Strictly Come Dancing: week 10 – live | Strictly Come Dancing
Key events
JB and Lauren’s Charleston
JB Gill’s form dipped slightly with the last week’s Blackpool quickstep, falling to mid-table after two weeks of being joint top. This Roaring Twenties-style Charleston is ideal to bounce back. With dapper art deco-style styling, it’s pretty traditional Charleston fare, packed with content. Fast and physical, with bags of musicality and characterisation. Entertaining lifts and tricks. High-energy and keeping up the pace well. Nice pendulum swing of the arms and plenty of that all-important swivel. Maybe lacking a little attack and bounce. A clunky lift but solid synchronisation. Swagger and style. He looks understandably shattered by the end. Did it well.
Song: Yes Sir! That’s My Baby by Firehouse Five Plus Two. The 1950s Dixieland version of the 1925 standard. The band comprised members of Disney’s animation department who discovered a love of jazz and began jamming during their lunch break.
Judges’ scores for Sarah and Vito: 8, 8, 10, 10 for a total of 36 points. Highest scoring rumba of the series.
Judges’ comments for Sarah and Vito: Shirley says “that choreography belonged in a major championship, full-on routine, flexible and sensual, best rumba of the series so far”. Anton says “one of your best dances, worked your legs so well, a complex routine but you nailed it”. Craig says “technically very good but lacked chemistry and real connection”. Motsi concludes “a Cuban rumba, impressive but needed more ooziness, soften your back and breathe”. Two eights and two nines, do we think?
Sarah and Vito’s rumba
Sarah Hadland notched her highest score with her Fosse-esque Couple’s Choice in Blackpool, a near-perfect 39 points. She has now scored six 10s during the contest. Can she add to that? A rumba is a technically tricky dance to do it. She needs to rein in her trademark bouncy energy for the slow, sensual dance of seduction. Moody solo works to start. Nice romantic mood and connection. Sarah showing control from feet to fingers. The keys to the rumba are rhythm and hip action. Sarah’s seem pretty good to me. Spins, floor slides, turns and drops. Lots of poise, perhaps lacking a little sizzling passion but otherwise truly terrific.
Song: Chains by Tina Arena. The 1994 power ballad reached number six on the UK chart. The Melbourne diva also made it to the final of Australia’s version of Strictly in 2013.
Scott Mills on the Ts & Cs
Back to the balcony this weekend, after Blackpool’s “commandeer a corner and pin up a glittery curtain” improvised Clauditorium. La Winkle welcomes the new Radio 2 breakfast DJ as this week’s VIP guest to read out the voting smallprint. Lobster hands ahoy.
Judges’ scores for Pete and Jowita: 6, 7, 8, 8 for a total of 29 points. Early to call it but dance-off danger.
Judges’ comments for Pete and Jowita: Motsi says “suits you, stunning, brilliant open work but hesitant in hold”. Shirley says “you had focus and improved your frame, fierce, did well”. Anton says “credit where it’s due, super posture, settle into your knees but keep improving”. Craig concludes “not difficult to improive on last week (boo!), unsteady footwork , lacked timing and drive but loved the sharpness”. Eights?
Pete and Jowita’s tango
Pete Wicks has peeled off his pink pleather trousers (presumably with the aid of talcum poweder and Vaseline) and donned a sharp suit. He’s the bookies’ favourite for elimination but he prefers ballroom, loves this song and looks far more comfortable than he did in Blackpool. The characterisation of the tango should suit him, too. Monochrome styling. Sexy and passionate dance with stalking promenades and snapping turns. Some gapping in the close hold. Lacking a little cleanness and staccato action. Decent synchronisation and lifts but perhaps a little robotic and he’s walking about too much rather than dancing.
Song: Easy Lover by Philip Bailey & Phil Collins. The pop-soul duet, co-written and performed by the singers from Earth, Wind & Fire and Genesis respectively, topped the UK charts for four weeks in 1985. Craig Kelly and Flavia Cacace danced a cha-cha to it 15 years ago and were eliminated. An omen?
Our Strictly stars™
Our magnificent seven pro-celebrity pairs are introduced. Not much fancy dress. Smart suits, lots of grey, matador jackets and Montell Douglas looking fab-ew-lous in pink.
Paddle-raising panel in the house
The judgely quartet sashay into view, having removed their sparkly seaside stetsons. Motsi Mabuse in a Pucci-style disco minidress. Shirley Ballas has a massive corsage thingy. And possibly some tiny dance shoes beneath her desk.
Frockwatch
Here come our autocue queens, so time for the traditional couture comparison. Tess Daly is in a red tuxedo suit. Claudia Winkleman is in black Chanel-style chic with white trim. Tess wins.
Cue clap-along credits
More than half these couples have now departed the dancefloor. Remember Toyah and Tom? Halcyon days, my friends.
And we’re off!
Roll the industry standard dramatic montage. Cooking doesn’t get tougher than this! Oops, sorry, wrong show.