In a thrilling shake-up to the classic format, Strictly Come Dancing introduced its first-ever Instant Dance challenge, creating a wave of excitement and high-pressure drama for the couples and viewers alike.
The High-Pressure Instant Dance Format
For the first time in the show's 21-year history, the contestants were thrown a monumental curveball. Each pair had to randomly select a dance style they had previously learned during the competition. Upon being allocated a backing track, they were given a mere 10 seconds to devise a loose strategy for their choreography before performing live for the judges.
And The Winners Are...
Rising to the occasion with spectacular flair, Lewis Cope and his professional partner Katya Jones emerged victorious. Their energetic jive to Wham!'s "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" during Saturday's show (29 November) captivated the panel, earning them the maximum six points.
Head judge Shirley Ballas was full of praise, commending the couple for their daring approach. She hailed their "jive content" as "absolutely fantastic", securing their top spot in this unprecedented challenge.
The Full Leaderboard
The competition was fierce, with other couples also delivering impressive spontaneous performances. The full results were:
- 1st Place (6 points): Lewis Cope & Katya Jones (Jive)
- 2nd Place (5 points): Balvinder Sopal & Julian Caillon (Paso Doble)
- 3rd Place (4 points): Amber Davies & Nikita Kuzmin (Samba)
- 4th Place: Alex Kingston & Johannes Radebe
- 5th Place (2 points): George Clarke & Alexis Warr
- 6th Place (1 point): Karen Carney & Carlos Gu
Despite achieving a perfect score of 40 earlier in the evening, Karen Carney and Carlos Gu found themselves at the bottom of the Instant Dance leaderboard. The judges felt their last-minute routine was "a bit disconnected", awarding them just a single point.
This groundbreaking segment has undoubtedly set a new benchmark for pressure and spontaneity on the nation's favourite dance show, leaving fans eager to see if the Instant Dance will become a permanent fixture.
