Strictly!

[Gal]

It wasn't a surprise that Peter Andre went - but to be honest, I thought he upped his game in the Sunday night dance-off, whilst Kellie Bright looked like she was just going through the motions .....

Didn't particularly enjoy the quickstep-athon because, as you said Osc, the camerawork was awful.

Completely agree Ossie, on all counts. Unfair that by definition, the men have to lead in the quickstep, thus rendering both remaining celebs at a disadvantage. I couldn't watch it, and judge them at the same time. Too much to keep a check on.

[miasmum]

I agreed with every word Craig said about Anita's AT, what did you all think?

[TheOstrich]

I certainly thought her timing wasn't the best, or her moves the crispest ..... there have been better Argentine tangos than that this series.

But my money is on Helen & Aljaz to go tonight unless she drastically improves in the dance-off; we thought she was "all over the place" on Saturday ....

I guess "Musical Weekend" probably focuses more on the theatrical than the dancing, however .....

[Osc]

I also thought Anita's AT was not the best, as Ossie says, not crisp enough and I am not a great fan of Gleb's choreography. So I think she and Helen could be in the bottom two. I didn't understand the judges' great enthusiasm for Kellie and Kevin's VW, it would be a great show dance, but otherwise too raucous for me - what was all that carry on on the table It will be very interesting to see who goes home tonight (grandson thinks Anita and he is often right )

[Suff]

I came in to Mrs S telling me I would not like the result of the dance off tonight. I've spend most of the day driving back to Brussels from home as I need to get the car over for MOT on the 19th.

Mrs S and I thought "what waltz" for kellies dance I didn't really like it at all. We both felt that Anita's AT was hellish and I felt that Gleb was doing all the work because Anita simply could not get it right and so they had to drop most of her steps out of it. I still remember watching the tango dancers in BA when we were over for #2 son's wedding in 2006 and I've only really seen one that really grabbed the style and feel this season and that was not it.

Helen I thought was overstretched but I expected to see Helen and Anita in the dance off and for Helen to be the better of the two.

Sadly I was looking at the news when I saw the result so I won't watch it now, I'll do it tomorrow evening when I've got more time.

[Rodo]

Incidentally, I was shocked at Josh Groban's singing. He was out of tune almost for the whole of the song and yet he was introduced as the magnificent Josh Groban. I know dozens of people who could sing better than that.

[Aggers]

Incidentally, I was shocked at Josh Groban's singing. He was out of tune
almost for the whole of the song and yet he was introduced as the magnificent Josh Groban.
I know dozens of people who could sing better than that.

My complaint, about many of the singers on Strictly, is that they often sing out of time.
Singers, like other members of the band, when performing for ballroom dancing should
keep absolute strict tempo, in my opinion.

[Suff]

Have to agree with that Aggers. In Scottish Country everything, except for one dance, is danced in 8 bar phrasings. One band thinks it's funny to fit in a 6 bar drumroll out of 8 instead of the correct music to the dance. Extremely irritating and throws off the less experienced dancers.

[Rodo]

Well, I can tolerate out of time, but out of tune assaults my ears and is almost painful.

[Suff]

I never listen to the tune much anyway although they're not singing when we dance. But when we're doing a 2 couple move when 1's and 3's are dancing around the standing 2's and we do the following

1's 2 bars to cross, 2 bars to cast down and a 4 bar half figure of 8 up
whilst
3's do a 4 bar half figure of 8 up, 2 bar cast down and 2 bar cross.

you can imagine, with only a drum roll with no beats to it, the end result can be highly interesting if the dancers aren't counting in their own heads.... A friend of mine calls it murphy's chase.

I don't envy ballroom to singing and music though. Not my idea of fun at all, I'd be basing my moves on all the wrong notes... It's why I like watching Strictly because I clearly remember how long it took me to learn SCD; which was about 3 years to be as comfortable as these celebs become in such a short time...