Episode 54 Strictly - It Takes Two

With all our couples performing two routines in just two days,

we've locked them away for some intense training sessions.

Oh, wait a minute, Gleb, do you need a hand?

Live from London, this is Strictly - It Takes two. Please welcome your

host, Zoe Ball. We're with you, live,

for the next half-an-hour. The Strictly Glam Squad are here,

as we find out what's going on from the head,

shoulders to the knees and toes, knees and toes, with our

couples this weekend. And Robin Windsor does a routine

inspection with Janette. But, first up tonight,

with two routines to master, the heat is on in the training

rooms! Let's see how Kellie's American

Smooth is coming along. Our American Smooth is a foxtrot. If

any of you have seen Fred and Ginger in an old movie, that is our

routine. You are trying to do too much with

the hand. My fear is that of time to rehearse.

This is serious, two routines. Kevin reassures me it is fine. But I

am someone who likes to feel prepared.

I don't know how prepared I will feel this weekend.

Are you all right? That is a bit scary.

OK Fred. OK, Ginger.

It's not only our couples who will be flat out with the two

The Strictly costume department is going to be busier

than Craig Revel-Horwood during panto season.

Two looks for each couple this weekend.

How does this change your designs and ideas?

It is good, the Musicals Week is behind us.

Just two dancers. Charleston it needed to be short and

sexy. Like a swimsuit because of the era.

She didn't want read again. But we persuaded her. It intrigues

me because when we are using references, Lycra did not exist

then. So I am interested more in how they were constructed.

What was the reference? Kiss me Kate? That kind of feel, and

hourglass figure, construction, fit over the hip.

Would they have been wired underneath?

In part. Lots of shape. We will be trying to

cinch her in, give her a hip pad for shape.

What would you do without Lycra? She will look amazing.

It is stunning, very different for Kellie.

Her concepts have been different so she hasn't really embraced the

ballroom feel. She was excited this week to step into this.

The proportions look strange. We will sort out the skirt position,

you can see the stones running down. Tomorrow, we will move it. We

haven't forgotten. It is not pretty!

She will look stunning. That might go further down.

Maybe further up. Lots more feathers.

Can't wait to see what happens. This looks glorious.

Gleb requested hot pink. It will be nice to see hot jewel colours, the

combination will be good on her. There is a difference in the hem,

Kellie has a full boa, but these sections are small pieces... You

told me not to do it and I have done it.

She did it. What is. Single sections of ostrich

feathers glued individually and layered.

Movement will be beautiful. All this detail. Chevron detail,

Topaz, fuchsia stones, and going through the body.

And it will look gorgeous, she always does.

And, finally we have Georgia's cha-cha.

We have two red dresses on the show, it can't be helped.

We are running orange through the base. There will be fire opal, half

red, half orange. In the skirt, we may insert a little

bit of orange. Shape wise will be brilliant, this

section will be read and covered elastic so we don't get any

restriction. I love this lacing down the side,

amazing. One week to go. She is doing amazing

work. Best of luck for the

weekend, Vicky Gill! Now, we've already seen

Robin Windsor doing a routine But now, he's turning his attention

to another man. Thank you for joining me. We are

here to talk about choreography. You have been doing bringing the, how do

you start? For me, it is about the music which

guides me, the lyrics, even the melody. From there, I create the

story and concept and expression, the emotion.

That leads into the steps. I would like you to do two spins.

You come in with something on Monday and start teaching, and immediately

you think, it won't work, so it changes straightaway.

We don't have to spend. It would be nice.

I want something more explosive. Where'd you get your inspiration

from? Everyday things, if I see a scenario

which would be a good idea for a dance. I'd tap into my life, my

past. I old classics coming musical

theatre films. Gene Kellie, Fred Astaire, they are iconic.

What do you use for inspiration? This year, with Peter, he has this

pop star quality about him. All the routines I create a beam

call, whereas Jake. He was a big surprise. He was quite

silly, he didn't take himself seriously so our routines were

cheesy and funny. Then Julian, my first partner, I

don't know how to describe him. Full of sparkle.

I don't think he ever really learned the routines.

I am sure you have had many great movements with Peter, tell me your

favourite? Our Charleston.

That week was brilliant. Amazing.

The first time we did any lists, I love lists.

Because I am so small. You have no fear. I have seen you do

the craziest things in the world. Another one this series was the fox

trot, I drilled Peter on getting the right foot work.

I loved your footwork. You worked on that. Going back, from the heel.

He said, I did you proud. My biggest concern is storytelling.

You want to say hi, scared, but knowledge me.

I want to create a scene so the dance makes sense and at the

routines, we come back to how we began.

I like dancing a little, mini book. Hopefully with a happy ending.

Thank youth are telling me about your choreography.

Thank you. Earlier, we saw what some

of our Strictly stars will look like from the neck

down this weekend. But what on Earth is going

on from the neck up, Lots of condiments on your dancing

last week. How does this weekend's

two dances per couple For us, ideally you want to start

with the slower one because it is easy to add and to take away. Also

you want to complement both dancers and colours. You look at the dresses

and combine something which will work across both.

Tricky. Some are really soft, others are very lively.

Well, let's take a look at some of the looks we'll be

With the waltz, it is so beautiful. That is the only thing you can

describe it. Beautiful, glassy eyed, lots of lashes, lovely flick, glossy

lips. For the waltz, you can do that because the hair is up, otherwise

you get glass all over. It marks your face. You can go

glossy, beautiful, quite clean, not much later.

Soft hair, Platz at the back, braids. And take it into a wig.

Next up is Aliona's second look for her Charleston.

Lovely, soft hair, tighten it to her head with grips, a cap, and get this

on quickly. How quickly can you do that?

Quite quickly, I have an assistant. We are pulling pins out, working

together. We can turn it around quickly in five minutes.

The equivalent of a pit stop. Clear, you go. We do dress run it.

Especially for special days like the semifinal and final when we have

four changes, we have to work quickly.

How will you change her make-up for the second?

Beautiful and soft. Then stronger on the icon and a really dark lip.

Smoky eyes. With letter. We work really well

together. When I am in the middle, I say when second, then she will put

the wig on, then I carry on. Do you knock each other out with

your elbows. Vicandi hard when you are putting

make-up on the rise. This if you would like to come with

me. Over here, we have a special

guest waiting for us. She is wearing Georgia's looks

for the weekend. Half of her face is her cha-cha,

and half is her Viennese waltz. Look at that. Lisa, what we've do

with her head? You would literally pull out the

grips from how it has been. This is her Viennese waltz. Put

everything This is her Viennese waltz. Put

help it. And This is her Viennese waltz. Put

Only when it goes into my brain. With the pins. Do you do it on

purpose! You are changing her hair into a

second look. How do you change her make-up?

I have got her to take off her lips. This is a warts, much softer. --

I have got her to take off her lips. Watts. As taking a much stronger.

Lots more glitter under the eye. While Lisa does that, I will do a

really bright How is the Christmas show coming

along with Harry? Great. It's like being at the dentist. Fantastic. How

long does it take to do all of that? Sometimes we get five minutes, but

the only thing is, glitter is a bit of a nightmare because we have to

use a lot of tissue and that is when the dancers help, we can put their

head back while it is being told and we spray glitter or right do the

lips and sometimes we only get five minutes to change. Do you ever get

bits in your eye? Do you have to be brave? It's OK. I squint. You are

good at answering questions when you cannot move your lips. This is it

usually. It would normally be more organised. I would have an

assistant. Do you want me to hold your clips? I have some kind of use.

You are bringing that up on the side. She looks almost perfect. So,

so good. I would normally be securing this a lot better. Do you

feel secure, Joe? Yeah. Scott Mills is in tomorrow. Good luck at the

weekend, aren't they marvellous? The gorgeous Jo Clifton. I don't think

I'm a very good hair assistant. Now, it isn't only the ladies

who can get tips for their hair, My trick of the trade is this matte

powder. We dried hair, and then we pop it into the roots like this we

literally rub it into the roots and it helps to hold the hairstyle in

place. After that, you and the wax and hairspray. That is my trick of

the trade, how to keep the Strictly hair in place.

Our Strictly statisticians have been reading up on one of our handsome

But do they know him better than he knows himself?

Yes, it's Strictly Spotlight, the quiz that's got our professional

dancers quaking in their cuban heels.

And going under the Spotlight is Pasha Kovalev!

We've missed you here, how much have you missed us?

I know, I have been busy. Still dancing. Getting ready for

Christmas. Who you dancing within the Christmas special? Lisa Snowdon.

Legs up to here. Let's get on with this.

You've got 90 seconds to answer as many questions as possible

Your time is up when you hear this noise.

Karen Clifton scored an impressive six.

Well, I have a problem with memory, especially about myself. Good luck.

Here we go. In 2013, which week

were you eliminated with Rachel What is the lowest score you have

ever received from the judges? 13. Yes, we've Carol Kirkwood for

the Rumba. You hold the record for the most 10s

ever awarded on Strictly, For which of your partners did

Craig say this about - "I thought you were wriggling around

like a slug in salt"? Who did he say that about? Wow, I

don't remember that comment. It was actually your lovely girlfriend,

Rachel Riley. How could he? You are the only professional dancer

to make the final three times. You were in the dance off last

series with Caroline Flack but which other couple

were you up against? I want to say... I am going to have

to put -- push you. I'm not giving you any clues. It was Alison and Ali

Ash. For which dance in 2013 did

you and Rachel wear these costumes? Who has received the most

perfect scores of 40, Any time, love. May. It is you. That

means you scored five points. Now, I was flicking

through my diary and realised I have an important

date tomorrow at 6. The very tasty Ainsley Harriott will

be back at Elstree Studios to bring this the preshow gossip. We discover

how to do the perfect samba with Karen Clifton. And the legend that

is Bryan Adams will be here to perform. Live every Friday at six.

Their performance to Cell Block Tango failed to impress

Craig at the weekend, but you guys voted and gave them

a get out of jail free card so they avoided the dance off.

Congratulations on getting into the semifinal. You have changed, what a

shame. Much better. You look gorgeous. You

looked incredible on Saturday. Drop-dead gorgeous. Look at you. It

was incredible. You were loving the training last week although it was

hard. How much did you love that? I loved everything about it. The

attitude, the character, the outfit, the hair and make-up. His outfit,

the whole thing. Dancing with extra girls, and being able to bring that

sassiness. It was brilliant. I would love it every week. I think that is

one of my favourites. That was something special. That is a girl

song as well. The crowd go crazy for you. It must give you a great boost.

It is amazing, right? That's the most important thing, we do it for

the people and the audience and we do it for us and we live that

moment. It is the best thing when you take the audience on your

journey with you and make them feel what you are feeling at that time.

That is the best. It is the most important thing for us, and last

week was evidence of that. You mentioned we were at the bottom of

the leaderboard, and just because the audience and the votes and

people at home backed us, we got through. I cannot even express how

that makes me feel. It is overwhelming. It makes you want to

work even harder. We must discuss the scores. Craig gives you a six.

What did you make the scores. Craig gives you a six.

were fuming. It's fine. I guess, at this stage, it depends on

judges, what are they looking at. If judges, what are they looking at. If

they are going to mark me on judges, what are they looking at. If

technique and my feet, I am going to need at least another four or five

years. Not the 11 weeks I have had. That is the truth of it. But if they

are looking at overall whatever, the choreography, what we bring and the

fact I give my heart and soul. But we like those comments because we

take it on board and we go to the studio and work on it. This week we

have the foxtrot and we will spend a lot of time working on the heel

turns, the frame and everything, so we will see. Just talk quickly about

how you felt when you knew you weren't in dance off. Your faces, it

was incredible. You must have been so emotional. You cried with joy. I

couldn't believe it. I remember backstage he said we needed a

miracle and I thought, we have got the miracle! It is a miracle. It is

the British public are the miracle. I think I turned to camera and said

I love you. You should hug people in the supermarket. It is a really

heart-warming, positive feeling, because it is a tough 13 weeks now.

12. OK, 12. Plus the bit at the beginning. But people are backing us

now and it really boost you. For your Foxtrot you're

dancing to? this! How is it to be dancing this foxtrot

to New York, New York? The song is brilliant. We are working hard on

the foxtrot. And it's a great feeling. As soon as you hear the

music it makes you feel something. Hopefully combined with the dancing,

people will feel happy. I've heard you have called one

of the moves in the dance We renamed it today. What is it? It

is the happy spin. Does that mean you have perfected it? Ask me on

Saturday. If you call the death spin, you would be terrified. I love

it. I can't wait to see it. When you practice you hide your special moves

so we can't show it, which is a good thing to do.

And on to your Salsa, which is to?this!

Absolutely. There is the choreography there. That is crazy.

When I knew I was doing Strictly, I was obsessed with take on me by aha.

He said there was nothing you can dance to that with. But it has got

the Sample in it. Dreams do come true. How is all of the hip action

going? The arms? It's good. There we go. What has been the trickiest part

of the dance? Pretty much all of it. It is fast. You have to stick to the

music and keep your rhythm on your feet and at the same time you have

to try and enjoy it and be aware of what is happening. Every week has

been hard, since the first week, everything has been pretty full on,

but I think he has saved something special. Really? Pulling something

out the bag, and we will all say wow. In the footage we saw, you are

keeping up. She is getting the hang of it. You are so good, and neater.

You have never been top of the leaderboard. How much would that

mean to you? To be at the top? For me, just be the semifinals, I cannot

think of it in terms of the leaderboard because the standard is

so good. And we have had such varied comments and for me it is just about

being able to the best I can do. That is it. As long as I can pull

off these two fantastic dances I have been planning and we've been

working on, I'm happy. And then you could be in the final. You are no

working on, I'm happy. And then you stranger to the finals, Gleb. You

were in the finals of the Russian version of Strictly. Check this out.

It looks slightly different affair. Gleb, look at your hair, Mr Darcy, I

am undone. What dances that? It was an American smooth, Viennese waltz

and the character is from the movie. Movie week. I love the way he says

movie. How confident are you feeling, Anita? I just want to

enjoy. Confident, I don't know, but I want to go out and do what I do

from the beginning which is have a great time. Go and get them. Anita

and Gleb, brilliant. That's it for to night. Thank you to all of our

guests. Tune in tomorrow at 6pm when Georgia and Giovanni will be here.

Kelly and Kevin, and the delightful Ainsley Harriott is at Elstree

Studios. Plus, the legendary

Bryan Adams is singing live!