We are now halfway through the Strictly Come Dancing competition for 2022 and last Saturday, Para-Olympic Swimmer Ellie Simmonds and Professional partner Nikita Kuzmin took to the stage dancing the Charleston to the jazzy tune, “Too Darn Hot” from the musical Kiss Me Kate.

Watch their full routine here:

However, despite the couple scoring a highly respectable score of 33, Ellie and Nikita were the sixth couple to leave the competition. This, in turn, caused an uproar across the Strictly Fandom with many believing, “The wrong couple went home.”

Do you think the couple deserved to remain in the competition, or were you in agreement with the overall decision? Let’s take a closer look as to many felt this way…

With both Ellie and Nikita dressed in their finery, the routine opens with Ellie flamboyantly wafting a feathered fan; therefore, perfectly encapsulating the vibe of a 1920s Cabaret act.

After a few moments of momentary wafting, Ellie breaks into a solo piece consisting of basic 1920s Charleston Swivels; she then sassily saunters across the stage to meet Nikita where further kicks and flicks are performed.

At 0:22, we see the first of many lifts which is shortly followed by a brief section in hold, further Charleston Swivels, a Kick Charleston, and another lift-which was highly appreciated by the audience as one member commented on how, “[Her] agility in those lifts is just amazing!”

At 0:49, the pair go on to complete a series of Kicks, Silly Runs, and Bunny Hops in perfect synchronisation which further establishes the idea that Ellie really has put her heart and soul into this dance.

Nearing the end of the routine, Nikita throws Ellie upside-down as the pair complete a series of complex lifts before they return to Truckin’, repeated Jumps, and Swivels- also perfectly in time with the music.

The pair then have just enough time for a few more Kicks, Flicks, and Jumps before Nikita flips Ellie into their final pose- which results in a cacophony of noise from the audience.

Overall, I though this routine was well thought out and well executed by both. The choreography, although appearing basic, contained a sufficient number of Flips, Tricks, and Lifts to keep the audience entertained. However, there wasn’t quite enough Charleston content for me as I kept waiting for moves such as, ‘Check your Nails,’ ‘Apple Jacks,’ and ‘Side-to-Sides’ to really make it scream ‘Charleston!’ I also thought that Ellie’s basic Charleston step could do with a little more Swivel Action and I was surprised that this was not picked up on- especially by Craig. It appears I was not alone in thinking this, as one Critic also thought that “There [wasn’t] enough energy or exaggeration and the technicality of each move [lacked] finesse.” However, it also has to be said that many others really enjoyed this routine and, “Loved her musicality and performance.”

As a result, the Judges comments were mostly full of complimentary praise for the couple as Head Judge Shirley, “Loved it” and felt it was, “Heartfelt and had the wow-factor that every good Charleston should.” Motsi was also ecstatic in her response as she stated that, “[Ellie has] raised the level […] and really put [her] heart onto the dance floor.” Although Craig was slightly critical of Ellie’s footwork, overall, he also thought it was, “Incredible.”

However, despite Ellie and Nikita receiving their highest score of the series so far, it was not enough to save them as they found themselves defeated in the Dance-Off against Molly Rainford and Carlos Gu. In her final speech, Ellie mentioned how she would now be, “Dancing forever” which reinforces the inclusive nature of dance and how much of an everlasting, positive impact it can have on someone’s life.

Scores:

Craig Revel Horwood – 7

Motsi Mabuse – 9

Shirley Ballas – 8

Anton Du Beke – 9

MyCharleston – 7

If you’re now feeling inspired to channel your own inner 1920s Flapper, why not check out our Charleston adult dance classes

Or head over to MyCharleston’s ‘Move of the Week’ and get those feet swivelling to transport you back to the 1920s…

Charleston Move of the Week - YouTube