Episode 44 Strictly - It Takes Two

Welcome to It Takes Two. It's Thursday and in store for you

tonight: We'll have the very latest training room updates from all of

our couples, an exclusive look at the weekend's frocks with Vicky

Gill. Plus, they've put Rumba-gate behind them, and with Musical Week

looming, the show must go on. Sophie and Brendan are here! They gave us a

top-quality Tango that took them to the top of the leaderboard. This

week they're hoping for an encore. It's Natalie and Artem! And always

worth a standing ovation, our First Lady of the judging panel is back,

it's Darcey Bussell! This is Strictly It Takes Two. Ly Come

Dancing Strictly Come Dancing ?

COMMENTATOR: From London, this is It Takes Two. Please welcome your host,

Zoe Ball. Welcome to It Takes Two.

It is Thursday. It means that time is running out for the couples to

perfect the routines before the opening night at Musical Week. Here

to premiere the glamorous gowns that the competitors are wearing it is

Vicky Gill. Hello my lovely. Now, Musical Week, does it mean as much

to you in the wardrobe department as it does to us? We are slightly over

hysterical and excited? It does! What does it mean.

We have to make sure that the musical is in reference to the dance

and the musical. So it has to suit the needs of the dance but adding

the Strictly sparkle and making sure it is lots of fun. And

performance-led. Is it a fun theme? Yes. We always

have a laugh. This week is no exception.

How do you combine the typical Strictliness to the frocks without

it getting too daft with the theme? We have to be careful. Otherwise it

would be a fancy dress. And we would be getting carried away and the show

would not be the same! We have to hold back and make sure that the

performance garment is really the lead so that they can do the

Quickstep or the Charleston or whatever that they are doing.

And still look brilliant. Right. Now, let's pull the rope here! I

think we have worked on this. Failure! Massive failure. Right this

looks incredible, who does it belong to? This is Iveta's cos tomb. I am

not sure but she is a lioness. So lots of feathers, lots of bounce and

fun in the routine. Lots of fringe which has not been trimmed yet.

Will Iveta make you trim that shorter? Probably. They like nice

long leg lines, so that will probably go up. And we have a tail.

There is a tail! ! He she gets to wag around. Does this mean that Mark

is to be dressed as a lion as well? Sort of... A big mane? Lots of

feather around the top of the chirt and a crown. Probably a tail by the

time we get to Saturday. He will look very cute.

Now, this is not really moonwalking but it is just a walk backwards.

Whose frock is this? This is beautiful.

This is Anya's Charleston dress. What we are trying to do is to adapt

the theme and the mood of the Charleston. It has the big puffy

sleeves. They are dancing to Chitty Chitty

Bang Bang. She is being Truly Scrumptious.

Yes. She may be a little scared of the

sleeves. Why? Well I think I would! But it is

a Strictly garment. Obviously it is the colour and the length not so

long as she is doing Charleston. Knowing Anya it will be energy

gettic and lots of tricks. And Patrick, what is he wearing? For

the guys there is a real mix of tone and fabrics. We will have tuition

feeds that don't strobe and colour combinations of chocolate browns and

pale greens. So exciting! Right, let's have a

look at Ola's dress. She is doing a Rumba. She is known for wearing cat

suits on the Rumba. What is it this week? Again with the musical theme,

the cat suit does not suit the role, but the trousers here are with a

little flare and a balloon shape to them. I'm sure that oil krar will

get to wear a cat suit in the coming weeks, but this is a bit of a cross.

I love how much is cut from the sides. Very exciting. This is the

material here. Yep, these are blue. There will be

more gold and silver linked in with this. So down the edging and down

the back, that will be very gold. And Ashley will be dressed as

Aladdin? He is I'm not sure if he will enjoy it.

He looks incredible. He had his chest out and looked great! I'm sure

it will be out. Susanna is doing a Quickstep with

Kevin. She is being Debbie Reynolds from Singing in the Rain. Singing

Good Morning. What about the dress? The dress is relevant to the tone

and the dress of the film. We have tried to use similar style lines but

longer as they are doing the Quickstep. I have chosen the

colours, purple, lilac and silver. Stunning. Quite an awesome week. Do

you make yourself a little cos tomb for watching the show with? That

would be telling! Great stuff. Give it up for Vicky Gill. Now, time to

look at the rave reviews and looking at who will could be panned by the

judges. We are dancing salsa. Latin is the least favourite. I prefer

being held. This will be a challenging week. I don't feel

confident or comfortable. The Latin dances you are out on your own and

wiggle the hips, it goes through me. I just can't do that step.

It is a Musical Week. It has to be so defined. I have to make sure that

A bhshgs bey has fun with all of the steps.

I will have to go out there and give it my all and be hopefully kept in

another week! This week I have the Rumba. .

The key elements in Rumba are the beautiful footwork. Lovely hips,

lufl arms and the passion between two people.

There must be the chemistry between the partners. With me, first. You

are losing the moment. We have a few trick steps. I need

Ashley's support. If he is not there for me, it will go wrong.

Because of the size difference, I am finding it hard to get as low as I

need to be. Don't do that. That looks like an old man. Do that.

The Rumba is going to be brilliant this week. I can't wait.

We are dancing the American Smooth. I'm really disorientated. It's the

same step, slow, quick, quick, slow. It is time to pay attention to the

smaller details instead of getting the steps right. We are at the stage

of the game, I know that I am being picky but... There is always an

element of fear and danger with any step, never mind a lift. It is

mainly being graceful throughout it. It is easy to be graceful with two

feet on the ground and in control to an extent, but when some of the

control is taken away from you it is harder to go with it.

All about being graceful! Please, welcome Natalie and Artem! Well done

you table-topping Tango people! And can I say congratulations to Lucky

the Chihuahua, who finally got it right and predicted you would be the

top. He is saved. Now, all of the judges were saying how pernickety

they would be, but Natalie you still got 37 when they were being

pernickety. How happy were you after the Tango? Slighted! I managed to

step through the dress. I will blame the dress, whether I stepped through

it or not. I will definitely go with the dress. It was a technical dance

for us, so I was delighted. I didn't notice you go wrong at all!

Camera angles. Nice pif outs at the beginning,

Artem. Showing off. Very good. How happy were you? The tango is one of

your favourites? Did you see how angry I was during that video? !

That is what you look like all the time! How happy were you? Very

happy. In the dangerous run it did not go well at all. So I thought, if

it is going to go like that, it will be a disaster, but I thought it went

well. So I was happy. Craig gave a list of criticisms, you

think but then he still gave you a nine. Would it be nice to start you

with something positive? He said he would be picky. I was braced for it

I didn't mind. I will learn from it. Were you miffed that he said it

lacked drama as an actress. I mean you were giving it your all! ! You

were probably scared of me. You guys have amassed 300 hours of

training since you started this. I think that is a round of applause.

Are you not sick of his little face yet, Natalie? ! I have gone through

sick and come out of the other end. After 300 hours, confusion still

reigns in the training room. Have a little look.

Think of it seven, belonging to the gowns. I am struggling to put it

together to make it make shens. I am confusing. I think that the

challenge is to have a concept. Facilitate the choreography to the

concept and facilitate with the judges for the kwoefy.

I don't know what I am doing? ! One, two, three, two, two, two, three. It

should be easy to get that, actually.

Should be easy, he says! Let's have fun, he says.

Clear as mud! Good. See? Perfect! I love the way we

understand each other! Now, American Smooth this week in Musical's Week

this is the first chance to tackle really big lifts. How are they

going? You saw it. They are still about there. I don't think they are

further from what you have seen already.

I know it is Artem's face, though! In this Musical Week, you have a big

song. Let's take a look... Brilliant! It is Artem's face it is

hysterical! If you could turn up the music! You are dancing to Dream

Girls. It is a big tune. It is a ? I am still deciding on how to do that

one. We are still working on Thursday! I

heard a rumour you had tried a trapeze to get you used to a big

lift? How did it go? I would rather throw myself off a 30-foot ledge

than do the lifts! It is that bad? ! Maybe throw yourself on to Artem and

see if he can carry you. I think throw in the trapeze and see

how they dance! Listen, good luck with the American Smooth. I love

that clip. It is my favourite clip. In a moment I'm chatting to

DarceBussell but first it is back to training for you all. With the big

night looming, will it be the final curtain, or will our judges have you

singing from the rooftops? This week is a Musical Week, we are dancing

Samba. It is a bounce action. I am doing the best for Iveta and going

for it. Through the ankles and the knees.

Snie I want to learn how to Samba. That is the joy. Learning the dance,

doing it the best you can. Finish with open legs. Keep the

frame. We are doing with the Latin, working with arm extensions. He is

doing it very well. I have the feeling he will do it very well.

I never taught that step! I will give it 100% and do the best that I

can. Left, right, left... We are dancing

the Charleston. The Charleston is a very quick

dance. People don't realise how quick it is. You have to make it

look effortless. Just a bit quicker than I

anticipated! It is a technical dance.

The one basic step repeats itself over and over again. It is a civil

in the footwork. We have to work at this, because that was a bit flat!

This dance must be big in every way. It needs to be quirky and fun. So

light in the eyes and a sparkle going, yeah, it is great! Oh, my

days! That that's great! Patrick that looks good. Time for a woman

who will always get top billing in our eyes. Not just because it is

Musical Week but because she is great. Please, welcome Darcey

Bussell. Give us a shimmy. I like the shoes. Look at those! Look at

those! And a lovely leg kick too. Welcome back.

Last week, a little bit of a dip in everyone's scores.

Oh, yes. Len, had had his say, what are you, Darcey Bussell, looking for

in the couples in the lead-up to the Final? Well, it is not just about

technique and getting it right, but it is the overall performance. They

have to act it, perform, they have to finish off everything

beautifully. I think that there should be no

fuzzy edges, but it is difficult now.

It is difficult. There are a lot of very, very good

ones. Really good but they are also

exhausted. We have lost eight, who do you miss on the dance floor on a

Saturday evening? I loved Deborah Meaden. There was a smile constantly

on her face all the way through. This is what the show is about. She

had no expectations of what she would be like. She was terrified and

then loved every bit of it. Admittedly, loving Robin. He is an

amazing teach efr. She wanted to learn every week. It showed.

And even though she's not here, she is still supporting the dancers.

Now, who are the front runners now and has it changed? For me I think

Natalie and Patrick were always on top from the beginning. I noticed

that natural ability. And he never shows nerves. That is an art. Even

if they were nervous, to be able to I'd hide it from the beginning, but

I think that they are strong. It is a natural ability to be able to

relax on the dance floor, when you are thrown something knew each week,

to be comfortable with the music. To listen to your professional partner.

Maybe it is the actors in them. Let's talk about Patrick. He

received his first and so far only 10 of the series from you for his

American Smooth. What stood out for you? I think that the style all the

way through. So in sink. They mirrored each other. It was a

brilliant piece of choreography. It was a joy to watch. So much in it

that he achieved. It was a shame at the end there was a fault with the

dress but even how they pulled it off, to save it, I was so impressed

with that. That is a really professional thing to do.

I loved you standing up to give them that ten.

The dance had everything. His personality came out. He is very

natural and musical. Which of the celebrities surprised

you or improved the most? It's difficult. So many have. Admittedly.

Susanna was the most unpredictable. Being a news reader, you don't

expect her to be a performer, but she is very comfortable to come out

and perform. To smile and pull things off and to hide technical

difficulties, but here she is stunning in this waltz. I think that

she has incredible confidence in Kevin. They are a beautiful

partnership. There is a little bit of magic when they get on the dance

floor, but I was surprised she can pick up the steps from the

beginning. She found that easy. I think she said she would write them

down to remember them but she has never gone wrong.

Let's not jinx her! The last time you said you loved Sophie's

Charleston and David's Cha Cha Cha. Which have you enjoyed lately?

Theres have been lots. Sophie's Quickstep in Blackpool.

That was beautiful. The glimpse of what she had with the clarl

Chancellor came back again. -- the glimpse of what she had with

the Charleston came back again. She flows and looks natural and of

course Brendan's choreography. He will come in and lick your face

in a minute. It works. She is unique with so much

ability and grace and elegance. It is refined. I really love watching

her dance. I want her to have more confidence in herself and to be more

showy. Maybe show off. Be a bit cocky about it.

Thank you very much. Enjoy the next Strictly. Our Musical

Week will be amazing. Darcey Bussell! We are all about bit

jazz hands here. Time for the final trip to the training room with each

of the remaining couples to ensure that their performances are more

West End than Dead End. This week it is Week and we are

dancing the Quickstep. A couple of issues, slide, hop, hop, slide.

You have a spring. The steps I get my head around and then we do it to

speed it is so quick, I'm surprised how quick.

It is getting there. She is working really hard.

I hate this step! Legs are still what we have to work on. You will

get it. It has steps in it which are

counterintuitive. So there are challenges in there. I will have to

keep my brain working faster than my feet.

This week Brendan and I are dancing a Viennese waltz. It is beautiful.

Very graceful. I really love Strictly. Now you have added the

extra layer of Musicals, that I also adore. I knew that the Waltz meant a

lot of spinning but wow, there are a lot of spins in it.

There are about 12 pif outs in a row. Really? ! The pif outs and

turns are definitely making me dizzy, but I also really enjoy it.

It is a fun feeling. I just don't know if I am doing it with flair. Or

just someone grinning like a maniac. Mreeshgs welcome Sophie and Brendan.

Hello, darlings. Congratulations on the beautiful Rumba. Some of the

moves were stunning. We will discuss the drama, but how was the

performance for you, Sophie, did you love it? I really did. From the

start the Rumba was the one I was a bit intimidated by. I have seen some

that is slightly freaked me out. And this one really didn't.

I think that Brentan's coffey is -- choreography is gorge you. --

gorgeous. I really enjoyed it. Well, what frustrated you the most

about the judges' comments? When bueno started going on about a

dirty, raunchy Rumba. For me that is misguided and understood and show as

lack of understanding of what we are trying to do. So to put 25 hours

into a dance and then for somebody else to be wanting something

different is frustrating. I think that Sophie danced the Rumba mrafsh

lousily. It was so beautiful and elegant and there was a chemistry.

For somebody to say there is no chemistry. It was like, hello, I

have just felt it. It is a frustrating thing.

I am not that upset about it. Well, the people at home, the

people, there are a lot of them were in agreement with you. Andrea said:

I loved it. It gave me goose bumps. They do talk rubbish some times.

And: Brendan is right. Why cheapen something so beautiful! Thank you

very much. Sophie, you mentioned how your

husband Richard likes that style of Rumba. Does he and your sons have

input to your dancing? Do they give you ideas? What do they make of your

beautiful dancing? They have been supportive. It was nice to watch the

Rumba without flinching. I knew that my dad and granny were watches at

home. It was intimate. It was nothing about it that was not that

intense. I have to talk with Richard, I get him to come in and

watch. He said it was a good Rumba. Strictly has taken over your whole

life, it does when you are a contestant. We have noticed you are

in your own Strictly world. You do feel you are in the Strictly

bubble. Sometimes of it is of happiness.

Sometimes it is a bit of misery. Where am I? What is happening? I

will be having a conversation with someone then, dancing, trying a

step. Whatever the song is, I am singing it all the time.

My eldest has a phrase for it, where he sees me doing this, he will say

I'm trapped in the Strictly world again. I am trapped in the Strictly

world! I am! Isn't that clever? ! I love how they do that. The VT team

are so great. The Viennese waltz, how easy is it to go were a Rumba to

a singing nun? Logical! Let's hope I don't put the raunch into this

week's dance. It is what they want. We should do it.

I am loving this. Musicals to me, they are synonymous with joy, so is

dancing and Strictly. So Brendan has to put up with me being year foric

to the brink of madness. Let's hear your music...

# Rain drops and roses and bright-coloured kittens... There is

a magic about this. On the staging week you want the massive impact. It

has this beauty and spinning around. It is lovely.

It is making me emotional. Will you be dressed as a nun? And will you be

Captain von Trapp? I want to be the Maria where she is dressed up on the

mountain-top. Good luck, Sophie and Brendan!

That's it for today. Thanks to all of my guests. Join me here tomorrow

where I will be talking to Patrick and Anya. Plus the Friday panel