Monday 31 October 2016



Hello again, everyone.  Welcome to the Spooktacular Strictly Halloween Special round up! Sorry it's a bit late this week. It was mine and HOTH (Husband Of The House)'s anniversary this weekend and we were busy celebrating. Well, mainly queueing in Asda when all their card payment machines were infested by gremlins and a mooch round B & Q, which is all we're up for these days.

Well, it's that time of year when we are subjected to displays of utter horror, spine-chilling frights and terrors to torment your very soul. But enough about Ed Balls' dancing for now - and at least we won't be subjected to Anton's gurning and mugging at the camera now Lesley has left.

Listen to them - the children of the night. What music they make! Oh, wait, that's Dave Arch, his orchestra (with Phil Boo-pitus look alike on bass) and the Strictly Singers. So whose routine gave the judges a Nightmare on Elstree - and who was an absolute Thriller? Take my hand, don't be afraid. I don't bite.........much.

    
Craig wasn't happy when Darcey interrupted him in make-up

The Strictly Halloween Special is traditionally a night of spectacular costumes, cheesy songs and routines shoe-horned into songs vaguely related to the occasion. This year was no different, of course. Would we want it any other way?

Lycanthropic Louise Redknapp opened the show with a chilling Charleston to Emile Sande's Crazy In Love. Louise was allegedly dressed as Harley Quinn. Unfortunately, she looked more like a sanitised cheerleader. It was no Joker, put it that way. Louise was no Bouncy Beyonce. Harley Quinn? She was Harley dancing. The routine seemed low on content for her, while Kevin leapt about like he'd had too much popping candy. It was slower than expected, low on content and a bit too controlled, tame and laid back. The judges loved it, though, and awarded Louise 35 out of 40.

Rotten Judge Rinder came next dancing a paso doble to Born This Way by Lady Gaga. He was inexplicably dressed as a moth. Now I know some people don't like moths - and there are cannibalistic moths out there - but it wasn't particularly Halloweeny. Anyway, the dance itself was something of a surprise. The Judge started off a little wobbly as a ten-legged caterpillar (I told you it was weird) but he soon blossomed into a routine that had wings. He was fabulously flamboyant, with good attitude and attack. There was poise, purpose and great posture and he led partner Oksana really well. There was good technical content, including some difficult knee walks. The Face was on show, of course, but he scored a very respectable 32 out of 40 - his strongest dance to date.


Creepy Claudia Fragapane followed with an awesome American Smooth to Little Mix's Black Magic. This time Claudia was dressed as a teenage witch. While her dancing casts a spell, the teen theme is getting a bit boring now.  This routine was like a box of chocolates. One of them posh ones with something that everyone likes - not the kind that has a festering lavender creme left at the bottom that no-one will eat. The dance was flowing and fluid and Claudia coped with difficult choreography with elegant ease. She had grace, poise, polish and performance as she swept around the floor and kept in character all the way through. A bewitching effort that earned her 36 out of 40 from the panel.

And so we segued to Awful Anastacia and Brendan on a Swegway dancing a joyless jive to Bat Out Of Hell by Meatloaf. Bat out of hell? This was a dance out of hell.  The lack of chemistry between Anastacia was really obvious after her showing with Gorka last week and he standards slipped accordingly. This was a pedestrian dance - low on content, technique and difficulty. The kicks and flicks were laboured, not clean and sharp and with little retraction. She wasn't even out of breath at the end, which was telling - most other celebs can't speak to Claudia Winkleman, never mind chat to Tess. The judges weren't impressed either - just 25 out of 40 scored.

Diabolical Danny Mac followed with a frightful foxtrot to Take Me To Church by Hozier. I thought I'd have to Hozier down after this, but it just didn't happen for Danny on the night. The routine had him and Oti weirdly tied together. Their bonding by band may actually have impeded the performance. While he had fairly good footwork he made a lot of mistakes. He tried his best to cover them but there were too many and were glaringly obvious. This seemed to knock his confidence and he wasn't as smooth as previous weeks. He was off balance leaving the routine stuttery and a bit laboured. He received his lowest score to date - which, being 30 out of 40, is a score some other dancers can only dream of right now.

Wailing Laura Whitmore was up next with a terror-ific tango to Paint It Black by Rolling Stones. Well, she certainly moved like Jagger on the night. This was a strong routine, with excellent V shaping, attack and focus. Laura showed the proper 'disinterest' in her partner needed for a good tango and while the steps had to be tailored around last week's ankle injury, she did the footwork justice. The dance had good change of pace from slow to fast and back again and she had good musicality throughout. this was her best dance so far and was reflected in the score - 36 out of 40.

Orrible Ore Oduba took to the floor with a creepy Charleston to Bow Wow Wow's I Want Candy. I know Halloween is a time for bizarre things, but Ore dressed as a sweetshop owning werewolf even had me baffled. Ore may have been the mutt nuts last week, but the curse of Halloween struck again. There was a bit of swivel and cross, but it could have been cleaner and sharper. To be fair, this was a dance with a lot of difficult content but maybe it was a bit too clever. Ore fluffed a couple of the lifts but covered it well enough and he lost timing and togetherness in the side by side sections. The judges thought it was sweet, though, and he still got 32 out of 40.

Gruesome Greg Rutherford  then brought a really rotten rumba to Bring Me To Life by Evanescence. Not even Dr Frankenstein could have resurrected this routine. I know I don't like a rumba (mind you I've remembered one I actually did enjoy. Check out Robin Windsor & Kristina Rihanoff's number to Jar of Hearts - although I always hear it as jar of farts which isn't quite so romantic). Anyway. Greg. Yeah. Probably the less said, the better. He had some good posture and poise and gave it enough attitude, but the routine was so low on rumba content it was barely one at all - a fact not lost on Craig who reduced Natalie to tears with his harsh (but fair) comments. Greg's stiff hips in a routine that was pretty fast for a rumba earned him just 26 out of 40.

Deadly Daisy Lowe was the penultimate performer with a perilous paso doble to Please Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood. In sugar skull Day Of The Dead make-up, Daisy gave us a pretty languid paso with flamenco flavour. She had good arm detail and was tight and controlled, although the routine was a little low on content for me. Aljaz had thrown in some heel turns for Len and there was a nice twizzer in there if you like that sort of thing. Daisy had a good crack at character and the judges were impressed enough to give her 33 out of 40.

Evil Ed Balls closed the show with a crypt-ic cha cha cha to Love Potion Number Nine. There was no danger of the judges needing their Number Nine score paddle with this dance. I'm sure you must need confidence and self-belief to be an MP, but as a dancer Ed's is definitely misplaced. He was flinging his arms about all over the place again and there was more mince than a cottage pie factory. Ed may have been dressed as a mad scientist but he didn't have the formula for this routine. It was laboured and ploddy with Ed weirdly showing timing but no rhythm. I have no idea how that works. There was no togetherness, no hip movement and no spark. He must have shown some improvement though as he scored 26 out of 40 - and wasn't bottom of the leaderboard for once.

Mine and HOTH's wedding anniversary - sorry, Sunday - followed hot on the hellish heels of the dancers' devilish deliveries. The real Halloween Eve brought us the pre-recorded results show (Bruno & co were probably off Trick or Treating around the West End somewhere - I hear he's very fond of candy....). The pro-dancers opened the show with a fang-tastic routine with a tribute to the late Pete Burns who died earlier in the week. Their dance to Dead Or Alive's You Spin Me Round was a high-energy crowd pleaser to kick off the show in style.

Malevolent Laura Mvula siren sang her latest tune - a cover of The Fugees Ready Or Not which, while not very Halloween-y, was still very entertaining - especially with the pro dancers throwing some shapes around her.

Len and his ever-present Lens (okay, some footage of the earlier dances grabbed by the producer) took us through the evening's highs and lows and the judges' favourite bits of the night.

Then it was the moment we'd all been waiting for. The evil viewer votes had been counted and Terrifying Tess Daly was ready to bring us the results. 

Maybe the theme of the show added to the tension, but even under the costumes and make-up the celebs looked more nervous than usual as the dreaded dance-off duo were announced. After what seemed an eternity, the bottom two were finally named.....

Daisy and Anastacia would have to dance it out for a place in next week's show. I think it's very clear that there's not much viewer love for these two seeing as they've been dance off regulars since practically Week One. Poor Daisy's face was glum beneath her make-up but Anastacia looked resigned. 

Both couples reprised their routines. This time Daisy gave it more attack and attitude and had ironed out the couple of little errors from the first time. Anastacia.....not so much. The kicks and flicks were still missing and, if anything, there was less energy and performance.

The judges pretended to deliberate over their decisions and said the usual nice stuff, but it came as no great surprise that the verdict was unanimous - Anastacia was eliminated!

She's Outta Love and Outta Strictly - Adios Anastacia

Sadly next week is not a Bonfire Night special. I think the producers are missing a trick. Imagine all the awful puns I could do with firework names? Oh well, until next week Guys (see - I managed to sneak one in) - KEEP DANCING!!












Sunday 23 October 2016

Cough, cough. Splutter, sniff.......'scuse me. I'm a little under the weather this week. And it seems I'm not the only one. With Brendan Cole out of action with a chest infection and Laura Whitmore crocking her ankle it was more Sickly Come Dancing than Strictly Come Dancing - with reports of a mystery bug striking the pro-dancers as well.




Still, the show must go on as they say in showbiz circles. Gorka 'The Corker' Marquez (formerly Tameka's partner) stepped in to replace Brendan - from choreography to dance-time - and Laura Whitmore took a bye into next week on physio's orders. Let's hope she recovers for Halloween - it's a 'one bye' rule in Strictly and if she's not fit then another dancer bites the dust without being voted off.

So who wowed the crown and who shouldn't be allowed? Bring your Night Nurse and Vicks Vaporub for the Strictly Week 5 rundown.......

Judge Rinder opened the show with a somewhat slowed down jive to Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy. Never one shy at blowing his own trumpet the Judge was dressed as a spangly GI. Kicking off with a one-handed cartwheel he gave it a good go, but this wasn't anything like Ore's spectacular from last week. He was a bit flat-footed with little retraction in the kicks and flicks but he had good energy, rhythm and timing. As always, he put his face through the paces in a dance with lots of tricky content that included lindy bop, swing moves and lovely step routines. The kicks were a bit wild but the dance was flamboyant and fun. Not much chance of him getting his marching orders this week - even if he did only score 29 out of 40.

Up next was limber Lesley Joseph dancing a torturous tango to Whatever Lola Wants. If Lola wanted a decent dance she didn't get what she was wishing for. With Anton in guy-liner looking like a Poundshop Johnny Depp and Lesley dressed like a Blackpool Pier palm-reader, this was a ploddy, shoddy showing. Lesley tried hard with character and attitude, but she was hanging on to Anton like grim death all through the routine and was dragged around like a shopping trolley with a wonky wheel. Her frame was weak and wobbly, she missed her footing several times and there were issues with timing. Stiff in the wrong way, she wasn't so much Mystic Meg as Mistake Peg and it all seemed to get away from her. The judges didn't need a crystal ball to see this wasn't her dance. Just 26 out of 40 scored.

Olympic star Greg Rutherford followed with a charmless cha-cha-cha to We Found Love. Love, maybe - rhythm, definitely not. Greg was more like me nanna than Rhianna this week. He was ploddy and stiff with no hip rotation at all. He was concentrating too hard and seemed to be counting the steps in his head. His legs weren't straightening out fully which meant he lost the classic double bounce required for the dance. Greg had no confidence as he went through the motions in a routine that exposed all his faults. It was an awkward, clumsy outing that definitely won't see him get a podium place.  A disappointing 24 out of 40.



Anastacia and Brendan body-double Gorka came out with a quickstep / foxtrot to My Kind Of Town. Looking scarily like 60s/70s ventriloquist Shari Lewis (and Gorka not wholly dissimilar to puppet Lamb Chop), Anastacia was no dummy with a surprisingly smooth routine. She was light-footed and fleet with some spot-on timing in the pendulum sequences and coped well with the full-on content of the dance. It wasn't perfect - there was too much gapping and she was a little stuttery at times - but there was no doubting this was her best dance to date. Maybe Gorka suites her better as a partner? There are rumours of training room tiffs with Brendan after all. An admirable 30 out of 40.



Sharistacia & Gorkachop?






Fab footie femme Louise Redknapp followed with a (snore) rumba to Always On My Mind. KevinFromGrimsby had thrown in all the usual wiggle, walk, wave, pout bits and there was a hint of romance and chemistry between the two. The Parisian story was a bit cheesy - which went well with all the dips Kev kept chucking into the dance. Poor Louise was up and down like a guillotine blade and made a couple of Les Mis(takes) as she WAGgled about. The panel certainly got an Eiffel. It was a simple, safe routine but you'd have to be 'in-Seine' to think the couple would be in any trouble. The judges thought it was 'beret' good, though Bruno must have been on the rum(ba) to score it a 9. A total of 33 out of 40 for Louise.

Deadwood Ed Balls lolloped along with what I'm told was a quickstep to Amarillo. Amarillo? Poor Ed was more like a roadkill armadillo. Dressed as a hitch-hiker, Ed lost his way on more than one occasion during this sad, sorry routine. Yet again he was stomping and tromping his way round the dance-floor, waving his arms like he was trying to shoo a particularly troublesome fly. There was no timing, style or finesse and he spent more time walking around than dancing. The bit in hold was OK - it was the other 89 seconds that was the trouble. The lifts were appalling - Ed was hoisting Katya round like a roll of carpet and at one point he nearly dropped her altogether. Honestly, Ronnie Corbett did a better job in the Peter Kay video - and he fell off the treadmill! Ed couldn't even get the singer right in the post-dance interview - mixing up Tony Curtis with Tony Christie. A woeful 18 out of 40.

Ore Oduba had a lot to live up to after last week's phenomenal jive. This week he was dancing a waltz to I Will Always Love You. It seems like Ore has the full package (so to speak). This was a wonderful routine, full of light and shade, rise and fall. He coped really well with the choreography which seemed to suit his style to a tee. There were a few tiny mistakes, but this was a difficult dance with sections out of hold, pauses and sweeps that would be challenging for many dancers, never mind a celeb. Ore was in control throughout and had a beautiful connection with his partner. I don't think he and Joanne will 'Parton' week five. Houston - we have NO problem. Another table-topping score of 36 out of 40 for Ore.

It was dancing in the dark for the first third of Daisy Lowe and Aljaz's Charleston routine to Happy Feet this week. Starting off with the house lights down and the spotlight on dazzling white gloves and shoes there was nowhere to hide for the pair. It was a kooky start, that's for sure - Daisy could have had a pro stunt double for all we know! When it got going it was good enough. There was some swivel and cross, all of the usual (if not unique) Charleston content but it was nothing spectacular, really. Daisy lost some timing and togetherness and she was seriously flagging by the end. This fun, silly routine still earned her 32 out of 40 from the panel.

Dapper Danny Mac was the penultimate dancer, providing the second rumba of the night to the second Whitney Houston song - although this time it was Sam Smith's slow version of How Will I Know. The rumba is a difficult dance for male celebrities as it is and Oti had pulled no punches in a routine that was full of tricky technical content. Danny coped admirably with fluid, sweeping arms, assured poise and great hips. He led and show-cased Oti really well - which is where there was some trouble. This was, at times, more of a 'jazz' show-dance than a proper rumba (which is probably why I didn't mind it so much). Some of the finishes were over-emphasised and there was a little too much stretch and reach. Cor, I almost sound like I know what I'm talking about don't I? The judges said he was a little jerky - but they didn't beef about it too much. A very decent 35 out of 40 for Danny.

Claudia Fragapane closed the show with a stuttery salsa to Young Hearts (Run Free). Yes. The ole 'we are the youngest couple' schtick.  They were even dancing around a giant glitter-ball that made them look like a pair of ballroom Borrowers. What did I say last week?! This was a very fast dance - maybe too fast. Run Free? Claudia seemed to be running to catch up with the beat. There were times when she got so ahead of the steps that the classic salsa shapes suffered. She lost timing more than once and,  while she had good hip movement, the frenetic bouncing made her look like Skippy on a trampoline. Partner AJ had chucked in some steps he knew would please Len, but he needs to choreograph to Claudia's strengths instead of showing off his own skills. Still, another mad Bruno score contributed to a decent 32 out of 40.

And so the night ended as it did last week. Ore out in front with 36, Ed lagging at the bottom with just half of that. But everything, as we know, rests with the viewer vote mores the pity sometimes.

We may have been Dancing On A Saturday Night but the results show is on a Sunday Afternoon (well, evening - but there aren't any songs called 'Sunday Evening Just After Countryfile'. Maybe the Kaiser Chiefs should corner that market?).

Anyhoo - the format was the same as it is every week. There was the usual pro-dance opener to warm up the audience - and give Claudia Winkleman & Tess Daly time to change their frocks - which is usually the best part of the show. Music was provided Leanne Rhimes (no, it doesn't) singing How To Kiss A Boy. Like we need telling, eh? All very nice, if you like that sort of thing.

Len and his Lens looked at the dances again under the microscope - and he regaled us with memories of snapping a ball off in his youth. From the dance-hall banister, you understand. He walks like he does because of his pickled walnuts. Apparently.

The celebrities stood sweating, shaking and shivering as Tess went through the viewer votes - in no particular order, as she keeps reminding us - as to who was safe and whose Strictly career was in peril. The results were in. The dance-off danger duo were......

Lesley and Daisy. Yet again, a bit of a surprise - even the judges were baffled. Maybe the viewers want to see Ed make another monster mistake in next week's Halloween special. Perhaps they just like putting him through the tortures of training? Or maybe he's rigged the phonelines so that anyone ordering through Just Eat at the weekend diverts the call to his vote line (other takeaway ordering services are available, so I'm told). There aren't many more explanations as to why he's still there, are there?

The ladies took to the floor one more time. Both routines were a bit better, but unfortunately it was pretty clear who would be heading home. One couple just couldn't raise their game enough to win the judges over. The verdict was unanimous.....

Gypsy-themed Lesley Joseph was given her (Tarot) cards and told tea leave the show.


Lesley didn't linger but Strictly's a Feather in her cap


Next week is the much loved and anticipated Halloween Special. There will be horror galore, gruesome gore, terror and frights and sleepless nights. But enough about Ed Balls........until next week - KEEP DANCING!!!        



This blog drives me batty..............

Sunday 16 October 2016

Blimey! Well, that was an exciting week. Just hours after Tameka's arguably unwarranted eviction Will Young unexpectedly quit the show, citing 'personal reasons'. There has been much speculation in the press about the reasons why - from Len's snotty comment upsetting him so much he had a tantrum, to bust-ups with partner Karen and him being too idle to train properly. All, of course, have been roundly and soundly denied by all parties concerned. I suppose only Will knows the real reason. Either way, I'm kind of regretting throwing out the Leave Right Now pun in Week Two. Still, it takes A Brave Man to Let It Go and realise there's no Joy in Your Game (what? I've got to use the rest of them up now, haven't I?). I'm sure we all wish Will the best for the future.

The Powers That Be at The Beeb decided that there would be no replacement or bringing back of booted out celebs so the remaining twelve squared up for Week Four - and it dozen get better than that.

Greg Rutherford kicked off proceedings with a (ginger) spicy salsa to Olly Murs tune Wrapped Up. Ironic, really, since his wrist was swathed in a bandage due to a training injury. He gave it a decent bash, bless him. There was some good rhythm and bounce, some swagger and shimmy and his bottom saw a lot of action - but he looked a little tight and self-conscious throughout the number, telegraphing lifts and losing the figure of eight rotation required. His energy flagged towards the end and he got a bit flat-footed. Even an impressive presse  lift at the end couldn't nudge his score higher than a mid-table 28 out of 40.

Last week's dance off survivor Laura Whitmore came next with a quickstep to Ballroom Blitz. This dance was the bomb - fabulous fancy feet, tricky little steps and bags of content. Giovanni had thrown everything into the mix and Laura was fast as lightning as she capered across the floor. It was fun and frisky, but not terribly risky. There was a nice Charleston section, but then a weird head-banging bit that was a little out of place. The judges liked it, though, scoring Laura 33 out of 40.

Anastacia followed with a rumba to Barbra Streisand's The Way We Were. You know my opinion on this dance. Rumba? Rumboring, more like. It's all wiggle, walk, pout, wave your arm, stick your leg up, have a cuddle. Pffft. You could make it up as you went along and no-one would really know, to be honest. As long as you pulled the right faces. There were times during this dance when Brendan seemed to be picking Anastacia and putting her down somewhere else like she was a Billy Bookcase and he was deciding where she looked best. There didn't seem to be much fluidity or romantic connection between the pair. I've had more exciting leg waxes. The judges thought there was good content - which shows what I know. She still only got 27 out of 40.

Tiny teen tumbler Claudia Fragapane came next with a fab little foxtrot to I Really Like You. There was another high-school type theme (which is wearing a bit thin now, even for me. Yes, they're the youngest dancers. We get it!). It was a sweet, charming routine, though. Claudia was wonderfully graceful with great poise and presentation. Her strong top line was excellent throughout and she was dainty and light on her feet - including some lovely heel leads for Len. There was too much out of hold for old-school Len and Craig hated the choreography - which is AJ's fault, not Claudia's. The grumpy judges weren't too bothered though. Claudia was awarded 30 out of 40.

I then had an out-of-body experience - or maybe it was a fever dream. Oh, wait. No I didn't. It really *WAS* Ed Balls making a feeble attempt at a Paso Doble to a very slowed down version of Bonnie Tyler's Holding Out For A Hero. Oh. My. Word. This St George themed......effort....just seemed to drag-on. Not even the tame tempo could help Ed. He looked like a toddler having a tantrum as he clomped and stomped his way around the floor, waving his arms willy-nilly like a windmill in a hurricane. There was no rhythm, no attack, no power....no anything. He completely lost the plot about halfway through and seemed to just start making it up. Flabby, not fabby - this was more passe than Paso and I've seen more shaping in a jellyfish. He was dancing all the steps, just not necessarily in the right order. It just wasn't his knight. More matabore than matador, this bull earned just a 2 from Craig - and only 16 out of 40 in total.

Things didn't get much better as Naga Munchetty took the floor with a choppy Charleston to Minnie The Mermaid (no, I've never heard of it either). Dressed like the Oompa Loompa Willy Wonka never mentions, Naga seemed all at sea with this dance. There was very little swivel and cross and it was fairly low on content and difficulty. Naga still went wrong a couple of times and lost footing and timing. The lifts were a bit lumpy and sometimes she seemed to be waiting for Pasha to pick her up. She seemed to enjoy herself, though, and got into the character and spirit of the dance more than usual. More meh-maid than mermaid, I'm not shore if we'll wave goodbye to Naga after the panel scored her just 24 out of 40.

Lovely Louise Redknapp followed with a fancy foxtrot to Tears Dry On Their Own. It was a strange choice of tune for what was really a light-hearted and fun dance. This routine was definitely nothing to cry about. Louise really enjoyed this one and it showed. She was full of flair - sexy, smooth and stylish she glid gliderised glided across  the floor gracefully. Her rhythm and timing were spot on, she sold the character and the story of the dance and got a 'Gawjuss' compliment from Craig. A great score of 33 out of 40 this week.

Danny Mac continues to deliver. This week was a simply astonishing quickstep to I Won't Dance. I would, if I had a partner as good as Danny! This week he was dressed as a conductor and he was certainly the maestro of this routine. He was slick, quick and didn't miss a trick. His footwork was sublime and his timing was immaculate. There was loads of style, grace and charm with dapper Danny completely mirroring partner Oti in both the side-by-side sections and the cross step parts that are the fundamentals of a quality quickstep. He was infinitely less wooden than his former Hollyoaks character with plenty of sway and swagger as he took the lead. Mac scored big - 36 out of 40.

And then there was another rumba, which kind of killed my mood. Okay, Daisy Lowe was better than Anastacia as she danced to Careless Whisper - but it was all still step, step wiggle, wave. Her open-mouthed 'sexy' pout was a bit off-putting and made her look a little dozy sometimes. There didn't seem to be much romance between her and partner Aljaz and more chemistry at Boots after closing - but as rumbas go it was OK, I suppose. There was enough tricky content to impress the judges who gave her 31 out of 40.

Gurning gavel basher Judge Rinder came next with a very weird Viennese Waltz to Lulu's Boom Bang A Bang. Bizarrely kitted out in lederhosen, the judge seemed a little ill at ease. The routine took ages to get going and there was more out of hold than in. When there was some Viennese content it was very nice - tight turns and spins, lovely hold and positioning and he showed some real flair for the footwork with some good rise and fall. The whole thing was a bit silly and slapstick, though, which was a shame as it detracted from what looks like some decent talent. Partner Oksana needs to drop the comedy routines - Judge Rinder needs to be less goofy, more hoofy to stand a chance of staying in the competition. A lowly (goat-herd) 27 out of 40 scored.

The continually surprising Lesley Joseph came out with a cracking little Charleston to Charleston With Me. Anton seems to be playing it canny  bringing out the dances that play to Lesley's strengths early in the series. I really don't know where she gets her energy. Maybe Dorian has a DeLorean? This wasn't a safe, staid Charleston by any means. There was a great smorgasbord of steps - birdy flaps, monkey steps, knee slaps galore. Again, Lesley had bags of character throughout the dance and there was plenty of high jinx - not to mention high kicks. I'd need a new hip if I tried half the stuff Lesley can do. A high score for her of 31 out of 40.

Outstanding Ore Oduba provided a cracking closer to the show with a jaw-dropping jive to Runaway Baby by Bruno Mars. He was simply out of this world. Ore wowed the crowd with this sharp number. His feet were a blur through a series of tricky kicks and flicks that were absolutely bang on the money. It was an extremely high octane, fast-paced dance and Ore never flagged. His timing was spot on and he was tight, controlled and precise. The side-by-side sequences were in perfect harmony with partner JoanneAlsoFromGrimsbyClifton and the dance was packed with difficult content. The audience were on their feet at the end and who could blame them. Jay who? The panel reduced emotional Ore to tears with the first trio of 10s of the series - only Craig's score of 9 preventing a full house. 39 out of 40 in Week Four? Danny has competition - and his name is Ore.

And that was that. One less dancer with Will's departure meant a shorter show and Sunday was here before we knew it. Again. There was an absolutely spectacular James Brown themed opening number with some brilliant moves from a guy in a told suit. And some oddly hypnotic kinda dad-dancing from Anton in a purple velour number complete with hairy chest and medallion, which was fairly disturbing for a Sunday evening.

Original Nutty Boys Madness turned out too mime to warble their latest single that they want us all to buy - Mr Apples. I remember Madness in their heyday. Now they look like a bunch of geography & woodwork teachers doing a turn at the half-term disco. The pro-dancers did what they do best when they're not being hampered by the celebs (I'm still looking at you, Ed) and it was all very jolly.

Len and his amazing lens showed us a peek at what the judges are looking for - it even explained some of the technical bits I can nick for a future blog so I sound like I know what I'm on about.

The usual dramatic tension, sighs of relief, red lights and hysterical hugs brought us to the dance-off denouement. The viewer votes were tallied and it was Anastacia and Naga that were in the bottom two. While it can't really be argued that Ed shouldn't have been there, at least these two were more deserving to be in the dance off than last week.

Routines were repeated. I had to sit through another rumba. I'm going to lobby the BBC next year that it should be replaced by something more entertaining - the Macarena or pogoing, maybe. Watching Anton twazz around the floor to The Sex Pistols has got to be more exciting, right?

After the ladies had both had another go at their frankly less than stellar performances the judges gave their unanimous verdict <dramatic drum roll please>.

NAGA was voted off the show. No alarms and no surprises there, as Thom Yorke might say if he was writing this. Still, at least she can go back to bed for kip after BBC Breakfast tomorrow now instead of having to flog back down to London for training. She could even watch Homes Under The Hammer, lucky girl. Pasha, of course, can go back to living a life of Riley.......

                        Extra! Extra! Read all about it!  Newsie Naga no longer needed!

And that was Week Four in a nutshell. I'm off to lie down in a darkened room and try to forget the nightmare that was Ed Balls' Paso. Though I'm fairly sure hearing Bonnie Tyler will bring me out in cold sweats for years to come.

Until next time.............KEEP DANCING!!

Sunday 9 October 2016

Hello again readers! How are we all this week? It's been a strange old week. You know you've been watching too much Strictly when you find yourself having an internal argument about whether you'd do a cha-cha-cha or a samba to the theme from Scooby Doo (the samba won, if you're interested).

Since Melvin had moved on it was Movie Week on Strictly Come Dancing.  We were transported from the ballroom to the silver screen as our celebrities shoehorned danced their routines around songs and themes from famous flicks. The audience were treated to a night of creative costumes, perfect props, lavish lighting and sensational sound as the fourteen couples put on a spirited display of dance.

So who was a box-office smash and who flopped harder than Hudson Hawk? Turn down the lights, grab your popcorn and make sure your phones are on silent. Lights, camera, action - it's the Strictly Week Three round up!!

Daisy Lowe opened the show (see, poetry in the third paragraph!) with a lively quickstep to A Spoonful Of Sugar from Mary Poppins. This was nanny your pedestrian performance. Daisy's dance was floaty light, fast, flirty and fun. Lots of change of pace, great character and the couple covered the whole of the floor. Craig wasn't particularly impressed with the weak Charleston section and Daisy was told she was a bit loose above the waist (I can't talk). All in all, she managed to Step In Time and it was a fairly Jolly Holiday for Daisy and Aljaz. 31 out of 40 from the judges.

Up next was Anastacia dancing a Viennese waltz to A Thousand Years from Twilight. Still recovering from last week, the whole routine had to be carefully choreographed around her injury. Sadly, this showed as the dance was halting and a little hesitant. Brendan had stuck in a rare reverse fleckerl to try to please Len, but the vampire theme lacked any real bite. It was a sweet routine but Anastacia was very wobbly throughout and it looked like Brendan was helping her along at times. Her top line was too raised and there's still room for improvement. Will the judges' score of 27 out of 40 help her stake her claim in next week's show? Or will it be fangs for the memory for Anastacia?

Third to the floor was Danny Mac who performed a pleasing Paso Doble to The Train from The Mask of Zorro. If you've read my blog before you'll remember that the Paso is my favourite dance. And dashing Danny didn't disappoint. From the opening bars he was a chandelier swinging, cape slinging dynamo. My. Word. There was fabulous footwork, sensational shaping and super spins. The whole routine was jam packed with Paso content and cracking character. Danny was totally on (sword) point with full on attack and attitude and he and partner Oti were bang together throughout. Has anyone told Danny it's only week three? An astonishing 36 out of 40 from the panel.

Lesley Joseph had to follow that with a quirky quickstep to We're A Couple Of Swells from Easter Parade. Anton, being a good egg, reverted to his strengths with a comedy caper that was cleverly choreographed to be clumsy and clunky. Made a mistake? That was deliberate, Craig. Missed a turn? Meant to do that Darcy, me dear. It was all very tongue in cheek and fun with plenty of nods to the routine from the film. Loads of character and chock full of content but the fast pace took its toll and poor Lesley was being dragged around like a rag doll towards the end. The judges gave it a respectable 27 out of 40.

Next up was Will Young serving up a salsa to Jai Ho from Slumdog Millionaire. This was a bizarre mix of styles - Latindian, I suppose you could call it. The wide pants hid Will's hips so you couldn't really see if he was giving it proper rotation, but he had nice hands and energy and got into the spirit of the dance. There were some impressive and effortless lifts but was a little stop/start in parts and seemed to favour Indian dance moves over traditional salsa content. This didn't curry favour with Len who likes it old school but everyone else thought it was a Bolly good show. Will had a little bit of a spat with Len about the content, but as he's sweeter than a sugar coated spaniel it was all taken in jest. A decent 31 out of 40.

Naga came next with a tango to the theme from Mission Impossible. How prophetic. It all went wrong right from the start when she couldn't unhook herself from the wire she'd dropped in on. This threw her completely and she never hit Cruise control. The whole routine was too stiff and static, there was no story - or if there was she'd totally forgotten it - and she was really unsure throughout. She was bumbly and stumbly, her legs all over the place like me after a night on the prosecco (my spellchecker wanted to change this to 'prosecutor'). This is just M.I opinion, but Naga may have pressed the self-destruct button this week. I spy a low score of 25 out of 40.

Speaking of prosecutors, Judge Rinder was wearing an entirely different type of wig than he's used to as he came on as caveman Fred Flintstone. Although, to be honest, he looked more like a pound shop Liam Gallagher. This week he gave us a cheeky, cheery Charleston to Meet The Flintstones.  Rob rocked it - even managing swivel and cross while still in the prop Flintstone car at the beginning. Partner Oksana had chucked everything into the routine - birdy flaps, monkey steps, kicks, flicks, tricks and lifts - even a roly poly in the middle. There were a few errors and some missed timing but the judge was dino-mo with the energy all the way through. His dancing career won't be in any (t)Rubble and there were no Barneys with Craig at the end. A mid-table 27 out of 40.

Ore Oduba was in his element with an elegant American Smooth to Singin' In The Rain. This dance was no wash-out, that's for sure. Ore looked sharp and, while there was a lot out of hold, he covered the floor nicely with fab foxtrot feet. The routine was suave and stylish, pretty difficult with some swift changes of pace and he showed some lovely timing. He was in control throughout and the emotional content seemed to have got to him as the poor chap was in tears at the end. His poise and polish impressed the judges and he scored a cracking 35 out of 40.

The second salsa of the night came from Laura Whitmore who was dancing to the Moulin Rouge version of Rhythm Of The Night. This wasn't quite the Gloria-s gambol it could have been. While Laura had good hips and slink, she lost her rhythm a lot and seemed to  be ahead of the (Dr) beat at times. It was very stuttery, especially in and out of the really clunky lifts. The routine didn't flow and she went out of control in the spins and seemed Toulouse her shaping. There was another weird bit where Giovanni seemed to go up and kiss Bruno for some bizarre reason, but this obviously worked as he gave the pair an incomprehensible 9. Thankfully, the other judges were more restrained and Laura ended up with 30 out of 40.

Greg Rutherford had his bottom well and truly Tucked in this week as he danced an American Smooth to Everything I Do (I Do It For You) from Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves. Graceful Greg had the audience all of a quiver with this romantic routine that had lots of character but his costume did look a bit like his mum had made it from stuff she'd found in the airing cupboard. That aside, there was a lovely connection with partner Natalie and he led really well - a difficult thing for a male celeb, especially in week three. The content was a bit more lift than legwork, but Greg pulled them off well. Overall it was pretty much on target. The judges Sherwood like to see him next week, awarding 32 out of 40.

Babyfaced bendy bopper Claudia Fragapane came out with a cracker of a Charleston to You Give A Little Love from Bugsy Malone. This dance really suited Claudia. It was fast and frenzied with clever slapstick choreography from pint-sized partner AJ. There was bags of character and oodles of content with beautiful swivel and cross. Some great flicks and tricks shone throughout a routine that was spot on with timing and totally on point. Claudia got a bit carried away and nearly gave poor AJ a concussion with a custard pie at the end, but the judges splurged out a whopping 36 out of 40.
                
Tameka trotted out a tepid tango to The Heat Is On from Beverly Hills Cop. However, she looked more like a reject from Police Academy and had about as much aptitude. She had a good tango face and gave it plenty of attack and attitude, but there was too much gapping and not much of the classic tango V shape required. The dance was speedy but Tameka seemed to sink lower and lower as the routine went on. It was all a bit of a cop out and the judges didn't find it very arresting. They gave her just 28 out of 40.

The first samba of the series was performed by Ed Balls who danced to Cuban Pete from The Mask. What a Carrey on! Ed had a good go but there was no real technique or style. It wasn't entirely joyless but I've seen more bounce in a half-deflated space hopper. The make-up and costume was the best part of this dance that seemed to be all about partner Katya detracting the judges' attention from Ed's lumpy, leaden lolloping. Bless him, he got into the character and can't be accused of taking himself too seriously but he was left propping up the leaderboard with just 24 out of 40. Somebody stop him!

The show closed with a cha-cha-cha from Louise Redknapp dancing to What A Feeling from Flashdance. Have you ever seen the Robert Webb version from Let's Dance For Comic Relief? If you haven't I can't recommend that you do strongly enough. Seriously, go look it up. I swear they just recycled Robert's costume and wig for Louise. And most of the routine, too, by the looks of it. Poor Louise is really lacking in confidence and self-belief - and she shouldn't be. She had lots of rhythm and was in time for most of the routine, although she was lacking a little in hip rotation. There were also some issues with togetherness - she wasn't exactly welded to partner Kevin towards the end. Still, we got the old 'bucket of glitter tipped over her', which was nice for the viewers (but I bet the cleaner was bloody fuming!). The judges liked it - 31 out of 40 for Louise.

Super Sunday hurtled along like it was only...oooh....an hour or so after Saturday. Which, of course, it was. The results show follows the same routine each week. Opening group dance, Tess and Claudia's bezzie mate banter, Len's Lens - I wonder what they're going to call THAT when he leaves at the end of this series? Craig's Camera doesn't quite have the same ring to it.

And, of course, there were the musical fillers....I mean, special guest stars. Stage stalwarts Michael Ball and Alfie Boe popped along to give us a rendition of Somewhere from West Side Story. Pity. I was hoping they'd belt out Lust For Life from Trainspotting. It certainly would have been more interesting. Especially for the pro-dance along - Pasha as Renton, Aljaz as Tommy, AJ as Sick Boy, Brendan as Spud. Anton as Begbie. On second thoughts.........

Anyway. Enough of my application for a job as Strictly showrunner. The viewer votes were in and had been carefully counted. Palms sweated, hearts raced, mouths were dry and lips were stuck to teeth as Tess. Dragged. Out. The. Results. I know it's supposed to create dramatic tension but it's all rather tedious now. I'm never sure if it's deliberate or if she's nodded off.

Then the results were finally announced. Laura and Tameka were in the dance off! What? I mean, I know I slagged them off was slightly critical of them earlier but really? WHO is phoning in for Ed Balls? He's getting more votes now than he ever did as an MP! Please, people. Enough. Okay, he's not as bad as Scott Mills or Anne Widdecome but he's no Harry Judd or Jay McGuinness either. His time has GOT to come.

The ladies repeated their routines one more time. Laura came out with more attitude and intent and there was certainly more hip action but it wasn't without errors. Tameka still forgot to lift her frame and it looked like her confidence had been rocked. Partner Gorka had to knock her into place a couple of times but the performance was an improvement on the previous one.

At least this week it was the judges who made the final decision. After a second relatively poor showing they cast their admittedly difficult - and split - votes. Len, as head judge, had the casting vote.........

TAMEKA was booted out of the ballroom. Our endearing EastEnders enchantress hung up her handcuffs, binned her badge and trashed her truncheon and she left the show. Too early in my opinion - I think she had a lot more to show us.


                                Tameka's time was tempered by a tatty tango. Ta ta!

And so, that's Movie Week finished. The final credits have rolled, the curtains have closed. I do hope you haven't left the floor all sticky this time. Off you go now, no hanging around - there's no Marvel Studios teaser trailer on this blog. Oh, go on then, seeing as it's you! If the link doesn't work, I'm sorry - you'll have to do it the old fashioned way and Google (other search engines are available).

Robert Webb Flashdance (thanks BBC!!)

Until next week............KEEP DANCING!!




Sunday 2 October 2016

Well hello there, dance fans. It's been a while since I last posted something on here. Did you miss me? I won't go into lots of detail about what I've been up to in the last few months. Suffice to say it involved two gin festivals (and lots of gin), food, Lego, rugby, festivals and stuff to keep me out of mischief. But mainly gin.

But why the sudden return to the blogsphere? Why else? STRICTLY COME DANCING IS BACK. So this is the first round up of the season. I know it started last week, but no-one was voted out and it was all just the introduction to the shenanigans. Plus I had a crazy busy weekend that gave me no time to scribble anything down. So. Here we go. Sit back.Relax. Have a hob-nob. Remember - I watch Strictly so you don't have to!

First of all, let me say that I am devastated, nay heartbroken that there's no Gleb this year. If you read my last lot of ramblings you may rememer that Gleb appreciation was a frequent theme. Alas, he has not returned for 2016. While the new chaps are all very pleasant, they're just not  a reasonable replacement for my Russian.

Oh, well. The show must go on.

Ore Oduba opened the orchestrations with a clunky cha-cha-cha to Hot Stuff by Donna Summer. Ore was dressed as a fireman but this was no disco inferno. He had plenty of energy and gave it some gusto, but even the pole dancing bit in the middle couldn't light a spark. Ore seemed to forget the hips needed in a cha-cha-cha and while it was high octane it all got a bit frenetic and he started doing his own thing. A decent 27 out of 40 from the judges though.

Up next was gyrating gymnast Claudia Fragapane (not to be confused with frangipane, an almond cake filling. Although both are very sweet). Claudia and partner AJ are the youngest contestants - and Claudia is a miniscule 4 foot 7 in her stockinged feet. Never mind High School Musical - this is more Kindergarten Cabaret. Claudia & AJ performed a whimsical waltz to You Light Up My Life. The mini mover certainly lit up the dancefloor with graceful moves and interpretation - although there was a lot out of hold and a very-near lift, with just her pinky staying earthbound to keep it legal. A very decent 30 out of 40.

Perky Popstar and all round nice guy Will Young followed with a jerky jive to Rock Around The Clock. While Will had a good crack at character, the overall routine was a bit safe, stiff and staid. That being said, he apparently pulled a muscle near the start which may have affected his performance. He was flat footed and stompy, missed   the beat and had to cover up a glaring error in the middle. It wasn't a Joy to watch but I don't think he'll Leave Right Now. Keep playing Your Game, Will and you should be OK. A respectable 27 out of 40.

Septuagenarian sashayer Lesley Joseph showed she's a game old Bird Of A Feather dancing to Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps. Her cha-cha-cha wasn't everyone's cup of tea as she wobbled across the dancefloor. She lost balance a few times and went off track. Anton resorted, as usual, to getting her out of trouble by pulling her around. Honestly, The Birdcage had less drag. I was a bit put off, too, by Anton's alarmingly sequinned strides. It looked like he'd taken the term 'glitteballs' far too seriously. Still, it was a fun routine with bags of character and earned Lesley 26 out of 40.

The evening's most literal song choice award went to Olympic long-jumper Greg Rutherford, who danced a tango to Van Halen's...well, Jump. Much as I admire a nicely turned derriere, Greg's bum stuck out far too much and it looked like it was trying to sit down most of the time. This meant his shoulders got hunched, he lost his frame and there was more gap than Watford. He wasn't comfortable and you could tell the nerves had got to him. There's a line in Jump that goes 'I ain't the worse that you've seen'. No, but it was close, Greg. He gave it a good go, though and there's plenty of room for improvement. Another 26 out of 40 from the panel.

For me, EastEnders actress Tameka Empson romped away with the show with a cracking Charleston to Yes, Sir, That's My Baby. This was no Square dance. Tameka hit the floor full on with a high energy, high content routine that had everything a Charleston needed. Super swivel, cracking cross, oodles of energy and fab flapper feet throughout. They even chucked in The Swim for good measure. It got a little out of sync in places but there was loads of character and you could tell Tameka was having fun. A solid 29 out of 40.

Irish eyes were smiling on presenter Laura Whitmore who performed a wistful waltz to If I Ain't Got You. Her partner is back under his real name of Giovanni this year (after having to suffer being referred to as Joe Varney by previous celeb Georgia May Foote), which must be a relief for him. This was a nice, romantic, sweeping routine with lots of style and grace. No fireworks or fancy footwork but it was elegant and smooth and it got the job done. A nice high score of 32 out of 40, too.

Melvin Odoom was up next with a torturous tango to Moving on Up. This was less M People and more M Barrassing. Poor Melvin never really got to grips with the tango technique. He was hunchy, bunchy, stampy and stompy (no - those aren't the alternative names for the dwarfs in our local Snow White panto) in a dance that lacked any intent, attack or rhythm. There was a pointless faff with a luggage trolley and a bizarre bit at the end where Melvin stood like a lemon while partner Janette mimed handing Bruno some luggage. Except it didn't look like anyone had told Bruno it was going to happen. I don't want to sound like a prophet Odoom, but Melvin may not be around much longer. A low 23 out of 40 from Len and Co.

Wiggly WAG Louise Redknapp followed Melvin to the floor. True story - last week I overheard two girls on the train. Girl 1 - who's that Louise Redknapp married to? Girl 2 - I dunno. Steven Gerrard, I think. Anyway, Louise danced a very nice Viennese waltz to Hallelujah. It may have been an Eternal time ago, but Louise has retained some of her dancing skills as she whirled and twirled around the floor. There was some lovely footwork and she even threw in a fleckerl or two just for Len. The nice, romantic routine scored her a fab 32 out of 40.

American artiste Anastacia was severely hampered with a nasty injury sustained in rehearsals. She had torn the internal scar tissue from her previous mastectomies for breast cancer, which must have been agonising. Partner Brendan Cole was forced to choreograph a whole new routine at the eleventh hour and poor Anastacia did her absolute best to cope with pain and the changes. Her salsa was sadly lacking as most of her movement was restricted due to her injury. She put a brave face on things but the whole routine suffered - she was stiff, stilted and static. The dance lacked any sparkle and sass. Maybe she should have sat this one out and taken a bye for the week as the judges had to mark on what they saw meaning she only scored 22 out of 40.

Lumpy Labour MP Ed Balls was up next with a crazy Charleston to The Banjo's Back In Town. Give him his due, Ed gave it some welly in this Western routine. It was mostly barn with little storming, but there was a decent amount of energy and rhythm. Ed showed us a lively comedy character (at least, I hope it was a character) but it wasn't without fault. There was very little swivel and I've seen more crosses at a vampire convention. Still, Ed got a standing ovation from the crowd - probably the first he's had outside the Party Conference - and a score of 23 from the judges.

Newslady Naga Munchetty came out with a cha-cha-cha to Fool In Love by Tina Turner. The back-stage crew had kitted out Naga in a curly Tina wig, but it seemed to have a reverse Samson effect on poor Naga as her dancing left a lot to be desired. The whole thing was strangely wooden - no character, so style, no intent or attack. It was all a bit too careful and, at one point, partner Pasha seemed to grab her by the hips and forced them around to remind her to use them. There were too many mistakes and she seemed a bit out of her depth. Will she improve on her own, or will Pasha have to Naga a bit (sorry). Just 23 out of 40 scored.

Up next was Judge Rinder. Apparently, he's a good friend of Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch. Well, our Courtroom Cumber-chum was anything but cumbersome with a slick American Smooth Foxtrot to Marvin Gaye's Let's Get It On. Rhythmic Rinder is a born performer. Fleet of foot with a great frame, he had loads of style and pizazz. There were some epic, effortless lifts (the guy is ripped under those robes) and the routine was flowing and flamboyant. He does have to learn to rein his face in a bit - the grins and gurns can be a bit off-putting. But, as he told grumpy judge Craig, at least he can move his face. Hand shaping needs a little work, but I don't think the Judge is going to get sent down any time soon. A passable 27 out of 40 helps, too.

Model and presenter Daisy Lowe was the penultimate performer. She gave us a cheeky, cheery cha-cha-cha to Cee Lo Green's Forget You. Thankfully, the non-sweary radio edit of the song or the Beeb would have been in all sorts of trouble. Tess had already had to hand out an apology for Bruno's earlier slip-up. Daisy was sultry, sharp and stylish with good hip action. Her upper body was a bit loose & out of control at times but overall it was a good effort. Len lopped off a point for an illegal lift (naughty, naughty Alijaz) and an upsy Daisy got 30 out of 40.

Ex-Hollyoaks heart-throb Danny Mac closed the show with a venerable Viennese Waltz to my favourite INXS tune Never Tear Us Apart. This was a really quick routine, whirlwind turns and speedy spins helped pack the content. Oti's trick of making Danny rehearse with a set of bicycle handlebars tied round his neck paid off as his frame was sure and solid - it was Raleigh good, in fact. The speed was a bit of a problem though as, at some points, Danny seemed to be skipping like a bush kangaroo instead of gliding across the floor. His head also seemed to be wandering about as he tried to spot himself during the turns. A great effort overall earned Danny 32 out of 40.

So the combined scores from last week saw Louise and Danny jointly on top of the pile and Ed propping up the leaderboard. But - remember - it's all down to the viewer vote.

Wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey and suddenly it was 'Sunday night'. Tess, Claudia and crew were whipped into new outfits and the audience were shuffled about a  bit so we could all pretend it was The Next Day.

Toothy tunester and sole-surviving Bee Gee Barry Gibb his new number In The Now. There was a moment of panic when we thought Tess has said he's be performing in the nude but it was all good.  There was the usual pro-dance routine and Len's Lens was polished up to show us where everyone had gone wrong. Then it was Results Time. The bumbeddy bum of the fake heartbeat, the dry mouth, the sweaty palms....but, enough about me......

Melvin and Anastacia were in the bottom two. However, Anastacia was in no fit state to try to reprise her routine. She couldn't even turn out to try again. This meant that they had to use the count back from the public vote alone to see who would be going instead of the judges' verdict. Harsh, but them's the Rules, I'm afraid.

After a tense few seconds it was announced that MELVIN would be hanging up his dance shoes and leaving the show for good. Which I'm a bit relieved about as I'd run out of Janette Manrara puns last year.

And that was Week Two in a nutshell (well, a few thousand words anyway). Fifteen couples become fourteen. Ed Balls lives to learn a new routine - who'da thunk it?

Until next week my little chocolate eclairs..............KEEP DANCING!

The clanging chimes Odoom sounded for Melvin as Janette hangs us her Manrara skirt for this season.