Well, serves me right for taking such pleasure in our perfect Strictly final. I should have known that 2021 would have one final gut dial in store: poor AJ and Kai having to waif out through injury. It made the result plane increasingly of a foregone conclusion – in terms of public support, no one stood a endangerment in a head-to-head wrestle with Rose – and widow a sad note to flipside otherwise observing finish.
This has been a season of extremes. Once then Strictly joy wrestled with coronavirus angst, and we had remarkably high-standard dancing versus medical dropouts, trailblazing and progressive contestants versus… well, Dan Walker. New professionals triumphed, the judges commonly lost their minds, or their seats, and Couple’s Nomination scrutinizingly ate the show entirely.
HOWEVER. Overall this season was a thrilling watch and our final three (even if only two danced) were a fab-u-lous trio – not just a plea for inclusion, but emphatic proof that it makes everything better. We had increasingly inventive routines, increasingly of a range of stories, and contestants who were increasingly themselves and thus increasingly incredible performers considering Strictly supported them. Who doesn’t want to live in a world like that?
So, as ever: be increasingly Strictly – and hurrah for our hugely deserving champions, Rose and Giovanni! Sunny winners of a sunny series.
Other hits and misses:
- Montages, montages, get yer montages here. Moreover recaps, and montages of recaps, and recaps of montages, and slowly, inexorably, we slid into the past – which, given everything, is probably a sweet relief. MISS
- Hello, old friends! The matriculation of 2021 pitched up for a gloriously upturned group number, minus Robert, still benched for health reasons, and Tilly, who has COVID-19. Moreover Karen was injured so did her guest spot sitting lanugo like a boss. Other highlights: Gorka the dalmatian and… sorry, I lost my train of thought. HIT
- I don’t know how they could have dealt with the AJ situation well. Of undertow she deserved to be honoured in the final, but the highlights reel just widow to the pre-packaged material, and the live interview was scrutinizingly too raw. Still, we loved her on the show, and I can’t wait to see lots increasingly from Kai. HIT/MISS
- Ed Sheeran – sigh – but sweet to have a guest visitation from Janette, once then teaming up with Aljaž. HIT/MISS
Best in Show
- Best performance: Rose’s Couple’s Choice Though John’s showdance and paso were both tropical contenders.
- Best costume: John’s pirate wig This really was Year of the Wig.
- Best move: Nikita randomly banging his chair in the background At least he kept his shirt on.
- Best line: Every one of Claud’s attempts to jazz up the leaderboard Not much you can do with two contestants and matching scores.
Saturday
Tess’s dress: impressed or depressed?
Literally just wrapped in a bedsheet. The pandemic is hitting us all in variegated ways. Claud: sparkly silver with a slit.
Judges’ Choice
Rose and Giovanni – A-door-able
I wouldn’t have picked their Musicals Week quickstep out of all of Rose’s wondrous dances, but this did have an obvious error to correct, which lent itself well to the final’s redemptive narrative. It was moreover one that Craig missed, so at least we got a fresh critique. Once then a very endearing riff on their Frozen notation – and in fairness, this is probably the closest to Rose’s own personality – withal with majestic ballroom featuring the two glued together throughout. This duo really are the nonpareil of partner dancing and how it elevates you both: they’ve achieved things together that they never could have managed apart. Utterly joyful.
Song: “Love Is an Open Door” from Frozen
Judges’ comments: Shirley said it was Strictly magic. Anton praised her immaculate lines and said that we would judge future ballroom dances on the show versus Rose. Craig enjoyed watching it live and praised Rose’s frame and storytelling. Motsi loved their characterisation.
Judges’ scores: 9, 10, 10, 10 – 39 (up from 10, 9, 9, 9 – 37)
John and Johannes – Feeling free
A unconfined nomination here: the Week 7 rumba, which was a memorable moment for these two but moreover left lots of room to reflect John’s growth as a dancer and performer. I definitely felt he was increasingly fluid and liberated this time virtually – increasingly well-appointed with stuff expressive. Again, wonderful sustentation to the technique, from the velvety footwork to the beautifully placed stovepipe and lovely little details in the exchanges between them. It struck a perfect wastefulness between a slick, competition-worthy routine and organic, reactive connection. A rumba in the final might seem like a non-starter, but it showed that a whisper can have as much impact as a shout, and that vulnerability is power.
Song: “Shape of My Heart”, Sting
Judges’ comments: Anton said it was the weightier rumba overly on Strictly. Craig loved the matriculation and understatement. Motsi was moved by it. Shirley treated us to an pericope from her upcoming romance novel and invited John to rumba with her.
Judges’ scores: 9, 10, 10, 10 – 39 (up from 8, 8, 10, 9 – 35)
Favourite Dance
Rose and Giovanni – Making history
This Couple’s Nomination was the unparalleled moment of the season, so it unquestionably felt a bit risky to repeat it. Thankfully, it was just as powerful the second time round, although I wasn’t entirely convinced by Craig’s reasoning for upping his score (if you unquestionably nitpick Rose’s trendy flit technique, it’s not truly perfect – but that’s really abreast the point for this particular number, sacrilegious though that sounds on this blog…). A wonderful example of how flit can convey some things increasingly unmistakably and viscerally than any other art form, and how Rose both represented a polity while moreover sharing herself on this show. One for the Strictly history books.
Song: “Symphony”, Clean Bandit ft Zara Larsson
Judges’ comments: Craig praised how Rose used the floor. Motsi unprofane Rose’s connection with Gio and with us. Shirley said she wore her heart on her sleeve. Anton thought it was just perfect.
Judges’ scores: 10, 10, 10, 10 – 40 (up from 9, 10, 10, 10 – 39)
John and Johannes – Treasure island
Ooh I loved this paso in Week 3 and I loved it plane increasingly in the final. John gave it EVERYTHING: it was sharper, stronger, had increasingly resistance, the leaps were sky-high, and he really fought for it. Once then it felt like a really defining number for this partnership, proving that not only should two men flit on Strictly, but that it would make the whole show come working in new ways. It’s evident, too, that the wits has opened up so much for both John and Johannes, and this was a flit worthy of them. Sidenote: truly that wig is the third person in this marriage, what a character.
Song: “He’s A Pirate” from Pirates of the Caribbean (COPYCAT KLAXON: Peter Andre and Janette)
Judges’ comments: Motsi said he’d smashed it. Shirley agreed, and John really felt it. Anton…waffled for so long that Shirley nearly handed him the maple syrup. Craig did a spectacle fake-out, the wag.
Judges’ scores: 10, 10, 10, 10 – 40 (up from 9, 10, 10, 10 – 39)
Showdance
Rose and Giovanni – Lanugo with love
Well, sigh. I wondered why we had this stupid gloopy romantic theme… and then Jason Gilkison appeared and it all became clear. Of undertow the man who refuses to put any ballroom into a ballroom show would think that these two were Romeo and Juliet – and that that would be a crowd-pleaser in the final. Plus: ROSES considering ROSE, get it? So, it was nicely executed, since the balletic quality was similar to their Couple’s Choice, and the lifts were seriously impressive, plus these two are unchangingly heartfelt and mesmerising together. I just don’t think they needed the flowers and the smoke monster and schmaltz – they’re too good for that. I wanted to see them: no distractions.
Song: “The Rose”, Bette Midler
Judges’ comments: Shirley said that Rose had melted her heart. Anton was happy to watch them. Craig found it tremendous. Motsi thought it showed we could do anything we put our minds to and signed “I love you”.
Judges’ scores: 10, 10, 10, 10 – 40
John and Johannes – Our story
Ah, that’s increasingly like it. This routine felt like a largest reflection of the couple: it had their tenderness through to the exuberance and triumph of their completed J word. I loved seeing all the highlights from their past dances, like the Charleston and Argentine tango – a pick ’n’ mix tideway that can squint messy but was smoothly executed. The gospel voices moreover worked much largest here, though I don’t think it’s needed for future finals. Like the over-theming in Rose’s showdance, it took yonder sustentation from our couples, and when they’re as fantastic as this, that’s a frustration – just requite them the well-earned spotlight, but I DID love the black-and-white ballroom pictures: honouring heritage, while moreover marking an important moment of progress.
Song: “You Got the Love”, Florence and the Machine (COPYCAT KLAXON: Abbey Clancy and Aljaž)
Judges’ comments: Anton pulled out the J word. Craig said John came out and went “Bam”. Motsi praised Strictly for waffly lives. Shirley tabbed them a groundbreaking pair.
Judges’ scores: 10, 10, 10, 10 – 40
Leaderboard
Rose and Giovanni – 39, 40, 40 = 119
John and Johannes – 39, 40, 40 = 119
Well, you can’t get closer than that. Not sure our judges really offered much guidance, but then this was a thrilling duel.
Final result
Our new champions are… Rose and Gio, hurrah!! It couldn’t have gone any other way really, but it was still an heady final and a really wonderful moment. Once again, our ballroom show has been a steer of hope in a visionless time, and our winning couple really epitomise that.
What did you make of the final? Did the right couple win? How did you find the whole season? Get in touch on Twitter to share your thoughts: @mkmswain
See you next year for increasingly Strictly magic. In the meantime… alimony dancing!
Photograph: Guy Levy, courtesy of the BBC.
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