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.

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 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.

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

Judges Score: 5+7+7+7=26

Our Score: 6 

Read our full review 

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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 

Judges Scores: 9+9+10+10=38

Our Score: 8

Read our full review 

Anneka Rice and Kevin Clifton

Judges scores 2+3++3+3=11

Our Score: 3

Read our full review 

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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

Judges Scores: 6+8+8+8=30

Our Score: 6 

Read our full review 

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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

Judges Scores 8+8+8+9=33

Our Score: 8

Read our full review 

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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

Judges Score: 6+8+8+8=30

Our Score: 6 

Read our review

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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

Scores 7+7+8+8= 30

Our score: 6

Read our full review

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The judges have ranked the Charlestons in the following order:

1. Kelvin Fletcher and Oti Mabuse = 38 points

2. Alex Scott & Neil Jones = 33 points

3. Joint place between Catherine Tyldesley and Johannes Radebe, Emma Weymouth and Aljaž Škorjanec Mike Bushell and Katya Jones = 30 points

4. Chris Ramsey and Karen Hauer = 26 points

5. Anneka Rice and Kevin Clifton = 11 points

Do you agree with the scoreboard so far? and will anyone beat Kelvin and Oti?

Strictly Review: Mike Bushell and Katya Jones

After last week’s shock exit, and Will Bayley’s departure due to injury, we saw the nine remaining couples take to the dance floor on Saturday night. TV presenter Mike Bushell and his dancer partner Katya Jones 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. What made it worth the save? It was praised by Craig and Motsi for being "more entertaining" and "more challenging" but do you agree?

The routine is set around the two of them being ‘Hot Air Ballon Pilots’ (If that is the correct terminology?!) and the routine starts with Swivels, Box Step and a Cartwheel style Kick from Katya. At 0:33, there is a nice lift and some stylised movement where they pretend to be aeroplanes. The section is very crisp and put together nicely.

They get into hold at 0:49 with skips around the stage, a handstand from Katya, Heel Rises and Truckin’. They continue with more Charleston content including: Scissor Jumps, Helicopter, Swivel Walks in Hold and a Penguin step whilst turning.

From 1:30 mins they perform the basic Charleston step, Pushes and a final lift until Katya runs back to her hot air ballon for the final pose whilst Mike does some Wings then a end position.

This routine is full of content and compared to Emma and Alijaz’s Charleston routine last week, it’s much more dynamic. The choreographer Jenny Thomas put loads of great steps in including: Truckin’, Helicopter, Pushes and some quirky lifts. In terms of choreography it’s one of the most content rich so far. The music was in keeping with the style and the costumes were very nice too.

Mike has no dance experience and he obviously worked very hard. He put a lot of character into this one and uses his face well. In regards to the dance-off it was a more interesting routine to Emma and Ailjaz. Unfortutetly, the public are a bit ‘Anti-Mike’ due to last weeks dance-off but I do agree it was fair to save him over Emma.

In terms of areas to improve, Mike needs to work on being more relaxed when he dances so the movement flows more. The routine did look a bit like he was plodding through the steps so if he could try and be lighter on his feet it would hopefully make the transitions within the routine more fluid as it come across like they blocked each section but a good try from a complete beginner!

Scores 7+7+8+8

Our score: 6

For a quick comparison, here is Pasha and Kimberley dancing to the same song back in 2012.

Strictly Review: Emma Weymouth and Aljaž Škorjanec

Strictly Come Dancing spook-tacular Halloween Week special aired last weekend and the latest couple to take on the Charleston was Emma Weymouth and with professional dancer Aljaž Škorjanec. Scoring a total of 30 was this fair or overmarked?

The dance was set in a library and the theme was Cluedo. Emma dressed as Miss Scarlett and Aljaž as Professor Plum.

The routine begins with Aljaž popping out a bookcase and they greet each other with a few Runs, Step Points and a Tick Tock.

They break into 3 Charlestons with various arms at 0:34 followed by a series of lifts. In hold they move into Sailor Kicks turning around each other then Flapper Walks.

At 1:07, they go back to the Cluedo theme and fight over a candlestick followed by some Flapper Walks at 1:14. Judge Craig Revel Horwood commented that this move was supposed to be a  Truckin’ Step but it didn’t look anything like that. I think it was just supposed to be walks.

For the final section, Emma spends most of it in the air with lots of trick moves and lifts. The routine finishes with Aljaž disappearing back through the bookcase.

This routine was well rehearsed and the pair gave a polished performance. Emma had plenty of swivels, danced in time and is very neat when she performs. I think she needs to go the extra mile now and become more playful as it was very controlled and a bit posey. 

In terms of technique, her movement needs to be continuously, without stopping so the dance flows a bit better. It came across and a bit stop/start.

Choreography could have been more dynamic. They were a few Charlestons and travelling steps but there was not that much Charleston content. I couldn’t find online who choreographed this but it can get a bit boring watching lift after lift and it’s a shame not to have more interesting footwork. 

The music they picked was from the Great Gatsby Soundtrack but it didn’t work very well with the theme of Cluedo. It seemed more like a party number rather than Halloween themed and all the elements didn’t quite come together.

Emma Weymouth and Aljaž Škorjanec received a score of 30 (6+8+8+8).

Our Score: 6 

Elena

Strictly Review: Alex Scott and Neil Jones

Strictly Come Dancing contestant Alex Scott with her professional partner Neil Jones leaped back up the leader board this week with their Charleston where head judge Shirley Ballas commented  “That was your best dance to date’’.

On Saturday night, the ex-professional footballer danced a Charleston to ‘Pump Up the Jam’, an Electro Swing cover by the Sicilian band Swingrowers. Choreographed by Jenny Thomas, the theme was a modern twist on the Charleston and included some great content.

Dressed in black and white the couple quickly got into their routine with Flapper Walks, Butterfly Twists and Heel Flicks followed by Charlestons facing each other with kicks. Before the lift there was a body isolation sequence where Neil made a mistake and momentarily forgets the routine at 0:39. However, they get straight back into with a lovely travelling Lindy Hop section at 0:47 followed by a Charleston, three Fall on the Logs, two Jumping Heel Clicks, Pushes and a Lock Turn. Compared to the other Charleston routines on the show we have already seen heaps of classic steps.

After the second lift at 1min they run onto the raised level where there is a mix of Charleston steps with a lift and some Hip Hop stylised moves which works really well with the music.

Once back on the floor, they carry on with a some Flapper Walks, a Forward/Backward Roll then back to their final position which mirrors the opening pose.

For me, this is the best Charleston of the series so far. Firstly, the costume, music, set design and lighting really capture a contemporary Charleston feel and sets the scene perfectly. Secondly, Alex obviously likes the song they have been given which gets her out of her shell and into character. She uses her faces, looking like she is having fun.  I often have used this song in class and is always a real crowd pleaser.

I also liked that they had some sections in hold when Neil moved Alex across the floor at 0:45 and it was jam packed full of great Charleston steps from start to finish. If they were to dance this again, I think Alex could exaggerate her movements more to match Neil and extend her arms so the lines are crisp and clear.  I think choreographer Jenny Thomas and her assistant Sean Moon did a fantastic job with his one. 

Shirly Ballas commented “Control from the beginning when you walked on stage to when you left it’’ and “ I have to say you have a lovely dynamic between you’’ Shirley went on to offer Alex and Neil a eight for their performance. 

Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse gave them the same and stand-in judge Alfonso Ribeiro scored them a nine.

Our Score: 8 

Elena

Strictly Review: Catherine Tyldesley and Johannes Radebe

Catherine Tyldesley, actress, with her professional dance partner Johannes Radebe danced their 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, but did it deserve 30 points?

Having done some research into the routine, this week’s choreographer was Jenny Thomas who specialises in Charleston & Lindy Hop. Coincidentally, she also choreographed Michelle Visage’s Salsa, so I was excited to see what she had put together for the couple.

The routine starts with Catherine having her nails done by Johannes with some arm movement. They both then take to the floor and bust out Flapper Walks, Charleston and a Lock Turn. From there, they quickly move into Cake Walk style steps and a lift. 

The next section is a bit random, and looks more like a ‘disco dance’ sequence until they break back into the Tick Tock and the Spank the Baby variation at 0:48.

After another Charleston, they dance a few sassy walks. At this point, Johannes is stealing the show with all his energy. He looks like he is about to break out into a fierce Vogueing (I wish he did!). They manage a Scarecrow at 1:08 mixed between disco moves and little Beyonce homage. Towards the end of the routine, we see Heel Flicks before it breaks into a Lindy hop style move with a lift and final pose.

I’m not really sure what to make of this routine. The theme and the Beyonce tribute were very clear. I loved all the attitude Johannes brought to the dance and it was very enjoyable to watch. However, in terms of content, it lacked a lot of Charleston basics and it barely had a single thing in hold. The Charlestons so far this series have very much been duets rather than partner dances and I would like to have seen more partner moves. I also felt they could have made the ‘disco dancing’ sections more stylised and included a few more classic steps.

The response from the judges was quite mixed. Motsi Mabuse was positive, commenting “You kept it up girl! Honestly, I was a bit worried, fast music, fast steps, really really energetic”. 

Meanwhile Craig Revel Horwood commented: “I thought the footwork was quite random and quite messy in places. The swivel was also haphazard.  “When you’re dancing next to Johannes is a nightmare because he is so sharp and on it. You can see the difference, you either need to tone it down or pick it up. 

“I know if you had a second attempt at that dance, it would be amazing,” he concluded. 

Catherine total score was 30.  A six from Craig, and three eights from Motisi, Shirley and Bruno.

Our Score: 6 

Strictly Review: Kelvin Fletcher and Oti Mabuse vs Anneka Rice and Kevin Clifton

Last weekend it was Movie Week on Strictly Come Dancing 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 whilst Anneka Rice and Kevin Clifton were voted off the show. Do you agree with the results and the scores? Let’s taken a deeper look at each dance.

First up, was Kelvin and Oti. Before I go into the critique of the routine and the actual choreography I would like to say that Kelvin is obviously a very talented dancer clearly with a dance background. They executed the routine perfectly with leaps of character. Out of all the themes from the night the routine, music and costume came together the best.

My niggle with this dance is that it felt more like a Couple’s Choice routine rather than a Charleston. This is not a criticism on the performers but the choreographer, Matt Flint, who didn’t include that much actual Charleston content.

If we look more closely at the routine, the first 25 seconds is scene setting. At 0:26, there are some Flapper Walks forwards then more scene setting and dancing around the lamp posts but they don’t break into their dance section until 0:54 and the first Charleston doesn’t happen until 1 mins which is quite a long time to wait. After the Charleston they go into a series of lifts followed by Charlestons to the front with jumps at 1:10. The only other classic Charleston moves we see are Bunny Hops at 1:25, a few kicks at 1:30 and at the very end a Hitchhike into a mini Boogie Drop with toe taps into flapper walks and cartwheel.

There are so many great Charleston moves you can use to travel around the stage, to dance in hold and on the spot that there was not enough content in this routine for me. It felt more like a Modern Jazz routine with a dash of Charleston. 

Judges: 9+9+10+10

Our Score: 8

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Moving onto Anneka and Kevin, this routine was far too fast for a novice dancer and she really struggled to execute the moves. The same choreographer, Matt Flint, opened the routine with a weird stick flight then they broke into the Charleston, Butterfly Swivels and Helicopters but she really struggled to keep up with the speed. After some more stick flighting, they break into a lindyhop style Charleston with some side-to-side Charlestons but she very stiff and uncomfortable throughout the whole section. There are some Bunny Hops in hold at 1:22 but Anneka loses steam at the end with the Butterflies next to the orchestra which precedes the final position.

Kevin is one of my favourite Strictly dancers and the critique is not of them but more of the production team behind it who gave her a weak theme, difficult music and a tempo which was too fast for her. Previous Charlestons on Movie Week have included for example Bugsy Malone which is much more in keeping with the style of Charleston so I think she got given the short straw which exposed her lack of dance experience.

Judges scores 2+3++3+3

Our Score: 3

Elena

Strictly Review: Chris Ramsey and Karen Hauer

Strictly Come Dancing is back and each week we will be taking an in-depth look at the Charleston performed on the show. First up is Comedian Chris Ramsey with his professional partner Karen Hauer. 

The storyline is of two neighbours, Chris who is in love with the girl next door Karen and he goes on a mission to impress her. The set is fluorescent houses and the routine music is to Take That’s ‘Out of our Heads’.

The routine begins with Chris jumping over his garden fence to greet Karen with a series of spins, Butterfly Swivels and Charleston kicks. The Charleston break comes in on the chorus with the pair facing forward with a basic Charleston, Lindyhop Charleston and a Tick Tock step.

After the wow moves of the lifts, the pair step into a Kick Charleston variation with a jump at 1:00 which is my favourite part of the choreography followed by Karen spinning on the floor and a nice side to side move together.

Chris follows this with a slightly strange cartwheel and then they repeat the chorus with the Charleston and a kick variation which was too hard for him. The choreographers should have cut this move as it doesn’t really work. The final move to finish the routine is another weird Cartwheel from him and a lift.

The strength in this routine is in Chris's personality, he is a comedian so the style of the cheeky chap suits him. He genuinely looks like he is enjoying himself and really trying to use his face.  He is not a particularly strong dancer but he exeutes most of the steps well. However, the more technical kicks at 1:23 should have been taken out as they expose him. The cartwheel also shows he is a bit wobbly on technique.

Although it was a bit clumsy in some areas there was some brilliant swivel and he is the one who has improved the most from week. There is also a nice storytelling, great set and costume. I was quite dubious about the music but works quite nicely and would appeal to a mass audience.

The next step for Chris to work more on the face and keep the energy up so it doesn’t look like he is lacking behind the pro. Our top tip for Chris is to be more relaxed when he dances so it doesn’t look too stiff in shoulders and his face won’t get frozen into one expression. Overall, very good effort especially as he is brand new to dancing.

Judges Score: 5+7+7+7=26

Our Score: 6 

Strictly Come Dancing: The Best & Worst Charlestons 2018

Last Saturday we saw the return of Strictly Come Dancing and we can’t wait to see whose Charlestons will have us swivelling with joy. In the run up to the 2019 show, let’s look back at all the best and worst Charleston routines from 2018.

Joe Sugg and Dianne Busell

First up was Joe Sugg and his dance partner Dianne Busell with their slightly bizarre Charleston which included them thatching roofs whilst dancing to 'Cotton Eye Joe' by Rednex. 

The judges gave him a total of 31 but was this overmarked or rightly deserved? 

He had plenty of energy and good stage presence so he scores highly for his performance skills but in terms of content it didn’t have that many fundamental steps in it. 

If we take a closer look there was only one Charleston in hold which was disappointing for a partner dance and the rest of the Charlestons were all solo. One 30s Charleston and 2 basic 20s Charlestons just before the barrel roll. The knocky knees were weak but the lindyhop section had nice movement. 

After faffing about with some ladders, there was only another basic 20s Charleston step, some helicopters and a couple of flapper walks which stood out as classic steps. Although there should have been more swivel, the lifts were great and they had great chemistry onstage.  

We would like to see more Charleston content and swivel throughout but that’s the choreography team who determine that and if they are looking for mass appeal it seems to have worked judging by the fact it got a million views on YouTube in just 2 days.  

Our score: 6 

Lauren Steadman & AJ Pritchard  

Next to dance the Charleston was Lauren Steadman with her professional partner AJ Pritchard dancing to Postmodern Jukebox ‘New Rules’. For us this one really didn’t work us. We really didn’t understand the storyline for this one. What was the whole thing with the telephone box? It didn’t make sense nor did their acting. Again, there was only one Charleston in hold and then a succession of lifts which are impressive but didn’t showcase the style. 

Half way through the routine, Lauren goes back to the phone and does a little Charleston solo but after her insane one-handed lift she lost a bit of focus and goes wrong in the end which is a shame as the end section had the most interesting footwork. Overall, this was very much a lift routine and lacking basis content. The judges total score was 22.

Our score: 5

Graeme Swann & Oti Mabuse

Let’s start with Oti’s solo at the start whilst they detached Graeme from the wires. She starts with some perfect flapper walks into a high kick Charleston variation into some Charlie Chaplin legs followed by a sort of Shorty George step and then greets Graeme with a basic Charleston, followed by a turning trucking step -  within in first 40 seconds every move has been a classic Charleston step which is refreshing to see.

From there, Oti jumps head first at Graeme and comes straight into a partner Charleston, followed by bunny hops. It’s so nice to see them in hold as last week both couples nearly danced the whole thing as a duet rather than a partner dance.

After a bit of silly faces (which we always like to see) there are some Charleston variations with kicks followed by two huge lifts that Oti lands perfectly. Again, straight after the lifts they go into another nice section in hold and come out of it with a Sailor Step (not sure if Graeme was supposed to let go of her hand here) into Squat Charlestons, Flapper Walks and a Fall Off The Log. If we are being picky this should have more bend in the legs but overall it was packed full of great steps and ended with a another great lift which they hold right to the end. 

This routine was choreographed by the main Charleston choreographer Jenny Thomas as compared to last week and you can really tell as they content is much more rich and dynamic.

As always there could be a bit more swivel but overall Graeme and Oti did a great job especially as he a ‘non-dancer’ compared to say Ashely or Faye plus it was very entertaining.

Score: 7

Seann Walsh and Katya Jones 

For the first 20 seconds, they set the scene by faffing about with cheese until they start dancing. Once they get going, we see a basic 20s in hold, followed by some flapper walks. Katya seems to be counting out loud at this point and there is a tiny stumble at 27 seconds in. Did Seann accidentally pull her over?

They then move into a lindyhop section and break out of it with a helicopter at 42 seconds. The knees are not closed here nor is there any swivel on the supporting leg which are vital for this move.

We then see some impressive lifts from Katya and we jump straight back into another lindyhop section and then into rather weird lift where she climbs up his back. We’ve not see this in any style so we are not really sure what genre that is from. It also breaks the flow of the dance. Maybe they were just looking for unsexy moves to perform in their Where’s Wally outfits? 

 Seann does get a little Charleston solo break, which he mouths his counts and goes wrong. He looks very stiff in this section.

Once they chuck the pizza boxes in the air, it’s back to the oven for some some more faffing followed by a Charleston Around the World and 3 lifts. The final one looks a bit wobbly and the transition into their final position is not very smooth, in fact they don’t hold their end position.

Overall, this routine had some nice elements but it was very unpolished and messy. We see them falling over, mouthing counts and in terms for content compared to last weeks Charleston we barely see them in hold and only see classic 20s Charleston and a helicopter. 

Score: 6

Ashley Roberts and Pasha Kovalev

Ashley and Pasha received a standing ovation from not only the audience but also from Bruno Tonioli and head judge Shirley Ballas after their “swivellious” Trolls-inspired routine. Bruno even exclaimed it was the highlight of the season so far. But what made it so good and stand out against the other Charleston routines we have seen so far?

First of all, the pair are great at setting the scene. Pasha, the troll, puts a spell on Ashley, a Bergen, to get her to fall in love with him. She executes the flapper walks and isolation steps of being under a spell perfectly. (If you are unclear of the reference, the characters are based on the Disney film Trolls).

Once the spell has been cast they break into Helicopters, Rock Steps and Charlestons in perfect sync. We see some other nice classic steps at 0:51 seconds where Ashley performs Camel Walks, Birdie Flaps, Lock Turns and Swivels on one leg which then goes straight into Charleston kicks across the body with two Bunny Hops. This is followed by Charleston in hold and a nice turning section. The whole section is jam packed and they keep going with great content as this is followed by Flapper Walks, a Basic Charleston with a kick and some lifts. 

As soon as they break out of the lifts, they perform two Smack the Babies and some classic Pushes and another seamless lift. Towards the end of the routine, they bring it back to the storyline where Ashley then tries to cast a spell on Pasha this time which leads to them throwing the spell book away and them being happy little trolls in love which each other.

What we love about this routine is the story and the choreography are perfectly put together. Sometimes the storylines are quite loose and don’t make sense but this one was clear and beautifully presented. It was also very fast, full of content and the pair of them were perfectly synchronised. Ashley is also the first celeb who has mastered the art of the swivel.

The only drawback to this routine is the music. The tune is so annoying that it distracts from the routine and If they had used something with a bit more swing, we could have seen some even more complicated steps with the use of cross phasing and syncopation which would have made it stand out even more. However, we are being picky and as this is a family show, I’m sure lots of kids loved the Disney reference and the music.

Our Score: 9 

Charles Venn and Karen Clifton

This routine was 'No Diggity' remixed by Minimatic. For once we did like the music, as this a great tune for an Electro Swing Charleston! The theme however was a bit weird,  two cheeky windows cleaners without much purpose. It wasn’t really clear why they picked that for their theme. 

After a bit of cleaning and getting in to character they broke into a basic Charleston at 26 seconds followed by some flapper walks and a lock turn. After throwing the hankies away we see a Tick Tock which leads to Charleston side to side in hold, a classic Lindy Hop move. This step had a nice variation with a turn which broke into a Truckin’ step at 45 seconds.

The next section wasa series of ‘wow’ moves. A one handed cartwheel and some complicated lifts which then went back into hold, followed by a Fall on the Log variation.

Charles brings a bit of a hip hop style to his Charleston and has a lot of control which worked well with the song. However, he did look quite nervous during this performance which is a shame as he is a great dancer and has been underrated in the show.

The next most dynamic part is at 1:25 mins with the scarecrow sequence, followed by Knocky Knee variations and a series of lifts to finish.

For the most part we did enjoy this routine, however we would have liked more steps in hold. It felt a bit more like a duet rather than 1920s partner dance. On the other hand, we really liked the song choice, we like the hip hop/Charleston fusion that Charles brought to the dance and as a pair we think they have great charisma on stage. If he were dance it again, we would like him to loose some of the tension in the upper body as it was quite stiff.

Our Score: 8

Faye Tozer and Giovanni Pernice

Faye and her partner Giovanni Pernice scored their first perfect 40 for their quirky Charleston set to ’Lonely Goatherd’ from the ‘Sound Of Music’, which saw them transformed into a pair of puppets. The judges gave them top marks and Darcey said it was ‘Stunning to perfection’.

We first see the pair after the curtains open on the puppet stage and they perform a sequence of isolated steps which included the puppets coming to life. There was a mini Tick-Tock on the spot and some flicks which were on the off-beat (which is Charleston perfection and quite rare to see on the show).

At 34 seconds, they break into basic Charleston, and flicks on both the right and left leg whist they untangle themselves from the puppet strings then flapper walks into the centre.

After covering the floor with some skipping (not sure why that move was picked, presume they felt it was in keeping of the theme) they come into a loose hold at 58 secs for a quick series of kicks, turns and lifts.

1:12 mins they come into two Scissor Kicks, a Birdy Flap (made iconic by Charleston Queen Jospehine Baker) followed by basic Charleston and Helicopter. Faye is the first celeb this series to do the helicopter correctly with her knees together. They quickly move into Charlie Chaplin legs and Trench Walks followed by another series of lifts.

At 1.30 they break into a nice turning sequence with the other extra dancers on stage followed by two high kicks from Faye and a series of Wings (which you would usually see in Tap).

The routine ends with another skipping and lift sequence which brings the pair back into the centre of the stage to finish with one more Charleston and a scarecrow pose.

The routine is very intricate and capture lots of Charleston characteristics including flexed feet and flat hands. They are also the only pair this season to clearly dance the off-beat and syncopation which is a key element of this genre. Although they were quite upright, which is a little strange for a Charleston, they were meant to be puppets and they kept in character throughout. It might have been nice to have seen some basic Charleston in hold but as a duet it was perfect.

The music worked really well too (although it was quite annoying!) Also well done to the singer who pulled that one out the bag.

The routine was choreographed by Jenny Thomas who did a fantastic job!

Score:9 1/2 (just because of the song choice).

Stacey Dooley and Kevin Clifton

In the Strictly Come Dancing 2018 semi-final Stacey Dooley and her professional partner Kevin Clifton performed an authentic 1920s Charleston routine. This is the stand out Charleston for the series for so many reasons.

Let’s start with the music, this is the first tune of the year which is actually a proper Charleston track. The piece of music chosen was ‘Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue’ (one of our favourite jazz standards and our current course song!) originally released in 1925 so the music really complimented the routine in capturing the Hot Jazz vibe.

Moving onto the choreography, the storyline is of an on old couple reminiscing of when they used to go out dancing back in the Roaring 20s and we see a flashback to them in their heyday.

From 21 seconds we see heaps of Charleston content: Flapper Walks, Tick Tock, Swivel Walks, Birdie Flaps, Cake Walks and Charleston Kicks all before their first lift.

After the lift, Stacey performs a series of heel flicks on the off-beat, bunny hops and and two Charlestons. Although we love the sequence, her eyes and faces does drop for just one moment and I feel you can really see her concentrating but it’s just a split second.

After their second lift, they come into hold and do a series of kicks and skips which break into Truckin’ and the Spank the Baby move followed by another set of Charlestons and Pushes.

At 1 mins 8 they break into Kick Charlestons and a series of low kicks, followed by a shimmy and a lift sequence. As soon as they come out of the lifts they perform a set of Suzy Qs and Helicopters (and they have their knees together!).

After their final lift, they run back to the armchairs and we come back to the present day. 

This routine really worked on so many levels as it really captured a 1920's flapper-style Charleston. It has also been the only routine of the whole series to use only classic 1920s steps. Although Faye and Giovanni had a great routine too, the traveling moves where not authentic whilst this routine was jam packed from start to finish.

We also love Stacey and Kevin’s partnership and that he threw so much into the routine (I believe we choreographed this one). He is a great teacher who really brings out the best in Stacey. She was a complete dance novice and her spirit really shines in this number. The pair of them together have great stage presence and bring plenty of entertainment to the show.

If they had a bit more time to work on the routine, we would only say that Stacey needs to keep her eyes up and relax her shoulders a little but natural slightly ungainly style fits this routine. However, She smashes the syncopation which is really hard for a beginners and trained dancers. She is also brilliant at doing the swivel which again is very hard to master as a novice.

Score: 10

So there we have it all of the routines from 2018. Which was your favourite and who do you think will do a great Charleston this year? Let us know in the comments below!

Elena