Strictly Come Dancing 2012 – The Final!

BBC Strictly 2012 Line-up
So it’s that time of year again, the Strictly Come Dancing final, will we see more 40s tonight and if so will it come from someone other than Kimberley?

Denise Van Outen & James Jordan – Jive/Showdance

Denise Van Outen & James Jordan
Jive
They start well, and they’ve made some changes to the original routine. Unfortunately Denise starts to look puffed out by the final third and it gets a bit stompy.

I’m going to give them a 9 though.

Craig: 9 “Sharp, clean, full of fantastic energy…timing as always impeccable”
Darcy: 10 “I loved it the first time, and your style is perfect for the Jive”
Len: 10 “I thought you combined athleticism with artistry there…fantastic Jive”
Bruno: 10 “That was a premium grade Jive”

Total = 39

Showdance

I’m never a big fan of the showdances, though they have included a lot more dance content than some of the routines. We’re watching the final round our friends house, and his fiance has just spent 1 1/2 minutes screaming at the lifts!

A flawless performance there, such impressive and dangerous lifts, I’m going to give them a 10!

Craig: 10 “It was a little bit lift-central…I cannot believe what your body did”
Darcy: 10 “That was flashy…you could travel the world doing that…made it all look far too easy”
Len: 10 “All or nothing…it had danger…I’m so glad that that came off like it did…you deserve to be in this final”
Bruno: 10 “What a feeling, what a dance!…you pulled it off in a way I’ve never seen before – except in professional dancers…that was epic”

Total = 40, well deserved I think

Dani Harmer & Vincent Simone – Tango/Showdance

Dani Harmer & Vincent Simone
Tango
Dani’s just a little ahead and off-balance at times, and I don’t think it was as good a performance as their first time – though the finish was better timed.

An 8 from me I think.

Craig: 9 “Apart from the minor stumbling your work has always been clean…delighted to see that the dance actually finished on time”
Darcey: 9 “You look beautiful together”
Len: 9 “You are the spirit of this show…consistent”
Bruno: 9 “You’ve always been a very good technical dancer…couple of wobbles…tried to get the character right”

Total = 36

Showdance

My all-time favourite song…lets hope they don’t ruin it for me!

They really shouldn’t have started with Denise & James, unfortunately this just can’t quite live up to the previous routine. It felt messy in places, and just didn’t have quite the same ‘wow’ factor.

Just an 8 from me.

Craig: 8 “Transitions in and out of the lifts were slightly lumpy…dance content was absolutely extraordinary”
Darcey: 9 “It’s not easy, but incredibly well done”
Len: 9 “You may be small but for me your talent is huge…intoxicating, well done”
Bruno: 9 “Very ambitious…felt you were a little bit nervous…not quite as slick as we usually see…very ambitious and brave of you to attempt”

Total = 35

Kimberley Walsh & Pasha Kovalev – Viennese Waltz/Showdance

Kimberley Walsh & Pasha Kovalev
Viennese Waltz
It looks like Kimberley just loses her footwork slightly before the attitude spins, but they’re much better than the first time they tried them.

I’ll give her a 9 though.

Craig: 9 “You have grown so much this series…topline is very strong, core is very strong…no hops [in the spins] than last time”
Darcey: 10 “You’re graceful, you glide”
Len: 10 “Last time I liked it, this time I loved it”
Bruno: 10 “Grace, skill, timeless elegance…perfection”

Total = 39

Showdance

A wobble during their first lift could have ended in disaster, but they recover well. A missed arm as they go into Salsa. There was danger in this routine, but more from the expectations that they were going to fall.

A messy performance that promised a lot, but felt shaky. An 8 for me.

Craig: 9 “Indecent, improper, absolute filth…I loved it”
Darcey: 10 “You certainly burned up that dance floor, that was wild”
Len: 10 “Impact, speed, flair…full on, flat out, fabulous”
Bruno: 10 “I love wildness, I love passion…it’s a hit”

Total = 39, yet again they have failed to mention her shakes and stumbles!

Louis Smith & Flavia Cacace – Salsa/Showdance

Louis Smith & Flavia Cacace
Jive
Is it just me or are they a little ahead of the music at times? I didn’t really feel this was as good as last time, I gave them a 10 then but just a 9 now.

Craig: 9 “I really didn’t like the shoulder roll with the big old pout before the lift”
Darcey: 10 “100% better…it wasn’t safe, it wasn’t controlled, you spiced up that Salsa…it wasn’t just the hips, there was upper body work…brilliant”
Len: 10 “I’m going to call you Flavulous…you put in far more Salsa content but you kept the essence of Dirty Dancing”
Bruno: 10 “It was worth waiting [for]…more content, more power…you’ve got the eyes on the ball”

Total = 39

Showdance

This could be amazing…or it could be a disaster…but I think it might just turn out to be a hit.

Shirtless, that probably guarantees his place in the final for the voting public. I still don’t like the way he uses his arms in Rumba though, and his posture still needs work.

Doesn’t quite match up to Denise & James for me but worthy of a 9!

Craig: 10 “Fab-u-lous…A-maz-ing”
Darcey: 10 “You blew me away…it was sensual…I love the feel of the contemporary art to it…I really, really liked it”
Len: 10 “When you started I thought it was all going to be gymnastics…you showed me some Argentine Tango, some Rumba”
Bruno: 10 “Nobody’s disappointed…the strength of a superhero…diabolical flexibility…memorable”

Total = 40


So the leader board (my combined score in brackets) stands at:

1. 79 – Denise & James [19]
1. 79 – Louis & Flavia [18]
3. 78 – Kimberley & Pasha [17]
4. 71 – Dani & Vincent [16]

So we’ll lose one of these couples in the next hour, and unfortunately I think it will be Dani & Vincent, but it’s such a high quality final that any of them would be unfortunate to go.