Judge Jake! Strictly Week 3

STRICTLY COME DANCING 2026 | SATURDAY 10 OCTOBER

My thoughts, comments and scores as a Ballroom & Latin teacher

Week 3, and we’re starting to get a better idea of who can really dance, who’s improving and who still has plenty of work to do!

For me, it’s not just about putting on a great show. I want to see the character of each dance, recognisable steps, good timing and technique, and how well the celebrities are progressing from week to week.

There were some improvements, a few disappointments and one performance that really stood out!

So, here’s what I thought.

1. Lacey Turner & Vito Coppola

Samba | Bamboléo – Gipsy Kings

It was nice to see a good range of Samba steps in the routine, with a good balance between a show performance and showcasing some sound Samba steps.

I think both legs seemed a bit too flexed throughout, which makes the gait seem a bit wide and the steps a little ploddy in areas.

Timing was good. She just needs to work on getting more movement through the body and using the floor connection, rather than just the steps, to help with movement.

A well-put-together routine and a big improvement on the Cha Cha, particularly in the use of technique and the character of the dance compared to her first Latin performance.

⭐ MY SCORE: 7/10

2. Will Best & Dianne Buswell

Waltz | With You I’m Born Again – Billy Preston & Syreeta

Now, I do feel that although there are improvements in the Ballroom aspect of this dance, I do question a lot of the phrased timing from the beginning and throughout the routine.

Which is a shame when there were lots of closed-hold Waltz steps!

Nice to see Will wearing 95% of a Ballroom outfit! I know a lot of it comes down to the aesthetic, but wearing the tie would have finished it off. I also think that would have helped with some of his posture, with his head being forward rather than back.

Very much an improvement on last week’s Ballroom dance. Movement was nice and flowing.

He now just needs to be aware of his posture and frame, and really be much tighter with the timing, especially for a Waltz.

Footwork looked, from what I could see, neat and in time.

I can definitely see more drive and power coming. I’d like to see his frame a little higher and a little more to the right, using his body more to create the movement, and his head back.

I would score higher, but I’m unsure I can give it higher marks when I don’t believe the timing was meant to be intentionally wrong throughout sections.

It’s not a contemporary piece. It was a Ballroom dance, so it needs to be danced with the timing clear for a Waltz.

⭐ MY SCORE: 6/10

3. Shaun Wright-Phillips & Alexis Warr

Quickstep | I’m a Believer – The Monkees

After a good second week and getting through, it’s a shame that Shaun’s Quickstep and Ballroom pushed his progress backwards.

Now, when he did his first performance, I counted maybe three basic variations right at the beginning before going into passing runs and scatters, which again seems to be a running theme this season on Strictly!

Shaun was very steppy, with his feet and legs not quite as light as I thought they would be, being a professional footballer, especially with the speed.

Posture and bottom out quite a lot. Frame was very weak, and he always seemed behind on the timing.

Saying that, when he had a second opportunity in the dance-off, there was a much better improvement, but my score will only reflect what he did the first time.

With this being Shaun’s first week performing Ballroom, I’m maybe not surprised to see lots of mistakes and faults compared to others who have done one or two Ballroom dances up to this point.

He survived another week, so let’s see if he can correct some of his Ballroom work like he did with his Latin going into Week 4.

It was nice to see some elements of basic steps at the beginning of the routine. They were slightly odd variations and unfortunately not done very well.

⭐ MY SCORE: 3/10

4. Cach Mercer & Maddie Ingoldsby

Couple’s Choice | Beware.. The South London Lover Boy – RAYE

Now, I’ve never been fond of Couple’s Choice, certainly early doors, because I think it’s also very much a bye week for anyone performing it.

Obviously, with this style of competition, it’s about the progress of the celebrity, not the pro, so I can kind of understand the fact that this routine was centred around Cach.

Saying that, this street, jazzy funk, commercial dance style, though very much on time and kept up well, didn’t feel like he executed many of his lines, especially with his upper body, hands and posture, very well.

That would have made it a much stronger performance.

Yes, it was energetic, and I think the transitions worked well, but I don’t feel like the bits connected as nicely as I’d like, which is a real shame if this was a style he was meant to be very comfortable with.

I felt like the performance wasn’t quite there for me.

Saying that, as a performance, this was still an above-average performance, but nothing really caught my eye.

In general, it was on time and kept a nice feeling, but it wasn’t exciting for me.

I also would have liked to have seen his character and performance come out a lot more.

⭐ MY SCORE: 6/10

5. Jaime Winstone & Carlos Gu

Viennese Waltz | Never Tear Us Apart – INXS

I mean, what a great song to dance to, especially for a Viennese Waltz!

I can see, especially with this pairing of Jaime and Carlos, that the vibe and routine were very good and had great potential.

When we talk about a Viennese Waltz and look at the basics, they should glide, not hop or skip. Unfortunately, I did catch it being very skippy and jumpy when in hold.

I also felt that her arms, when being released, were very out of control, and the tension in the shoulders was too squeezed back, keeping her head forward without allowing her to release a full line through the body to the arm.

So there was a disconnect, which affects the power that you see when coming out of steps and transitions.

There were maybe just enough proper steps and sections out of hold for my liking, but this time I really do want to focus on her technique now, when it comes down to her Ballroom and Latin from previous weeks.

⭐ MY SCORE: 6/10

6. Melanie Walters & Aljaž Škorjanec

Charleston | Ooh Ahh… Just a Little Bit – Gina G

I do think one thing Melanie does very well is stay in character, no matter what dance she’s doing.

Now, for the tempo of the song, I think she managed very well.

They were very clever with transitions and creating single-beat steps to kind of slow the pace down while the music stayed at a high tempo.

There wasn’t much swivel action in the Charleston sections, and again, this was a dance where louder and more energetic arms and every reaction would have really benefited it. It’s the whole point of a Charleston!

Feet weren’t always closed, which made the overall look of the routine a little odd in some places.

Again, it wasn’t performed badly, but there was technique and energy that I needed to really make this routine pop, even with the gimmicky background, which I had no issue with.

I felt again there was potential there.

It’s probably a case of needing more time, being more confident and having a little more power and energy throughout the whole dance that really would have brought this together.

Very few mistakes that were certainly not visible. It was a fun routine to watch, but a lot of that comes down to execution.

⭐ MY SCORE: 4/10

7. Dame Sarah Storey & Julian Caillon

Paso Doble | California Dreamin’ – Sia

I thought the music choice and rendition of the song were great and created a great idea for a Paso Doble.

Now, I may have been a little caught off guard by Sarah’s faces and rather scary eyes!

Paso is a very strong, high-stamina dance, and I felt like this was a dance with the battery on 60%. It felt like there was a lot more to give to make it fuller.

Timing wasn’t bad. I just felt like she was slightly behind the beat.

Posture was not as curved like a banana as I would like!

I think the intent was definitely there, and in comparison to the previous week, I felt like she was committing more to the character of the dance than she did in her Charleston last week.

So I’d definitely say there’s an improvement there.

Now, over the course of the last two weeks, what I’d like to see is more intensity in the performance.

⭐ MY SCORE: 5/10

8. Delta Goodrem & Kai Widdrington

Salsa | Always There / Ain’t Nobody – Jocelyn Brown / Chaka Khan

This routine and performance are probably up there with the best so far in the series!

Disco Cuban Salsa was a good choice!

Now, Delta is very tall, which means two things: she needs to work harder to complete lines and keep the energy in them!

We saw a little bit of the energy drop in both previous weeks.

This did have more even energy, but with that, Salsa is high energy and you need to go all out!

Though I liked this routine and the dancing, the areas of improvement come down to not the poses or the moves, but the natural flow and energy of her dancing.

Now, she hit most of the lines well with her legs, and the tricks looked good.

I just want more natural flow!

⭐ MY SCORE: 8/10

9. Lawrence Robb & Jowita Przystał

Rumba | back to friends – sombr

Rumbas for the male celebs, I think, are hard!

Now, when he was standing still and doing his arms in a contemporary and Latin feel, he looked composed and strong.

But he was STILL!

Now, we saw in a break that Lawrence could do hips, but I’m not sure I saw any hip action in the routine, which is a shame as I was impressed with what I saw in that break!

And then in the routine, I didn’t see any!

Let the man do some more dancing!

Push his routines to do more and not just posing.

Also, I feel that had he been wearing Latin shoes, not flat Ballroom shoes, he might have got more.

A little more tweaking, pushing the routine and him, and there is a dancer there!

I’m just frustrated, as this is the time to push him now, early whilst he’s learning. Otherwise, the performances are all going to be the same!

I see him being a strong dancer. I just want MORE!

⭐ MY SCORE: 5/10

10. Dani Dyer & Nikita Kuzmin

Tango | Show Me Love – Robin S

Another great rendition of making this song work as a Tango, which was complemented by the routine!

This is more what I wanted in terms of character and steps from the dance style.

Let’s start with the positives!

I liked Dani’s flexed knees. She stayed down nearly the whole way through, which is not easy for anyone to do!

Now, Tango is also a steppy, glidey dance, which again I thought she did well. Most of the basic footwork was there too.

But then we look at what needs to be improved.

Whenever there was a transition, it was always unbalanced and needed a couple of beats to adjust, which you can use in Tango.

But when you see shuffled feet, it’s a big tell that either you’re not getting wide enough when landing the last step or closing flat before changing to promenade!

Also, Dani had a good body line for the most part, but I would have liked a higher frame, especially the elbows, to reinforce the frame and hold herself away to the left!

I like the vibe, style, routine and amount of closed Tango dancing.

Now it’s the structure in the posture and frame.

⭐ MY SCORE: 6/10

11. Graeme Hall & Lauren Oakley

Jive | Reet Petite – Jackie Wilson

There are so many styles of Jive, and even in Ballroom Jive, all the Swing styles, Rock and Roll and Lindy styles.

There’s so much to pull from, and I like them all!

This was a mix of Ballroom Jive and Swing, and I liked it!

Now, was the execution there?

Kinda, but kinda not!

There were timing issues and missteps, but he recovered well!

He was a bit too boppy rather than bouncy, which sounds odd, but there is a difference.

Bounce has a grounding, and bopping has a jump effect, which has too much height!

Again, wearing flat shoes rather than Latin means his weight is back rather than forward.

Foot placements seemed neat, just a bit flat!

⭐ MY SCORE: 6/10

12. John Nellis & Katya Jones

Cha Cha Cha | Rock Your Body – Justin Timberlake

This wasn’t a Cha Cha for me!

It was still in the hips, heavy-footed and stompy, and heel leads???

I know he was walking it, but a missed chance for Latin technique!

Very little Cha Cha content from John. Katya did plenty in areas!

Also, are we ignoring the rules of lifts now? Have the rules changed?

I’m confused, as this has happened a few times in dances this series.

At least he was dressed properly and in the right shoes, which helped his posture sometimes.

Relaxed hands and arms, too relaxed!

This is a shame because of the hype he started with, but I feel maybe he’s just Ballroom and not Latin as a dancer!

⭐ MY SCORE: 5/10

13. Bethany Antonia & Nancy Xu

American Smooth | Love Song – Sara Bareilles

I liked the idea of the routine for an American Smooth!

It was nice to see Foxtrot steps done with good accuracy.

Changing between lead and follow in any style is hard because they need different things.

When she’s a follow, she needs to be more to the left, but I liked her frame and arms being up.

As a leader, she drops it a little, and it makes her look a bit stiff.

And then her footwork wasn’t bad, but just unfinished.

I feel like the shoes stopped the line when the feet were so exposed!

Some of the directions when doing three-step turns were a bit wobbly, which again just takes away from the neatness Bethany normally delivers.

I didn’t dislike it, but I didn’t love it either.

Now, the performing was there and the character of the dance was good, but it was NICE!

Not a negative, but I’d like to see an improvement!

⭐ MY SCORE: 6/10

14. Tabby Stoecker & Mark Karmalita

Argentine Tango | hate that I made you love me – Ariana Grande

Well, I do have to say this was the standout performance of the night and by far the best complete, all-round dance of the series so far!

From the character to the performance to the technical elements, they were all there!

Now, it wasn’t perfect, but it wasn’t far off, certainly for a Week 3 performance.

This dance had the heat, the show and the intensity needed to pull this specialised dance off!

With Tabby’s strength in her core, lifts and movement were shown with ease to a high level!

Where could there be improvements?

Sometimes I would say her frame through the arms was too light and not held with resistance, which meant some turns and transitions looked a little unstable.

That takes away from the cleanliness and flow in the dance, but that’s me being picky!

This is a dance I can see her, if she gets to the end, performing again and scoring higher!

I do think she’s in the running to be top three at the end, which is easily said when you see a performance like that!

⭐ MY SCORE: 8/10

🪩 THE DANCE-OFF: MY FINAL THOUGHTS

Melanie Walters & Aljaž Škorjanec vs Shaun Wright-Phillips & Alexis Warr

I actually think this could have gone either way!

If it was scored only on the dance-off, Shaun made improvements, which I think Alexis managed very well to aid. It was the right move to make him perform better.

With the element of his improvement and Melanie’s performance staying the same, it was a shame to lose Melanie.

But I don’t see her improving as much, whereas Shaun’s potential might be a little more, and that’s my take on things!

It’s Icons Week next! Which icon do YOU want to see?

💬 NOW I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

That’s my take on Week 3, but what did YOU think?

Was I fair or too harsh? Who impressed you most, and which of my scores do you disagree with?

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the weekend’s performances, the judges’ decisions and whether you agree with my comments as a Ballroom & Latin teacher.

Head over to Hove Dance Centre’s Facebook or Instagram posts and leave your thoughts!

Tell me who your favourite was, who you think deserved more points and whether you agree with my scores.

Don’t be afraid to disagree with me. That’s half the fun! 😂

JUDGE JAKE | HOVE DANCE CENTRE