Dance Diva's Dancing Blog

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So who is Dance Diva? Well we could tell you, but then we'd have to kill you....! ;-) Her identity has remained a mystery for years much speculated about but never proven!

Monday 28th Feb
After 4 weeks of semi finals, the final of ‘Got to Dance’ is finally here. Eight acts will perform again, the judges will award gold or red stars for each act but the public will have the final decision. Then the voting will be frozen and the top 3 will be announced and then dance again before the phone lines re-open before revealing the final winner.
The first group up was ‘Razzle Dazzle’, the street dance group of kids aged between 4 and 12. They did really well, were very tight but nothing outstanding. The judges gave them 2 gold stars and 1 red star, the red was from Adam who just felt it wasn’t enough to win.
One of my favourites was up next, Lauren. I thought her semi final performance was amazing however this one wasn’t quite as strong and Ashley agreed giving her a red star but Adam and Kimberley both thought she was beautiful and gave her a gold star.
Another favourite of mine – Chris and Wez! Their performance was outstanding, a fantastic mix of dance and comedy, pure entertainment. The judges awarded them 3 gold stars and couldn’t say a bad word about them.
‘Dance Dynamix’ were next, the street/disco group that made it to the semi finals last year. They were good and certainly in sync but there was nothing new and Kimberley said she couldn’t see the passion and want to dance in their performance. They were given 2 red stars and 1 gold, the gold from Adam who thought that they had improved and were bigger and better... sorry Adam, I don’t agree.
Popping and locking ‘Turbo’ was next and again he changed his style and incorporated humour and awesome dance tricks. The judges loved him and gave him 3 gold stars.
‘Two’s Company’ performed next, again they were a favourite of mine as they were so flexible. Unfortunately they made a mistake in their routine which could have become dangerous and it really showed on their faces. The judges felt they hadn’t brought anything new to their performance and gave them 3 red stars.
One more favourite of mine was ‘Trinity Warriors’, the street dance group. Tonight I loved their performance but felt that their semi final one was tighter and better. Adam gave them a red star but Ashley and Kimberley gave them a gold star.
Last up was ‘Alleviate’ the contemporary duo. They gave a beautiful and moving performance and the judges gave them 3 gold stars saying they have to be in the final.
After the break the phone lines were frozen and the top three acts were announced....first ‘Razzle Dazzle’ OMG how did they get through? I suppose people like the kids and they have lots of friends and family who voted! Next was Chris and Wez – whoo hoo my favourites are through. Now who will clinch the last place in the final? And it’s ‘Alleviate’! Not my choice but a good choice.
All 3 acts performed their semi final pieces again and all 3 acts were given gold stars by the judges. After these performances my favourites were still Chris and Wez with Alleviate in 2nd place. Whilst all the votes were counted we saw a brand new routine from ‘Diversity’ who were absolutely awesome... now that is how you dance!
Results time....and the winners are...Chris and Wez!! Whoo hoo!! My favourites won! Am so pleased for them and think they were deserving winners.
Until the next dance show...keep dancing Dance Diva fans. DD. xx

Monday 21st Feb
It’s the last semi-final of ‘Got To Dance’ and only 2 more acts can go through to the live final!! Tonight we saw 8 acts perform for the public vote but which 2 were successful?
Tamara was up first, a 10 year old disco freestyle girl with more trophies and fans than most adult performers. She jumped and cartwheeled and flexed her way through her piece and all 3 judges gave her a gold star. She was awesome, so bendy and so much control. She dances up to 5 hours a day every day and it really shows in her dancing.
Mystic Force - a modern Irish dance troupe – were up next but they failed to impress the judges and received 3 red stars. They were good but failed to link their dancing to the music, the music was modern but their dancing wasn’t. It never built and didn’t go anywhere.
Next up were the duo I was most looking forward to..’Liquid Metallic’, they were 2 individual guys in the auditions but in the call backs the judges couldn’t decide between them so decided to get them to form a duo. This was no easy task for the boys as one lives in Glasgow and the other lives in Essex but between them they made it work. Their dance routine was awesome, so much popping and locking, great choreography and 3 gold stars. However I think that the audience will compare them to Chris and Wez who danced in the first semi final and they had better connection and storytelling.
Synergy were next to perform, they are a group of performance gymnasts (basically means they add some dancing to their gymnastics) I thought they did a great job but agree with the judges that there was not enough dancing in their performance and they had one problem with a lift but recovered well. Kimberley gave them a gold star but the boys gave them a red star.
Razzle Dazzle were next, a street dance group made up of 7 – 12 year old kids. They were tight and in sync and the choreography was wicked. Completely fearless and they never looked nervous or scared and they gave 100%. The judges agreed and awarded them 3 gold stars.
Bolly-Flex were up next, they are a bollywood dance group who put a modern twist on their dancing with lifts and tricks and high energy. Bollywood can be quite boring to watch but this group really came alive and amazed all the judges earning themselves 3 gold stars.
Last up was an all male street dance group called Trinity Warriors, made up of adults and kids. Their performance was the best of the night for me, so in sync and amazing choreographed and performed. Good use of the kids versus adults. They received 3 gold stars and the best comments of the night too. Trinity Warriors were the one act that all 3 judges agreed should go through to the final.
My prediction was Trinity Warriors and either Tamara or Razzle Dazzle but I also wanted Liquid Metallic to go through too. A very hard decision tonight.
Results – the 2 acts going through to the final are .... Razzle Dazzle and Trinity Warriors. Am pleased for both groups but think that Trinity Warriors will out dance Razzle Dazzle in the final.
See you all next week for the grand final...who do you think will win? DD. x

Tuesday 15th Feb
Tonight was the 3rd live semi final for ‘Got to Dance’. Seven acts performed for the public vote to see who would be going through to the live final and get the chance to win £250,000!!
The show opened with ‘Elmes 3 Style’ who fuse martial arts and dance together, 2 brothers and their sister. They are very good but I think the martial arts outweigh the dancing and there were sections and highlights of musicality that they missed. The judges gave them 1 gold star and 2 reds; the gold coming from Kimberley. Adam and Ashley both agreed that they were good but not good enough for the final.
Next up to try and blow the judges away was 8 year old Octavia dancing a contemporary piece. She is so cute and beautiful and dances like she floats on air. All three judges were swept away by her and she received 3 gold stars.
Trilogy were next, a street dance group with a special rawness about them. Ashley was keen to see how they had up’d their game but instead they seemed to change direction and were almost cheesey which was a shame as they were quite good and certainly flawless. Ashley gave them a gold star as he believed in them but the others gave them a red star as they didn’t feel the performance was final material.
Tap Attack were next to perform and they were really good, even doing a tap battle opposite each other, for such a big group it was amazing to see how in sync they were. All the judges agreed and Tap Attack were awarded 3 gold stars which I think was thoroughly deserved.
Two’s Company performed next with their disco freestyle piece. Two young girls who are best friends and dance perfectly in sync with amazing flexibility and again all the judges gave them gold stars.
Back2Back were next who were a group of guys that fuse bangra and street dancing. As the judges said their street dancing was good but basic yet they came alive in the bangra section. Ashley and Kimberley gave them a gold star but Adam said it wasn’t a complete performance and gave them a red star.
Last up was 16 year old Lauren, a contemporary dancer that dreams of being a professional dancer. I have to say that she was amazing and had a lovely outfit on. She was really clever and chose a song from the charts which people would recognise and her hair and outfit were floaty and suited the piece. Adam was in complete awe and loved her saying she was perfect and Kimberley asked to have her feet. She received 3 gold stars from the judges.
My personal choices were between Lauren, Two’s Company and Tap Attack although I also liked Octavia. Whilst the votes were being counted Adam Garcia and his tap group did an amazing performance proving his worth as a judge.
Results - The first act through is....Lauren!! Her reaction was amazing and nice to see she was so happy, I can’t wait to see her in the final.
The next act going through is...Two’s Company!! Again a good result and it will be interesting to see how they perform in the final.
Tune in next week to see judge Kimberley perform. DD. x

Tuesday 8th Feb
Got to Dance’s latest live semi final was another show of awesome dancing.
The show opened with the Shockarellas, an all girl street group dressed in kitchen foil! ;) who were very good and received 3 gold stars from the judges.
Next up were Guyz in Sync, an all male ballroom and latin formation group. I missed their audition so was looking forward to seeing their semi final performance but unfortunately it didn’t live up to my expectations or (from what the judges said) their audition piece. They were good but mainly because they were different.
Damhsa Dreams performed next hoping that the luck of the Irish would be with her and her Irish dancing piece. She is a beautiful little dancer and received 2 gold stars but a red from Ashley who said that although she was good he didn’t see her as Britain and Ireland’s best dancer.
QMX were next to perform, another street and hip hop dance group who were good but their performance never lifted and was quite bitty.
A contemporary girl called Ella performed next. She is 12 years old and her family have moved to London so she can study dance and she choreographes her own dance pieces. She wowed the judges over and received 3 gold stars and all said she should be in the final.
Turbo was up next and the judges were waiting to see whether his intricate dancing would come across well with a tv audience. He up’d his game and got 3 stars from the judges.
Last up was dance group Dance Dynamix, they entered last year and reached the semi finals but were not voted through by the public so they were back again to try once more for the finals.

After a short break and a performance from last year’s finalists Davina announced the 2 acts going through to the live final....Turbo and Dance Dynamix! I was happy for Dance Dynamix as they didn’t get through last year but felt that Ella should have gone through to the final.
Until next week... Dance Diva! x

Tuesday 1st Feb
Sunday night showed the first of the live semi finals of Got To Dance 2011! Seven acts performed and the public chose their top two acts to go through to the live final in a few weeks time.
First up was street dance guys 'Cerebro' who really up'd their game. They used a similar trick to their auditions but did it blindfolded...very dangerous but so so awesome! The judges loved them and gave them 3 gold stars. The judges stars are just there to help guide the audience, they have no say in the final decision.
Next up was Luke, the young contemporary dancer who is bullied at school for being different and being a dancer. His piece was based on the Hunchback and was very good but technique needs improving, I certainly think he will be amazing when he is older. He just seems to need better foot control when he lands some of his acrobatics.
Two more groups performed - Podilya and Eruption, both were good but not outstanding. Amazing energy but not enough to go through to the final.
The next two duos were Alleviate and Chris and Wez, both very different acts but both fantastic. Alleviate are a contemporary couple with passion and connection and lovely lines. Chris and Wez are a funky hip hop/street duo with amazing musicality and style and they managed to win Kimberley over and get three gold stars.
Last were a female street crew 'Ghetto Fabulous' but they were anything but fabulous and just looked like a girls disco freestyle group. As Ashley said there wasn't any ghetto and it was quite weak. They got the only three red stars of the night!
Whilst the votes were being counted we were treated to a performance from last years winner - Akai - and what a performance it was, it is so hard to believe that he is still only 11 years old. He has done 2 films and is in production for a 3rd and also a west end theatre show, wow!!
Results time - The result of the audience phone in is.... and the first act through is Alleviate and the next act through is Chris and Wez. I’m gutted for Cerebro but the acts that have gone through deserved it, it’s hard because some amazing acts will not go through as there are only two acts per show that can go through. Until next week dance fans!

Happy New Year to all the avid readers of my blog. Hope you all had lots of yummy food at Christmas and have now started to dance it all off! For those of you who are yet to leave their sofa there are a couple of dance programmes on tv at the moment.
Dancing on Ice returned to our screens last week with the Olympic winning duo – Torvill and Dean - and a host of z list celebs wondering what they had let themselves in for! This year the staging has been re-vamped, the judging panel reduced to 3 judges and yes Holly Willoughby is pregnant again. The judging panel had got ridiculous over the last couple of years, too many people trying to have their say so I approve of the reduction however there is now only one judge who can actually skate – Robin Cousins! Jason Gardner and Emma Bunton (also pregnant, that is one hormonal show, lol) are there mainly for the performance side of the judging...will it work better, well we will have to wait and see.
There were 16 celebs this year, so two shows of 8 celebs who skated and were scored and then the public chose the best 5 from each night and the bottom 3 had to skate again, phone lines re-opened and the public chose one more couple to join the others in the competition. Yes, that’s right, two Sunday shows of over 3 hours each and the competition hasn’t officially begun!! We lost Angela Rippon, Craig McLauchlan, Ellen Rivas and Nadia Sawalgha – I say lost but really?? Maybe not! We have a fair mixture of ‘talent’ in the 12 remaining couples and I think there are a top 3 or 4 already emerging but time will tell.

For those of you with Sky tv may have seen the adverts for ‘Got to Dance’ whose second series has just begun. Got to Dance is looking for the best dance act in England and Ireland of any genre. Last year Akai won the judges and public over with his awesome street dance moves. Personally I like this show as there are 3 judges who can all dance and have worked hard to get where they are now. Currently the show is in the audition stages and then the judges whittle the acts down to the final shortlist and then we get to vote and see each act in full.
Unfortunately both programmes are on a Sunday night but are also available on itv player and sky anytime so even if you are out dancing you can catch the re-runs. Dance Diva. x

Strictly Xmas Special
Deck the halls with bells and dancers, fa la la la la la la la la!! Yes, it’s that time of year again...the Strictly Christmas Special. This year they have got new celebs to perform on the show as it is just a one off on Christmas Day.
The show opened with the five professionals and the celebs popped out of overly large presents, some more confident than others!
The first couple was John Barrowman and Kristina dancing a festive Quickstep which considering they haven’t had many hours to practice they looked very good, I wasn’t sure if anyone else would be able to top them. They scored highly with the judges and oozed energy and excitement.
Next up was Ronni Ancona and Anton Du Beke doing a Viennese Waltz, although it was good in places she lacked balance skills and often resembled a rag doll! The judges were kind, well except for Craig and they scored 28 points.
Third up was another politician attempting to dance – the Rt Hon Vince Cable – apparently he has done some ballroom dancing (surely that’s cheating??!) with Erin Boag performing a Foxtrot which was quite lovely but he had a few shakey places. The judges gave good remarks and Alesha admitted she had danced with him before so had an idea what to expect.
The next dance was a Jive (finally a latin dance and strangely the only one of the night) by Fern Britton and Matthew Cutler (so nice to see Matthew back on the Strictly Dance floor where he belongs!) As always Matthew’s choreography was second to none but unfortunately Fern wasn’t so strong yet she dealt well with the changes in tempo and the stamina needed for such a high energy dance.
Last and well least was June Brown and her pro dancer Vincent doing a Tango. The dancing that she actually did (it lacked a lot of dancing, lots of acting instead) was satisfactory but she had a hilarious tango face and I couldn’t help but laugh. The story telling was good but there was far too much, however considering her age, she did a good job.
The final judges leader board had John Barrowman in top place and June Brown and Ronni Ancona in joint bottom. As it was a one off show, the audience vote and their scores are added to the judges scores. Whilst they were being counted we were treated to a performance from Only Men Aloud and a dance by Robin and Kristina.
The results are in.... the couple who are Strictly Christmas Champions 2010 are...John and Kristina! No surprise there, they were the best by far.
Until next year dancing fans....Have a fantastic New Years Eve and see you in 2011 for a year full to the brim of dancing.

Dec 19th 2010 - Strictly Final
Today is the final of Strictly Come Dancing 2010! I have been buzzing all week about tonight and settled down with nibbles and drinks at 7pm but to be honest I feel really let down!
With four dances each, the pressure is on all couples and it’s anyone’s glitterball. The show opened with a creative performance from the pro dancers in the style of a boxing match. Next each couple performed a dance they have danced previously.
Matt and Aliona started with their Samba from the Blackpool week. None of the pro dancers have changed these routines but have hopefully ironed out any mistakes from the first time. Matt was more confident and according to Bruno had better samba rolls than last time.
Kara and Artem came out next with their Rhumba from last week...again they kept the same routine but had slightly improved it and she had more confidence. Unfortunately her foot came off the floor again and Craig dropped her score to a 9 whilst all the other judges gave it a deserved 10.
Pamela and James performed their Viennese Waltz from movie week with their routine based on the movie ‘Ghost’ and again they scored a perfect 40 points!!
Next up all three couples performed their show dances..this is make or break time as this seems to make up the public’s mind as to who to vote for.
Colin Jackson lost out to Darren Gough in series 3 because Erin did a bad show dance yet Colin had been the favourite all the way through. Two years ago Tom Chambers was at the bottom of the leader board but did an amazing show dance with his pro dancer Camilla Dallerup and they won the show.
Matt and Aliona did a funky street dance based routine with lots of acrobatics and I have to commend Aliona as she performed her cartwheels etc perfectly. However they were criticised for being a bit messy and bad transitions and a general lack of dancing. I have to agree, I thought he could have done so much more, the acrobatics were fantastic but didn’t really fit the music and it was all a bit hectic but placed.
Kara and Artem were up next and I have to reveal to Dance Diva readers that she has been my favourite for many weeks and I was very excited to see her show dance especially when she came out dressed like wonder woman (minus cape!) Unfortunately the track was too fast and it was all rather rushed. Craig said it perfectly, you were out of time and you missed a lift. I think Artem has missed a trick here... Kara is an amazing dancer yet he opted to throw her around the floor and put in some street dancing – Why?? If he had done a beautiful and technically stunning dance that trophy would definitely be theirs, however now I’m not so sure. It all hangs on Pamela’s dance.
I cringed when I heard the music for Pamela and James’s dance ‘I’ve had the time of my life’ oh please.. be more creative!! Yes, I know she has had the best experience and he hasn’t made a final until now despite being in five series but choose something more original!! However they did do the best show dance of the night, the few lifts that were in there fitted the dance and the music and they had more dancing than the other two show dances put together. Now I think it’s anyone’s trophy again.
After two dances the leader board looks as follows – 1st place Pamela, 2nd place Kara, 3rd place Matt. Now the judges scores are just there for guidance and it is all down to the public but I believe it is a close call between Kara and Pamela. Let’s see what happens in the results show. We get to see the couple in 3rd place voted out and then the top two couples perform a new dance and one other previous dance. Who is your favourite??
Results show! Time for the couple in third place to be eliminated...and the couple in last place and leaving the final is...Pamela and James! OMG, we didn’t expect that, I had my money on Matt leaving first. Maybe leaving the voting up to the public alone helped Matt to stay in. I do feel sorry for them as they didn’t get to perform their Argentine Tango which I believe would have been a-maz-ing (in Craig’s words)
Next the final two couples perform their new dance and then their favourite dance of the whole series. Up first is Matt and Aliona performing a Paso Doble. Personally I thought it was very well danced and the song and costumes were fantastic. I do believe they used the same song that Darren Gough and Lilia used for their Paso Doble back in series 3 and that was well received too. Len wasn’t keen but Craig loved it.
Kara and Artem danced a Waltz but I think the nerves got to Kara tonight as she was a little bit wobbly, certainly not her usual strong self. Both couples chose a favourite dance so far...will either manage to get a perfect 40?
Matt was up first and they danced their Viennese Waltz which was beautiful and they impressed Craig with Matt’s thumbs (don’t ask!) Kara and Artem performed their American Smooth which was many people’s favourite dance. Craig gushed over it as did Alesha and Bruno however Len complained again that there was not enough dancing in hold (which he complained about last time, I thought Artem would have adjusted it!) Len awarded them only 7 points (OMG) but Craig finally gave them the 10 points we have all been waiting for. Unfortunately neither couple scored a perfect 40 points which I think is sad in the final but maybe it is because they all started at such a high standard.
The lines closed and we were treated to a live performance of all the previous couples dancing the promotional dance shown on tv before the series started which I have to admit was lots of fun and very creative.
The moment of truth....who will be crowned Strictly Champion 2010...at this point my money was on Kara and she was still my personal choice. ‘The winner of Strictly Come Dancing 2010 is..Dum Dum Dum Dum Dum..Kara and Artem!! No real surprise there but I am very happy for them, she is a lovely dancer and they make a great couple. I hope they enjoy their official date tomorrow!
What an end to the best series of Strictly ever. People say this every year but I do believe this has been the best so far. The costumes, sets, make up and contestants have been amazing. Everything the show did, they gave it 100%, roll on Strictly 2011! So for those of you missing Strictly already tune in on Christmas Day for the Christmas special. I’ll be blogging all the sequins and scores whilst the rest of the Dance Diva clan watch the Eastenders special (I know, no taste, lol) Until then...have a very Happy Christmas and don’t forget...keeeep dancing!

Dec 13th 2010 - Strictly Update Semi final triple bill of dancing!! This weekend was the semi final and with only five couples left we were in for some stiff competition and fantastic dancing. Friday night everyone performed their first dance and a Swingathon.
Pamela and James opened the show with a Paso Doble to Lady Gaga, at first I wasn’t impressed by the song but I thought James choreographed it excellently and Pamela performed the character well. They scored an impressive 35 points.
Matt and Aliona however did not fair so well with their Salsa which was really surprising as I thought this would have been a perfect dance for him. Firstly they were let down by their song choice as Kylie Minoque ‘Spinning Around’ does not create a latino atmosphere. He was a bit wobbly and lost timing, mainly because his back step was too big. Had they only had one dance to do and if he wasn’t working so much then Aliona should have taken him to a salsa club as I think that would have really benefited him. The judges slated them and they received their lowest score ever – 28 points. Poor Matt he really needs to up his game for Saturday.
Gavin and Katya performed a Samba which is a really bad dance to have in the semi final especially if you are not a natural dancer...needless to say they scored low and received 27 points. However Katya promises that his Viennese Waltz will be perfect on Saturday!! We shall wait and see!
Scott and Natalie danced an Argentine Tango and although it was good it lacked any drama or spark. I felt that they needed more sharpness to their flicks and he needed better posture and drive. They scored 33 points which leaves them middle of the leader board.
Kara and Artem did a beautiful Viennese Waltz and should have scored 40 but eagle eyed Craig knocked a point off because her foot left the floor during a move which turned it into a lift. I see his point and agree but do feel that it deserved a 40 as it was technically and artistically fantastic and the foot leaving the floor was by accident. Even Len said that only two Viennese Waltz’s stick in his head as being perfect, one was Alesha’s and one was Kara’s! She is looking more and more like a professional each week.
Next up was the Swingathon. All the couples take to the floor and dance swing for two and a half minutes and the judges collectively decide who should be eliminated first. The first couple to leave receives 1 point, the next one receives 2 points and so on and the couple left dancing at the end is the winner and receives 5 points. Everyone was really good and looked the part in their puffy dresses and cool shirts.
The first to leave was Gavin and Katya, then Scott and Natalie, then Pamela and James and then it looked like a tough call between Matt and Kara but eventually it was Matt and Aliona to be eliminated leaving Kara and Artem as winners with 5 points. The Swingathon did not make any difference to the leader board on Friday but may help the scores on Saturday..we shall wait and see!
In Saturday’s show the couples all performed their last dance to help them win a place in next week’s final and with only 3 places available and 5 couples still here everyone was in a fighting spirit.
Scott and Natalie opened the show with their Charleston in quirky sailor outfits. They did well and scored 35 points but Scott was lacking in some technique. I really feel like they have hit a lull now with their dancing and if they make it through to the finals they will be very lucky.
Matt and Aliona came out and did a Tango which was very dramatic and a big improvement on their Salsa from the night before, they even scored two 10’s and received a total of 38 points! I really hope they make it through to the finals, he has cleared his work diary so will have more time to dance and hopefully their dances will be amazing.
Kara and Artem did another beautiful dance with Alesha comparing her to a professional dancer once again. Their Rhumba was amazing and technically brilliant, they scored 39 points but again Craig noticed a foot off the floor and deducted a point as it was a lift otherwise it would have been a perfect score of 40 points! Hopefully they will be in the final and if so Kara really needs to work on that foot!
Gavin and Katya performed their much promised Viennese Waltz which could have been very good but for some reason Gavin looked really nervous, went out of time and they only received 31 points, not quite the 40 points Katya said he could get!
Pamela and James danced a Quickstep which was fantastic although slightly chaotic. They started with a nice old fashioned top hat and cane routine and she even did some tap dancing too. The hat and tails came off and she revealed a dress underneath, hats off to the costume department. I still cannot believe she is 61, she looks amazing. They wow’d the judges and scored the only 40 points of the whole semi final.
The final leader board has Kara in first place, Pamela in second place and Gavin right at the bottom with Matt and Scott in the middle. So who will make it through to the finals and who will leave at the final hurdle? My predictions are that Scott and Gavin will leave in Sunday’s results show.
Sunday’s result show opened with a pretty dull Pasodoble from the show dancers minus Ian Waite. Not a great start. After catching up on all the news from the Friday and Saturday shows they announced the first two couples through to the final... Pamela and James and Kara and Artem...the two most obvious choices...but who would join them.
Next we had a duet from Brucie and one of the show’s singers, again, pretty lame but still entertaining. Although where is Claudia?? Really missed her wackiness tonight.
Next they announced the two couples leaving the show..the first was Gavin and Katya which was no surprise and then it was between Scott and Matt.. and it was Scott and Natalie who would also be leaving, again I don’t think it was much of a surprise.
So the final will be Pamela, Kara and Matt and they will perform 4 dances each. Who will win and who will you be voting for? My personal predictions are 1st Kara, 2nd Pamela and 3rd Matt. Tune in on Saturday to see the final showdown.

December 6th 2010 - Strictly Update
Quarter final week was also ‘movie week’ and again the crew of Strictly produced a fantastic show and awesome decorations. All the couples had a dance to do like normal but had a song and a theme from a particular movie to choreograph the dance to.
Scott and Natalie opened the show with a semi naked James Bond Pasodoble. On the whole it was ok, parts were good but other parts were debateable. Personally I don’t think the song fitted the dance very well. Scott started off well but I think he has reached his peak and will be in trouble on Sunday night. They managed to get 35 points and are middle of the leader board.
Ann and Anton did an American Smooth to ‘Hello Dolly’ but Bruno said it was more like ‘Hello Trolley’ as she hung on to Anton the whole way through. Please send them home on Sunday night as the others are still too good to leave before her. Their lifts were just about achieved but Anton looked like he was lifting a sack of potatoes! They scored 14 points and re-gained their usual position of bottom of the leader board.
Matt and Aliona did a Jive to Austin Powers and Matt performed the character fantastically and Aliona had an awesome union jack dress. They scored the same as Scott and Natalie (35 points) but I felt that they should have been a point or two higher.
Gavin and Katya danced a Foxtrot to the song ‘Minnie the Moocher’ from ‘The Blues Brothers’, generally it was a good performance but the theme was only really incorporated at the start and the finish, unlike Matt and Aliona who choreographed the whole of their dance to the theme. Gavin and Katya scored a respectable 33 points but are only one place above Ann and Anton on the leader board.
Saturday was Pamela’s Birthday (61 for those curious cats!) and her and James danced a Viennese Waltz to the theme from ‘Ghost’ which was absolutely beautiful, as was her dress. They really told a story and I thought her technique and control was spot on. The judges agreed and awarded them four 10’s and they secured the top spot on the leader board with 40 points.
Kara and Artem closed the show with a Tango to ‘Roxanne’ from ‘Moulin Rouge’. I have to say I think it was one of the best Tangos I have ever seen. I loved their start with the use of the chair and some pretty risky choreography and they were strong and dramatic throughout. The judges only gave them 38 points and I think they deserved 40 points as it was as good as Pamela and James’ dance.
Sunday’s show opened with an Abba medley from the Strictly show dancers. I really wish we could see more of them, I thought the idea was to have them performing every week, obviously not. We also saw a beautiful Waltz to ‘Moonriver’ by Anton and Erin which was elegant and gorgeous and the Manic Street Preachers performed their latest song.
Tess announced the bottom two couples as Scott and Natalie and Ann and Anton. Scott was not really a surprise as I think he is possibly on a downwards slope but I am so so glad that Ann is finally in the bottom two. The moment of truth revealed that the next couple to be leaving just before the semi final was Ann and Anton!! Finally Dance Diva is a very happy diva!!
Next week’s semi final is a triple bill, a show on Friday, Saturday and the results show on Sunday. Plus all couples will be learning three dances including a swing dance. I think there will also be two evictions so could be a close call. My predictions for the next two to leave is Gavin and Scott but tune in on the weekend to find out.

November 29th 2010 - Strictly update
We are now down to seven couples on Strictly and one more will leave on Sunday. Not long to go until the final!! After Felicity’s exit last week the better dancers really need to up their game if they want to stay in the competition.
First to open the show this week was Kara and Artem with a Jive. Artem has been struggling this week with his injury from last weekend and has also gone down with tonsillitis so they haven’t been able to train for as many hours as normal. However they produced a really good Jive and Kara was praised for her lines and technique but she looked a little bit uncertain and was lacking that special something. They scored a respectable 34 points.
Patsy and Robin did an Argentine Tango but Patsy has suffered from a foot injury this week so they were not as good as they could be. She performed really well but again was lacking in technique. Len gave her some advice before the scores and said that no-one wins by playing it safe and she needs to take some risks. I reckon she may be in the bottom two again this week as mentioned in the VT that the Argentine Tango was the one she wanted to do, often people stop voting once they realise someone has done the dance they wanted to do.
Ann and Anton did a Rhumba to the song from Titanic and they used the film as a base for their storyline. I have to admit that it was very funny but because of Anton not Ann, his facial expressions are priceless. As the judges said..she did some basics but out of time and on the wrong foot.. I really hope she goes on Sunday. Again she was bottom of the leader board with 14 points.
Gavin and Katya did a Jive to ‘Hey Ya’ by Outcast which is a strange track to Jive to and his dancing proved to be even stranger. I felt sorry for Katya this week as I think she has struggled to teach him as he has hated the Jive. Saying that he performed a character well and seems to be coming out of his shell slightly more. They ended up second to the bottom of the leader board with 22 points.
Both Scott and Matt danced American Smooth’s on Saturday night. I like it when they both do the same dance as it increases competitiveness between them (reminds me of Tom and Austin a couple of series back) and this week there were only 2 points between them. Matt and Aliona went for a contemporary performance where as Scott and Natalie went for a traditional ballroom performance. Scott has been struggling this week as he has been working hard on Eastenders and apparently has only had 2 days off in 9 weeks (crazy!!) On Saturday night he blanked out and forgot quite a few steps and made a couple of mistakes, however other parts of his dance were beautiful. They scored 31 points and are placed 4th on the leader board, in that dangerous middle zone so could be in trouble. Personally I think the poor guy just needs a decent nights sleep. Matt and Aliona’s performance was beautiful but seemed more like a showdance than an American Smooth and all the judges felt like he was missing something, the usual spark. They were awarded 33 points, 2 above Scott and in 3rd place.
Last but not least was Pamela and James and their Charleston. This week everyone has been looking more tired than usual except for Pamela and she is one of the oldest contestants and celebrates her 61st Birthday next week!! They really pulled out all the stops and were the only couple this week to get a 10 from a judge (in fact they got two!) They had great energy, personality and some fantastic lifts and came in top of the leader board with 38 points.
Sundays show opened with a fantastic Jive by six of the pro dancers. Tess announced the two couples in the bottom two were Patsy and Gavin, no surprises there as they were bottom of the leader board just above Ann Widdecombe! So it looks like Ann has been saved again, I am so worried that she will be in the final and we will lose some fantastic dancers in the process!
Unfortunately we had to sit through James Blunt’s new single but with no pro dancers, however there were some funky light bulbs hanging from the ceiling! The moment of truth came around far too soon and Tess announced that the couple leaving was Patsy and Robin. Patsy gushed a lot of thank you’s and they took to the floor for their final dance. Watch ‘It Takes Two’ on Monday night for their exit interview. Next week is Movie week...see you then.

November 23rd 2010 - Strictly Update
Blackpool Baby!! This weekend Strictly went to the Vegas of the UK – Blackpool, otherwise known as the home of ballroom dancing! This week is the second most exciting week for me (the final being first of course!) as Blackpool Tower is such an amazing place. People have been dancing in the Tower Ballroom for decades, both socially and competitively. Many people have been crowned champions there. Now Strictly goes there around the half way point in the series. I just wish the final could be there every year.
Saturday’s show started with a beautiful show dance by all the pro dancers. Patsy and Robin kicked off the night with a showgirl Samba to one of my favourite tracks – ‘Lola’ from the hit show ‘Copacabana’ her dress was pretty in pink and black but unfortunately she failed technically despite bringing fun and showgirlness to the dance and finished with a low score of 28 points.
Kara and Artem danced a fantastic American Smooth incorporating a Paso style beginning unfortunately Len didn’t approve of their Foxtrot style dance as they did not take up hold enough throughout the dance. American Smooth can be based on any ballroom dance but a certain percentage must be in hold and you are allowed three lifts. Personally I thought it was the best dance of the night and they did amazing lifts despite Artem injuring his neck in rehearsals earlier in the day; they finished in 3rd place with 35 points. All couples this week performed either a Samba or an American Smooth so comparisons are a bit easier to blog.
Matt and Scott both did a Samba however Matt’s was considerably better and he scored an amazing 38 points which put him at the top of the leader board but Scott was left in 4th place with 32 points, a low score for him and Natalie.
Pamela, Felicity and Gavin all did an American Smooth, Pamela’s was beautiful as was her dress, very classy and she was awarded 37 points. Felicity and Vincent had a lovely start and a storyline but unfortunately she made quite a few mistakes and it showed. I think she may be in the bottom two again this week. Gavin started off well and did some amazing lifts including lifting Katya high above his head one handed unfortunately she did not look very comfortable. He also let the nerves get the better of him and he made mistakes which put him second from the bottom in the leader board.
So last and certainly the one with the least points is Ann and Anton! She attempted a Samba but only scored 13 points – the lowest Samba score in all 8 series! Personally it wasn’t even a Samba, I hardly saw any official Samba moves and it wasn’t even funny (yes, I do admit that some of her previous routines have been funny and entertaining) and I think that Craig’s score of 1 point was thoroughly deserved. I really hope she leaves this week.
Sunday’s results show started with a sexy Samba from the pro females. We also saw a breathtaking performance from Cirque du Soleil and Duffy performed too. Tess announced that the bottom two couples were Felicity and Vincent (no surprise) and Patsy and Robin. Felicity has been in the bottom two before so I was expecting her to go and for once I was right.. Felicity and Vincent were the next couple to leave. I think she has done really well but the others are progressing so much quicker and at a higher standard and she hasn’t been able to catch up. Gavin and Patsy are the next two to be in the bottom two and leaving soon unless they really pull out all the stops.
Now...Ann Widdecombe... at first I didn’t like her, then I thought she was actually trying and was kind of funny but now she is really annoying and not even dancing the dance... whoever is voting for her please vote for someone who can dance! Until next time..Keeeeep Dancing!

November 15th 2010 - Strictly Update
We are about half way through series 8 of Strictly Come Dancing and there is still no clear winner, maybe about 4 couples who could take the title with a couple of possible dark horses. I think this has to be the most exciting series so far.
After Jimi’s shock exit last week and the thought of performing at Blackpool next week everyone had up’d their game this week to try and stay in the competition. Again the score board has a couple of shockers on there...like Gavin Henson being above Pamela and James!! Katya played to Gavin’s strengths and choreographed a fun and silly quickstep which even involved a kiss for Bruno (from Gavin, not Katya...maybe she was hoping for an extra point from Bruno!) His normal impression of a tree trunk came in handy this week as he kept his posture nice and still and his rugby feet were able to move quickly around the floor. It was a performance that even I considered voting for.... don’t worry I didn’t, I just considered it! ;)
Pamela and James did a Cha Cha Cha, which looked like it was going to be fantastic but fell flat, although they managed to score 32 points. She needs to flex her knees more as she looked too stiff. Matt managed to out dance Scott’s rhumba from last week scoring an amazing 35 points, you could feel the passion and Aliona choreographed some nice moves for him so he actually looked like he was dancing unlike Scott last week. Patsy and Robin did a beautiful Viennese Waltz which had some lovely passing moves in it, even Craig liked it!! J She is still a potential dark horse in my opinion as she is slowly improving and gaining confidence. Michelle and Brendan did a Paso Doble but I found it very strange, firstly the white lace dress didn’t help and whilst she tried to attack the dance she lost the technique in the process. They found themselves second to the bottom with 24 points and I think they will be in the bottom two on Sunday’s show and may even leave this week.
Speaking of bottom..Ann and Anton again secured their place at the bottom of the leader board with their Foxtrot. Thankfully when they do a ballroom dance they try to cut out any funny or silly choreography but then it is just plain and dull and her technique is awful, she just appears to be walking through each dance. She even forgot some of her steps and you can see Anton making it up on the spot – eek!! I think she is on her last legs in this competition, although I always think that and somehow she manages to get through each week!
Felicity and Vincent attempted a Salsa but unfortunately the armography let her down (the arm movements) as they were too complex and she looked like she was being dragged through most of it. The top two spots went to two very deserving performances – Kara and Artem were in second place with Scott and Natalie regaining the top spot. Kara performed an amazing Argentine Tango with some fantastic footwork and scored two 10’s but again Scott and Natalie managed to score three 10’s to pip them to first place with an amazing 39 points!! Their Jive was awesome, performed to ‘Hit the Road Jack’ which had the usual kicks and flicks, high energy and also a very clear story line which was very well acted and incorporated into their routine.
Sunday’s results show opened with a glamourous Foxtrot by the professional dancers. The first couple announced in the bottom two was Michelle and Brendan (no surprises there) for the fourth time, will they survive again or will this be their final time?
Next Annie Lennox performed her new song to an audience of candles which was a shame as we didn’t get to see a professional dance. However we did get to see Vincent and Flavia perform a beautiful dance for Rememberance Sunday which was very moving. Alesha Dixon also performed her new song and we saw another visit from the show dancers.
The next couple to be revealed in the bottom two was Felicity and Vincent. To be honest both couples deserved to be there although so did Ann and Anton. Tess revealed that the couple with the fewest votes was Michelle and Brendan. For once not a shock exit... so who will leave next week, tune in to find out. Saturday’s show will be live from the home of ballroom dancing – Blackpool, I for one cannot wait! Watch Claudia on It Takes Two in the week to see footage of everyone in Blackpool, no doubt having chips and gravy on the beach or playing on the amusements. I’m so excited!! Until next week!

November 8th 2010 - Strictly Update
Strictly Come Dancing, week 6.....again there were a variety of styles danced on Saturday, some good and some surprisingly not so good, some amazing moves, as usual some over marking and astonishing under marking. Kara and Artem opened the show with a risky but amazing salsa securing top spot with the judges. Both Patsy and Gavin did a Cha Cha Cha and both scored 29 although (I can’t believe I am saying this) I think Gavin was actually better... somehow Katya had managed to get his hips moving and he did some nice moves. Patsy started off well at the top of the mezzanine but her performance and stamina crashed as soon as she started the actual dance. She needs more edge and sharper lines as it is looking a bit messy, however her confidence is higher than ever and she seems to be enjoying herself. Matt and Aliona did a beautiful Viennese Waltz which was quite surprising as all the training videos during the week showed him almost being sick due to the spinning of the dance. They spun their way to second place with 35 points. Pamela and James made a comeback to third place with their Fred n Ginger style Foxtrot which was a huge improvement on their Jive from last week. Jimi and Flavia did a jazz inspired Quickstep and produced their highest score to date – 32 points. Michelle and Brendan scored a 30 points for their Waltz which was simple but quite lovely and her best ballroom dance so far. Felicity and Vincent did a Paso Doble which was full of character and her performance skills really came out. Scott and Natalie found themselves in second to last place with their Rhumba and only 28 points, their lowest score by far. Scott tried hard but his Rhumba failed to impress the judges..hardly surprising as the Rhumba is the hardest latin dance for a male celeb as they have the least to do but the technique and the control needed is very tricky. Surprisingly (not!!) Ann and Anton found themselves in their usual spot at the bottom of the leader board for their Charleston. As funny as it was, it really was not a Charleston and was missing the vital elements of the dance, like flicks and kicks.
Sundays results show opened with a Rock n Roll number by the show dancers which was a good opener. After the usual reminder of what happened on Saturday’s show they revealed the first couple in the bottom two were Jimi and Flavia; the whole room was in shock as they had their best dance and score so far... surely they wouldn’t be leaving? The next couple in the bottom two was Michelle and Brendan.. personally I thought that they would definitely be going as they have been in the bottom two at least 3 times now and it really seems like the public have not warmed to her.. neither couple deserved to be there as they both had great scores but unfortunately sat in that dangerous middle ground on the leader board. Unfortunately Jimi and Flavia were the couple with the least votes, Jimi couldn’t even speak he was so upset and I really felt for him as he did not deserve to leave and has been a fantastic competitor. Even Brendan was shocked, I think he thought it would be him and Michelle leaving.
Tune in to Claudia on Monday night for their exit interview. Oh and please, please, readers of my blog vote for someone other than Ann Widdecombe... as funny as she is I cannot bear to watch another talented celeb leave whilst she stays to be dragged around the floor for another week. Until next week... keep dancing! ;)

November 1st 2010 - Strictly Update
Spooky Halloween week on the set of Strictly and I have to say it was one of the best shows yet. The set, costumes and lighting was amazing, they made such an effort! (X-Factor take note, this is how you do a Halloween show!) Everyone danced to a Halloween song and was dressed up too.
The evening started with a male pro-dance Paso Doble which was very good and not just because they were topless (although it did help, lol). Pamela and James did a jive but unfortunately they made a mistake and it lacked the usual punch and technique and they scored a lowly 27. Michelle and Brendan’s jive was fantastic, not necessarily great technique but definitely a performance and Michelle looked so much more comfortable this week. They danced to ‘Time Warp’ from the Rocky Horror picture show which caused an argument between Len and Brendan... Len said there wasn’t enough ‘jive’ moves and Brendan said that he ensured there was. Check out ‘It Takes Two’ in the week for a follow up on this as I am sure this will be discussed more and Karen Hardy will give her view too.
The Argentine Tango’s performed by Tina and Matt could not have been more different – Matt and Aliona’s was fantastic, great lines, moves character and music. However Tina and Jared’s was really confusing – their music didn’t sound like a Tango and their outfits made them look like Danny and Sandy from Grease, with Tina in a black catsuit!! They tried their best but to be honest it was very weak and only scored 28. I feel she has more in her and really needs to up her game if she wants to get to the final.
There were four Paso Dobles on Saturday night but only one really outshined the others – Kara and Artem got the first 10 of the season and a final score of 37 for their Phantom inspired dance. Kara impressed the judges by finally showing some ‘welly’ and passion, I hope she makes it to the final as she is a lovely dancer. Jimi and Flavia did a good dance and he showed improvement scoring a respectable 30 points.
The bottom two on Saturday were Ann and Gavin, both did a Paso Doble of some kind... Ann’s was good, she did the correct steps but really needs to leave...please stop voting for her!! Gavin showed a tiny bit of personality but has a long way to go. The others did a Viennese Waltz with Scott and Natalie scoring three 10’s and a 9 giving them the highest score so far of 39 points! Vincent and Felicity’s dance was good but not a patch on Scott and Natalie’s leaving them near the bottom of the leader board with a measly 26 points.
Sunday’s results show was as equally spooky with a Ghostbusters themed opening number from the pro dancers. The guest singer was Alice Cooper (who else on Halloween!) and we saw a chilling Viennese Waltz from the dance troupe. I really wish we could see more of the dance troupe, it is week 5 now and I think we have only seen them twice, let’s have them on every week!! So the bottom two was finally announced – Tina and Jared and Felicity and Vincent – Neither were a great surprise as neither performed to their best. Personally I hoped Felicity would be the one to go as I think she has given all she can where as Tina has more to give but unfortunately Tina and Jared were the ones to leave this week. Tune in to It Takes Two on Monday to see their exit interview.

October 25th 2010 - Strictly Update
So week 4 and Ann Widdecombe is STILL in the competition...arghhhh who is voting for her?? Do we think she will do a John Sargent and quit if she is in it for much longer or will she wait until she thrown out....I mean voted out ;) Saturday’s show was full of Tangos and Charlestons, quite a personality week or lack thereof for some people!! Tina and Jared did a very cutsey Charleston which considering she was at home last week suffering from chicken pox, to come back so early and perform such a high energy dance was really impressive. Patsy and Jimi’s Charlestons were good but failed to result in good scores from the judges, lovely personalities but lack of technique. Whereas Kara’s and Matt’s Charlestons were fantastic and scored highly. The worst by far was Peter Shilton and Erin’s Charleston based on a cabaret theme; he tried hard but just couldn’t pull it off and ended up in the bottom two in Sunday’s show. The Tangos this week were also a mixed bag... Pamela as usual was fantastic and scored highly along with Scott and Natalie. Scott and Natalie’s Tango was technically good but just didn’t do it for me, I think it was her yellow outfit that put me off... Big Bird and tango do not go together! ;) Felicity and Vincent did an okay job but it was more about the story than technique however she has been waiting for years to dance a tango and her enjoyment showed throughout her performance. Gavin Henson was once again awful, he just cannot handle his nerves and they get the better of him each week. I thought they would be in the bottom two on Sunday but unfortunately they were not.. however I don’t think he has many weeks left unless he starts to improve. Michelle impressed me slightly this week, she had a change of partner as Brendan had to fly home due to the loss of his Dad so Ian Waite (one of last year’s pro dancers) stepped into help. Ian did a great job and her top line had definitely improved and she seemed happier and more confident, it wasn’t without mistakes but certainly an improvement. Ann Widdecombe – if you didn’t see the show then you need to YouTube it.. she flew in on a harness and then attempted a Tango with Anton, as usual it was entertaining but still not a proper dance, they seem to be using any trick possible to get the audience vote!!
Sunday’s show... I absolutely loved the pro-dances this week, I thought the jive medley was fantastic and Vincent and Flavia’s Argentine Tango never fails to disappoint I could watch them for ages. The bottom two – Peter and Erin and Michelle and Ian were left in the bottom two on Sunday night, Peter deserved it but I don’t feel that Michelle did, I think she has a few more weeks in her yet. After a few ‘boom boom boom’ sound effects Tess announced that it would be Peter and Erin leaving the competition... not a great shock but the right decision. He worked hard and tried his best but his time was up. Next week the celebs are doing a better variety of dances, we will see the Jive, Pasodoble, Viennese Waltz and Argentine Tango. Until next week...turn in on Saturday for a special Halloween themed show...spooky!

October 17th 2010 - Strictly Update
Week 3 – This is where the couples start getting serious as they realise that they have to put in a lot of training in order to stay in the competition and Saturday’s show certainly didn’t disappoint. We are really starting to see a divide between the good and the ugly with only a few couples in the middle and the judges scoring is also reflecting this.
Everyone this week performed either a Rhumba or a Quickstep and the overall standard was very high, especially considering how hard both dances are. A Rhumba is very slow but needs a lot of control which the celebs find difficult at this early stage. The Quickstep is very fast and you need to get the footwork correct otherwise you look like an out of control horse, which unfortunately a few couples did! This week I was really looking forward to Patsy and Robin’s quickstep, I thought that with more hours to train and a confident salsa last week she would be fantastic this week unfortunately I was wrong, she seemed to have lost all her confidence, her frame was weak and she had no control and looked like she was hanging on for dear life, fingers crossed she will be better next week. The usual couples did not disappoint, Scott, Matt, Kara and Pamela, all performed amazingly well, however Aliona needs to be careful as I felt that she pushed Matt too far and the pressure showed on his face this week. Pamela never ceases to amaze me, she danced a beautiful and technically correct rhumba, I think James is giving her fantastic routines and is ensuring her basic technique is accurate which is clearly proving to be a good thing as all of her scores have been over 30! Gavin and his pro dancer Katya once again disappointed me, for someone so trim and toned he seems to lack any self confidence which is letting him down big time. His rhumba started off well and then fell flat! I really hope Katya can work some magic on him for next Saturday otherwise I think they may be in the bottom two. Peter Shilton did a adequate quickstep this week which I think helped him to escape the bottom two but I don’t think he has many weeks left as he is one of the weaker ones. I am glad he stayed in to prove his worth and get a second chance. Tina O’Brien unfortunately has caught chicken pox off her little daughter so was too unwell to perform, the rules state that she may have a free a pass into next week but if she is still too ill then she will have to leave the competition.
Sunday’s show gave us two awesome pro-dances, a Charleston and a funky Tango called ‘Tango Unleashed’ choreographed by Flavia. No sign of the dance troupe which was a shame as I would really like to see more of them. The couples in the bottom two this week were Paul Daniels and Ola and Michelle Williams and Brendan.. as much as I wanted to see Michelle leave it was Paul and Ola who finally said goodbye. Paul Daniels has really surprised me as he has performed some lovely dances, not technically brilliant but certainly entertaining and his relationship with Ola has been really sweet.
Until next week Strictly fans...

October 11th 2010 - Strictly Update
**SPOILER ALERT!! ** do not read if you do not want to know who left on Sunday night!! **
So, week 2 of Strictly Come Dancing was live on Saturday night, did you watch it? What did you think? I stand by last week’s blog that the standard is incredibly high this year. Normally I have a top 3 but this series it is a top 6!! Saturday’s show was fantastic with everyone doing a foxtrot or a salsa and this time the public could vote to save their favourite. Once again Matt and Pamela stole the show with winning performances and Scott Maslen’s salsa showed that he could be up there in the final weeks. Patsy did an amazing salsa considering she and her partner Robin only had 3 hours to learn and practice a whole routine!! Now she has finished filming for Holby City she will hopefully have more time for training and I reckon she will be one to watch out for. Gavin Henson showed that he is only a ballroom boy as his salsa was certainly not up to scratch, his poor pro-dancer (Katya) did a good job and pulled out all the stops to try and get votes from the public the most obvious being pulling open his shirt to reveal his toned and muscular chest!! Am sure he will do better next week if he does a quickstep but if he does a rhumba then I am expecting a strip show! ;)
Sunday’s results show was good although a shame we only saw 1 pro-dance from the new ‘dance troupe’, personally I would have liked to see a rhumba as well as a quickstep (both dances will be performed by the celebs next week) I loved seeing Claudia on instead of Brucie but think she should have been given more airtime as she is fantastic and so very funny. Brucie has only signed a contract for the Saturday shows as he finds doing both too tiring.
So who was the unlucky celeb to be voted out first? The final 2 were Goldie and Kristina and Peter and Erin... Tess finally revealed that the 1st couple leaving the show were Goldie and Kristina. Tune in to ‘It Takes Two’ tonight with Claudia to see their exit interview. Did Goldie deserve to go? Who will be next?

October 11th 2010 - Tango Show
For all you Tango-ista’s out there, I have come across a new tango show that will be touring the UK next year featuring the amazing Argentine Tango dancers Vincent and Flavia (best known for their appearances on Strictly Come Dancing) ‘Midnight Tango’ is set in a late-night bar in downtown Buenos Aires. Vincent and Flavia will be joined by 10 of the finest tango dancers in the world and between them they will take the audience on a ‘journey into the heart of this intoxicating city, as danger and excitement, joy and jealousy, pain and passion combine into a spectacular and explosive evening’.
The tour runs from April to July and will be coming to the New Victoria Theatre, Woking, Surrey 10th – 14th May 2011. Don’t miss this fantastic opportunity to see the world’s finest tango dancers. We will probably be organising a trip to the show as one of our social events so watch out for this nearer the time and if you're interested drop us a line so we know to remind you!

October 6th 2010 - Strictly Update
Da da da da da da da, da da da da da ..... Yes it’s that time of year again when z list celebs don sparkles and fake smiles all to try and win that coveted glitter ball.
Series 8 started with a double episode of waltzs and cha-cha-chas of a surprisingly high standard for the majority of couples. This year the pro-dancers are allowed to use props which certainly aided a few couples; Ola used a magic box for her celeb Paul Daniels (the oldest contestant so far) and Aliona started in wellies!! Speaking of Aliona, her and her country boy partner Matt Baker did a fantastic cha cha cha which put them at joint first place with James and Pamela and their ‘breathtaking’ waltz.
One of the most anticipated dances of the night was Ann Widdecombe and her professional partner Anton du Beke. Their waltz was certainly entertaining although shockingly not in last place. No-one was voted off this week, the phone lines open this Saturday after everyone has danced. Personally I think this is great as we get to see everyone dance both latin and ballroom before voting for our favourite. So who will foxtrot out of the competition and who will salsa into our hearts? Tune in on Saturday to find out (even if it is just to see Ann Widdecombe salsa!!)