Musicals Week and the Final Five Competitors Raise the Roof!

Musicals week started with a great opening number involvingthe professional dancers and all four judges. We were treated to song and dance from Anton and Kevin, Shirley andMotsi danced beautifully and the icing on the cake – Craigin drag to Hello Dolly! Obviously inrehearsals for panto, Craig made a very good Dolly and it was a real pleasureto see all the judges taking part in the dance; perhaps reminding us of why they are, thejudges.

First out of the blocks for the competition we had Chris andKaren dancing a Foxtrot to ‘Consider yourself’ from Oliver. A real musical theatre interpretation whichhighlighted Chris’ fun personality and set the standard for the evening. The Foxtrot element felt a little safe, butoverall a very entertaining piece which got the audience to their feet from thestart.

Alex and Neil followed with a hip hop street commercialstyle Samba to ‘Joyful, Joyful’ from Sister Act. The dance split the judges with Bruno feelingit was too hip hop street, therefore lacking bounce and hip movement, but Craigunusually liking it because it was a fresh interpretation! I also felt itlacked the Samba bounce but really enjoyed the performance element from Alex,who has come into her own on the dancefloor.

This was followed by a fantastic Viennese from Kelvin andOti with Kelvin playing the part of the alpha male Gaston from Beauty and theBeast. Kelvin’s characterisation ofGaston was very impressive. There was a definite improvement in his techniquefrom the first time he did a Viennese, with much reduced rise and fall, abeautiful top line and good rotation. Hemanaged to get the audience and three of the judges to their feet with histable top fleckle and chandelier swinging routine – a-ma-zing and awell-deserved 39 in total on the paddles.

Anton and Emma gave us a really classic 1920s styleCharleston to ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’. Bruno said it was a ‘….thoroughlydelicious Charleston….’ and Craig praised Emma’s swivel action giving her a‘Fab-u-lous….’for her high class flapper act and the couple a score of 39.

However, top of the scoreboard with a full 40 marks we have Karimand Amy who danced a professionalstandard Jive, in fact as the judges said ‘the best Jive ever on Strictly…’ andwe’ve had a few great ones in the past. Personally, not sure it was better thanJay McGuiness’ Pulp Fiction routine which I had the joy of seeing live at theO2, but it was certainly great! Karim’sathletic ability came to the fore, perhaps reinforcing the idea that he excelssolo rather than dancing with his partner. Motsi got so excited she couldn’t sit down and having been in the danceoff last week one has to be admire Karim’s mental tenacity to come back in suchforce. It was certainly one of thosedances that makes you just want to get up and join in – awesome.

So, who will make the semi final? Surely Kelvin and Karim will be there, butthe other two – well could be a close call as the audience don’t always votefor the best dancers – it is afterall an entertainment programme. I think Alex and Chris should be in the danceoff, but nothing is set in stone till the votes are in. The standard is so high now, it’s going to bea difficult and exciting semi final.