Crikey. What a Weekend!
Wow. That was close. Talk about highs and lows. I’ve now had a proper taste of what it’s like in the eye of the storm. As you can imagine I was very nervous before my tango on Friday and I tried to hide the nerves as best I could but my left wrist and left arm had other ideas. As I finished the dance I actually thought I’d done it well and at first I was disappointed in the judges’ comments and in particular the very average scores. Having watched the footage back, I feel that the comments were very fair. At the time I really had no idea that my ‘hold’ as Len put it ‘…was slightly peculiar’. However I was enormously relieved and felt I’d given it my all and that my only enemy was really my own nerves. If I could have controlled my nerves on the night I know I would have delivered a more disciplined performance.
On Saturday night I really, really wanted to give a very good show in the rumba and I was praying for at least one ‘7′. I knew that I’d probably end up in the middle of the board but at least if I had a ‘7′ it would have put a smile on my face and given me a boost.
Sore Thumb
As a consequence of knowing I was in a dangerous place, I put too much pressure on myself and once again the old nerves tapped me on the shoulder and made the performance not as enjoyable as it should have been. Ten minutes before I was due to take the stage, I was brushing the soles of my shoes with a dancer’s steel brush (used to stop you from slipping). The adrenaline was pumping so much that the brush slipped off the sole of the shoe and cut my thumb quite badly. So then up until the moment I went on air I was sucking my thumb to stop the bleeding, much to the amusement of those around me who thought I’d regressed to the state of a toddler!
So to the dreaded moment of the dance off. I had a feeling that I was going to end up there to be honest, especially after my rumba scores. So I had sort of mentally prepared and decided to go out and give it my all and actually enjoy the dance, which I did. I’m glad I got to perform the tango again as I did feel I improved on my first performance. The relief to get through was huge. My wife, mum and friends were in the audience and we all had a group hug. My wife said ‘Don’t you dare put us all through that again!’ Flavia was quite upset which made me quite upset as I really didn’t want to let her down. We are both determined to work hard and try and avoid that happening again for as long as possible. It was really sad to see Richard go, he’s a lovely bloke and he worked incredibly hard. We had a nice drink in the bar afterwards and he said he will be around to support us all.
I’d like to thank everyone for their lovely comments and messages of support, it really means a lot to me. I’ll be on It Takes Two tomorrow so look out for me there. (Incidentally Darcey Bussell was on the show tonight and said that my rumba was under-marked which, coming from her, was great to hear). I am going to train as hard as I can this week and go out there this Saturday to have fun. I’m going to savour every moment and hopefully make my friends and family proud. Also, I can’t believe I’m saying this but I’m actually looking forward to my top up spray tan on Thursday… what’s going on? Bye for now, Craig.
Stumble it!
Themocracy
Are we getting an update to the blog anytime soon? Want your take on the Quickstep – it certainly wasnt as bad as the judges were making out… and certainly no worse than several others!
Hi Craig,
I feel sorry for you when I see how the nerves are letting you down. I have had the same problem and had one session of hypnotherapy which worked wonders for me. Changed my whole approach. I can recommend Andrea Lowe on the above email and website. She’s in Bury not far from Granada Studios if you are filming Corrie too and not far from Blackpool if you ever get home! I know there are some dubious characters out there but she is ace.
Janis x
Hey Craig,
Not going to mention last weekend, just go out on Saturday and enjoy it! You are in amazingly safe (and gorgeous) hands with Flavia so just go with it
In bocca al lupo
x x x
Hi Craig – so glad you got through – you both deserved it! Hope the nerves are better this time round and you get to enjoy it more. I know you’re giving it your all, so I hope you have fun this Saturday! Absolutely loved you in QAF and wish I’d got to see the recent play but I’m in Ireland.
So good luck for Saturday and love to Flavia!
Even when you are nervous on the two nights you have shown to have so much potential. I know it’s easy to say but if you can pretend it’s rehearsal and dance with Flavia as if you are in your own bubble, perhaps that might help with your nerves. Awaiting the day when you can really enjoy the experience live and not be dogged by nerves. Excitement maybe, but not nerves.
I was so glad to see Katherine Kelly supporting you too, Craig.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cw8zNIGApT4 (1.08)
You have what it takes!
Well done on getting through the weekend. Now that the first two dances are under your belt I hope that you can manage to get the nerves under control and start enjoying the dancing. I know…easier said than done! Perhaps you should get Paul McKenna in to hypnotise you and make you forget about being nervous….now there’s an idea! LOL
I really enjoyed both dances at the weekend and thought you were undermarked by the judges. Glad that Darcey Bussell thought the same about the Rhumba – very high praise indeed. You must have been pleased to hear that.
Good luck with rehearsals this week. Will be watching ITT tonight – can’t wait to find out which dance you will be performing on Saturday. Say hello to Flavia too. She is one of my favourite pro dancers and I was so glad that she was paired with you.
Take care and enjoy the dancing. We are all rooting for you!! xx
Well done Craig. As Layla said you stood up there and survived the maelstrom that is Strictly. Many others would cower under the pressure. It can only get better (and easier) from here on in.
Its an emotional business is Strictly so I would advise your family to have tissues handy (every week from now on!). Good luck this week and I hope you manage to bring your fun personality to the floor with either the Paso or Quickstep (although I really hope its the latter (QS)).
Karen, Craig RH and Darcy see some potential in you so you need to prove them right. You obviously listened to the judges coz your dance off tango was (I thought) much better than the original one.
And tell Flav not to make the choreography too difficult this week… (the “Chase step sequence” in week one is a tad difficult – naughty Flav
….). Having said that Flav is a wonderful teacher – she might go a tad easier on you if you supply her with regular muffins!
You have every reason to feel proud of yourself, Craig. You have been through the eye of the storm…and SURVIVED! I hope that makes it easier to conquer the nerves this Saturday.
Craig RH and Darcy both obviously see something in you and that is high praise indeed.
You certainly impressed me with the drama and intensity you brought to the floor. You can learn technique, but you can’t buy personality, so you have a distinct advantage there.
Good luck for your next dance. Enjoy it and know that you have support from all sorts of places.
Flavia is a wonderful teacher and you are in the best hands to steadily up your game. It is an emotional business – even for those of us watching at home!
We are right there with you.
Hello from Buenos Aires, the Tango’s city!!!
Hopefully you can use last week as very good experience, and learn a lot from it! And good luck learning to keep those nerves under control!
Please pass on our love to Flavia, it was hard on us seeing her in tears, so I can’t imagine Saturday night was easy for either of you!
I was so pleased when you were paired with Flavia, as I loved you as Vince in QAF, and she’s thoroughly adorable! I hope you manage to get you’re lovely training fun relationship onto the dancefloor this weekend! We shall be supporting you throughout!
xxx
Looking forward to seeing you and Flavia on ITT tomorrow and finding out what dance you will be doing on Saturday, really hoping for the QS.
Really pleased that Darcey Bussell like a few of us thought you were undermarked especially in the Rhumba but coming from her must really please you,also CRH said on Saturday he knows you have potential and he doesnt dish out praise without it being justified.
Like others i was really sad to see Flavia so upset but it must have been a real Deja vu moment for her after last year but the positive is that you have lived to fight another day.
Good Luck with the training this week and knock em dead on Saturday x x
Awww, tis really good to hear you are so positive about this coming week. Hopefully you can use last week as very good experience, and learn a lot from it! And good luck learning to keep those nerves under control!
Please pass on our love to Flavia, it was hard on us seeing her in tears, so I can’t imagine Saturday night was easy for either of you!
I was so pleased when you were paired with Flavia, as I loved you as Vince in QAF, and she’s thoroughly adorable! I hope you manage to get you’re lovely training fun relationship onto the dancefloor this weekend! We shall be supporting you throughout!
Lots of Love EmmaGx
You’ve got a great attitude Craig! What dance are you doing this week – quickstep or paso? I totally agreed with Darcey that your rumba was undermarked. It was absolutely ridiculous that a few of the judges gave you the same score as Jo and Richard, there was no comparison!
We all really hope you can relax and enjoy and not end up in the dance off again. If you’d seen the state of us all watching you on Saturday night, especially after we all saw Flavia crying! I know that loads of us were voting for you for the whole voting period (some with more than one phone) and you can guarantee we’ll do it again!
You were both fantastic, just enjoy the training and try to pretend it’s just another rehearsal. We’re all behind you and Flav 100% !!!
Sorry if this shows up twice, but my first comment seems to have disappeared.
Well done on getting through the weekend, and hope you and Flavia have now put all that behind you to concentrate on starting fresh for this new week.
I have to agree with Darcey and say that you were undermarked in both dances…so hopefully this weekend you will shine and make a good impression with the judges.
So upsetting to see Flavia crying at the end, and I really hope you can both avoid that bottom 2 position for a while now.
Please pass on our Good Luck wishes to Flavia too….she was as stunning as always at the weekend! xxx