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It’s time! To judge! Some dancing! AT BLACKPOOL! Oh, right, wrong Saturday night TV show. Anyway...
First up was the “judge’s choice”. Perhaps the biggest beneficiary from “best” no longer meaning “best scoring” was Jason and his camp, disco-tastic tango. His posture in hold was a bit odd, but he looked so at ease and like he was actually having fun (rather than FUN!) in the out-of-hold sections that it didn’t really matter. Harry reprised his wonderful quickstep, which was the dance where Aliona finally seemed to get that annoying Len was all well and good, but showing off Harry’s talent was even more important. Once again he danced it beautifully, with slick, fast and energetic movements across the floor. And Chelsee once again danced her Shrek¬-themed jive. Somehow, the half-assed make-up job on Pasha was even worse than before, and there were still a few sloppy moments. But this is absolutely her dance, bristling with energy and fun.
THE SHOWDANCE MATTERS! Honestly, it does, that’s why we put it this early in the show. IT REALLY DOES MATTER! I’ve never really been a fan of showdances. If anything, it’s the really bad ones (cough Lisa Snowdon cough) that stick in the mind much more than the good ones, and in the last few years, they’ve become more and more about doing lots and lots of lifts without much content in between. And that’s just what we got with Harry – lots of daring lifts and a tiny bit of Latin dancing in between. Yawn. As for Chelsee, well, the warning bells began to ring the second Pasha said last week that her dance was going to be “funky”. This was perhaps the dance where her nerves got to her most, with the transitions between the lifts being pretty sloppy and the lifts themselves not being all that wonderful. So it was left to Jason to put the “show” into “showdance”, and boy, did he do it. I mean, he was obviously exhausted, but he tried his best, and at least this was something a bit different from usual disco lift bonanza.
And then came the first elimination. Poor Jason, top of the leader-board but out first. Throughout HISTORY (/this series of Strictly), I veered between finding his naked determination to do well scary and thinking it was oddly charming. Still, he produced some outstanding dances (not any of the ones he got a perfect score for, mind) and Kristina finally proved she can do a lot with a talented dancer. Worthy finalists, without a doubt.
I’m still not convinced of the wisdom of making them learn a whole new style of dance for the final, but I have to say I did enjoy watching Harry have a go at the American Smooth. Basing it on the Viennese Waltz was a masterstroke, as it was the main dance to rival his quickstep for sheer class and talent. The lifts really added to it, and the whole thing had a wonderfully sweeping and romantic feel to it. And who would have thought, back in Week 1, that Chelsee would pull off such a beautiful rumba? Her obvious nerves seemed to fit in with the dance rather than detract from it. I’m no fan of the rumba, but this was quiet, controlled and sweet.
Thankfully, they saved the best til last with the contestants’ favourite dances. I’m not entirely sure the Argentine Tango deserves the legendary status that it seems to have in Strictly lore, but watching Harry dance it again, I can kind of see why. Intense and passionate (like before, LEN), with brilliant technique and spot-on atmosphere, this was just as good this time round. I am, of course, ignoring their outfits, because the idea of dancing that close with someone wearing velvet turns my stomach. And Chelsee danced her fabulous quickstep again, and it was once again fabulous. This is how you use props to create a story without them dominating the dance. Oh, Craig, why couldn’t you just give her a 10? WHY?
So, in the end, Harry won, as we all knew he would. Much and all as I would have loved a Chelsee/Pasha win, I can’t really complain, as Harry danced brilliantly throughout the whole series, and he was the better dancer on the night. It’s amazing that a relatively lacklustre series, talent-wise, produced such a brilliant top two. Well, I loved them both, and we all know that’s what really matters. Right?
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