Right so...it's half twelve on a Sunday night/Monday morning, and I'm going to be up until fourish, reviewing 24 Spanish medleys. Oh goody. For those of you not aware, I have a severe aversion to tangos, matched only by my servere aversion to Paso Dobles. Or is that Pasos Doble? It may or may not have something to do with the fact that I once sat in an ice arena in Helsinki and sat through seven hours of pasos and tangos, in the compulsory dances, but I'm pretty sure I couldn't stand them before that either. Mind you, it probably didn't help any. Robin assures me that I can also have waltz (done in a Spanish style) and flamenco. Because that just makes it all better doesn't it? This, dear people, is bad news for me, but perhaps good news for you, as you find out how many matador jokes I can fit into one recap.

Handra and Sinek USA

And this is funereal black, with much sequins on both and red wingy things on the costumes....and he has more makeup than she does...flamenco and tango....lots of drum beating....steps....nice spinsny steps...straight line steps....really good unison....twizzles nicely done...rubbing of the noses there...dance spin...steps with lots of intertwined movements....this is the tanog portion...bit undignified looking in that spin...and lift and spin....he slides her under his arm....lots of moves where shes draping her leg over his hip....steps done in dance hold....this is a long tango...lift where she's flat out ...and they're done. that was piazolla at the end barry tells me,...thinks we'll be hearing a lot of him. Oh really? It's just like Christmas! Good lordy me he's got a lot of hair....they were quite far apart on the s/s steps sequence...she's a better turner and twizzler reckons Robin....he didn't like spin transitions on second lift...

marks 4.0-4.3...4.3-4.4(2).

Delobel and Schoenfelder FRA

He's all in black. She's in black and crimson,black is the sash on the dress..and the halter neck...she strarts with leg on his shoulder....she's got a sequinny thing on her forehead....lots of speed on this flamenco and paso.....they look very sharp, very definite movements...much better footwork until he falls...and this is me shutting up now...lots of lunges from him as seh twirls...dance spin...very slow, and barely the three revs....move wehre he's in besti squat, her gliding in front of him...and they do it again....liftwhere she's upsidedown doing a handstand on his leg, him in besti...into the corner and do steps down half the rink....problem there....steps in dacne hold....lift and spin...and they're done, her leaning back holding onto his neck...and you just know theyr'e going to hammer him on the fall....yeah, he just got mixed up on the steps, he was a bit behind her and was looking at her to see wehre she was and didn't get his foot out of the way in time....he needs to shave off that goatee...and he's got crimson panels in his top I jst noticed...

marks 4.4-4.7....4.7-5.1

Gudina and Beletsky ISR

She's in red dress with a deep v in front that is quite Jennifer Lopez ish...a rose on her dress too...he's in black and white. She starts off all pressed against him along the back...first voical of evening....nice flow as befits a Linichuk pair....nice spin where her legs are off the ice, wrapped around his leg...some nice stuff here...steps in dance hold...nice changes of direction....and stop for the change in rhythm...he does a little hop...to the boards for straight line...little out of time...not the same foot work there...she turns under his arm twice as they go around....skating quite apart for alittle...back again now...and they're motoring around whatever else they're doing...lots of running steps...and a spin wehre she's all but on his shoulder...very fast, a little too fast to keep total control thinks Robin. Bags of personality, and we can't disagree...Robin tells us that she reminds him of Pasha....who tended to bounce alot but the feet were not necessarily difficult...and you know, it could be fatigue, but that just sounds filthy when I write it down....

marks 3.6-4.5....3.8-4.7...and the LTU judge is way down...he was the only one to mark in the threes there.

Hugentobler and Hugentobler SUI

And he's our matador from Vegas via Switzerland...more sequins than my local haberdashery...she's in a mumsy red dress...with black rim...and black skirt...and its all very bad....lift to open...very littleback on the dress....lots of intricate steps here...not very close to one another at the moment as well...lots of turning...spins where shes going udner his legs....waving of the arms alot...straight line steps....not quite...and he almost goesthere...just a little off kilter in places, but RObin calls it very nice...he slides on one knee as she runs besdie him....more steps and claps...lots of castenets banging in the lift...and spins under the arm and its done. We see Lambiel watching...and Robin praises their performance, while pointing out he's long felt that Eliane doesn't match Daniel, but that she kept up with him here... another Linichuk team....lift to start had her arms around his neck, her legs wide, his hand on her hip, and him spinning. Nice.

marks he looks happy...4.7-5.0...ok, he's kissing her entirely too much, I'm just saying....4.8-5.3...they lead.

Fraser and Lukanin AZE

He's in white top and black trousers, she's in purpley red dress, with red trim on the bias cut skirt...he's got a nice red cumberband....dance spin to start...and steps...loss of timing there...on s/s twizzles....same steps but not in same style...dacne spin..he pulls her all around the ice for a bit...doesnt seem as much speed even if it is slower...nice changes in the lift...him in besti squat...more s/s twizzles more loss of time....steps...lift...slide to stop...spin...and around we go...steps in dance hold...steps...and turns..and they're done...with several false endings to the music. Crowd seemed to liek it, but it lacked speed to me, maybe that's just the tv talking....these are in 17th place, trained by Liz Coates...and theres Genrich Stretenski with them....twizzles on footwork got better at the end but jeez it was ropey in the middle....

marks 4.-2.4.7...4.5-4.8. They're in 3rd

Dubreuil and Lauzon FRA

Her dress is lovely....kind of pale crimson, with deeper crimson overlay patterns on it...fringey bits on the end, which I can do without but otehrwise, it's lovely.Top marks. He on the other hand has a white shirt on, with ridges on it, which shows off entirely too much chest. It's quite a Russian look and I implore him to get an inch more of material and cover up. Please? Because blouses are not for everyone! Kiss of the hand to start....start apart on ice and pose a little before comign together...straight line step to start...very clear and defined movements....great timing possibily one missteps at the end....you can see the up in quality....move wehre she's uip on his hip and they spin...way more speed....steps, lots of changes of hold...waltz....good change sof position with no loss of speed...lfit where she goes over his arm, straight up....dance hold....quite close together...moves where her leg hooks over his...and dance spin to end and that was terrific. So much better than what we've seen so far...you can really see the difference in quality...the tango really suits them...robin says she looks like a tango queen...look at those steps....neat as a pin...in keeping with the character of the music as well....very intricate dance.

marks ...4.8-5.3...sui has 4.8, rest in 5s...5.1-5.4...they lead.

Yang and Lee KOR

Tango and paso...oh joy....he's in black pants shirt is red and black....her dress is a nightmare...red and black and floaty and wingy thingys and sparkles and not much material on the left side...lots of flesh fabirc ... and there's tassles...and scarfy things on the neck...and tis' carmen! steps to starts ...plenty of speed not much else.....and her foot sgets cauught in his trosuers and they stop dead....footwork is mirror image....dance spin...and they nearly topple off the end of it....steps the length of the rink....almost seem to be losing touch with one another a lot there.....lift....and anotehr....quite ungainly looking....spin...and stop and holdone another...lots of twisting andturning from both...steps in dance hold along the diagonal...lots of separations throughout and they're done. Robin says they have great power but not much finesse...didn't think much of hte lifts and nor did I...if I were Natalia, I would not have let them out of the house in those costumes....toepick and heel both got caught there....

marks 3.7-4.1 ...4.0-4.2. 7th of 7

Golovina and Voiko UKR

Eeeek! There is chest! And there is a see through top! And it's him who's doing it and it's all wrong! Wrong! There is some form of jacket for which I am most thankful...but a short little one...and she has silver glitter in her hair, and a red dress....missing the left shoulder is the dress...and there are much ruffles on the skirt...and steps to start and I cna't look at that! I'll have nightmares! look at the feet...nice lift...where hes turning...steps in dacne hold ,nicely done...oh god I cna't get over that top....steps as the music changes ...dance spin...got the rotations there....I counted anything to avoid the chest....steps around...and lidt wehre her legs are in between his...posing to start the s/s teizzles...ver slow....and loss of timing near the end....messy in the next steps to follow as well...and she ruffles her skirt and they're done. That top is just wrong....words can't convey how very very wrong it is. Robin thinks he's not quite as good as she is but its a new partnership...

marks 3.8-4.4...ltu once more marks hard....4.0-4.5...7th they are.

Kovalova and Szurman CZE

And anotehr matador...and she's in a redly red dress...quite voluminous in the skirt. Latticey pattern in the top...paso and waltz this is....lattice goes on front for her as well, two red panels preserving modesty...dance spin to start, change dance spin...and lifty spin.....skating quite close togehter....vvery short sharp steps here....steps with lunges...and stop and cahnge to waltz thank you god.....stop and pose and ruffle your dress at him honey...you big flirt you....he turns her under his arm, nice steps there...nice interp of hte music....hes doing a lot of turnign her....s/s twizzles....lossof timing on his part...robin points that thye'er only doing what htey're required to do...and taht lift at the end was slow goign across the ice...he did very little but present her...which I jsut pointed out I believe...he did a lot of skating on two feet while she does all the work points out Robin...and I note that they could well be future world champions under that logic....

marks 4.1-4.5...4.4-4.6

Zhang and Cao CHN

Quite a nice red dress for her...quite plain...red shirt for him very deep v...black trousers. Their coaches last words were a reminder to skate close together..these are 23rd....tango to start...quite slow, and you could also drive a bus between them...stepsin dance hold....in straight loine along the rink....around we got...lift...into dance spin...not very difficult or very fast...change of rhythm...to paso....hydroblading move almost ...her leaning to him, him deep on edge....not a lot of footwork in here...s/s twizzles....again not the exact same as we go along....steps...lots of stroking here....as Robin says they're not at the same beat or speed as the music is...lacking in technique plus tech difficulty...finish behind the music.

marks 3.8-4.2...4.1-4.4...9th of 10

Faiella and Scali ITA

Black, with red trim for both...red sequinned stripes on his leg...her dress is horrible...very big skirt and it makes her look chunky..and that's hard because she's really really not. Very matonly...paso flamenco and paso...she looks like she's going to a very dressy funeral...lots of passionate arm waving to start....and are they shouting to the music? lots of speed anyway...strictly ballroom...running steps in dance hold....s/s steps....tming plus expression very good...move where she squats and spins...lift...dance spin...really fast...good unison here...s/s twizzles....wll matched....move where she hops on his back and they spin...and they're done. Very sharp, moved well across the ice, great interp of the music and they really sold it...I quite liked that...Robin has never seen them quite as dynamic as this...they really went for it!

marks...and coach is happy!...long wait... 4.3-4.7..crowd wanted more than that....4.6-5.0...4th place.

Humphreys and Baranov GBR

Black dress for her, bias cut to the dress...and he's a matador too...flower on her chest...very long dress from her...lots of turnign to start....lots of leg extnesion also...vert sharp looking...and he proves he can twizzle too....lift....moves wehre shes low to the ice and he drags and turns her ... dance spin..nice speed and well centred...good changes of position...steps to centre...steps in dance hold...lots of turns from bnoth.....s/s steps...mirror image....criss crossing one another, which we haven't seen....spin....and they're done. Really liked the step sequence....biggest applause yet from the crowd.... that was really good...very crisp, every move clearly defined...change of tempo came on first lift, blended it right in.... sequence in mirror image but they're passing in front of each other at same time...

marks 4.5-4.9...elation replaced by resignation....4.7-5.2..in 4th...3rd best on OD

Lang and Tchernyshev USA

The most matadorish of matadors that I've seen yet....lots of gold brocade on jacket epaulettes and trousers...her dress is red with black sequinney lacey bits holding it together at the side...and looking at him, I wonder if there's an inch of gold brocade left in Wherever-the-heck-they-train-in-sville. And I find myself answering no. Paso doble...ya think? joint 11th...he does his little flying hops and lunges....and so does she!...lift...where shes straight up and he drops her and catches right on the music....another carmen....steps...again with the passing in front of each other....mirror image....twizzles are fine...quite slow, but so was the music..speeds now....he slides her along hteice....hydroblading move....toreador is the miusic....steps in dance hold...dance spin...seem to be a few separations in this.. steps to lift where he holds her as she's in a circle, holding onto her blades...and they're done. And the crowd love it....I'd have the Canadians in front myself, I thought therewas more speed, not as many separations....barry comments on the gold braid...big hugs from Zhulin...Robin tells us they skate faster than they appear to look sometimes and points out that they were spot on with some of the highlights in the music...and then they did have that footwork. So I'm confused now. And expecting these to be ahead.

marks 5.1-5.3. well then that's that. they could go up. 5.3-5.5....and from the noise, you'd think they'd won the gold. GER has them second ,the rest first.

Nowak and Kolasinski POL

Black dress for her, red trim at the bottom...he in little black jacket plus trousers white shirt....tango and paso. Oh really? Just what I wanted! Very low back on the dress I feel I must point out. fast little steps in dance hold to start...moves where she's skaing behind him...nice interp of music there...steps around the ice, in dance hold again...lift where her legs are around his middle her facing him....posing on the ice and spinning her under arm as music changes...nice changes of hold, and plenty of htem...s/s steps....losing it big time....he had more problems than she did but it wasn't pretty...lift...dance spin..plenty of revs there for that one...and they're done. Yeah, he ended up half a turn behind her on the steps..just lost it a little.

marks 4.9-5.1...5.0-5.4. And they're third behind the Canadians and Americans.

Chait and Sakhnovski ISR

Red dress for her with black lattice pattern. He's in white shirt, deep v with much chest, black tassled net on it. Red cumberbund. Black trousers...6th place...he grabs her from behidn and swings her....s/s steps to begin,very fast....they are just flying....and go to the end of the rink for s/s step seq...great timing...and unison... might have lost it at the end camera angle made it hard t osee.....into moulin rouge roxanne....lift...mmm..Ewan.....steps to dance spin....lots of tunring from both...lift where she's horizontal and he's lifting her this way and taht and spinning her.....slides her under his legs....to the corner and diagonal steps in dacne hold....nice work from both of them...and they're done right on the music. Bit of struggle at the end notes Barry....very fast across the ice...we see the steps again...timing very tight...see the lift again....really nice....

marks 5.2-5.6...5.5-5.7... all 1s

Fusar Poli and Margaglio ITA

Another matador...and she's in big black dress...jet black hair. Which is frightening. He's got ruffles on his shirt....lots of gold sparkles....skirt is another of those ones that makes the wearer looks as if they've gone up a dress size....sparkley flowers all the way down his leg....a good foot of material could come off taht skirt...lots of speed....steps along the cie....to the boards...s/s steps...she slooks more secure tha nhim...lift and spin...very fast...dance spin...also fast...posey bits on the ice...dance hold...lots of turnign from her and even some from him...will wonders ever cease...and she hops and roll..which was meant I think?? but looked messy....nd lift and turn her in the air and catch and spin and finish. Robin says they cleverly disguised what could have been a huge problem...which I'm guessing is the hop and roll thing I mentioned above....looked like they could ahve gone, Robin calls it a move where you both get so out of control you end up on the floor and they were lucky not to....and she stepped on her dress, that's what it was. PRoblems on the steps at the end as well...yeah. she nearly went and so did he...well saved...and didn't I say about that dress? Didn't I, Didn't I???

marks 5.6-5.8...58 from ITA 5.8s apart from ita, who gives 5.9 rwo of ones.

Denkova and Staviyski BUL

Mostly blakc for him, red whirls on waistcoat....flower on her dress...very high slit...red glove on left arm, sleeve of black on right...little hop to him to star....goes along the length of the ice....into a dance spin...both of them lunging,very pretty....lift....nice transitions in that....lots of steppiong over legs int that....lift where she's wrapped around his midsection, very ungainly looking...pause and pose...bit of spin...round we go in dance hold....and around to boards...posing before we begin...more mirror images with passing to begin, then striaght s/s twizzles....very nice timing....and that's the end of that. Very nice says Robin. First couple to use real tango moves in the tango section. More difficult than the Israelies Robin tells us, but not as much power and passion in the music...big honking rose on her dress

marks 5.3-5.5...5.3-5.6....3rd.

Winkler and Lohse GER

Red top for her, bare midriff....black netty scarf over big red billowy skirt...all black for him....longer hair and goatee....differnet look for him and he's left the army which explains it! And yet he carries it off with panache and style...ah....Rene...and her dress, I understand, may be sponsored by Wonderbra. Holy cleavage batman! And he carries off a big old ruffled scarfy collar. and ruffly sleeves..and carmen. Again. steps around...spinny thing...nice steps where her legs are going in and out of his...steps along diagonal nice interp of music on the stop...lift....nice....dnce spin....looks like they travelled a little on it...hand claps...which they pick out nicely in steps....steps around, nice changes of hold....to the boards and twizzles on way in..and s/s steps.... twizzles not quite in time? but those ones were....and lift....where hes nearly in besti and she's sitting on him....and wouldn't we all....steps and turns and they're done....robin notes that timing off towards the end...good moments and not so good he feels...very far apart on s/s footwork....robin notes the footwork not overly difficult...

marks 5.3-5.4...5.3-5.6 4th

Bourne and Kraatz CAN

Black dress for her, or at least dark navy. Bias cut to skirt, with flourescent pink ruffles. CUt out bit on middle of the dress...he's in all black. Yum....Victor... and I am nervous. Especially after seeing what the italians got with that mistake. So here we go then. lots of castenets to start..and pretty decent dance spin....graet speed...baords for s/s steps...nice.....twizzles well done...robin calls that superb..lift....and they're motoring...into tango...chicago the show...hydroblading move worked in there with nice lean...steps in dance hold...squite close togehter on top...nice changes of hold so dar, and slide to stop and dance hold steps....lift...wher her leg is around his beck...and changes of position again...and hydro move again...and they're done. That was quick! and her lipstick is on his nose! BArry loved it...Robin says fiar amount of running on the toes...not so much of trad tango...in comp with italians, far more commercial....you all know where I'd have it, so they're doomed, right? she leaped back onto him on that lift....and again, wouldn't we all?

marks 5.3-5.7...5.6-5.8....second. three first aze bul rus.

Grushina and Goncharov UKR

Red skirt for her, white blouse for him, black waistcoat, matching trousers. Dress for her has silver sparkles on top and its' a criss cross straps masquerading as a top...black sleeves....platinum hair....paso and tango....joy unrestrained....start off joined at the head...then into dance spin...tango starts...move where he slides her around twice....steps along diag of half the rink...dance around a bit then the other half....and around and down again...close togeher, but not as hard on the feet...lift....and stop and kneel....posey dances....lots of turning...nice changes of postion....very difficult hold....twizzles and she lost it there...got itback but vvery noticable mistake....lift where she starts off in the splits and lifts up so that she's lying along his back....and they're done. we see again the nice rotational lift....and taht was a very big mistake on the steps...over-rotated on the double three turn I am told. And who am I to argue with the lovely robin?

marks 4.9-5.5...5.1-5.5...6th...lotsof variation on ordinals...

Anissina and Peizerat FRA

Red flowers all over a black dress for her. Lots of red on the skirt as well....he's all in black, also with the flowers on top and back. and you flutter that skirt girl just dont' fall on it whatever you do...and Gwendal? Shave. Thank you....we start...an to the boards...s/ssteps....ncie timing....well done....that was good....and slide to stop and dance onthe ice....pose a little....spin....steps in dance hold.....nice...intricate steps...lift foreahead to forehead...dance spin....really picking out the music well here....arms a waving...hand a clapping gwendal a hopping...knees a slapping....he could slap my knee any day....steps....and lots of tunrs from both, he jumps in the air once more and they are done. I have learned my lesson, I am keeping my mouth shut. Robin complains about the skirt, to which i can only say a big fat word....not a hundred per cent together in steps sequence.....twizzles in both direction robin tells us...looked like abobble and her going down from that lift

marks 5.7-5.9...straight 5.9s for pres...1st place.

Lobacheva and Averbukh RUS

Red dress, gold pattern down the front. H'es in black, pink shirt, much chest exposed with the v....help me now...please....drums beat to start....and start with her gathered around his legs...steps in dance hold....stop back forward, continue around...lift....very fast rotational life....dance spin....he does his little dancey bit...twizzles in there....lots of separations....to the boards....not quie together at start of s/ssteps but got it back...nice lift...and they're done...and huge response from the crowd....they really went for that...big hugs at centre ice...difficult lifts...faster than the french says Robin....very fast step sequence...left twizzles until the end...

marks...5.7-5.8(6)....5.7-6.0! 6 from poland! and second! 1st, 2 3rds, rest seconds.

I'm in shock!

Drobiazko and Vanagas LTU

Black dress. red sparkles on bodice and sleeves. Big red ruffle on end. Long skirt. All black for him. And he looks good, let me just point that out. starts with him kneeling on the ice....nice steps...good expression and timing...very clean across th eice....lift where she hops backwatds....and lots of turns before she goes back down...little spin...ends with ehr standing him kneeling and sliding behind her...dance spin...one of the fastest we've seen....steps ...looked like he could have slipped ther...to the boards...steps...nice stpes but were they offthe twizzles....lift....and lots of spisn from both and finished right on the music....that was good. Really liked that....we see the lift again where she's kneeling on the side and he's carrying her....more together on steps than I thought and Robin says this was more difficult than the canadians....kept the speed going in the twizzles

marks 5.5-5.6(6)....5.6-5.8...5th.

Navka and Kostomarov RUS

Pink jacket for him. Far too much makeup on her...more slap than a pantomime dame. Nice sparkley balck dress, pink ruffles on the bottom....mask of zorro to start...netting on the sleeves for her...deep v on white shirt for him....steps to start...straight line step....nice unison......twizzles well done too....dance spin....very fast and well centred....nice spins along the ice from her....lift...nice interp of hte music....down to the corner...dacne hold...lotsof stamping here....very close together in their positions...dance lift where she's horizontal and he's carrying her and spinning...and that's the end of htat. we see replays of the spins...speed and flow throughout...lifts were very good actually....

marks 5.1-5.4....5.3-5.6...9th place.