It was semi-final time on Strictly Come Dancing in week 11 with the pressure increasing on the five remaining celebrities as the final beckoned. With two dances to learn this week it was a challenge for them all.
Kimberley Walsh and Pasha Kovalev seized their chance by dancing an almost perfect semi-final to top the leaderboard . Kimberley was closely followed by Denise Van Outen with Dani Harmer in third. Louis Smith and Lisa Riley were in the bottom two after the judges scores but who knows how the public vote will go. Lisa needs to be out of the bottom two overall or she is definitely going home.
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Dani Harmer and Vincent Simone opened the show with an American Smooth to Michael Buble’s “I just haven’t met you yet”. A good start to the semi-final but a score of 34 at this stage is steady rather than spectacular.
Len: “The more I see you dance the more I like what I see. Fabulous”
Bruno: “You carry on like this and your wish may come true. Good attention to technique”
Craig: “Lovely heel turn but hand position needs attention. You danced it beautifully”
Darcey: “A lovely quality, very elegant and sweet clean footwork. A bit safe“.
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Louis Smith and Flavia Cacace performed a Jive to “Why do fools fall in love?”. It brought the audience to their feet but the judges were not so impressed. A score of 31 gave him a lot to do in their second dance.
Bruno: “You’ve got the performance aspect worked out. Not as clean flicks and kicks as I would like to see”
Craig: “When you do snaps they need to snap. They were too soft and laid back”
Darcey: “It’s a fun routine and you are performing it so well. As you are supple it looks a little soft”
Len: “This didn’t cut it for me. Too casual. It lost speed. The quality if dancing wasn’t that good”
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Denise Van Outen and James Jordan’s first dance of the night was a Tango to the Police classic “Roxanne”. The second standing ovation of the night and this time the judges were more positive. A score of 39 gives them a great start in the semi-final.
Craig: “It got off to a flying start and it did not stop there. Brilliant. A little bit of gapping. A fantastic fantastic dancer”
Darcey: “The attack you have is extraordinary. So clean. A little bit of a bent leg in one of the many kicks”
Len: “That was a proper Tango”
Bruno: “That Tango was fantastic”
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Kimberley Walsh and Pasha Kovalev performed the American Smooth to the Peggy Lee classic “Fever”. After their perfect score last week it was going to be hard to match it. The audience were again on their feet for the routine and the judges scored it at 38.
Darcey: “I loved this. You are like a true film star. Some lovely detail there. The turns were difficult and you did them well. I am well impressed ”
Len: “I got a bit of fever there. For me I would have liked more of the dance to be in ballroom hold.Other than that it was fantastic ”
Bruno: “It was an American sex bomb. Rita Hayworth at her hottest. The way you interpreted the music it was fantastic”
Craig: “I would put that routine straight on stage in one of my shows. It was just great”
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Lisa Riley and Robin Windsor were the last of the celebrities to dance with a lively Salsa performed to “Best Years of our Lives”. It was fast and fun and totally out of control. The judges scored it at 31 and it left Craig lost for words! Well done Lisa.
Bruno: “It’s pointless making a technical assessment. I enjoyed it though”
Craig struggled to say anything as he was laughing too much
Darcey: “When something is that fast its great. You missed a couple of isolations but I love you”
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Dani Harmer and Vincent Simone had Vincent’s speciality, the Argentine Tango, as their second dance. This time they got the audience on their feet as they scored 38.
Len: “I loved the start. You captured the mood and you stole my heart”
Bruno: “You have become the lady of the night. Two bodies melting into one. Always clean precise and powerful”
Craig: “Incredible to learn all that. Spectacular”
Darcey: “ Your intensity and control was great. A very impressive performance”
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Louis Smith and Flavia Cacace’s second dance was the Foxtrot to “Somebody That I Used To Know”. After their lowish score of 31 in the first dance they had their work cut out to move up the leaderboard but a 38 did them no harm at all.
Craig: “I really did love it. Authority and drive. Your thumb was sticking up”
Darcey: “Thank goodness you’ve got it. Grace, quality”
Len: “You are the true sportsman. You get knocked down in one dance and you come back stronger. Well done”
Bruno: “Smooth, elegant, graceful. Back on top where you belong”
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Denise Van Outen and James Jordan danced the Rumba as their second dance to the Roberta Flack classic “First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”. It looked like a performance that should take them to the final and the judges scored it at 38 to take them to the top of the leaderboard with just two celebrities to go.
Darcey: “Your arms are beautiful with extension right through to the fingertips. Some moves were more romantic than passionate but it has beautiful feeling”
Len: “The final would not be a proper final if you are not there”
Bruno: “I was deeply moved by this Rumba. So beautiful and so well executed. A stunning dance”
Craig: “Absolutely fantastic story telling. Gorgeous. I loved it”
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Kimberley Walsh and Pasha Kovalev made their bid for a place in the final by dancing a Charleston to “Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machine. It was a crowd pleaser and the judges scored it at another perfect 40 to take Kimberley to the top of the leaderboard.
Len: “Everything you want to see in a Charleston”
Bruno: “Flying high. Looking good from every angle”
Craig: “Fab-u-lous.
Darcey: “Quirky and naughty. Straight legs on those three cartwheels was difficult. Loved it”
(Image courtesy of BBC)
Lisa Riley and Robin Windsor took to the floor on their American Smooth knowing the best they could do was fourth on the leaderboard. Dancing to “All that Jazz” from Chicago, Lisa was looking for a score of 38 or better but a 32 was all she could manage. It will take the public vote to keep her out of the bottom two and get her to the final.
Bruno: “Plenty of Jazz to make your pzazz. You give it plenty. A bit of a stumble here and there”
Craig: “I love love love what you do”
Darcey: “It does suit you. You are the next musical theatre star”
Len: “You are not always the judges champion but you are the peoples champion”
For full detail on the judges scores see Strictly Come Dancing Results.
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