Danny Mac and Claudia Fragapane top Strictly Come Dancing leader board for week 3 while Ed Balls is bottom
Meanwhile Ed Balls and Naga Munchetty are failing to find their stride as they languish at the bottom...
THE third round of Strictly Come Dancing saw the remaining contestants take on Movie Week.
However not all performances were deemed blockbusters by the judges.
Daisy Lowe and Aljaž Škorjanec performed the Quickstep to Spoonful Of Sugar from Mary Poppins
Len thought Daisy pulled out all the stops – it had hold, posture and movement. Bruno thought Daisy was light on her feet, and the dance had real elegance. Craig wanted more precision. Darcey loved the neatness of Daisy’s footwork, but her upper body needed to be more taut.
Scores: 7,8,8,8 – a total of 31
Anastacia and Brendan Cole danced a Viennese Waltz to A Thousand Years by Christina Perri.
Bruno thought it was sweet and simple. Craig thought her shoulders were up and she was losing balance, but Anastacia has come back with an enormous sense of confidence. Darcey thought it had a beautiful style from start to finish, while Len hailed it quiet and understated, with real class.
Scores: 6,7,7,7 - total of 27
Danny Mac and Oti Mabuse performed the Paso Dpble to The Train/El Sombero Blaco from The Mask Of Zorro.
Craig thought the timing, shaping and lines were excellent – absolutely wonderful to which Darcey agreed. Len raised eyebrows referring to Danny as “the gay blade” with all of his swashbuckling moves, while Bruno thought it was everything that a Paso should be.
Scores: 9,9,9,9 - total of 36 and the highest of the series to-date
Lesley Joseph and Anton du Beke danced the Quickstep to A Couple Of Swells from Easter Parade.
Darcey and Bruno loved how spirited and cheeky it was. Len praised the proper Quickstep content while Craig thought some of the footwork wasn’t compact enough, but it had amazing energy.
Scores: 6,7,7,7 – a total of 27
Will Young and Karen Clifton performed the Salsa to Jai Ho from Slumdog Millionaire.
Len loved the Bollywood theme, but said he would have liked more Salsa. Bruno enthused how joyful it was, he thought it was wonderful. Craig thought there was plenty of Salsa and adored the mix. Meanwhile Darcey thought the lifts were strong and effortless, and loved the mix of the two styles.
Scores: 8,8,7,8 – a total of 31
Naga Munchetty and Pasha Kovalev danced the Tango to the theme from Mission Impossible
Bruno thought Naga looked the part, but stumbled and lost focus. Craig thought the footwork was sloppy, but he loved the mood. Darcey saluted the intent and drama, but agrees with Bruno about Naga’s loss of focus. Len thought it was Naga’s best dance to date, but said he felt she still needs work.
Scores: 5,6,7,7 – a total of 25
Judge Rinder and Oksana Platero performed the Charleston to Meet The Flintstones
Craig thought the ghastly gaping mouth came into its own, but loved the energy. Darcey enjoyed the crazy caveman, but would have liked to see more swivel. Len thought it was entertaining, but there were a few mistakes. Bruno thought Rinder hammered the Charleston, but the timing was extinct.
Scores: 7,8,6,6 – a total of 27
Ore Oduba and Joanne Clifton danced the American Smooth to Singing' In The Rain
The judges were in agreement that it was a charming a delightful performance from start to finish offering great footwork and bags of style. Ore was warned to watch out for his free arm.
Scores: 8,9,9,9 – a total of 35
Laura Whitmore and Giovanni Pernice performed the Salsa to Rhythm of the Night from Moulin Rouge
The chemistry between Laura and Giovanni was undeniable. So much so, that Len found it all a bit too raunchy for his liking. However he praised Laura for her ability and really going for it. Bruno declared it one of the best Salsa's he had ever seen. Craig and Darcey were less than impressed however griping about loss of control and a bit too much going on.
Scores: 7,7,7,9 – a total of 30
Greg Rutherford and Natalie Lowe danced the American Smooth to Everything I Do (I Do It For You) from Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves
Len loved the chemistry between the pair with Bruno comparing the sporting hero to Prince Charming. Darcey praised their lifts, but felt the rest of the their moves needed work. Craig agreed on lack of technique, but loved the storytelling.
Scores: 8.8,8,8 – a total of 32
Claudia Fragapane and AJ Pritchard danced the Charleston to You Give A Little Love from Bugsy Malone
Craig thought it was technically brilliant, and Darcey agrees - the dance was made for Claudia. Len thought it was a marvellous combination of clever choreography and slick tricks, and Bruno agrees – amazing to see Claudia acting and she’s a great dancer.
Scores: 9, 9, 9, 9 - a total of 36
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Tameka Empson and Gorka Marquez performed the Tango to The Heat Is On from Beverly Hills Cop
Darcey loved the intent and attack, but she would have liked the transitions to be crisper. Len loved the focus, but Tameka’s posture needs lifting. Bruno thought it was a good job done well – great commitment from Tameka despite the posture issues. Craig though Tameka’s hand position was variable but she covered the floor brilliantly.
Scores: 6,7,7,8 – a total of 28
Ed Balls and Katya Jones danced the Samba to Cuban Pete from The Mask
Len loves the anticipation of Ed coming out every week – he’s not the best dancer but he’s the most fun. Bruno gave the performance bags of impact, it was complete lunacy but it was wonderful. Craig can’t believe what he just witnessed – it was devoid of any Samba bounce or technique, but he sold it brilliantly.
Scores: 4,6,7,7 – a total of 24
Louise Redknapp and Kevin Clifton performed the Cha Cha to the theme from Flashdance
Bruno loved Louise’s moves and finally seeing what she’s got. Craig loved the rhythm, needed more hip action but he loved the routine. Darcey thought it really suited Louise, and she looked much more confident. Len thought it was sharp, crisp and clean, and he’s had a fantastic night.
Scores: 7,8,8,8 – a total of 31
