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Continuing on (and giving me 5 minutes of respite from what I'm calling "this effing case study assignment"!) here's another one of my favourite freestyles..... a worthy successor to Drew and Cheryl's country themed freestyle!

It's by no means a perfect dance (there's definitely one spot in the lifts where he goes badly wrong) but it was fun, it was high octane and one of those routines where they just left it all on the dancefloor!

Donald and Peta's Freestyle

Time to start posting from this challenge again...... so here's one of the most beautiful showdances I've ever seen.....

Caroline Flack and Pasha Kovalev - Angels

When I started this, I had a rule for myself that I wouldn't post two dances in a row from the same pairing, as I wanted some variety and not have the list be too samey. 

And then this happened. 




Alfonso + Witney + "It's Not Usual" + The Carlton Dance = SHEER DANCE PERFECTION. 

I have lost count of how many times I've watched this - it's just an absolute joy to watch!

Seeing as it's Strictly Launch Day, it's past time that I revived this very neglected  series; and what better way to do it than with the winning showdance from my favourite couple the show's ever put together - the "Dancing Hobbits", Chris Hollins and Ola Jordan!!


This, to me, is everything a showdance should be - full of great moves, great song and most importantly, they looked like they were having so much fun!!

So after blubbing my eyes out to her routine this week (and that one is going to be included in this list, have no fear!!) the next item on the list had to include the first routine Karina ever did that made me cry (and as an avowed Team Maks supporter, this was a Big Deal)

JR & Karina - Rumba - If You're Reading This




I've rambled on about this many times before, so at the risk of repeating myself - one of the best male celebrity rumbas I've ever seen, coupled with gorgeous storytelling and real emotion.
Simply stunning.

Given that this music was re-used on tonight's programme for another Argentine Tango, I thought it was high time this dance made an appearance on the 100things list!

Mark & Karen - Argentine Tango - Goldeneye




THIS is how you dance an Argentine Tango. It's dark, it's moody, the legwork is all kinds of intricate but it is absolutely breathtaking. Ramprakesh looked every inch the gaucho, and himself and Karen just danced the hell out of this. Series 4 was the first time the AT was introduced into Strictly, and this is still one of the best ever. 

And because it has to be mentioned - I will forever adore Karen's reaction at the end - "Oh YES!!" - she knew they'd nailed it! (And she posted on twitter this week that she was sure the camera had panned back to Bruce when she said that.....)

or, how I spent my breaks today....

Kelly & Val - Contemporary Dance - Fix You

I commented on leobrat's journal that if they danced to Fix You, I would be thrilled. I would be weeping, but I would be thrilled. 

Right on both counts. 

This dance was amazing. Okay, it's not technically perfect (and given that Kelly is battling a fever, congestion and a broken toe, I'm amazed she can walk, never mind dance!) and given that none of the DWTS pro's are experienced in choreographing contemporary routines..... it is nonetheless amazing. The passion, the emotion..... I just loved it. 

Given that it's Strictly and DTWS season, I should be posting a lot more to this challenge!! So here's a brand new routine from this week that leobrat and I have been squeeing over.....

Kelly and Val's Paso Doble

This is just gorgeous - it's an old school, proper paso and she dances it brilliantly. (Though every time I watch it I want to shoot the director / camera operator who missed Val's appel - keep your eye out at about 1.14 on this vid and you'll see what I mean.)

But even allowing for that, it's just stunning. 




*points to shiny new icon* Why yes, I did spend rather a lot of time watching and capping the routine to make this icon. It's a hard life.....

Vincent and Flavia's Waltz to "Kissin' You", 2007

This dance by professional dancers Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace is just gorgeous and beautiful and haunting and it breaks my heart every time I watch it. Vincent and Flavia joined the show in 2006 and enjoyed mixed fortunes - he got all the way to the semi-finals with actress Louisa Lytton, while Flavia fared less well, exiting in week 3 when her partner Jimmy Tarbuck suffered a heart scare. 

The following year, 2007, saw their fortunes reverse - Vincent, dancing with Stephanie Beacham, was eliminated first (and earned my never-ending devotion when she declared to Brucie and Tess that she was delighted to be put out of her misery); while Flavia got all the way to the final, finishing as runner-up with Matt DiAngelo.

As well as being dance partners since their teens, they were also boyfriend and girlfriend. That is until Strictly season 5. Flavia and Matt quickly became a tabloid dream, there were heaps of rumours about their chemistry not just being confined to the dancefloor, and I definitely remember papped pics of them sitting across from each other in a diner, almost holding hands. Pretty soon, it was clear the rumours were true, and Vincent did an interview where he confessed they'd split. Tess Daly, who never met a showmance she didn't like, consistently brought it up in every backstage interview she did with the pair - including directly after the final, when she commented that she was sure they'd keep seeing each other (nudge nudge, wink wink) when Vincent was standing just a few feet away. 

They danced this exhibition waltz in the Week 9 results show, the split was common knowledge at that stage and you can see Vincent's heartbreak the whole way through this routine. (The fact that Flavia goes through the whole dance barely looking at him also speaks volumes).

Just gorgeous. 

So, after today's posts, there was really only 1 dance that I could put up for #2 - the freestyle that's still talked about 6 years later:

Drew & Cheryl's Freestyle - Save a Horse, Ride A Cowboy

This to me is everything that a freestyle should be - fast, full of content, and most importantly, FUN!!!

Here's the original dance in the finale:



And a better quality clip from when they reprised it in series 12: