Strictly semi-finals: performances, comments and scores

From Digital Spy

Strictly Come Dancing 2018 reached its semi-final this evening (December 8) with an array of nervous contestants trying to earn that place in the final.

There were a slew of incredible feats from this year's bunch, including yet another perfect score from Ashley Roberts – as well as a few near-hits from Faye Tozer and Stacey Dooley (who left the judges in tears last week).

Unfortunately there were one or two stumbles too, though who makes it through remains to be seen.

Here are the all-important performances, judges' comments and scores from the evening:

Stacey Dooley and Kevin Clifton danced a Charleston to 'Five Foot Two Eyes Of Blue' by Spike Jones

Shirley: "What an absolutely superb way to open the show – I am absolutely speechless. Is there anything you can't do? Absolutely phenomenal." (Score: 10)

Bruno: "Come on! Talk about giving it welly! She burst into action like a sparkling firecracker. It was 100% authentic 1920's flapper-style Charleston." (Score: 10)

Craig: "Well, your left foot didn't do one little swivel. But I loved it, it was quirky and eccentric." (Score: 9)

Darcey: "Stacey you epitomise the naughty flapper. It was fabulous." (Score: 10)

Joe Sugg and Dianne Buswell danced a Viennese waltz to 'This Year's Love' by David Gray

Bruno: "You're irresistible, adorable to watch. Your connection with your partner, so caring and so gentle. You have to be careful – no rise and fall, it should be imperceptible." (Score: 8)

Craig: "Way too much rise and fall, it almost appeared as a Waltz. Don't think its your best performance." (Score: 6)

Darcey: "We do expect a lot of you from the ballroom. You had a wonderful posture, but do think you had difficulty in the continuous rotations. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't what we expected from you." (Score: 8)

Shirley: "Your natural turns had too much rise and fall. It didn't had any flight and glide. Not your best dance, but a good effort." (Score: 7)

Ashley Roberts and Pasha Kovelev danced a Paso Double to 'Spectrum (Say My Name)' by Florence + The Machine

Craig: "You dance with such ferocity and passion, and I love seeing that. The only loss of balance was at the very end. But fantastic." (Score: 9)

Darcey: "The only thing for me was it was quite frantic. But what you deliver in the use of skirt and the detail. Not my favourite from you, but such precision." (Score: 9)

Shirley: "You tick most of the boxes I liked to see. It could have had a bit more passion in certain places. But you did a very good job." (Score: 9)

Bruno: "Fierce, fearless, furious, it was like watching something out of Mad Max. The performance was outstanding." (Score: 9)

Lauren Steadman and AJ Pritchard danced a Tango 'Nutbush City Limits' by Tina Turner

Darcey: "Fierce determination. It started so well. I felt nerves and it added to the performance. I would've liked more clipped head positioning. But overall, you come out and you want it." (Score: 8)

Shirley: "I felt you kept the correct character from beginning to end. At the very end it got out of sync. But overall some great footwork, great frame, beautiful steps." (Score: 8)

Bruno: "That was your most grown-up and mature performance to date. It's difficult to sustain. A performer has to be 100% on it every step of the dance. Maintain your focus, otherwise very good." (Score: 8)

Craig: "It did become a bit pedestrian in places. And the thing felt stiff and flat-footed in places. You come out and give it your all, and that's what I love about you." (Score: 7)

Faye Tozer and Giovanni Pernice danced a Samba to 'I Go To Rio' by Pablo Cruise

Shirley: "I thought you did very well. You had some nice control on your footwork. Would have liked to have seen better pivot on your feet. But I thought you did really quite well." (Score: 9)

Bruno: "You gave us a lot of content of great quality. It was excellent." (Score: 10)

Craig: "You need a little bit more hip action on the voltes. I thought the routine was absolutely incredible." (Score: 9)

Darcey: "It was a joy to watch, it was like a masterclass. It's so difficult and you did a really, really wonderful performance. I loved it." (Score: 9)

Stacey Dooley and Kevin Clifton danced a Viennese Waltz to 'You're My World' by Cilla Black

Bruno: "It was so wonderful watching you. It had such genuine quality. A tiny little thing, out of hold – free hand. But once you got on hold, exquisite. The sky's the limit." (Score: 9)

Craig: "I thought a dance of two halves – the first half an American Smooth, and the second half pure Viennese Waltz. The challenge in a Viennese Waltz is you have to keep the rotation going and same steps and that's why you felt a bit giddy. I felt like it was cheating a little bit. Would have liked to have seen more of the true Viennese. But it was very beautiful." (Score: 8)

Darcey: "I liked it, it had a charm, it had a lovely understated quality. The phrasing especially I enjoyed. But overall, charming and beautiful." (Score: 9)

Shirley: "The quality of listening to the music and staying on his right side, it was exquisite." (Score: 10)

Joe Sugg and Dianne Buswell danced an Argentine Tango to 'Red Right Hand' by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

Craig: "It was too stompy for me, it was all too placed. I felt like you weren't leading the dance." (Score: 6)

Darcey: "You're very lucky as Dianne has great balance. I wanted to see you have fun with this. Not a bad effort, but not good." (Score: 8)

Shirley: "Taste is debatable, I don't quite agree there. Maybe it was a bit stompy, but let's talk about the good. You did a lot of very good things." (Score: 8)

Bruno: "There's not a nasty bone in his body. Can see how much work and effort you put into. It did lack a bit of action, reaction and surprise. You should think like a cat." (Score: 8)

Ashley Roberts and Pasha Kovelev danced an American Smooth 'Ain't That A Kick In The Head' by Dean Martin

Darcey: "Those lifts were tricky, but you made them beautiful. That was a success." (Score: 10)

Shirley: "Great balance between the American Smooth part and Foxtrot part. Stunning on every level." (Score: 10)

Bruno: "Not just an American Smooth, it was an American splendour! Out of this world." (Score: 10)

Craig: *claps* (Score: 10)

Lauren Steadman and AJ Pritchard danced a Samba to 'Rock The Boat' by The Hues Corporation

Shirley: "You have a larger than life partnership. But you had too many mistakes. It's very difficult to put two dances together in one week, but not your best dance." (Score: 6)

Bruno: "I felt for you. It happens to all of us, once you go on the wrong foot. You carried on and got to the end." (Score: 6)

Craig: "Its just a shame it went a bit wrong. You could have covered it up by over-acting. It just wasn't your night, darling." (Score: 5)

Darcey: "You are such an inspiring lady and have come so far. It is hard to command two techniques in one week, and sadly this one did suffer." (Score: 6)

Faye Tozer and Giovanni Pernice danced an Argentine Tango to 'La Cumparsita' by Machiko Ozawa

Bruno: "You combine the smoothness of silk, with the clear-cut brilliance of a diamond. The stealth of a tiger with the grace of a gazelle. The musicality is something I rarely see. Amazing." (Score: 10)

Craig: "There was a clumsy moment when you went for a battement. Something happened." (Score: 9)

Darcey: "The intense drama, I loved it. The articulation of every tiny movement, it was scrummy. I have to complement Giovanni, the passionate partnering. Superb." (Score: 10)

Shirley: "For a semi-final it was outstanding. And Giovanni, I'm totally in love... with her feet. The passion between you was magical." (Score: 10)

Strictly Come Dancing airs on BBC One.

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