Key events
Shayne and Nancy’s tango
“Shancy” finished in the bottom half of the leaderboard last week with a frisky but technically deficient disco samba. Now he needs to nail the tango posture and passionate mood, be strong and lead Nancy. Casino setting, Argentine touches and imperious mood. Full of attack and aggression, if lacking a little staccato snap.
Song: The Door by Teddy Swims. Last year’s R&B hit by the man with the slightly less cool real name of Jaten Collin Dimsdale.
Judges’ scores for Tasha and Aljaž: 8, 9, 9, 9 for a total of 35 points. Top score of the series and highest ever for a week two Viennese.
Judges’ comments for Tasha and Aljaž: Anton says “give us a chance, I wanted a fault so I could mark you down, seamless flow, immaculate frame, gorgeous footwork”. Craig says “dance of the night” (told you!). Motsi says “love watching you, you brought us in, keep it up, amazing”. Shirley concludes “Aljaž, I’ve watched you since aged 12 nd youve got a wonderful partner, I’m quite emotional”. First nines of the series incoming?
Tasha and Aljaž’s Viennese waltz
After a highly promising start last week, finishing joint second on the leaderboard, Tasha tackles her first ballroom dance. Her cochlear implant affects her balance and makes this dizzying dance an extra challenge but you wouldn’t know it. Slow with lovely long lines. Lots of rotation, reverse turns and fleckerls. Returning pro Aljaž Škorjanec is a ballroom boy and has schooled her well footwork-wise. Lovely changes of pace and gaw-jus mood. Dance of the night so far.
Song: Misty Blue by Dorothy Moore. This country blues classic was written in 1966 but Moore’s version was a hit a decade later reaching, number five on the UK chart. Mississippi diva Moore is now 77 and still performing live.
Judges’ scores for Montell and Jojo: 8, 7, 7, 8 for a total of 30 points. Joint highest score on the night, joint second so far overall.
Judges’ comments for Montell and Jojo: Motsi says “control, changes of rhythm, loved the voltas and squeezed core but work on the feet”. Shirley says “great performer, chemistry, work on your flow”. Anton says “love it, keep doing that”. Craig concludes “Montell did well, darling, you were giving it the full Brazilian – carnival not wax, loved it”. Sevens and eights?
Montell and Jojo’s samba
The Gladiator wowed with a West End-worthy quickstep last week, finishing joint fourth on the leaderboard. Now Team MoJo bid to burn up the floor with a red-hot Rio carnival dance. It’s speedy, spicy and dynamic. Montell looking fabulous in a fiery-toned fringed frock. The routine incorporates her signature move as Fire from Gladiators (pugil stick not included). Lacks bounce, footwork and hip motion. She looks like she’s struggling to keep up with Jojo at times but great intensity, hot as hell and cracking in the solo sections
Song: Fuego by Eleni Foureira. This dance-pop banger represented Cyprus at Eurovision 2018 and finished runner-up, the nation’s best ever result in the contest. It was beaten by Netta’s Toy. Remember that?
Judges’ scores for Nick and Luba: 5, 5, 5, 6 for a total of 21 points. An improvement of three points. Nick gives an earnest interview with a distracting piece of glittery confetti stuck in his quiff.
Judges’ comments for Nick and Luba: Craig says “ploddy but you have potential”. Motsi says “practice and we’ll get there”. Shirley says “you only had 16 hours to get this together and made no mistakes, amazing”. Anton concludes “footwork and frame not too bad, lovely partnering”. Fives and sixes?
Nick and Luba’s American smooth
He injured his arm changing a tyre at roadside (how manly) and had to train one-armed for a few days. Can Nick make it work with reduced training time? Let alone lifts? Country pub with bench-ography to open, then into hold. Decent if lacking lightness, sparkle and glamour. A bit lumpen but respectable under the circumstances.
Song: Parklife by Blur. The 1994 Britpop anthem was performed by The Massed Bands of the Household Division at the closing ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics. Noel Gallagher mocked Blur at the Brit Awards by singing “Marmite!” instead.
Judges’ scores for Toyah and Neil: 3, 5, 5, 5 for a total of 18 points. Six more than last week but still bottom of the combined scoreboard. Some accidental “drilling” innuendo there. Neil makes a case for Toyah doing Movie Week.
Judges’ comments for Toyah and Neil: Anton says “1,000 times better than last week, more of that please”. Craig says “commitment but heavy and flat-footed, thrown away but loved your energy and abandonment which sold it”. Motsi says “great comeback, you lived the dance”. Shirley concludes “much better, you’re my rock chick, liked the kick-ball changes and windmill”.
Toyah and Neil’s jive
Toyah Willcox is a fighter and she’ll need to be. She scored just 12 points for last weeks bizarre. head-shaking tango, bottom of the leaderboard by a five point margin. She revealed this week that she once shared a dressing room with Tina Turner and saw her naked. Steamy windows indeed. Western-style jive in a Dolly Parton-esque sparkly cowgirl get-up. Writhing around on a bar to start, takes far too long to start actually jiving. She needs to keep those legs pumping and her steps compact. Still flinging her head around too much and feet stuck to the floor. Lacks bounce and retraction. No energy in the legs. Yee-not-very-hah.
Song: Nutbush City Limits by Ike & Tina Turner. The 1973 hit paid tribute to Tina’s rural Tennessee hometown. It’s long been rumoured that an uncredited Marc Bolan played guitar on the track.