Running Commentary: SCD Week Seh…VEN!

Tess has gone for the simple but effective look of a blackout curtain tonight! The NTA Award was shown off - worth seeing the clip on the SCD site home page for Simon Cowell’s face. And Bruce is having a dig ha ha “We can lip read you know…never mind, next year, try harder.” Milk it Brucie, I would!

Austin and Erin - love the banter between these two. Good entry, ‘s’wonderful song choice. Erin is queen of the quickstep, a slight foot error there but otherwise a lovely performance - you can tell Austin was really into that, very enjoyable. Len: (after a rambling rugby analogy) Perfection! (that’ll be the 10 then). Bruno: Austin the majestic; Craig: Enjoyed very much …two timing issue (was that what I saw?) but did love it (Bruce: People have timing issues with you Craig - when you turn up! He’s on form tonight, Brucie!) Arlene: Dazzling execution. Judges Score: 36 - fair score overall, didn’t blow me away sufficiently for a ten. The only one I think I can say is definitely safe.

Heather and Brian doing a cha cha to American Boy great to see her happy in training. Did I understand a word Brian just said apart from syncopated? No. I’m hoping for a Wow dance from Heather tonight …unfortunately it’s not to be, damn - looks like the nerves got her again. Looks a bit laboured but I thought she performed some of the recognisable cha cha moves well - the New York thingy. Bruno: lacked so much bite; Craig: really need to raise your game plan; Arlene: Some good moments; Len: Bright and sparkly. Judges Score: 23 Looking likely for bottom two again.

Jodie and Ian promised their waltz would be the most romantic ever and they’re not wrong (Gethin’s excepted) Gorgeous, they really are so sweet together. Ethereal and radiant. Craig: Absolutely beautiful…too Mills and Boon (Well, YES! Doh!) Arlene: You charmed me; Len: It’s the perfect dance for you; Bruno: Soft, elegant, at ease with the dance. Judges score: 31 their best, deservedly so.

Andrew and Ola Samba to J Lo and the injury to Andrew’s knee is telling, lacking content as he’s restricted, but at least he’s in time and trying to inject some party spirit into it. Arlene: (mumbled on about food aisles or something!?) Unleash the beast and let it go; Len: Gotta be more like a bouncy castle; Bruno: Brazilian Grand Flop, it didn’t work; Craig: All very taut and tense for my liking. Best part was the rave step. (Rave step??) Judges score: 21 Bottom two again, unless the sympathy vote kicks in.

Lisa and Brendan - classic Tango song ‘La Cumpasita’ probably means I’ll like this more than I normally would a tango. That and the fact I like her dress verrrry much. Was she as sharp as she should be? Good performance, but still seemed a little soft for me, still a little bit of wobbly foot placement, but maybe you’re meant to do it like that; I don’t know! Len: I thought it was superb; Bruno: A tango of classic purity and beauty; Craig: That was fantastic; Arlene: Loved the phenomenal correction from last week. Judges score: 35 Pretty safe I’d say.

Cherie and James decamp to a salsa club and the training footage looked great - a real shame that it didn’t come off on the night. Probably the most sedate salsa ever, this looked promising but it all went horribly wrong. Some may blame the song, but it’s a traditional Latin - Oye Mi Canto though maybe played a little slower than usual. Bruno: Well the dress was red hot but the salsa was not; Craig: Too careful and placed; Arlene: exasperatingly underpowered; Len: It wasn’t your best dance. Judges score: 26 probably over marked considering the errors towards the end. But they’ll have a loyal following who’ll give her another chance.

John and Kristina: The man in the street is right - just the mention of his name and I’m smiling. My mum has to put a vote in for my dad for John every week. My dad hates Strictly but loves John, so he’s watching. Message boarders can bang on about the dance competition versus entertainment show all they like - the Beeb will always have a John in the show for exactly that reason - ratings. Kristina is a genius - Marilyn look and music, a feel good foxtrot, John not actually doing very much but who’s complaining. Oh - the judges: Craig: Kristina, as always , does all the work...frame was really poor; Arlene: It was lacking in fox all the way through; Len: He did them (the steps) all wrong; Bruno: The old fox running out of tricks; Judges score: 20. Still safe for at least another week. Actually, in a poll I’ve seen he was second only to Austin; on that basis he’ll make the final, as the public vote is the dancing equivalent of the away goals rule - worth 2 points in event of a draw.

Tom and Camilla bring us a fantastically choreographed powerful Paso - what a change from the wishy washy efforts last week! I was a bit sceptical about the song but it grew on me overnight and now I can’t get it out of my head. Tom was - and I’d posted this on the TCSC thread in the Bebb forum hours before: manly and haughty and arrogant and smouldering and imperious and proud and simmering and daring and resolute and strong and virile and bold and dashing and spirited and audacious and venturesome and purposeful. Biased? Moi? I actually can’t remember seeing Camilla - that’s how taken with it I was, as I love the Paso when it’s performed like that. The judges agreed then argued - but we’re used to that now! Arlene: I loved your cape; Len: twists and turns the best I’ve ever seen a man do …passion and drama; Bruno: The attack and determination of an action hero on a mission; Craig: Guaranteed strong shapes and storytelling …sharp …arrogance all the way through. Judges score:34 Calm down, calm down! Get in there Cam! Defend your Cape - we love it!

Christine and Matthew choose the most iconic of American Smooth songs in the world ever. Not quite as smooth as I’d expect, still a little bit of the Phillips stumble going on, but a lovely dance and she manages to sell it. Matt, of course, could sell leather jock straps to a leather jock strap manufacturer but let’s not go there…Len:Not quite as good; Bruno: Legs crying in a puddle; Craig: Upper body gorgeous, loved the series of lifts; Arlene: Top half Hollywood, down here, deadwood (way too harsh) Judges: 29 She’ll be worrying again and I don’t think she should - that performance was a viewer pleaser.

Rachel and Vincent and a jive to Sweet Soul Music great choreography but it’s lacking bounce and the kicks and flicks aren’t quite strong enough. Bruno: Firecracker…you ignited (mmm, no) Craig: Very good …sticky transitions though; Arlene: Sparkly as you are…push into the floor to get the bounce; Len: It was competent …but it didn’t wow me. Judges score: 32 Should be safe.

So we could have a predictable bottom two (Heather and Andrew) or we could have another Gabbygate! Oh, the suspense! I have to say I’m a bit bemused by some of the judges scoring - Cherie got the same score tonight as Heather’s salsa which was far superior and Len is only dishing out just one mark less to Andrew, for example, than Rachel and Tom, whose performances were much better. Still - I can’t do anything so I won’t worry about it, it’ll all come out in the wash along with the fake tan. On a good note - check out the music - weren’t they all fab tonight!