Sunday 26 November 2017

Week 10

Hi all, here we are at week 10, only 4 weeks to go and it's all over for another year!

So what did you all think of the Paso Doblethon?  I liked the idea but unfortunately the camera editing makes it hard to see anything.  I personally think it would have been better to have a single camera shot of the whole floor.

Anyway, onto the performances:

Joe & Katya - Quickstep
Fast, energetic & light.  Great body contact & footwork too. He just got a little hunched in his frame at times & his right hand was a little splayed on her back. Good effort as no errors in a fast & full routine.
My score - 9

Alexandra & Gorka - Rumba
Not very charismatic, not enough connection between them for me. She needed more pressure through the floor & more control to allow for more hip action. Her leg actions were also not strong enough, too many unlocked knees for me.  In Rumba, when you are standing on a supporting leg it pretty much needs to be locked straight & hers weren't.
My score - 7

Gemma & Aljaz - Samba
Good bounce action. Good characterisation & story telling. Needed more hip action & body isolation in places & her free arm was a bit unfocused at times.
My score - 8

Molly & AJ - Quickstep
Nice & light. There was a bit of tension in her top line & face at times. Good body contact but her poise was a bit too upright during some of the faster sections.
My score - 8

Davood & Nadiya  - Waltz
Needed to get his elbows up - they were a bit weak & his head was too central - should have been looking more towards his left hand. He also needed more sway. Elegant & romantic though. Very good footwork & control. Nice to see him in a proper tail suit.
My score - 8

Debbie & Giovanni - Argentine Tango
Wow, that was stunning.  Like her or not, I think we all have to admit that she danced that really well.  Exceptional leg lines & control. Great, sharp actions.  Just needed to hold her top line in some of the lifts.
My score - 9

Susan & Kevin - American Smooth
Sweet & entertaining. Not much technique & lots of gapping. Needed much more drive & swing in the foxtrot sections.
My score - 6

The Paso Doblethon (is that how you spell it?!?!)

I watched the performances 3 times to try to get an idea of scoring it, then I watched the judges placings.  My placings from 1t -7th were:

1st - Alexandra & Gorka
2nd - Joe & Katya
3rd - Debbie & Giovanni
4th - Gemma & Aljaz
5th - Davood & Nadiya
6th - Mollie & AJ
7th - Susan & Kevin

So the only one I disagreed on with the judges was Gemma & Davood.  That's what judging is all about though - people & judges have different opinions as they are looking for slightly different things.

So my bottom 2 this week (not including the paso doblethon) - Susan & Alexandra.  I doubt Alexandra will be in the bottom two. I am also concerned that Susan won't be in the bottom 2 and if Debbie is there again she will b saved & we will lose a good dancer too early.  Having said that, we have that most series so why should this be any different?!

My blog next week may not be published until Monday I'm afraid as I'm in Blackpool scrutineering at a competition all Saturday & Sunday.  If I get a chance I will try to publish it but there may not be an opportunity to do so until I get back home on Monday - sorry!

Until then,

keeeeep dancing!

Lloyd x

Sunday 19 November 2017

Week 9 - Blackpool!

So this week we were once again in the home of Ballroom - Blackpool Tower!  This place is magical, if you're a dancing fan & have never been, put it on your bucket list.  Even if you can't dance, just go to watch the dancers & take in the atmosphere!

This week:

Mollie & AJ - Charleston
Very modern twist on this dance.  Good swivels but one side was better than the other for me.  Not much basic actions to judge but the lifts were good & it was well performed.
My score - 8

Susan & Kevin - Paso Doble
Much as I love her, there was no shaping, not enough aggression or attack.  Lots of walking about without the proper styling of Paso walks.  Good flamenco section without music though.
My score - 5

Debbie & Giovanni - Samba
I think she has plateaued now & we have seen the best she is going to get, which I currently don't think is good enough to win it.  This week there was no body isolation, not enough hip actions, no fluidity & not enough bounce.  Her podium work also needed to be bigger actions too.I'm afraid I didn't see what the judges saw.
My score - 6

Jonnie & Oti - Tango
Good frame & good timing. Needed more stride at times.  Good focus throughout.  The judges seem to forget that he only has one complete leg & that to get the power he needs to use his glutes more.  This means that he needs to shift his pelvis back a fraction to facilitate his dancing.  It's not something that he can change - unlike sickled feet which can be rectified!
My score - 8

Gemma & Aljaz - American Smooth
Nice musicality & nice arms.  Her footwork on her reverse wave was wrong so she didn't have the necessary drive through the figure (and they danced it twice!).  She also didn't have any toe pick-up on her backward basic steps which is a fundamental part of the basic for ladies.  A bit of gapping too.  However it was graceful, she had a nice poise & her lines & ifts were good.
My score - 8

Davood & Nadiya - Paso Doble
I'll be honest, I had to watch it twice as the first time I didn't get my eyes off of his torso!  Great timing, shaping & leading.  Powerful performance. Occasional lines could have been just a fraction stronger.
My score - 8

Alexandra & Gorka - Qickstep
Good performance.  Toes still turned in which is starting to annoy me now! Some gapping in places & she lost her oise in some of the faster sections & stood up too straight.
My score - 8

Joe & Katya - Salsa
Great energy & well maintained.  Looked confident & in charge throughout.  Good lifts & armography. Held his own in the solo sections with the other dancers too  Just needed a little more hip rotation in a few places.
My score - 9

My bottom 2 this week - Debbie & Susan

I'm afraid my blog may be late again next week as I'm in London at 42nd Street to celebrate my step-dad's 80th Birthday!

Until then,

keeeeep dancing!!

Lloyd x

Saturday 11 November 2017

Week 8

So, just for the record - if I had been a judge last week & watched those 2 dances in the dance-off, I would have saved Mollie too.  Based on that dance alone (as per the rules of the dance-off) Aston was by far the weakest dancer & didn't deserve to be saved.  I don't think Janette's choreography helped as it was far too rough for such a graceful dance.

Anyway, let's move on to this week's performances:

Susan & Kevin - Tango
Dramatic performance. Some heel leads missed but she did stay down in her knees. No errors in the routine either.  Her left hand collapsed a few times & went a bit weak on his arm & she needs to pull her top line back to enhance further.
My score - 6

Jo & Katya - Rumba
Not a bad attempt.  A notoriously difficult dance for a man.  Good fluidity in hi arms & good attempt at hip actions.  Very well lead but a bit on the spot for me, needed to move a bit more. He missed some to turn outs too.
My score - 8

Ruth & Anton - Foxtrot
I get the feeling he's not trying very hard & given up teaching.  That was a cheaters dance.  It was basically one continuous weave so managed to avoid the control steps & technique of a proper foxtrot.  No timing changes, no chance to do proper foot work, heel turns, etc. No lines, just quick after quick after quick. Not impressed - don't be lazy Anton, you're supposed to be a ballroom dancer & teacher so teach it & dance it!
My score - 4

Davood & Nadiya - Charleston
Light, fast, great swivels, great lifts, great timing & good performance.  The only thing I didn't like was when he tried to dance the basic swivel actions with her on his back, looked a bit clumpy.
My score - 9

Gemma & Aljaz - Viennese Waltz
Light & fluffy with good footwork. Good rotations & pivots. Just needs to pull back top line more & soften the rise & fall.  Didn't help that the music was awful & not proper Viennese Waltz timing.
My score - 8

Alexandra & Gorka - Argentine Tango
No surprise the first AT was given to her! Liked the way they danced down onto the floor from the balcony. Great performance, great lifts.  When she was doing the gaucho's either side of him she had her backside stuck out a bit too far for my liking.
My score - 9

Mollie & AJ - Paso Doble
Well performed with good timing.  Shapings a bit weak in places & arms needed to be a bit stronger at times too. Powerful performance though.
My score - 8

Jonnie & Oti - Foxtrot
Very romantic. Not bad footwork and good leading.  Needed more drive & stride.  The jacket made his shoulders looked hunched & he really does need to get his pelvis forward more.
My score - 6

Debbie & Giovanni - Salsa
Some balance issues & routine seemed to go a bit awry at one point & they lost focus for a bit. Very brave lifts but didn't like the dismount from the plank spin.  Needed to be a bit 'rougher' round the edges, was a bit too upright for me.
My score - 8

so my bottom 2 this week - Ruth & Jonnie (but after last week I fully expect Mollie to be there as a mark of disapproval from some fans of Aston)

Until next week,

keeeeep dancing!

Lloyd x

Saturday 4 November 2017

Week 7

This week felt a lot better than last week with regards to the overall energy & performances for me, do you all agree? I sometimes wonder whether themed weeks are as good as people expect them to be - they seem to miss something.

The performances this week

Alexandra & Gorka - Cha Cha Cha
Good energy & arms, knee & leg actions very good for most of it but her supporting foot was turned in at certain points. Needed more pressure into the floor to aid hip actions in places.
My score - 8 (I spotted errors so couldn't give a 10, maybe I was watching something differently to the judges?!)

Mollie & AJ - Foxtrot
Quite nice fow & grace, good poise. She missed some footwork - some heel leads missed & when a lady dances backwards in this dance there is something called No Foot Rise, which means she stays down in her feet but rises through her knees & body: she didn't achieve the NFR is places. Elegant but a shame about the stumble.
My score - 7

Jo & Katya - Charleston
His best yet. Great energy, great lifts & great swivels. I did spot one timing error when he was near the judges table which was the only error I could see.
My score - 9

Gemma & Aljaz - Salsa
Good energy but wasn't that keen on some of the lifts. Her hips were lateral rather than rotating as she needed to be a bit more down into the floor & 'earthy'.
My score - 7

Aston & Janette - Viennese Waltz
Not good.  Nowhere near soft enough & too much rise & fall. His fleckerl had heel leads in it somehow. No sway on naturals & not enough drive.  He was better out of hold
My score - 6

Ruth & Anton - Paso Doble
A typical Anton latin dance - not much content due to his lack of ability & going for the comedic routine.  This could have been a good dance for her if she had a better partner. Enjoyable to watch, good timing & good stalking kicks.
My score - 6

Debbie & Giovanni
I spotted a few heel leads missed.  However she kept away from rise & fall (which is good). Good staccato & nic head movements. Good content too
My score - 9

Jonnie & Oti
Good timing & confident lifts. Needed more hip action but had a good body rhythm. Good armography.
My score - 8

Susan & Kevin
Great timing & she didn't run out of steam. Good content & her flicks had a good pumping action. Light & fast
My score - 8

Davood & Nadiya
What a dance! Incredible lifts, great footwork, great timing & excellent performance.  He just needed a little more drive from his standing foot in the foxtrot sections.
My score - 9

My bottom 2 this week - Ruth & Aston

Until next week,

keeeeep dancing!

Lloyd x

Semi Finals

The penultimate show of the series already?! Where did that time go?  So this week the celebs do 2 dances each & my opinions of those we...