Episode 53 Strictly - It Takes Two

Live from London, this is Strictly, It Takes Two. Welcome your host, Zoe

Ball. And there'll be more

from the amazing Strictly But I wonder if things

are as harmonious in It's the pitch perfect

Danny and Oti! It's our next pro challenge

contender - Gorka the Corka - Speaking of which -

stop fooling around, CHEERING

The crowd roars his students! So it's a double whammy warm up

tonight, as we know our couples So get your wand out, Mr,

and let's get to it! Look at this, it is not just a ball

ball in my trousers. Look! A little. All Christmassy, be careful where

you put it! First up, Claudia and AJ who finally

joined the ten club last week. They're dancing the quickstep -

looking worthy of top marks to you? It is very intricate step patterns,

as you can see. But with those difficult choreography Yes, it is

more difficult to keep everything else in check. There are lots of

gaps going on. Mind the Gap. Amber leg month, AJ has quite a longer

legs than Claudia, sometimes the gap will occur. She needs to make

contact higher up, further up the top of the rib cage, then she will

have more legroom to go back. Look at the length. Not that many people

have that length of limb! Danny and Oti are dancing

the American smooth, last weekend both Craig and Len said

Danny needed to work on his heel leads, is his footwork

looking up to scratch here? With the tango, it is very important

that those he leads are seen. It is an American Smooth Viennese waltz,

this is unusual. With those Viennese waltz is, the ones always had to be

a heel lead. The footwork is very good. I would like to see on the

pivot, a little bit more rotation in the body, he leads his left side

little bit too open when he pivots around. Watch him go. He needs to

get the left side around. Look at that at the top of the hat! -- drop

of a hat. Next up, Louise and Kevin

who are doing the samba. We know she can do grace and poise -

but how are her hips looking? I think this could be a big

challenge for heard this week. I think she will struggle more with

this dance. We have not seen it from her before, she normally breezes

through, but this is more technical, the samba, the females seem to

struggle with it. I think she will need to work on the details. If she

can get a little bit more into the knee on the promenade runs, she

would be able to stretch the back leg. The thing with her Richey

always has impeccable arms, look at the finishing of. -- the thing with

her is she always has. She is so graceful.

Ore and Joanne will be dancing the quickstep -

do you think this will keep them out of the dance off this week?

They are dancing to Argue Gooner Be My Girl by Jet.

-- Are You Gonna Be My Girl. The arms are dropped, it is more like a

practice run through than doing it properly. That is difficult. I will

say that he is upon the balls of his feet, it is very light and frothy.

That is what you want, it needs to be kept in light and smooth, just

like articles across the dance floor. Dancing across hot goals! --

like hot cold across the dance floor.

Let's look at everyone's second dances.

Claudia and AJ's rumba, we know they can do high energy -

how do you think they'll do with this?

She is doing some really nice straight legs, which is a must in

the tango... Weight, in the rumba. It has been a long few weeks! She

needs to settle into those heads a little bit more. You can look stiff

if you are just straightening the like. Settle into the hip, squeeze

the sides. Back, settle, squeeze. Do I look like I have had some kind of

Ministry Of Funny Walks? It is very tricky.

Danny and Oti are doing a salsa - how's it looking?

This could be exciting! For Danny, this does not look as comfortable as

we have seen before. When we saw him do the samba, the tribal samba,

wasn't it amazing? How could we forget? This has a similar vibe but

a totally different technique, I think he is struggling. Who knows if

he can pull it out of the bag by Saturday. There is a little bit of

choreography that went a bit wrong, but I see that Oti has taken the

blame for it. The professionals can go wrong! We are normally perfect.

Back to Louise and Kevin - they'll also be taking on the tango.

Do you think this will see Kevin reach the final

I really hope so. It is looking tight and compact, just like my

bottom. Here, here! Lots of very staccato moves. I love her head

position. She has a lovely head position. The thing is, when she

pivots, she brings her head in so she does not get the full range and

movement of the pivot. If she took the head out a bit as she went

round, she would use that the weight of the head to get her round. Spin

her around. She would go faster. Science, ladies and gentlemen.

Last week, Darcey was impressed with Ore's control.

Does his Argentine tango with Joanne look under control to you, too?

Will be good? For me, it is looking sultry, sensual, seductive. Just

like me! It looks great. I love what he is doing with partnering, he

seems to be holding her, shaping her. Look at that lovely line. I

thought we could try that. It is a little bit like a throwaway. Throw

that leg away, now this arm comes around my head, like that. And this

caresses my arm like that. Then just/ me. Just/ you?! On the elbow?!

That is sexy! It should looked just like that! That is how it is done.

That is our penultimate Waite's Warm Up, there is only one more, we can

spare it. Isn't he gorgeous?! Right, time now to make our Strictly

pros sweat in TV's toughest dance The Strictly Pro Challenge is back,

bigger than ever. The professionals will attempt to set a Guinness world

record for the most jibe kicks and flicks in 30 seconds. We will be

looking for strong pointed cakes and then the feed return in to the floor

after the flick. If they don't bring the foot back to the resting

position than the step will be disqualified. There can only be one

champion, so they need to make every step counts. This is the Strictly

Pro Challenge 2016. He's 26, brings a packed lunch

into work every day and has a rucksack with eight compartments

including one with Jive kicking and flicking

for his place in the competition - Hello, darling! We have missed you

on this show! So, first year on Strictly

and your first Pro Challenge. Yes. I am and I was. And you were

and you are! That is a good order. We hated losing you and to Mika in

week two macro, can you do better? Bat hated losing you and Tameka in

week two. Oksana Janette are top

of the leader board ? do you feel I didn't expect them to be the first

ones. We are still missing some of the other professionals that I

thought would be first on the Leader Board. So I'm quite impressed with

them. It is interesting. This competition is a huge deal -

how many years have you been Did you do lots of practice? I have

been 26 years practising for this. This is what we like to hear. Let's

see how you got on. This is my first experience on the

Pro Challenge, I hope my cakes and flicks are good enough. Hello, how

are you? You are one of the new professionals, this is the first

time that you have ever turned a Pro Challenge. Can you take on the rest

of the professionals? I am super excited, I will do my best to

impress everyone and to make all the other pros be scared. Gorka, good

luck. Three, two, one, go. Stop! Yes! That feel? Very good. Is

your heart pumping? Good god it is all right. It is good to see the

fit, young, fresh ones. I thought he did very well, it was almost like a

performance, the quality was there. Maybe there were some dodgy ones,

but you did very well very well. Well done. I hope I did enough to be

in the highest position I can, I think I did quite well.

APPLAUSE Nice work.

Lots of stomping there - how do you think you did?

I was doing flamenco. Even flamenco with your kicks and flicks. The

footage was watched back by adjudicators in slow motion to

verify every single step and make sure they were accurate.

Choreographer to the stars Richard Marcel Sabitzer lot of quality, do

you think you made any mistakes? The last 15 seconds where the hardest,

you get tired and your legs do not go properly high. Maybe of them.

Well, interesting you should say that, because I can reveal you had.

So things are looking good - are you ready to hear your fate?

Gorka Marquez, I can reveal that in treinta segundos you completed...

53 jive cakes and flicks! Which puts you third on the Leader Board.

So close, yet so far - are you happy with that score?

Oh, Gorka! Everyone rushes to give him a cuddle.

Well it was a solid effort indeed - give it up for Gorka, everyone!

Lovely to see you! Give my love to Tameka.

Well, Gorka may have fallen slightly behind in the Pro Challenge -

but can the same be said for our celebs?

Let's see if Cloudia and Louise have been keeping up in training.

I am loving the quickstep. It is so cool. It is a bit of ballroom and

jumping out of the same time. I don't know if that is technical

dancing words. It is not exactly like that. I like the energy. Lots

of pivots. My quickstep has to be really good. I really want to get to

the final. Sorry. Don't say sorry. Just don't get it wrong. I want to

keep that energy and keep smiling. Very good. I've been a bit nervous

of the samba. I find the wiggling hip action difficult. Everything is

moving. Nothing ever stops moving. I don't like the sound of that! She's

got to be sexy and full of body action. I think she's a little bit

nervous. I'm trying to be positive and move everything as much as I can

and see what happens. Now, the music on Strictly this year

has been pretty amazing. We've had everything

from Whitney to Gangham, all of which have been delivered

flawlessly by my next guests. Please welcome Hayley,

Lance, Andrea and Tommy - It's so lovely to see your faces in

front of me. The first time we have had you altogether. Tommy, as the

series been enjoyable so far? It's been the best one so far. What has

been the best one? The dancers more than anything. We have enjoyed doing

a lot of the music. It is a joy to go in every Friday and Saturday. You

have had some incredible songs to cover. What has been your favourite

to cover? I think I'll be seeing you, for Basil and Madge, the

Remembrance. We were all in tears. I think unforgettable for Daisy. We

must talk about Gangham style. That was quite a moment. Lance, I'm

assuming you do not speak fluent Korean. I do know! What do you do

when you get a song like that? It was a little bit of both. I had some

lyrics written phonetically. And the original lyrics. And then listening

to it. It was hard. Would you give us a little blast now.

--? It is a group effort! Gangham style!

How long do you get to rehearse the numbers? I started learning the

songs on Monday. About four days. And then on Friday we have the

evening rehearsals. Not very long. You do them a couple of times on

Saturday before the show. How is it when you have got Whitney to do? It

is a big number. It's very scary for me because Whitney is my idol. No

one sings like Whitney Houston. So yeah, I'm always a bit petrified

when I get a Whitney song. You do it good, girl. You always get really

emotional the bigger it gets. You have been singing on the show since

it started, Tommy. I have, since the pilot. You haven't aged at all. I

was five when I started! What is the most difficult part of your job? I

think the languages. Spanish is not so bad. We get nervous when the

language once come up. But on the whole it's not really a chore, is

it? Well, from a... I always think you get the best view, you four. We

saw a great film this week about the mistakes. Have you had any mistakes

during the shows? I don't find mind that funny. We do! Tommy and Angela

-- Andrea did Ghostbusters once and left Andrea by herself. They left me

hanging. Buttercup was one of my favourite moments. I came in on my

own a bar early on the introduction. We are going to dig that out! You

are so busy doing the show. But lovely and from Barnes would like to

know what you do when Strictly is not on-air? Just wait for a

Strictly! Just do lots of different gigs, writing music, sessions.

Arranging harmonies. So give me a call! Studio and session work, and

touring as well. With Strictly stop. The same. Backing vocals for

different bands and artists. Studio work. Adverts. You know me! Tommy?

I'd like to do nothing when we finish. Perfect. Lance, Hadi got any

advice from somebody who would like to send? I think it is important if

you have a passion for singing to go for it and make sure that you learn

your craft as you go. If you believe in something, go for it. Do not be

knocked back. And phone David Archer! That is so lovely to see

you. We couldn't have you on the show without asking you to sing a

little something. Would you do the honours? This is my friend, Susie.

# Sleigh bells ring, are you listening.

# A beautiful site, we're happy tonight.

# Walking in a winter wonderland. # We can build a snowman.

# And pretend that he is passed around.

# He'll say, are you married? We'll say, no man.

# You can do the job when you're in town.

# Later on, hit the spire, as we dream by the fire.

# The plans that we made, walking in a winter wonderland.

# Walking in a winter wonderland. That has made me cry. If that

doesn't get you in the Christmas spirit, nothing well. Good luck with

the rest of the series. Give my love to all the band. Hayley, Lance,

Andrea and Tommy. Right, time now

for our final guests. # And I've been telling you how to

go. In fact, they did very well

with their tango this week. Hayley, nice one! I loved it. It was

dynamic. You were leading. You are an incredible, incredible dancer.

The focus in those eyes. It was outstanding. Every moment of their

stance was under your control. You were the star of the show. -- of

this dance. What a pair of dream boats. Danny and Oti, everyone. Just

a lovely little moment they're. Oti said she hasn't watched it back. Why

not? Because she still thinks I'm going to go wrong! Fourth week, top

of the leaderboard on the trots. Amazing. What is the view like at

the top? We didn't even know! You just scared us. You just take it one

week at a time. I simply hope to get all the steps right and not mess it

up. Oti, how does it look? You can't even look! You did say you were not

expecting tens from this dance. What were you most worried about? It was

the footwork. If I'm honest, I was terrified. I get so nervous

anywhere. I was really worried about this one. I had a horrible feeling

that I didn't even tell Oti about. I thought it might be the foxtrot all

over again. Even when we got through, and as soon as you very

negative comments from the judges, you straightaway go, it's not going

to be a ten. I was really surprised. Amazing. Oti, you were rocking the

disco diva look. You sounded so excited when it ended as well. It

was a huge relief. Did it go better than you expected it to? It did. I

also had the same feeling but I also didn't tell him. I also thought, I'm

going to mess it up but I didn't tell him. I didn't want to do it so

late in the competition. And then he did it with no mistakes. And I could

not stop. I was so happy. I thought, probably you shouldn't do this on TV

right now, but I couldn't hold myself! I love seeing you like that.

I love the group Tango moment. Everybody has been trying that at

home. Was that your idea? It was, actually. Having extra dances is

such a nice thing. You want to make it look like a formation. I think

they are all incredible. We all need to say how amazing the extra dancers

are. To have them dance with us, it is an honour for me to have them. I

just thought, let's use their talents. There was quite a nice

moment in rehearsals. The pros came in for an hour. It takes the four

days to do that. They came in for an hour. It was lovely to see her

choreography come to life with a bunch of people. I was emotional. It

is semifinals week. Things have just got serious. Two dances. American

smooth for you. How difficult is this? The American smooth is such a

beautiful song. It is Oti's choreography. It's lovely to do. The

only thing that helps with this is that we have done the Viennese waltz

before. That is a bit of the stress taken out. We don't have to worry so

much. It's not a brand-new style but we do have the lifts. This is quite

exciting. You are doing a salsa as well. We know he likes to shake his

tush. Oti, the verdict so far and training? It's different. We just

started it. We just finished the Viennese waltz. Now we are starting

on the samba. It is completely different. It is getting the lifts.

We have new lifts in both dances. You are the only couple with lifts

in both your dances. Are you feeling strong? Hardly! I'm tired. We always

try to do something different. In both dances, they are difficult

lifts. But we will get it. She says! Has she gone into overdrive? It's

actually funny this week. Oti is such a stickler for technique and

precision. But this week, because there are to dances, she almost had

to be slightly more lenient because there is so much choreography to

learn. You have to hold back on how much time we spend. Every week, Oti

spends so much time with me, taking the time to get the technique right.

We don't have the time this week. You train 11 hours in the day. When

you have two dances, how those days? They feel short. I have got used to

taking every waking hour to learn one. There are no extra hours.

Unless we do it in our sleep. I'm trying to suppress the panic.

Whenever a we're under pressure, I get really relaxed. I chill. It is

really disconcerting. I ask him, why are you panicking? He says, because

you calm. What are you going to do?! There is only room for three in the

final. How are things between you pros? Kevin Na 's been there three

times before. He has not won yet. AJ is the young guys. -- die. Is it

getting tough? No, it's not. I know from Joanne, and I am the biggest

Joanne fan, she is a really good friend of mine. I look up to Kevin.

I think everything he does is amazing. Everyone wants to take care

of him. There is love. They are all amazing. They really are. It's a

good group. I love all of them. You stay calm, you don't panic. It will

be fine. I cannot wait to see the to lot of lifts. Danny and Oti!

That's all we've got time for tonight -

Join me tomorrow, where I'll be chatting to those cheeky little lion

Vicky Gill is here with more glorious Strictly costumes,

plus husband and wife Neil and Katya go head to head

MUSIC: Beyond The Sea by Bobby Darin

# Beyond the sea... # Hi!

Watch your little ones discover CBeebies Playtime Island -