DWTS Australia

[*Wallace]

3 hours ago, *Lily said:

First episode aired! Haven't seen any of the dances yet, some of them are on the official Twitter/Instagram pages it seems, but might wait in case there is a link of a full show to watch.

 

7 couples danced with the others dancing tomorrow:

 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

 

Kyly & Gustavo - Jive, 33 (8,8,8,9)
Bec & Craig - Foxtrot, 31 (7,8,8,8)
Lincoln & Lily - Quickstep, 29 (7,7,7,8)
Tom & Alexandra - Tango, 28 (7,7,7,7)
Schapelle & Shae - Viennese Waltz, 26 (6,6,7,7)
Matty J & Ruby - Cha-Cha, 23 (6,5,6,6) - Bottom Two
Fifi & Jeremy - Cha-Cha, 22 (5,5,6,6) - Eliminated
 

Nice to see Kyly do well and score at the top! And for the two wildcards to survive the first elim too.

 

 

Thanks for the spoilers there, Lily!  

 

 

Yes happy to see Kyly doing so well and she's still got it. And nicee that she did a Jive as we never saw something fast/uptempo from her.

 

 

Schapelle did better than I expected. I was expecting her to be the weakest. 

 

Sad for Fifi to go first but she was probably one of the All-Star I was least familiar with... so I can be okay with that eliminaton. Still a bummer for someone to go first. Looking forward to see everyone's dances.

 

 

3 minutes ago, *Lily said:

Someone has uploaded the full episode to YouTube fyi for anyone watching - hopefully it will stay up as I may try and watch from there today!

Oooh wow.... very nice!  Yeahh I hope it can stay up for awhile too. I hope to watch it some time today as well.  

[Ariel1989]

3 hours ago, *Lily said:

Someone has uploaded the full episode to YouTube fyi for anyone watching - hopefully it will stay up as I may try and watch from there today!

Oh thank you!  Yes hopefully that video and account stay up so that we can see the episode and future ones!

[*Wallace]

Yayy Just finished watching the episode.

 

Week 1, Night 1 Thoughts!

 

Tom & Alexandra - Tango: Wow its so crazy seeing Tom so much later and so much older (at 50) than when he won his original Season 2. Aww at how terrified he was. I do love “Lve Runs Out” for a Tango and I thought this was an electrifying way to kick off the show. Tom still has some decent dance potential but seemed a bit rusty in spots. Some parts in hold he looked a little awkward and like holding on too tightly/for life at times. He did seem a little stiff (but that can work in a Tango). Something felt off with his posture/movements. He did perform really well in character bringing in the intensity. All 7s is a really good way to start. Fair score although Id probably put in one 6.

 

Bec & Craig - Foxtrot: Wow it’s so cool they have the first winner of DWTSAU in Bec the competition. Dangg, its been 17 years since she did the show but she still looks so young. Interesting seeing in older pro in Craig come back (Season 7 winner). Wow, this was so stunning. Bec danced this so beautifully all throughout. She showcased some elegant lovely lines with her hands an she danced/gelled so well dancing g in hold. And also she really poured a lot of emotion in how she performed and sold the story so well. She still got those dance skills and this dance proves she’s a contender once again. Fair score of 31 here an I do agree on those 8s.

 

LOL the flashback showing a dance of Chris Hemsworth. He was so bad on this show.

 

Lincoln & Lily - Quickstep: It’s nice seeing lily having a partner with short hair this time around. Lincoln was fun from the dances i’ve seen so I’m expecting him to be fun here too. OMG aww the story of Lily being a young  fan meeting Lincoln on the show when she was 10 was such a cute story. Wow this is such an interesting sped up version of “Hit the Road Jack.” This was a really fun dance! I liked the opening western bar scene part of the dance and all the side by side dancing before they got into the Quickstep. I thought Lincoln did very good and a solid job with the actual Quickstep. He provided a good frame and very quick light footwork. He did get a bit hunched in the shoulders area in spots. There were lots of cool tricks and moves in this I loved such as that Matrix move and the big flip move But omggg his facial expressions and sticking out the tongue so much were sooo OTT and absolutely hilarious. But yeah Lincoln had tons of energy and is an exciting performer to watch. Great first dance from him.

 

Aww nice seeing Grant Denyer’s time as a contestant with winning Season 4.

 

Kyly & Gustavo - Jive: I’m so glad Kyly got cast for this season and gets to have her redemption arc here as that awful hamstring injury took her out in Season 14 (where she could have been a contender to win). I’m happy Kyly got the Jive for her first dance as we only saw slower dances from her on S14. And wow, she pretty much nailed everything on this Jive too! She had such clean, precise kicks & flicks and Jive technique. She had great energy throughout and never lost it. She performed the heck out to this dance. I love the mix of sassy flirty and fun she showed while performing this. She had a great strong mix of personality and technique. It’s especially impressive how she’s such a tall lady pulling off a Jive. Loved it! Aww such a sweet moment of her daughter giving her a flower after the dance. Not even mad at the one 9 as she deserved that alongside the 8s.

 

Matty J & Ruby - Cha-Cha: Aww I do feel ba for Matt having to follow Kyly but someone has to.  With Matty being a former Bachelor, I din’t have too much hope for him. Lol he does come off funny in some of his intro and his dancing in the rehearsals, especially the parts of him in the Latin shoes. Matty isn’t bad by any means. He’s a bit of an awkward mover but he’s such a fun performer and was really having a blast here. He was kinda stiff in the hip action and he did have some iffy moments in there but he did partner Ruby well and coped with the choreography well.  Ruby was quite a hottie in this dance too. Matty did better than I expected especially being at a disadvantage of being a wildcard never done the show. I think he’s got potential. I do think if he was in a cast of newbies, he would be one of the better ones (and a potential contender) as he’s already had a better start than most of the male contestants of the last two seasons. The 6s were fair here. Also random comment but she looks like and reminds me of BBUK11 winner Josie Gibson.

 

Whoaa the clip of Jennifer Hawkins’ Rumba from Season 4. She was and danced that gorgeously.

 

Fifi & Jeremy - Cha-Cha: Ooh nice that Fifi was the Season 6 runner up. This is Jeremy’s 2nd season? I don’t remember him. Oooh myyy @ that Cha-Cha they showed of hers from Season 6…. yikes that was not good. So wow she’s in a tough spot getting the Cha-Cha again and not having done the show in 14 years. On the bright side, I do think she had a lot of fun and she looked like she was enjoying herself. And also better than her S6 Cha-Cha (from that clip they showed). Sadly, I didn’t think the technique was great. It was maybe too much Disco an not much Cha-Cha. She brought lots of joy, fun and personality here which did overshadow the lack of technique. I didn’t think this was terrible (and certainly would be better than a number of dances on a regular season) but was the weakest of the night, imo. Omgg that old clip they showed of her falling flat on her face walking down the stairs. That’s insane. The mix of 5’s and 6’s were fair here.

 

Schapelle & Shae - Viennese Waltz: I had very low expectations for Schapelle coming into this as I didn’t think she would be good (OMG even Todd saying that too, and in fact thinking she would be crap ) but she certainly surprised me here. I thought she moved well and showcase some nice graceful moments in how she moved. But there were still some rigidness, tenseness and rough-around-the-edges moments though and some of her lines weren’t as fluid. She didn’t seem that at ease in some of the big moments of the dance like the big lift and that part she was spun around from Shae. Like you could tell she’s a beginner but she’s learning and has potential in her. She did have some good smooth footwork. And I like how this had a sweet romantic feel to it. She did better than I thought. The mix of 6’s and  7’s were fair though I was closer to the 6 side.

 

Rankings:

1. Kyly & Gustavo - Jive
2. Bec & Craig - Foxtrot
3. Lincoln & Lily - Quickstep
4. Tom & Alexandra - Tango
5. Schapelle & Shae - Viennese Waltz
6. Matty J & Ruby - Cha-Cha
7. Fifi & Jeremy - Cha-Cha

 

Ahh I thought this was such a great first episode! Definitely looking forward to the next group tomorrow and the rest of the season. The Bottom 2 was right and fair. Sad to see Fifi go but she would have been my choice to go as well.

[*Amanda]

YAY! Gonna watch this tonight and get a Best Routine game thread up for it.  

[*Amanda]

Great first episode!   at them showing a clip of Chris Hemsworth dancing.  

 

Tom & Alexandra -   at Alexandra being like "you're too old to know this song" when she tells him they're dancing to Love Runs Out. A decent start for them and a good way to open the show.

 

Bec & Craig - I love that they brought the first ever winner back for this. Similar to Kelly on the US version, I don't think it would be a proper all-stars without the original winner. This was such a pretty dance.  

 

Lincoln & Lily - A very fast and fun Quickstep.  Lincoln did a good job here and was definitely the best of the male celebs tonight.

 

Kyly & Gustavo - SLAY. This was so amazing.  Great technique, loads of personality, lots of fun. I hope she can keep it up with her future dances because this was such a fabulous start for her, even getting a 9 for her first dance! Also, glad we finally got an amazing "Candyman" routine after the live band mess that ruined Alexis' Jazz and Ranvir just really struggling with hers.  

 

Matty J & Ruby - Even the international versions can't resist having a Bachelor person on it.  This was fun i suppose, but the technique wasn't anything to write home about. Definitely one of the weakest of the night.

 

Fifi & Jeremy - Well, this was certainly better than that clip they showed of her Season 6 Cha-Cha.  But still not great and the technique was pretty rough here. Again, it was fun but definitely a weak link of the night.

 

Schapelle & Shae - I didn't have much expectations of her, so she definitely exceeded what little expectations I had. Ir was very pretty and a good first dance for her.  

 

Rankings:

1. Kyly & Gustavo - Jive
2. Bec & Craig - Foxtrot
3. Lincoln & Lily - Quickstep
4. Tom & Alexandra - Tango
5. Schapelle & Shae - Viennese Waltz
6. Matty J & Ruby - Cha-Cha
7. Fifi & Jeremy - Cha-Cha

[*Wallace]

1 hour ago, *Amanda said:

Great first episode!   at them showing a clip of Chris Hemsworth dancing.  

 

Kyly & Gustavo - Also, glad we finally got an amazing "Candyman" routine after the live band mess that ruined Alexis' Jazz and Ranvir just really struggling with hers.  

Yesss to this! I was actually going to say that in my comments but forgot to. But glad we  got a great "Candyman" routine where it all went right and well.

 

And a great review there, Amanda!  

[*Lily]

Night 2 just finished! Hoping to watch both shows together at some point before tomorrow. Scores & results below!

 

 

Renee & Jarryd - Cha-Cha, 36 (9,9,9,9)
Luke & Jorja - Tango, 31 (8,8,7,8)
Ada & Aric - Cha-Cha, 30 (7,8,7,8)
Jamie & Siobhan - Foxtrot, 28 (7,7,7,7)
Jessica & Lyu - Viennese Waltz, 28 (6,6,8,8)
Erin & Julian - Viennese Waltz, 26 (6,7,8,5)
Manu & Katrina - Foxtrot, 23 (6,6,5,6)

It seems there was a bottom three of Jamie, Jessica and Erin, and the judges decided who was eliminated - and they picked Erin & Julian. Aww I'm sad about this as I was really looking forward to seeing Erin this time and hoped she could improve from being the first out.  It seems like she had an ok dance at least.

But wow, SLAY Renee with these scores.  Super excited to see her especially as a wildcard contestant, seems to be a real early frontrunner.

Edited April 12, 2021 by *Lily

[*Wallace]

Hoping to watch the latest show sometime tonight! 

 

Thoughts on spoilers:

Wow SLAY Renee!

 That's an incredible first score. Cant wait to see her dance.

 

Aww sadness for Erin being eliminated early once again.  I was hoping for her to have a better redemption arc but it seems that only Kyly or Erin were able to have that arc.

[Ariel1989]

Show 2 details and thoughts:

Ada & Aric: Nice to see an original partnership reunited.  Overall pretty good dancing from Ada, little rough around the edges but it is her first dance since 2006.  

Luke & Jorja: Meryl & Maks’ Tango song He is really good, a little rusty but that’s to be expected.  


Erin & Julian: At times she looked confident but pretty weak technique.  Wish she could’ve done better and made Gleb look dumb.  


Renee & Jarryd: Wow she is amazing!  Can’t believe she’s a Wildcard!  Manifesting a Kyly and Renee top two but who knows with Australia’s track record of female winners. 
 

Jamie & Siobhan: Glad to see Siobhan back with a better partner.  Decent enough Foxtrot, lift did seem out of place like the judges said.  

 

Jessica & Lyu: Another Stuck With U Viennese Waltz, Lola & Christian did one a couple of weeks ago on the German DWTS.  Jessica & Lyu have good chemistry and she’s a very pretty dancer.  Felt a little underscored.  Lyu is also Siobhan’s professional dancing partner.  
 

Manu & Katrina: He scored lower than the first time he did the Foxtrot, that tells you all you need to know about Katrina as a pro .  Just because they speak the same language it doesn’t mean she’s the best teacher.  


Ada & Aric, Luke & Jorja, Renee & Jarryd and Manu & Katrina were safe.  The bottom three couples were tied after the audience.  so the elimination went to the judges.  They went by the Dancesport rules about tie-breaking and saved the higher-scoring couples, Jessica & Lyu and Jamie & Siobhan.  Erin & Julian were eliminated.  The first group of Bec, Kyly, Lincoln, Matty J, Schapelle and Tom will be dancing again in tomorrow’s episode.  

[*Lily]

Got around to watching all the dances! Overall rankings for the first 'week':

 

Night 1

1. Kyly & Gustavo - Lovely to see her get this second chance, totally deserving. I thought this was a lot of fun and she sold it in both the performance and technique.
2. Bec & Craig - This was lovely to watch and proved why she was a winner. Definitely someone who dances from the heart and has a great lyrical quality about her moves.
3. Lincoln & Lily - Really fun performance here. The expressions from Lincoln did get a little distracting at times  But it worked for the energy and enthusiasm of this performance.
4. Schapelle & Shae - Maybe it's because I had low expectations compared to some others.. but I found myself really liking this and one of the routines I liked the most. I don't know much about her or her story, but I look forward to getting to know her (in this short season).
5. Tom & Alexandra - A good start to the season! I thought it could have been a little sharper in places, however he definitely sold the performance.
6. Fifi & Jeremy - Maybe it's because I've been waiting for this song to be used as a Cha-Cha and I'm biased... but I actually kinda enjoyed this  I thought she made up for the few not-so-great moments with a lot of high energy. However do understand this was a fair decision for her to be eliminated, as I think Matty may have more to grow on/show.
7. Matty J & Ruby - Considering he's one of the least experienced, I thought he did a fun job and has some potential. Definitely got a bit messy but nonetheless I thought it was entertaining.

Night 2

1. Renee & Jarryd - Wow, this was an AMAZING first dance especially for a wildcard.  Clearly a natural! I thought her balance of technique and performance were both really excellent, can't wait to see what else she does.
2. Ada & Aric - Nice to see an OG partnership be reunited! I suppose as the only original partnership back together this could be an advantage. This was a fun opening. For a first dance I think it was solid, she's clearly strong so I think maybe just needs a little time to come into her own and she'll be a contender again.
3. Jessica & Lyu - Really interesting hearing about her time on DWTS Korea, I hadn't known about her forgetting her routine in the semi-final. So it's nice to see her redeem herself from this. She's really stunning, they make a great couple! I thought this was a nice routine too and she played up the flirtatiousness well at parts. I'm excited to see her in Latin dances.
4. Luke & Jorja - Ooh he was one of the ones I was most excited to see compete as didn't see him originally, but have seen him on other shows. I thought this was promising, would have maybe liked more consistency in the emotion/performance and could have been a little cleaner, but a good start, can see him being a frontrunner for the guys!
5. Jamie & Siobhan - Damn all those gymnastics moves they were showing from his older performances were super impressive  He's someone I know less about in this group but I thought this was a nice, charming first dance.
6. Erin & Julian - I thought this was a nice performance. It was a little shaky at times however considering she was essentially a 'wildcard' within the returning stars, having been a first boot, she held her own pretty well.
7. Manu & Katrina - Aww he seems fun, although this was probably weakest of the night. He seems to be a fan favorite which I'm sure could help him with the studio audience votes, like it did here. I think his technique in comparison to the others in this show was just lacking a little bit, but still nice.

 

Overall rankings

1. Renee & Jarryd
2. Kyly & Gustavo
3. Bec & Craig
4. Ada & Aric
5. Jessica & Lyu
6. Luke & Jorja
7. Lincoln & Lily
8. Jamie & Siobhan
9. Schapelle & Shae
10. Tom & Alexandra
11. Erin & Julian
12. Fifi & Jeremy
13. Manu & Katrina
14. Matty J & Ruby

Overall, a really fun first two nights! I'm excited to see what everyone brings to the competition. My early faves based off of everything would be my top 6/7 I think? But I thought everyone was a lot of fun.

[*Amanda]

Just finished the second episode! As far as eliminations, I can't complain *too much* because Fifi and Erin were among the weaker dancers of this cast, but I really hope this doesn't turn into a female slaughter a la season 27 in the US was. But that's wishful thinking because Australia tends to hate females even more than the US and Strictly do, which is saying something.  

 

Ada & Aric - Aww it's so nice that they're an original partnership reunited all these years later. This was a solid first dance. Lots of fun and showed so much potential to be a contender.

 

Luke & Jorja - I can't help but compare to Queen Meryl's flawless Tango whenever someone uses this song.  But this was another solid start for a couple. Definitely one of the better males of the cast.

 

Erin & Julian - Pretty, but one of the weaker performances of the night. It was a good effort though. I do feel bad for her though, being a first boot only to return and be eliminated so quickly again.

 

Renee & Jarryd - SLAY.  This was SO amazing for a week 1 dance.  The dancing and performance quality was great. The judges were right when they said you couldn't tell the difference between the star and the pro. And I love the opening sequence with the umbrellas. Jarryd is such a creative choreographer.

 

Jamie & Siobhan - Glad to see Siobhan back! Jamie is a definite step up from Curtly two seasons ago, but then again, anyone would be.  This was a decent and cute first dance but yeah, the lift was very much out of place here. We know he's great at lifts, so I hope these two focus more on the actual dancing in their future performances.

 

Jessica & Lyu - That's cool that she placed 3rd on the Korean version. I just did a youtube search and it looks like several of her dances from it are on youtube if anyone wants to check them out. This was a really good dance! They're a great couple and I think she showed a lot of potential with this.

 

Manu & Katrina - So, I'm guessing he'll fill the "mediocre male who overstays their welcome" role for this season? Him not even landing in the bottom 3 shows that the audience clearly likes him and that's worrisome because he was the clear weak link of the night. Like, it was a cute dance but the technique was not so good.

 

Dance Ranking:

1. Renee & Jarryd - Cha-Cha
2. Ada & Aric - Cha-Cha
3. Jessica & Lyu - Viennese Waltz
4. Luke & Jorja - Tango
5. Jamie & Siobhan - Foxtrot
6. Erin & Julian - VIennese Waltz
7. Manu & Katrina - Foxtrot

Remaining Couples Ranking:

1. Renee & Jarryd
2. Kyly & Gustavo
3. Ada & Aric
4. Bec & Craig
5. Jessica & Lyu
6. Luke & Jorja
7. Lincoln & Lily
8. Jamie & Siobhan
9. Schapelle & Shae
10. Tom & Alexandra
11. Manu & Katrina
12. Matty J & Ruby

[*Wallace]

Week 1, Night 2 Thoughts!

 

Ada & Aric - Cha-Cha: Aww it’s really cool seeing Ada & Aric again as a partnership, as they were partners back in 2005. Such a nice reunion for them! Also wow Aric looked so young on the flashback clips. I already love their bond and their intro video was so fun and hilarious (especially the lifts sequence)   This was a really cute, fun and sassy Cha-Cha to kick off the show. Some little spins and tricks seemed a bit shaky right at the start but she got into the pocket of the dance and was really embracing the feel of the Cha-Cha. I thought she brought solid technique, good leg action and she had a blast while performing this. She definitely did better with the lifts at the end of the dance too though it did lack some seamless feel to it. I can get the comments of her needing more hip action. She still has some good dance potential. Agree with the mix of 7s and 8s. 

 

Ooh they played a clip of Pauline Hanson. Isn’t she that conservative politician? Her Paso wasnt really good so oops.

 

Luke & Jorja - Tango: LOL Jorja’s “I haven’t even finished high school yet” at Luke’s winning in 2008 comment. Aw I did love how excited he was in meeting Jorja. Yikes Luke saying he wasn’t good at the Tango and of course that’s his first dance. I definitely had some high expectations for Luke as I seen some of his S8 dances, which were really good.  I came in expecting him to be the best male celeb of this cast.  And this dance lived up to those expectations. I thought this was a very solid Tango. This dance was full of passion, attack and sharpness in the footwork.  I thought he provided a good firm frame and footwork throughout. Some parts seemed to get a bit.. hectic or bumpy at spots. I did think they had very good passionate chemistry in this. If this Tango was the style he’s ~worst out, I’m sure he can deliver at anything thrown at him. Agreed with the 8s he got.

 

Great dancing clips of Season 6 winner Kate Ceberano.

 

Erin & Julian - Viennese Waltz: It’s so odd seeing Erin getting a second chance on the show. Aww her comments of setting herself up for embarrassment and her not wanting to go out the first night already makes me sad. Ooh this had a steamy passionate start to this routine, which is expected with the song choice. I thought she did a pretty good job here. She had a good frame and some good footwork. Although some parts in the middle was a little shaky and  not as elegant as it could have been. It kinda lacked some gel and smoothness, so it wasn’t all the way there on a technical level. But was still good. But then it got better towards the end. And i really liked those last sequence of lifts they did. Hmm I’m guessing I liked all the parts out of hold more than the parts in hold. She def came off much more confident in this dance which is good. Todd’s comments were a mess here. Omggg this dance getting a different score from each judge (6-7-8-5). I don’t know where I stand here…. I guess around the 6 or 7 mark.

 

LOL What is this Kerri-Anne Kennerly & Carmello clip? LMAO what was that?

 

Renee & Jarryd - Cha-Cha: Ah I was so excited for Renee as I’ve liked and been a fan of hers for years on Extra so loving seeing her on DWTSAU now. Aww Renee & Jarryd have a fun and cute partnership and loving Renee’s personality. Gosh she was looking great already in the rehearsal clips. Yay for a full routine to “Rain on Me.”  Wow Renee was fantastic and so fierce in this! I loved everything about this. She was fantastic in the partnering dancing as she brought lots of crisp & sharpness in her movements. She was fun, fierce and sassy in how she performed. She had great hip action, leg action and footwork. She was so confident in how she performed and just owned it. She brought everything and more than what you would need and want for a Cha-Cha. What a way to make yourself stand out as a Wildcard too! Amazing at those 9s but they were so deserved!

 

Jamie & Siobhan - Foxtrot: LOL Jamie’s nickname being “Circus Boy” as we saw him doing all of those gymnastic tricks. Ooh I worried for him having the Foxtrot as he said it didn’t really suit him. I didn’t have too high expectations of Jamie but this dance was a nice pleasant surprise. She danced well in hold an was quite smooth in this. He did seem to stick his bum out a bit in spots. But his footwork looked good to me. Oh wow that is kinda weird how they wanted to add in a circusy trick for the Foxtrot. It was very impressive but yeah I agree with the judges that it wasn’t really needed for this dance. It can work in some dances but it didn’t in this one. But this was a cute and charming dancing. I echo the comments of being glad Siobhan is back with a capable partner.

 

Lol it looked like it took forever for that Lara Bingle dance to start with all of that Pink Panter storytelling. But she moved well and is really gorgeous. 

 

Jessica & Lyu - Viennese Waltz: Aww I love how Jessica & Lyu are the asian power couple! So interesting how Jessica did DWTS Korea placing 3rd and is now competing here.   Jessica seems like a lot of fun in that intro video. Oh ok this was quite a steamy and passionate Viennese Waltz, or at least it really got that way towards the end of it. I thought Jessica moved well and had a good sense of grace & elegance. She had a good frame and footwork in this. Some parts seemed a little iffy to me which I don’t even know how to explain. But I do love how she performed it and the chemistry they had in this. She has great dance potential for sure. OMG Jessica’s shocked faces at the 6s had me crying. Luckily there’s  no voting public to criticize or use that against her haha. Lol this dance getting 6s and 8s….. I would go in between with the 7.

 

Manu & Katrina - Foxtrot: Ooh Manu is the Season 10 winner. OMG him bringing his Mirrorball to the rehearsals.   Yikess @ his Foxtrot from his original season. That was quite bad. This one was… better, for sure. Love the song choice of “Isn’t She Lovely?” for this dance. Manu is a charming and likable performer and certainly is fun to watch. The technique wasn’t terrible but not anything to write home about. He is a little awkward in hold where he looked hunched over with shoulders up, bad posture and the bum sticking out. He was much better and more at ease on the side by side/non hold parts - and yeah I felt this dance had a lot of out of hold content. A charming dance but the weakest of the night. But Manu seems very popular which I am certain has saved him. LOL Todd’s comments on Manu here. The 6s were fair but do think some 5s could have been in there. Jamie won the battle of the male Foxtrots here.

  

Rankings:

1. Renee & Jarryd - Cha-Cha
2. Luke & Jorja - Tango
3. Ada & Aric - Cha-Cha
4. Jessica & Lyu - Viennese Waltz 
5. Jamie & Siobhan - Foxtrot
6. Erin & Julian - Viennese Waltz 
7. Manu & Katrina - Foxtrot

 

Hmm Jessica and Ada’s dances are the tricky ones to rank as those are interchangeable for me. Aww that tiebreaker. It was sad seeing Erin & Julian go and how she couldnt have that redemption arc. Based solely on dancing, she should have stayed over Manu. But with the Bottom 3, I can’t be too mad at her going as I enjoyed her dance the least of the 3 - even though i would have loved seeing her tackle a Latin dance.

 

Overall rankings:

1. Renee & Jarryd 
2. Kyly & Gustavo 
3. Ada & Aric
4. Luke & Jorja
5. Bec & Craig
6. Lincoln & Lily 
7. Jessica & Lyu 
8. Tom & Alexandra 
9. Schapelle & Shae 
10. Matty J & Ruby
11. Jamie & Siobhan
12. Erin & Julian 
13. Fifi & Jeremy 
14. Manu & Katrina 

 

This is all a rough draft of rankings - with a mix of how I enjoyed their dancing, the celeb’s personality and the couples partnership. Def need to see more episodes to help break this apart. I would say 3-5, 6-7 and 13-14 are interchangeable. I do like all of these couples so yayy for that!

[*Wallace]

12 hours ago, *Amanda said:

Just finished the second episode! As far as eliminations, I can't complain *too much* because Fifi and Erin were among the weaker dancers of this cast, but I really hope this doesn't turn into a female slaughter a la season 27 in the US was. But that's wishful thinking because Australia tends to hate females even more than the US and Strictly do, which is saying something.  

I guess the casting was smart in casting 8 female celebs and 6 male celebs, as they might have expected this to happen? But I do agree with you on this. I think and hope Renee/Kyly/Ada/Bec will be around and safe for awhile. Ada & Bec should be totally fine as former winners. Renee & Kylyy should if they continue delivering strong dances. Not sure if Jessica has the popularity to last (or make the final) as she already landed in the Bottom 3. Also not sure with Schapelle as I'm unsure how her Latin will be. If its bad, she could go next. But if it's passable she could make it through.

 

But of the guys, I do think Matty and Jamie won't be around for long and could be some of the next ones to go. Manu is def worriesome and could rob better dancers but hopefully not. But if he does, at least it's a short season. I think Tom could possibly go far, being a popular former winner. Luke and Lincoln should def be fine too.

 

And I say all of this keeping in mind this is all in 2 weeks.  

[*Lily]

Details/scores for night 3!

 

 

Kyly & Gustavo - Foxtrot, 37 (9,9,9,10)
Bec & Craig - Jive, 31 (7,8,8,8)
Lincoln & Lily - Tango, 29 (7,7,8,7)
Tom & Alexandra - Foxtrot, 27 (6,7,7,7)
Matty J & Ruby - Viennese Waltz, 26 (6,6,7,7)
Schapelle & Shae - Charleston, 20 (4,5,6,5)
 
Hoping to watch the show tonight. But wow, amazing for Kyly to get a 10!  Far ahead in the scores here, I'm excited to see her dance.

Matty J and Schapelle were in a dance-off, and the judges saved Matty J. A shame about Schapelle as I enjoyed her first dance but going by scores, seemed she struggled with this one so was probably the right call.

 

Edited April 13, 2021 by *Lily

[*Amanda]

The Wikipedia page finally updated with the songs used:

 

 

Bec & Craig - “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting” (Jive)

Lincoln & Lily - “There’s Nothing Holding Me Back” (Tango)

Kyly & Gustavo - “Haven’t Met You Yet” (Foxtrot)

Matty J & Ruby - “Like I’m Gonna Lose You” (Viennese Waltz)

Schapelle & Shae - “Crazy in Love” (Charleston)

Tom & Alexandra - “Ordinary People” (Foxtrot)
 

Edited April 14, 2021 by *Amanda

[*Wallace]

Week 1, Night 3!

 

Bec & Craig - Jive: It’s nice seeing Bec having a completely different dance from the Foxtrot with the Jive. Bec was worried about her stamina for this dance but I thought she really worked that well and delivered a very good and fun Jive here. She performed this really well with great energy, clean technique and kicks & flicks. Loved how she performed and the happiness she had. There were a few little parts (like some of the spins) that looked a not as clean as other parts but was still very solid. Wow the section of lifts and tricks they did in the middle of the dance were very impressive and so cool! omg that Mark wanting the dance faster. Good sores with the 31 here.

 

Fun seeing that clip of Johnny Ruffo. I know him from X Factor Australia but never got to see his season of dances. Awww wow at the health issues he’s going through. That clears up why he isn’t in the cast as he would have been a good addition for the season.

 

Lincoln & Lily - Tango: Another ballroom dance for Lincoln but totally different from the Quickstep. Oh wow this was his second fave dance from his original season. LOL the swear words he puts into learning the steps. omgg Lincoln with the faces again….. his face dances as much as him, tbh. His faces would distract a bit and take away from the seriousness at the start of the dance. But he did get the character together as they got into hold. This was a solid Tango from Lincoln as he had a good frame and footwork here. It did have a little bit of a too aggressive feel - like there was a lack of cleanness in the movement. I also feel his energy/happiness dance can take over a bit? But i still thought it was good. LOL the judges missing his tongue.

 

LOL WHATTT was that Bryan Mannix clip? LMAO Helen calling him a terrible dancer and Todd’s “some good things about that performance…. it ended.”

 

Kyly & Gustavo - Foxtrot: I had high expectations for Kyly as she delivered a gorgeous ballroom in S14 and she certainly lived up to those expectations here.  I feel you can never go wrong with a “Haven’t Met You Yet” Foxtrot. This was such a gorgeous and adorable Foxtrot. Kyly danced with so much grace and elegance. The lines she produced were soooo stunning. She danced so well in hold with a great frame, posture and footwork. Then I really loved all of the theatrical side by side steps. This dance had such a joyous feel to it and I totally get Mark on the Fred & Ginger and La La Land feel to it. She looked, danced and performed it like a professional. This was so easy to watch. I agree with the 9’s here. Wow the first 10 too….. amazing.   And wow congrats to Gustavo getting his first 10 on the show too.

 

Now a clip of Suzie Wilkes… and lmao wow all that intimate dancing they did. Are they only showing Series 12 clips?

 

Matty J & Ruby - Viennese Waltz: Aww nice seeing the emotional side of Matty wanting to make his daughters proud. Wow him doing this show with a newborn too. Aww I also felt kinda bad how disappointed he was with his Cha-Cha. I thought he made a definite improvement with this Viennese Waltz though.  This dance had a nice dreamy quality to it. It had some nice soft moments but I also felt it had a bit of speed/fastness to it, and I kinda wish it flowed and gelled more with ease. It was kinda like he was dancing a little too fast to try to catch up or something? I also noticed he was quite bent in the knees too at the end. However, the lifts sequence in the middle an towards the end was really good and seamless. I think those were the best parts. It was a nice dance though. LOL Matty commenting on being put after Kyly. I noticed that happened both times with him. Lol Todd’s comments on how he was holding her face. Fair score ith the mix of 6s and 7s.

 

LOL Those clips of Helen being a cougar towards younger men like Nick Bracks, Brodie Holland, Paul Licuria was absolutely hilarious. An d also finally clips not from Season 12.

 

Schapelle & Shae - Charleston: Ooh i was kinda worried for Schappelle in the rehearsals as she was struggling a bit there but was having fun. On the bright side, I thought Schapelle performed well and had a lot of fun. It was nice seeing her having so much fun in this dance. But at the same time, there were some rough moments in this Charleston. I did feel her movements were so tight and lacked some freeness to it. Then she had some unfortunate mistakes in there in the partnering sections and some of the lifts were a bit labored. She also seemed to lose some of her energy and stamina towards the end. But she still keep it going with having and showing her fun and never giving up there. Yeah maybe this routine was too complex and ambitious for her, like Todd said. Ouch at the 4 there. I would agree with the 5’s.

 

Tom & Alexandra - Foxtrot: Interesting how Tom also has two ballroom dances back to back. LOL Alex calling him “the reigning champ from Season 2 / 15 years ago.” Ooh I’m here for a Foxtrot to “Ordinary People.” But ooo I thought this dance had a lovely romantic quality to it and I thought he captured that well. I loved the feel of it. I thought he moved and danced this fairly well. He had some good footwork and a good frame there. There was a few parts he seemed to lose a bit of his posture and stuff but eh. I also thought the lifts were really smooth and seamless. Yikes at this meltdown he had from before they danced. That’s sad to her. I thought the 6 was a bit harsh but do agree with the 7s. Aww wow at how emotional Tom was getting after the dance, and aww at him feeling pressure delivering up to his past success from Season 2. This was all so sad and tough to watch. But he turns out a very solid dance.

 

 

Rankings:

1. Kyly & Gustavo - Foxtrot 
2. Bec & Craig - Jive
3. Tom & Alexandra - Foxtrot 
4. Lincoln & Lily - Tango
5. Matty J & Ruby - Viennese Waltz
6. Schapelle & Shae - Charleston

 

Ooh so it was a Matty J & Ruby vs. Schapelle & Shae Bottom 2 dance-off and them having to dance the same routines again. Matty’s dance was good and pretty much the same as before. Schapelle did improve and do much better the second time around. This dance-off actually made things really tight and close. Before it and based on the main show dances, I thought Matty’s was much better. But with this dance off, it was more of a toss up but still would say Matty was better. Although the reasoning of “we haven’t seen all that we could see from Matty” and Helen thinking Schapelle danced better but still stuck with Matty as he and Ruby show more harmony together was confusing. Not sure if she thought Scahepelle danced better this time around or danced better than Matty? Interesting how Todd disagreed with the other judges here and wow he sounded like he was having a fit with his reasoning. But I can’t get mad at the judges decision here. 

 

Schapelle was a lot more enjoyable than I thought she would be. LOL at her fast “no” at when she still keep dancing question. I vaguely know of her past (just from what I read) but I hope the public was able to warm up to her from this show. Although Shae is due for a contender next season.

[*Amanda]

My thoughts:

 

Bec & Craig - A fantastic routine from them! It was so fun and it was great to see a different side to them after their Foxtrot. The technique pretty good and the tricks were all very cool. I really enjoyed this routine.  

 

Lincoln & Lily - That rehearsal package was hilarious.  I guess Australia needed a "There's Nothing Holding Me Back" routine of its own since all the other versions have one.  But yes, this is a good routine and he's my favorite among the guys but like, not quite as good as the girls that are still in the competition.

 

Kyly & Gustavo - Again, SLAY.  This was such a cute dance.  Love the choreography for this so much and it was danced so amazingly. This felt so effortless, too. WOW at them getting a 10, but yeah that 37 is entirely deserved and I'm so happy they got it. I love how excited Gustavo was to get his first 10. I love this redemption storyline she's had thus far and I hope it keeps up.

 

Matty J & Ruby - This was really beautiful. A definite improvement over his first dance, and I think he's one of those celebs who will be good in Ballroom but struggle with Latin. Still one of the weaker ones, though.

 

Schapelle & Shae - Yikes, this was really rough. I thought the opening with the champagne bubbles special effect and how they did that little trick to pop the bubble was cool, but after that, the routine really went downhill, sadly. The partnering was a mess and she really struggled to keep her energy up throughout. And I agree with the judges that the choreography might've been a bit too complicated for Schapelle here. Yikes at those scores. I feel a 4 is a bit harsh, but I agree with the 5's. Sadly, this dance just did not suit her and it came at a bad time for her in the competition because everyone else tonight did pretty good.

 

Tom & Alexandra - Another pretty dance. I thought he did a pretty good job with this, but he's very middle-of-the-pack for me. Can we see him do Latin next? That's 2 Ballrooms in a row and we know he can do them well, let's see how he does with a Cha-Cha or something now.

 

Ranking:

1. Kyly & Gustavo - Foxtrot
2. Bec & Craig - Jive
3. Lincoln & Lily - Tango
4. Tom & Alexandra - Foxtrot
5. Matty J & Ruby - Viennese Waltz
6. Schapelle & Shae - Charleston

 

Yeah, Matty J and Schapelle were the right bottom 2 and Schapelle was the right elimination here. It's unfortunate she struggled so much this time around after her first dance was pretty good. Can we have some guys leave now? We've lost all the weaker girls and the 5 left are all great, so it's time for some of the weaker guys to leave. But this is Australia, so we'll probably see Jessica leave next instead of a guy. LOL.

[*Amanda]

Night 4 Spoilers:

 

 

Manu & Katrina - “Last Dance” (Salsa), Score: 33 (9, 8, 8, 8)

Renee & Jarryd - “Applause” (Tango), Score: 35 (9, 9, 9, 8)

Luke & Jorja - “Last Request” (Rumba), Score: 38 (8, 10, 10, 10)

Jessica & Lyu - “Joker & the Theif” (Jive), Score: 19 (3, 5, 5, 6)

Jamie & Siobhan - “Need You Tonight” (Cha-Cha), Score: 29 (8, 7, 7, 7)

Ada & Aric - “Jump, Jive an’ Wail” (Jive), Score: 37 (9, 9, 9, 10)

 

Bottom 2 was Jessica vs. Jamie, with the judges voting to save Jamie.

 

Well, this looks familiar. Jessica seems to have struggled a lot with the Jive and the second a female has a weak dance the judges decide it’s their time to go. Ugh that’s now 4 females in a row and NAGL so some of these guys really need to leave now.

 

Also, Did Manu’s dancing and Katrina’s choreography really improve that much or is this a case of over scoring the mediocre male?  

 

Looking forward to seeing Renee, Luke & Ada when I watch the episode

Edited April 18, 2021 by *Amanda

[*Wallace]

Thoughts on the spoilers.

 

- Aww yikes

@ the low score for Jessica and her being eliminated.  Gah looks like she really struggled on the dance. I had a feeling she would have been eliminated this week but was hoping it would be at the end of the week rather than tonight.

 

Ooh and the theme was the contestants reprising their past dances. Wonder why they didn't do this for Group 1? So this theme does put the all-stars at an advantage re-learning an old dane of theirs even though it was many years/decades ago. So yeah looks like Renee rose to the challenge while Jessica did not. And maybe that was why Manu improved - maybe that was one of his better dances?

[*Amanda]

 

Yes, let’s do a “reprise your past dances” theme when there are wildcards. What is this logic?

 
 

Yeah, same regarding Jessica. But hopefully this is the last of the female slaughter for now because the remaining females are all great and better not be going anytime soon.

 

Edited April 18, 2021 by *Amanda

[*Lily]

 

Oof sad to see Jessica's score and result. I thought she showed a lot of promise in the first week so it's a shame to see her go here.

 

Yeah I like this theme but think it obviously would have worked far better on an all All-Stars season rather than mixed.

Edited April 18, 2021 by *Lily

[*Wallace]

Now it's off to a search to find the episodes.... as they are not on Youtube anymore and the latest episode hasn't been uploaded yet.  Hopefullly soon though.

 

 

And yeah I also really like this theme. But it is so unfair on the wildcards.

 

 

And I think the rest of the women should be good for awhile. Bec & Ada are fan favorite winners. Kyly is having an amazing underdog comeback arc/storyline. Renee is the strongest wildcard contender. It also helps that Kyly & Renee are probably the strongest 2 right now too. All of them could be potential finalists. I do fear one could miss out but i hope not. 

 

I'd say Luke is definitely there amongst the men. Then a toss up of Tom, Lincoln and maybe Manu, depending how much the voting audience loves him. I think Tom may be the best shot to make the Final 6 though I'd rather it be Lincoln. I do think Manu will miss the Final 6 - either at 8th or 7th.

 

I feel like Matty and Jamie are the next two to go.... but we'll see. Anything could happen.

 

[*Lily]

3 hours ago, *Wallace said:

Wonder why they didn't do this for Group 1?

 

I believe Group 1 will be doing this in tomorrow's show, as there's a teaser of Matty J learning one of Chris Hemsworth's performances... because this season will of course find any way they can to reference Chris Hemsworth.

[*Lily]

Night 5 spoilers:
 

 

Lincoln & Lily - Jive, "Johnny B. Goode", 36 (8,9,9,10)
Kyly & Gustavo - Contemporary, "Read All About It", 38 (8,10,10,10)
Tom & Alexandra - Cha-Cha, "You Can Leave Your Hat On"/"Kiss", 28 (6,7,7,8)
Matty J & Ruby - Samba, "Jump in the Line", 31 (8,7,8,8)
Bec & Craig - Cha-Cha, "Let's Get Loud", 39 (9,10,10,10)

There was also a Lindy Hop marathon, which ended in the following:

6 points - Matty & Ruby
7 - Tom & Alex
8 - Kyly & Gustavo
9 - Lincoln & Lily
10 - Bec & Craig

The bottom three were Matty & Ruby, Tom & Alexandra, and Kyly & Gustavo. Kyly & Gustavo were saved (although Todd apparently would have saved Matty J over her??).

So Bec, Lincoln and Kyly are all in the six-person final! I would hope that it'll be Renee, Ada and Luke joining them in tomorrow's show. I'd imagine Jamie will be one of the double elims and then would hope Manu to go as well as I think the other three are stronger.

 

Edited April 19, 2021 by *Lily

[Rach88]

21 minutes ago, *Lily said:

Night 5 spoilers:
 

  Reveal hidden contents

Lincoln & Lily - Jive, "Johnny B. Goode", 36 (8,9,9,10)
Kyly & Gustavo - Contemporary, "Read All About It", 38 (8,10,10,10)
Tom & Alexandra - Cha-Cha, "You Can Leave Your Hat On"/"Kiss", 28 (6,7,7,8)
Matty J & Ruby - Samba, "Jump in the Line", 31 (8,7,8,8)
Bec & Craig - Cha-Cha, "Let's Get Loud", 39 (9,10,10,10)

There was also a Lindy Hop marathon, which ended in the following:

6 points - Matty & Ruby
7 - Tom & Alex
8 - Kyly & Gustavo
9 - Lincoln & Lily
10 - Bec & Craig

The bottom three were Matty & Ruby, Tom & Alexandra, and Kyly & Gustavo. Kyly & Gustavo were saved (although Todd apparently would have saved Matty J over her??).

So Bec, Lincoln and Kyly are all in the six-person final! I would hope that it'll be Renee, Ada and Luke joining them in tomorrow's show. I'd imagine Jamie will be one of the double elims and then would hope Manu to go as well as I think the other three are stronger.

 

I don’t want to spoil anything for tomorrow, but the final 3 going into the grand finale isn’t exactly what everyone is expecting. 

 

I don’t know the exact reason why/ what happens, but a frontrunner may be knocked out/withdrawn