Strictly Come Dancing treated us to Musicals Week last night. It was an evening full of sparkle and fun though it felt quite late in the competition for a theme week. We love Musicals Week and we felt a bit cheated only getting five dances.
We did though really love the Dance Relay Challenge at the start of the show, with the professionals and contestants all dancing one after the other to music from Mary Poppins Returns, Oliver, Half a Sixpence and more.
Though it did seem to be for entertainment only rather than affecting the judging, we thoroughly enjoyed it.
Musicals Week didn’t only bring the glamour of the West End to the Strictly dance floor. It also brought some BIG surprises and a shocking elimination. Proving that nothing is ever certain in this funny business we call ‘show’!
George brought the drama to Strictly Come Dancing Musicals Week
YouTuber George Clarke and his partner Alexis Warr opened the show with their Argentine Tango to music crom the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, Phantom of the Opera. It was a moody, atmospheric dance and the judges loved it.
“I loved the energy,” said judge Motsi Mabuse.
And George even got a message from the Phantom of the Opera himself – with a little help from composer Andrew Lloyd Webber.
All change on the leaderboard
After last week, George lost his position as favourite to win the whole competition, as former Lioness Karen Carney was tipped to lift the glitter ball trophy instead.
But that could change again because this week poor Karen and her partner Carlos Gu were bottom of the (admittedly very tightly fought) leaderboard after their Sweet-Charity-inspired, 60s-style Samba.
Karen scored a very respectable 34 points – two 8s and two 9s – from the judges. But at this stage of the competition that wasn’t good enough and she ended up bottom of the leaderboard.
Meanwhile Balvinder Sopal – the comeback queen – surprised everyone who predicted she’d be eliminated this week. She smashed her Greatest-Showman-inspired Viennese Waltz.
“I think I love you,” said an impressed Anton du Beke. “This was epic.”
Bal was so pleased with the judges’ comments that she burst into tears and earned herself a hug from 35 points. It was Bal’s highest score of the competition so far. And it meant she escaped the dance off this week!
Dance-off drama!
Instead, two of the strongest dancers in the competition had to face each other: West End star Amber Davies and Actor Lewis Cope.
This week Amber danced an impressive Charleston to Sit Down You’re Rockin’ the Boat from Guys and Dolls with her partner Nikita Kuzmin. The judges absolutely loved it and so did we. Amber scooped a perfect 40 and she was delighted.
One thing we enjoyed less was Tess and Claudia, plus Amber herself, making out she was just a big musical theatre nerd. As if she hasn’t just been announced as playing Elle Woods in the touring production of Legally Blonde next year. We all know Amber’s a West End star – why not just own it?
Anyway, Amber did (predictably) produce an amazing Charleston and she definitely deserved her points.
Lewis was the loser
We also really loved Lewis’s dance. As big musical theatre nerds ourselves we felt his dance really captured the feeling of West Side Story and we loved the whole thing. But the judges didn’t.
Head judge Shirley Ballas was especially damning when she said some bits were okay. Ouch! Craig Revel Horwood agreed, adding: “We’ve seen you dance better.”
Lewis got a strong score of 35, but it wasn’t enough to keep him out of the dance off.
He and Amber took to the floor again in an attempt to make it to the semi-final next week.
Motsi had the casting vote last night but it wasn’t needed. She and the rest of the judges all voted to save Amber and Lewis was eliminated.
We’re sad to see him go. Some of his dances in this competition will go down in Strictly history and it’s a shame he’s not going to back to dance again next week.
Let’s hope the semi-finals bring more drama!