It’s Getting Real
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the 5 couples who danced in this semi-final were all strong contenders. They all have different strengths in different areas.
Take Hamza and Fleur for example. One absolute personality-plus-firecracker of a dancer, and one calm, elegant and technical dancer.
Any combination of four out of these five couples could have made it and no one could really have a strong argument against any result.
It Just Shows How Special Strictly Is
Molly’s reaction to getting through to the Final was glorious. After all those Dance Offs, the scream that came out of her brought tears to my eyes. Similarly, as did Will and Nancy’s exit.
Even as a Professional dancer, having been through so many defeats in competitions all of her life, you could see how upset Nancy was. And this is because in Strictly everything is so heightened.
A new dance each week with completely different technique. You have 4 days to teach/learn the routine, add technique, add storytelling, get it to a strong performance level and work on the stamina to keep the energy up until the end.
You go on this wonderful journey with this new dance partner, who you’ve most likely never met before the show. You’re working hard day in and day out together. You go through the nerves and the joy of performing in front of millions. The tension of the results shows. The celebrities could easily freak out over it all and the pro is there for them at any time of the day. You’re a team.
We heard Nancy apologise to Will tonight. Not only do the celebs want to make us, the teachers, proud, but we want them to have one of the best experiences of their lives and get them as far as we possibly can in the competition. We are absolutely a team for these few months.
Strictly is such a special show to be a part of and an experience none of us, whether pro or celeb, will ever forget.
Both Will and Nancy should be so proud of themselves. I hope they celebrate just how good they have both been this last series.
So, I’m Going to Do Something A Bit Different
I thought I would note down what I personally think each of the remaining couples could focus on doing in the Final, to give them the best chance of lifting the Glitterball, bearing in mind that it’s now all down to the public.
Here goes…
FLEUR AND VITO
This girl should absolutely own her fire. If she has a fast dance, smash it out of the park with all her might. She has proven over and over again that she is well capable of controlling her energy (and if she has a slow dance then do that), but as Motsi mentioned at some point, we should celebrate a strong, passionate, confident woman, and she is exactly that.
Use your strength to the maximum.
HAMZA AND JOWITA
Pull out some kind of phenomenal lift again in the show dance. He is naturally technically brilliant. Add some “in your face” kind of energy to that technique, that we haven’t seen before. Use that body, that body rhythm, shake and move and squeeze like you want to create an earthquake!
If he has a slower dance, show off the sophistication, the ease of it, the absolute class of which he has buckets full. Give us Fred Astaire.
MOLLY AND CARLOS
Another strong, fiery young woman that we should celebrate. She needs to treat this Final how she did the semi-final. Her strengths are in the intense, passionate dances. The dances where she fights. She IS a survivor and despite all the Dance Offs she’s been in this series, she’s carried on, got back on her feet and used the Dance Offs to make her stronger. Use that feeling again girl! Just have the attitude of “I’ll show you!” Because IT WORKS.
She is also great at feeling the slower dances. Natural emotions come out of her in these and you can tell they love dancing together. Show that off! Show them what you and Carlos are made of together.
HELEN AND GORKA
I hate to use the “j” word but wow, this woman has been on a journey like no other. The comparison from the beginning to now is indescribable.
The confidence from musicals week needs to stay. The joy of Blackpool needs to stay. If she has a slower dance, the beautiful softness needs to stay.
Watch the dances back, reimagine the feelings you had with them, and bring it all back onto that floor.
One Last Word of Advice
ENJOY IT. Lap up every second. When else in your whole life are you going to be on that Strictly dance floor, with your partner, in front of millions of people, on the biggest and best show on TV???
The work has all been done in the training studio. Now go out there, without too much pressure on yourself and show us what you do.
Dance with heart and you will all be winners.
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