanne
Foxtrot
All those bloody Flowers! We just want to see the dancing not all the props and other pros getting in the way. Mind you, as it was, the dancing was a bit meh! Not a very interesting routine. A bit tame and didn't do it for me.
8

Robert Rinder and Oksana
Samba
Sadly this was stiff and uninspiring. He seems to have given up worrying about his open mouth as well. I wouldn't be surprised if it's his week. If he's in the bottom two, he's off.
7

Louise and Kevin
Quickstep
Ghastly VT! And as a major fan of Doris Day's singing, I couldn't believe that “Deadwood Stage” could be so vilely crucified. Who was singing? Has she no top notes at all?? Same comments about the pro dancers as with Ore.
That said, I thought Louise did a great job. Not entirely enthusiastic about Kevin's choreography, but she made a good job of it and managed to be the centre of attention despite all the distractions.
9.5

Claudia and AJ
Salsa
I did enjoy this and was delighted that B.runo threw a 10 their way (although he was throwing them everyone's way last night.) She's not quite as good as Danny or Louise, but there's something charming about her just the same.
9

Danny and Oti
Tango
What to say? Another fabulous dance. I'm afraid I couldn't spot a heel lead from a walk in the park - not at that speed -  so I loved it.  Unlike some of the other dances, the extra pros were used in a complementary way. Oti really is a fantastic choreographer, as L.en said. It was lively and brilliant, full of life and joy. Not perhaps your normal serious minded tango, but just as riveting. Easily the dance of the night!
10

The West Side Story routine at the end was good in parts, particularly Aljaz and Janette, they were gorgeous.

Just caught up on the show. OK so this week was musicals week and so in the spirit of it being a theme week I'm trying to temper my comments accordingly but at the risk of sounding the party pooper this week's show pleased me and annoyed me in equal parts if that makes sense!

I really enjoyed the two Pro n umbers and thought they were extremely well done. In the contest, all the couples danced well even though Robert was a bit outclassed but I would not have given 10 to anyone tonight - most of the dances had some issues which were commented upon by the judges which were maybe only small but nevertheless did not warrant being given 'special' status of being awarded a 10 and I wanted to gag B runo by the end because of his ridiculous use of the 10 paddle.

Whilst the backing dancers were used so much better than in Blackpool I felt that in some n umbers there just wasn't enough of the dance itself - L en touched on this with Louise and Kevin but sort of tailed off in his critique. Lest I sound too grumpy I did enjoy the show which wasn't short of the entertainment factor and some lovely costumes.

Joanne and Ore - Decent Foxtrot but agreed that it looked a bit hesitant in places as though he wasn't quite sure of himself. 8

Judge and Oksana - Thought he did bits of this well and other bits not so well - the mouth was also back in evidence! I generally enjoyed the spirit of it as I love the track and thought the backing dancers were used well. 7

Louise and Kevin - Great routine but like L en I felt this veered on the edges of not really being a quickstep but rather a stage dance 'hoe down' routine. The QS bits were good and I thought they successfully avoided it being too skippy. 9

Claudia and AJ - One you stripped away all the lifts and tricks this was an ok salsa - though again some of the dance appeared to be flat footed to me and I would have liked more smoothness and steps - bit too lift orientated. 8

Danny and Oti - As a whole routine it was great but this might be at odds with what others think because I felt this dance relied too much on performance and not enough on the actual Tango technique which to me he didn't get at all - that said it was a difficult track for a Tango. To me he is just not a ballroom boy but I did love the bit where they all danced in a line however, and as someone else has said, full marks to the choreography.

Hmm, much as I enjoyed the routines (and thought on the whole that the backing dancers enhanced rather than hindered) I would have struggled to label the dances if I hadn't known what they were. On this front, Judge Rinder drew a very short straw so I rather think he is done for unless he can avoid the DO.

Of the five of them, the Judge has had the more entertaining j.ourney closely followed by Claudia (who has the benefit of being an Olympian) and then Ore (who just has untapped natural rhythm). A shock result tonight would certainly liven things up