Judge Jake! Strictly Week 2

MOVIE WEEK | 3 OCTOBER 2026

With all the dances, they created a really good homage to the films they were taking inspiration from! The production and costume departments always do well on themed weeks!

As it's Week 2, for the most part my expectations are to have now seen a Ballroom and a Latin dance from each couple. I know Strictly has grown beyond just that, but I think that's what I would have liked in the first two weeks! Just saying!

1. Dani Dyer & Nikita Kuzmin

Foxtrot | Beauty and the Beast

So this was a NICE dance, just like the Samba from last week. I just wanted to see more!

I think Dani did very well with what she was given. Even though this song is a fast tempo, I needed to see more slows! Foxtrot is a graceful dance that really plays on those slow-to-quick step changes, and I'm not sure I saw many true slows in the routine.

Which is a shame, as when out of hold there were good arms and performance, but more delivery in the execution would have made this feel better for me.

It was nice to see more Foxtrot combinations in there, but I want more contrast in the timing and a few more toe releases!

⭐ MY SCORE: 6/10

2. John Nellis & Katya Jones

Couple's Choice | Titanic

After last week, my expectations were set much higher for John!

Having said that, it's Couple's Choice, which I'm not the biggest fan of myself because I find it hard to critique. Not because I don't know the style, but I always feel like it's a week they get away with something that's not relatable to the other people's dances.

I must say I was disappointed with this number. I get the impression it was meant to feel like a stage performance with the Irish feel, and I thought it was a bit flat apart from the lifts.

John did those very well, but his movement felt like he was just running between everything. The polka section in hold was very weak. For such great posture in Week 1, I felt like he could have performed this dance much better, and it was a dip on last week.

I think the only thing was that there was life in it, maybe because of the style, and the lifts were good. But it was an average performance, so an average score it will be!

⭐ MY SCORE: 5/10

3. Delta Goodrem & Kai Widdrington

American Smooth | A Star Is Born

Definitely another great physical performance that showed a good contrast from last week's Samba.

With it being American Smooth, I need to not judge this just as a Foxtrot, but like with earlier, not enough slows showing the contrast and therefore technical elements within the Ballroom dancing.

It was a very well-timed musical number, hitting the timing perfectly with the music, with the dynamics and story I think Kai has managed to produce and for Delta to perform.

I do think some arm actions could have been fuller, and a slight softening of her middle and back would have really brought out the best in this dance.

Let me see a bit more dynamics and tempo changes between steps, and this could have been an early series high, high score!

⭐ MY SCORE: 7/10

4. Chris Appleton & Amy Dowden

Cha Cha Cha | Baywatch

I don't want everyone to think I'm being overly harsh, but I think there may have been only around eight bars of four in a row of somewhat recognisable Cha Cha steps, and then a few other counts dotted after. The rest was a lot of stillness and posing from Chris.

The idea for this routine and song choice in theory worked, but the execution of the limited Cha Cha and the rest of the dance let him down here.

There were also mistimed steps and mistakes. On top of this, I felt like there was no leading connection through Chris's hands and arms, through his body, making Amy look like she was doing it all herself.

After the Tango last week, I did think Chris would be more connected. Seeing tension normally means people leading tend to be stronger or over-leading, but it was quite the opposite.

Unfortunately, there wasn't much hip action either, so in reality this wasn't a great dance.

⭐ MY SCORE: 2/10

5. Lawrence Robb & Jowita Przystał

Viennese Waltz | Ratatouille

What is Viennese Waltz to me? It's smooth, flat and flowing, with spins, subtle sway and big swing.

This dance was a little bumpy, skippy and stiff for me.

The open sections were nice and added a nice break, and were performed to a good level. His acting does come out, with a nice happy smile and not looking fearful.

I felt the transitions were a bit rough and could have been neater. Lawrence's stepping needs to glide along the floor. He had soft knees, but there was no gliding, and that made it lumpy and bumpy.

Also, his posture and frame were a little weak and moved about a bit too much. I would have liked to see him a bit higher, elbows level, and using his frame to move his body with Jowita.

⭐ MY SCORE: 5/10

6. Dame Sarah Storey & Julian Caillon

Charleston | Mary Poppins

This was a Charleston with two halves, and what I mean by this is two speeds.

I found not much wrong with the slower section, but it was so slow I felt like there wasn't enough energy to fill out this dance.

It was very neat in this section, but it needed to be bigger and wilder to keep it engaging for me.

Then BAM! The tempo went up and we got looser lines and more character, and then I started to enjoy the dance for the last 30 seconds!

Sarah executed this dance well. Good swivels, posture and timing. It was just missing that more dynamic and fun feel.

Lifts and tricks were done well too, and maybe the word here is SAFE.

Which for Week 2 I get, and I'm OK with, but I'm sure she can now start pushing the boat out and giving us more!

⭐ MY SCORE: 6/10

7. Graeme Hall & Lauren Oakley

Waltz | The Godfather

Another one where my expectations grew from Week 1, and this time there was no disappointment!

Graeme showed, whilst still being a themed week, a WALTZ!

There was a super amount of partnered Waltz work, and I loved it. I think the audience did too!

I really think what Lauren is doing is clever and right. Show us he can learn the actual dancing and then push the choreography. But you know what? I don't think it needed more!

Now, with all the positives, let's break some eggs, but only to make an omelette!

There were a few timing mistakes or misbalances that made him look a little unsteady or rushed.

His posture and hold were extremely good for Week 2 and a novice dancer. I would like to see him learn to move through his centre through steps because I think he can, which would make him a more complete Ballroom dancer.

Lowering his centre of gravity would also give him more flow and glide rather than stepping.

But I think he will go far in this competition, and maybe it's early days yet, but even a 2026 contender!

If it's based on dancing alone, I think he's probably the front-runner.

⭐ MY SCORE: 7/10

8. Will Best & Dianne Buswell

Foxtrot | Risky Business

Risky Business indeed on this one!

It's hard enough dancing as a lead with clothes on that don't show up mistakes, let alone dancing in shorts and white shoes!

There's a reason in Ballroom and Latin leaders wear trousers, because leaders' legs and knees rarely look good!

Saying that, Will actually didn't do a bad job, and it didn't seem to knock his performing.

Now there was the one Foxtrot slow. Everything else was a quick! This rushing doesn't help Will get into those transitions very well and makes the Foxtrot seem overstepped and lose its rise and fall.

This isn't his fault, but it doesn't help his dancing, and I actually thought his frame wasn't bad and the steps danced weren't bad, but everything just seemed rushed.

Slow things down and wear some trousers!

I have no doubt Will can show us more. I think he's a promising dancer.

⭐ MY SCORE: 6/10

9. Jaime Winstone & Carlos Gu

Cha Cha Cha | Pretty Woman

I liked this routine! It had a good mix of show and Cha Cha and went very well with the music. It was well-timed and had the cheeky character you expect in a Cha Cha.

She showcased a few times that she can get the Latin leg lines, which are very hard to get and then maintain.

But the energy was slowly going throughout the dance, meaning arms started to slow down and be misplaced.

Her posture still needs work. Lifting the diaphragm and pulling the hamstrings would help maintain this more.

Also, if she ranged her step size and didn't make the longest strides, it would help her get way more hip action, stop some of the posture issues and make her legs look less bent throughout.

I think next for Jaime is TECHNIQUE, TECHNIQUE, TECHNIQUE!

⭐ MY SCORE: 6/10

10. Melanie Walters & Aljaž Škorjanec

Waltz | The Sound of Music

This was such a shame, this number.

There were just too many mistakes, whether that was nerves or maybe the connection to the song and the meaning behind it.

Again, what I liked about it was that it was meant to be a Waltz. Unfortunately, timing and the wrong steps meant it just didn't work out.

There's not too much more I can say than that, as I don't think it's needed.

I wonder what would have happened if she was given another chance?

For what was there in her dance, it wasn't all bad, but I think we will need to scrap this one and move on.

⭐ MY SCORE: 2/10

11. Cach Mercer & Maddie Ingoldsby

Samba | Grease

Well, this was a much better improvement from last week!

This was very much a fusion dance of Samba. It was so fast that it stopped him from dancing the Samba properly.

It was very entertaining, but a very interesting way to use this song.

With speed must come accuracy, and that was one thing I think was holding this back.

I didn't think he used as much pressure through the floor, which is needed for all the dances, but especially for Samba.

Samba bounce starts with the connection through the floor, and I would have liked it better if it was just slowed down.

This would let him hit the lines to make it look complete.

⭐ MY SCORE: 7/10

12. Tabby Stoecker & Mark Karmalita

American Smooth | The Greatest Showman

So this was an American Smooth Foxtrot, but again when the closed-hold Foxtrot sections happened, there were no slows and it kind of felt like a Tango, if I'm honest, but on toes and a bit steppy!

The open sections were very nice, though some of the arms seemed a bit thrown and wild and needed more grace and tension to showcase the power.

The lifts were very good, with a strong core. I didn't expect any less.

With her frame, I would have liked her a bit more to the left and letting her hips come forward more. This would stop the stomping in places.

Though for Week 2, like a lot of the others and like Week 1, I'm very impressed and the only direction looks up.

Open sections good, closed positions need neatening and grace.

⭐ MY SCORE: 5/10

13. Bethany Antonia & Nancy Xu

Paso Doble | Wicked: For Good

I might sound like a broken record, but with a great first week I was thinking, right, Week 2, more time dancing, we'll see more.

But I was a little underwhelmed with this dance.

This was meant to be a Paso. The song was very dramatic and powerful with the score and emotion, and I think Bethany got this, but it wasn't a Paso.

There was very little content, and even the bits danced together as Paso seemed off.

The holds and postures just didn't give me Paso.

I'm sorry, but that's my truthful feeling. Had this been a Couple's Choice musical, maybe very different, but it's a shame because I think she's got so much potential.

⭐ MY SCORE: 4/10

💬 NOW I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

That's my take on Movie Week, and I know some of my scores and comments might get people talking!

Was I fair or too harsh?

Did I miss something in a performance? Did I give someone too much credit or not enough? And who do YOU think delivered the best dance of the weekend?

Remember, I'm looking at these performances from my perspective as a Ballroom & Latin teacher, and that doesn't mean we all have to agree!

I'd really love to hear your thoughts, whether you're a dancer yourself or just someone who loves watching Strictly!

Head over to our Facebook or Instagram posts and get involved in the comments! Tell me what you thought of the weekend, which performances stood out, and most importantly, what you think of my scores and comments!

Don't be afraid to disagree with me. That's what makes it interesting! 😂

🪩 JUDGE JAKE | HOVE DANCE CENTRE