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Strictly Review: Emma Barton & Anton Du Beke
The Strictly Come Dancing Final is now in touching distance and on Saturday night, we were treated to a spectacula evening of dancing. During the quarter finals Anton and Emma wowed the audience and judges with their Charleston. They scored 39 points for their Thoroughly Modern Millie inspired routine during Musicals week.
The Strictly Come Dancing Final is now in touching distance and on Saturday night, we were treated to a spectacula evening of dancing. During the quarter finals Anton and Emma wowed the audience and judges with their Charleston. They scored 39 points for their Thoroughly Modern Millie inspired routine during Musicals week.
Anton Du Beke and his partner Emma Barton have so far managed to avoid the dreaded dance-off, so did this routine reveal that they could go onto to win? With a near perfect score, let’s take a look at how Emma and Anton secured their spot in the semi final.
Playing the role as Mille, Emma started the routine in an office with Anton as a her boss. Emma sits at her desk with a typewriter and 4 backing dancers in the same position. She does Heel Clicks under the desk.
After some scene setting the dance breaks into action at 0:40 with a little Charleston run inspired by choreography from the musical followed by Charleston style flicks, the basic Charleston step, and Knee Slaps which leads into the pair coming into hold.
Once they hold hands, we see Heel Flicks, A Bunny Hop, Charleston with a kick and Flapper Walks. At 1:04 they break into a 20s style Fall off the Log where all flicks are performed on the syncopation. Emma then performs one of Jopshine Baker’s classic moves followed by Charleston Kicks and a Black Bottom. She looks much more at ease with the steps then Anton and shines as Millie.
After the lift she is placed on the table where she performs another set of Heel Flicks and ends the dance with Flapper Walks, Charleston variations with a brush step, more Heel Flicks and a final position.
In the judges comments, Bruno remarked that this was a classic 20s routine. I agree that this is the only dance this series which really captured the charm of the 1920s Flapper girl. The music, costume and theme all lend themselves beautifully to the dance and Emma performed the role perfectly.
The choreographer Jenny Thomas put together a great routine and also added some tricky timing which some of the other celebs have not managed to do with the Charleston.
If I were to be picky, Emma should have kept her knees together on some of the Heel Flicks and held her final position. However, she out dances Anton and is a joy to watch - hope she gets to the final!
Judges Score = 9+10+10+10
Our Score = 9
Strictly Review: Karim Zeroual and Amy Dowden
Strictly Come Dancing fans were fuming this weekend over Craig Revel Horwood's score for Karim Zeroual's Charleston. Whilst the other 3 judges were on their feet and scored him top marks, Craig’s decided not to dust off his number 10 paddle. Let’s take a deeper look, to why the rest of us felt it deserved top marks.
Strictly Come Dancing fans were left fuming this weekend over Craig Revel Horwood's score for Karim Zeroual's Charleston. Whilst the other 3 judges were on their feet and scored him top marks, Craig’s decided not to dust off his number 10 paddle. Let’s take a deeper look, to why the rest of us felt it deserved top marks.
The routine opens with Amy and 3 backing dancers gathered around an amusement arcade game where they win Karim. He is then lowered down from the ceiling via a novelty size grabber.
The choreography starts with Amy performing Flapper Walks, Spank the Baby and Heel Flicks whilst Karim is taken out of his harness.
Once he is on the floor they break into a jam packed, highly energetic routine. From 0:35, we see: Charleston around the Worlds, Scarecrows, Lock Turns, Fall off the Logs, Heel Flicks, 30s Charleston. This is followed by a solo by Karim who performs a 20s Charleston, Helicopter, Trench Walks, Kicks, Lock Turn and Jazz Splits.
He then moves into hold with Amy who dance 20s Charleston together with a wiggly head, a Lindy Hop variation step, a series of turns and single leg Swivels into Flapper Walks at 1:14. Next up are Tick Tocks, another set of Spank the Baby, a Scarecrow variation and a lift.
By the second chorus, the pair start the sequence with Side to Side Charlestons, Tick Tocks and Hitch Hikes and a Shimmy. They continue the routine with a Hail Mary and another Charleston Around the World in hold followed by a Side to Side Charleston also in hold.
After the final lift, Karim performs a final set of turns with Amy, a leapfrog and a final position.
This is by far my favourite routine of the series because of the excellent choreography. Jenny Thomas, the choreographer, has pack the routine full of fantastic content, including many Charleston variations we have not seen on the show yet, including Side to Sides and Around the Worlds. The steps must have been a real challenge to Karim and he mastered all the moves. It was also very brave of him to perform a solo around the professional dancers and he executes the routine to an excellent standard.
I thought the music choice was great, ‘Happy’ by C2C, and it worked really well with the steps. The costumes although very garish also fitted well with this fun themed routine which captured the joy and silliness of the Charleston.
Judges Score - 9+10+10+10
Our Score - 10
Strictly Come Dancing 2019: The best & worst Charlestons so far
We are now half way through Strictly Come Dancing 2019 and we have now seen 7 Charlestons on the show with only 4 couples left who have yet to perform one. As the standard builds, let’s looks back at the Highs and Lows of the Charlestons and who has the highest scoring routine so far.
We are now half way through Strictly Come Dancing 2019 and we have now seen 7 Charlestons on the show with only 4 couples left who have yet to perform one. As the standard builds let’s looks back at the highs and lows of the Charlestons and who has the highest scoring routine so far.
First up was Comedian Chris Ramsey with his professional partner Karen Hauer. The storyline is of two flirty neighbours set to Take That’s ‘Out of our Heads’.
Chris Ramsey and Karen Hauer
The following week was Movie Week and we were treated to not one, but two Charlestons. Actor Kelvin Fletcher and his dance partner Oti Mabuse scored an almost perfect score which included two 10s to ‘Trip a Little Light Fantastic’ from Mary Poppins. Anneka Rice and Kevin Clifton were voted off the show with their Kill Bill themed routine.
Kelvin Fletcher and Oti Mabuse
Catherine Tyldesley, actress, with her professional dance partner Johannes Radebe were next to Charleston to Beyonce’s hit single Single Ladies. Both wearing fuchsia pink outfits their performance was set in a nail bar with plenty of energy and sass.
Catherine Tyldesley and Johannes Radebe
Alex Scott with her professional partner Neil Jones leaped back up the leader board the week they got to dance their Electro Swing style Charleston to the track ‘Pump the Jam’ by The Swingrowers.
Alex Scott & Neil Jones
Strictly Come Dancing spook-tacular Halloween Week featured Emma Weymouth and with professional dancer Aljaž Škorjanec dancing a Cluedo themed Charleston to the song ‘A Little Party Never Hurt Nobody’ by Fergie.
Emma Weymouth and Aljaž Škorjanec
The final Charleston dance so far of the series was TV presenter Mike Bushell and his dancer partner Katya Jones who performed the Charleston to Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines by Ron Goodwin Orchestra. Although they ended up in the dance-off, the judges saved the pair.
Mike Bushell and Katya Jones
The judges have ranked the Charlestons in the following order:
Kelvin Fletcher and Oti Mabuse = 38 points
Alex Scott & Neil Jones = 33 points
Joint place between Catherine Tyldesley and Johannes Radebe, Emma Weymouth and Aljaž Škorjanec Mike Bushell and Katya Jones = 30 points
Chris Ramsey and Karen Hauer = 26 points
Anneka Rice and Kevin Clifton = 11 points
Do you agree with the scoreboard so far? and will anyone beat Kelvin and Oti?