Running Commentary, Week Six: Dancing on Ice

Going back to my roots: 80’s night is here! It’s quite sad, isn’t it, how excited I am. They’re all out together for ‘Wake Me Up Before You Go Go’, Zoe giving the Madonna hair a tryout, Jessica going for a Mickey Mouse look?! Remembering Bolero - yep, still spine tingling. Required element: Shadow Spin, full circle, one footed - twice! Ooh-er.

Roxiel Soft rock pop classic ‘China In Your Hand’ and Roxy is feeling a bit fragile with a dislocated rib. Transitions still a bit sticky, more lovely lifts, spin two footed unfortunately. Score: 16 Floral, on location in Miami with R‘n‘B’ pop rock ‘Addicted to Love’. Excellent spin, good confident skating again, just needs a bit more on the performance side. Score: 18.5, their best yet. Poor Pavel - that’s the second big tumble Jess has taken. Pavica take on Bananarama’s ‘Venus’, great poses struck, skating and spins fantastic, just a slightly awkward entry into the big lift but overall terrific, loved it. Score: 23.5.

Gordon the Gopher’s in the house! Should I admit to watching Phil and Gordon? Probably not. Colart wearing red and skating to ‘Lady in Red’. Flirty Coleen having a ball but not enough content, spin two footed and the skating non-existent, what she did was tentative at best. Score: 14.5 Ruthie and Nicky said it too: tentative. Well hello Kyran, he’s turned up to pass on a few tips. Frankery have a lot of fun with Come on Eileen, excellent spin, nice performance but still room for improvement. Score: 15.5 Jason’s Mr Popular again. Not.

Frelinda and …99 Red £$%^&*” Balloons, for crying out loud. Can I say how disappointed I am with the music so far? I was looking forward to getting up and, er, getting on down. Almost fell out of the lift but well skated, didn’t quite nail the spin. Score: 17.5 Come on, Maray, give me something. Oh, it’s the other big film number one of ‘87. Very smooth, fluid, awesome lift, musical, intense relationship, no mistakes. Big score coming I think. Score: 30 Can’t argue with that. Although Ruthie saying watching him is better than eating chocolate fudge cake I would have to dispute. I mean, yes, he’s good but better than chocolate fudge cake? Steady on, Ruthie.

Zoe’s done her ribs in too! One accident - ok; two - a bit careless; three of the girls and I’m thinking: Conspiracy. Where was Coleen when all these happened? Has Melinda got an alibi? Zomatt skating to ‘I Think We’re Alone now’. Jeez. I never quite got into that, good spin but not as fluid as it should have been. Score: 22.

Come on, the 80’s was the Decade of Dance! I know, I was there. Yet all we got was more cheesy pop than a bottle of R Whites in Cheddar Gorge. That’s the stuff that gave the 80’s such a bad rep. Grrrrrrrr. They could have had Style Council, Luther and Janet, Haircut 100 …safe and skating next week: Maray; Colart; Zomatt; Pavica; Floral - my faves this week all through…The Whispers, Stephanie Mills, Lynx …Roxiel are safe. Frankery and Frelinda, third time each in the Skate-Off. Ellery was doing so well until a big fall, Melinda just has to stay upright. But oh, God, how I hated this song back in the day. Much better from Frelinda though, lift perfected, no contest. Oh, hang on - Nicky went for Ellery. No, it’s 4 -1 Frelinda …Brass Construction, Roy Ayers, Teena Marie …maybe I was expecting too much …