Strictly semi finals
It soon became clear that everyone onscreen was much more hyped than I was. (It swept me up eventually.)
Straightforwardish VT. Enter Tess in a strapless red jumpsuit, with just loose enough trousers, Claudia in a blouse and trousers, black of course, Shirley ina gold dress, Motsi in a jumpsuit, channelling Diana Ross as Craig would later claim. Anton was boring, but Craig was in a golden jacket.
Enter the couples and…a lot of hugging. That was new for the semis, right? Going out now is the worst, because even if you don’t win the finals, you can always pretend to yourself that you came second.
Anyway, time for messages from the public in all the VTs.
Tangos seem to be Rhys’s thing. I thought he was perhaps left on his own at the beginning for so long that it became a thing, although he was commanding, but it was a strong yet controlled tango with just enough of a sizzle continuing from last week. Best to forget that when Rhys yammered about how Nancy had become like a sister and then a parent to him. Straight 9s (and possibly a hint of ‘he might have had 10s if he’d had all wekk on this dance.)
Have to admit that those cloud things/giant pompoms on AJ’s arms were a huge distraction for me (and if I’m honest, that hem could have been an inch higher. Sorry, Vicky Gill.) I had to forcibly try to block them out, but did note that what I think of as the waltzer move was good. I could tell it was a good quickstep, but I wasn’t feeling it (I wondered if I might have preferred a song with lyrics or if it’s just a case of me not being invested enough in them.) Well, the judges thought it was good. First 10 from Craig, and thus a full house. So, I shouldn’t have scoffed when Tess said AJ hadn’t had a 10 from Craig or and thus a 40 all series.
That was a good couples choice, I could see the story telling so clearly, great choreography, and impressive dancing from John. Craig then telegraphed he’d be giving it a 9, while everyone else reached for te 10s.
I’d been worried that Giovanni had been overconfident about the waltz on ITT and that they might be under-rehearsed but it was lovely (times 10). Craig seemed regretful that he couldn’t give it a 10. Fitting that it was the best scoring waltz.
So, after the first round, AJ was on top, John and Rose joint second and Rhys was in a clear third/last, but they’d all emphasised why they deserved to be in the semis. (Sorry, Sara’s ballroom and Tilly.)
So, for the second VT, we had the judges being ‘candid’ (apparently they were more candid in the unedited versions.) Overall, I felt they weren’t saying much they hadn’t sad to the contestants’ faces or on ITT, the couples got to hear it and react.
I loved the concept and spirit of Rhys’s samba and HOW it showed off how far he’s come. Craig got to be smug because he’d been positive Rhys could pull it off, when everyone else went ‘ooh, samba.’ (Motsi was at her most technical tonight.) Claudia said that this was his highest Latin score, which left me wondering what they’re counting the Argentine tango as, then - uncategorisable specialist? I’d like to know where that placed it in terms of the sambas this year, because John’s is the only one I suspect came close.
I have to applaud Kai and wardrobe for the tone of AJ’s rumba, it played the not-at-all overdone chemistry card just right - Anton was spot on by calling it ‘sophisticated’. AJ was, unsurprisingly, confident in her sexiness, and I was most impressed by her flexibility. I didn’t expect it to get such a high score (making it the best rumba of the series, which is fair enough), but by getting a 39, she demanded perfection from the last two dancers (except as we all know, neither John nor Rose have been in trouble yet.) Heh, I think AJ was a bit apologetic for etting emotional (or maybe spilling that Kai’s grandmother had a thing for this song?) but he must be used to it by now.
‘Higher Power’ felt like a weird song choice for a jive (although it lodged in my head after) and the darkness and gold of their outfits too. Er, while I thought John was good, the dance was mainly side by side with Johanes making John’s body look stiff in comparison, so I preferred their couples choice. But they got the highest scoring jive of the series, but on the other hand, remained below AJ and Kai (making the most of the fighting back after the dance-off narrative.)
And so, Rose’s Argentine Tango got the glory slot (as we’d worked out from the third dance.) And given that the other three semi-finalists had done theirs and very good they were too - but actually, I wasn’t thinking about that, I was thinking that Rose didn’t need to smash it for the audience, who love her anyway, but for herself.
AND SHE DID. I think I stopped breathing. It did that transportational thing that they did in the Titanic dance, in the couples choice, in the American smooth…She was confident, there was sizzle, but less flashily so than in previous ATs. I think Anton hit it in his rambling comments: this dance felt like a dialogue, as the AT is meant to, and again, it felt as if Rose understood the character of this as much as she did the waltz, although we all waited for the final judge, Craig, to be sure. And when he said it should be in the final (it won’t, but by getting a 40 it’ll go down in the canon) and pulled out his 10 paddle, one of my fists shot up And for all Anton and Motsi’s rambling about wanting to give more than a 10, here’s yor answer: hold out until you feel it’s deserved, and then it matters.
So, in as much as it made a difference, the ladies were joint top, John not far behind and Rhys a little further behind, as the one who you most felt could have done better with both dances in a separate week and I wasn’t minded to squabble, although my emotional connection/reaction was different. (I mainly phoned for Rose, and I think I’ll rewatch her waltz, the samba, the rumba and the Arentine tango after posting this.)
Are they going to get to choose which dance they do in the dance-off or will it just be the second one, although I suppose it only matters for AJ. I really ought toreember this stuff.
This entry was originally posted at https://shallowness.dreamwidth.org/479917.html.
Straightforwardish VT. Enter Tess in a strapless red jumpsuit, with just loose enough trousers, Claudia in a blouse and trousers, black of course, Shirley ina gold dress, Motsi in a jumpsuit, channelling Diana Ross as Craig would later claim. Anton was boring, but Craig was in a golden jacket.
Enter the couples and…a lot of hugging. That was new for the semis, right? Going out now is the worst, because even if you don’t win the finals, you can always pretend to yourself that you came second.
Anyway, time for messages from the public in all the VTs.
Tangos seem to be Rhys’s thing. I thought he was perhaps left on his own at the beginning for so long that it became a thing, although he was commanding, but it was a strong yet controlled tango with just enough of a sizzle continuing from last week. Best to forget that when Rhys yammered about how Nancy had become like a sister and then a parent to him. Straight 9s (and possibly a hint of ‘he might have had 10s if he’d had all wekk on this dance.)
Have to admit that those cloud things/giant pompoms on AJ’s arms were a huge distraction for me (and if I’m honest, that hem could have been an inch higher. Sorry, Vicky Gill.) I had to forcibly try to block them out, but did note that what I think of as the waltzer move was good. I could tell it was a good quickstep, but I wasn’t feeling it (I wondered if I might have preferred a song with lyrics or if it’s just a case of me not being invested enough in them.) Well, the judges thought it was good. First 10 from Craig, and thus a full house. So, I shouldn’t have scoffed when Tess said AJ hadn’t had a 10 from Craig or and thus a 40 all series.
That was a good couples choice, I could see the story telling so clearly, great choreography, and impressive dancing from John. Craig then telegraphed he’d be giving it a 9, while everyone else reached for te 10s.
I’d been worried that Giovanni had been overconfident about the waltz on ITT and that they might be under-rehearsed but it was lovely (times 10). Craig seemed regretful that he couldn’t give it a 10. Fitting that it was the best scoring waltz.
So, after the first round, AJ was on top, John and Rose joint second and Rhys was in a clear third/last, but they’d all emphasised why they deserved to be in the semis. (Sorry, Sara’s ballroom and Tilly.)
So, for the second VT, we had the judges being ‘candid’ (apparently they were more candid in the unedited versions.) Overall, I felt they weren’t saying much they hadn’t sad to the contestants’ faces or on ITT, the couples got to hear it and react.
I loved the concept and spirit of Rhys’s samba and HOW it showed off how far he’s come. Craig got to be smug because he’d been positive Rhys could pull it off, when everyone else went ‘ooh, samba.’ (Motsi was at her most technical tonight.) Claudia said that this was his highest Latin score, which left me wondering what they’re counting the Argentine tango as, then - uncategorisable specialist? I’d like to know where that placed it in terms of the sambas this year, because John’s is the only one I suspect came close.
I have to applaud Kai and wardrobe for the tone of AJ’s rumba, it played the not-at-all overdone chemistry card just right - Anton was spot on by calling it ‘sophisticated’. AJ was, unsurprisingly, confident in her sexiness, and I was most impressed by her flexibility. I didn’t expect it to get such a high score (making it the best rumba of the series, which is fair enough), but by getting a 39, she demanded perfection from the last two dancers (except as we all know, neither John nor Rose have been in trouble yet.) Heh, I think AJ was a bit apologetic for etting emotional (or maybe spilling that Kai’s grandmother had a thing for this song?) but he must be used to it by now.
‘Higher Power’ felt like a weird song choice for a jive (although it lodged in my head after) and the darkness and gold of their outfits too. Er, while I thought John was good, the dance was mainly side by side with Johanes making John’s body look stiff in comparison, so I preferred their couples choice. But they got the highest scoring jive of the series, but on the other hand, remained below AJ and Kai (making the most of the fighting back after the dance-off narrative.)
And so, Rose’s Argentine Tango got the glory slot (as we’d worked out from the third dance.) And given that the other three semi-finalists had done theirs and very good they were too - but actually, I wasn’t thinking about that, I was thinking that Rose didn’t need to smash it for the audience, who love her anyway, but for herself.
AND SHE DID. I think I stopped breathing. It did that transportational thing that they did in the Titanic dance, in the couples choice, in the American smooth…She was confident, there was sizzle, but less flashily so than in previous ATs. I think Anton hit it in his rambling comments: this dance felt like a dialogue, as the AT is meant to, and again, it felt as if Rose understood the character of this as much as she did the waltz, although we all waited for the final judge, Craig, to be sure. And when he said it should be in the final (it won’t, but by getting a 40 it’ll go down in the canon) and pulled out his 10 paddle, one of my fists shot up And for all Anton and Motsi’s rambling about wanting to give more than a 10, here’s yor answer: hold out until you feel it’s deserved, and then it matters.
So, in as much as it made a difference, the ladies were joint top, John not far behind and Rhys a little further behind, as the one who you most felt could have done better with both dances in a separate week and I wasn’t minded to squabble, although my emotional connection/reaction was different. (I mainly phoned for Rose, and I think I’ll rewatch her waltz, the samba, the rumba and the Arentine tango after posting this.)
Are they going to get to choose which dance they do in the dance-off or will it just be the second one, although I suppose it only matters for AJ. I really ought toreember this stuff.
This entry was originally posted at https://shallowness.dreamwidth.org/479917.html.