We're edging closer to the Strictly final, with the semi-final coming up this Sunday, but it looks like each of the couples are approaching it in very different ways.
While some appear laid-back, their true yearning to win can be detected through their subtle gestures. Others, however, are already feeling defeated with their "broken confidence and damaged self-esteem".
According to our body language expert Judi James, it's their moments up on the balcony with Claudia after they’re celebrating avoiding the dreaded dance-off that often show up who wants to win the most and the results are surprising...
Will Mellor and Nancy Xu
Ignore Will’s laid-back, ‘we can only do our best’ claims of having ‘not a clue’ about how he’s in the semis, Will is a dedicated grafter who has shown constant signs of an analytical and thoughtful approach to his dances each week.
I think he’s there by design rather than accident and that underneath his splayed, laid-back arms, his raised brows of surprise and his self-effacing humility lies a real hunger to get his hands on that glitterball. ‘Will to win’ can be read in two ways and although I might not tip Will to win he’s certainly full of the actual will to win.
Nancy’s signals make her look fiercely focused on the win. She also tends to act humble but her hunched shoulders and her praying hands that fluctuate between urgent clapping of excitement and self-congratulation and a ‘fingers crossed’ hopefulness.
Her excited double-flash eyebrow signals to Will help make her and Will look like one of the most quietly competitive couples of those left.
Helen Skelton and Gorka Marquez
There’s an impression Helen has already won in terms of emotional pay-back, with her newly-recovered confidence and what is seen as her ‘Revenge dance’ to her ex.
But don’t underestimate her desire to win that glitterball. Her body language after she avoided the dance-off last weekend suggested a real fighting spirit. She and Gorka sat in identical, mirrored poses at first, with their hands held in tight clasps and their teeth bared in edge-to-edge teeth smiles.
These gestures showed tension but it was the kind of muscle tensing when someone is gearing up for battle. Helen’s hard, smacking high 5 to Will to celebrate victory reflected that battle-style approach.
Gorka is now looking more anxious that Helen though and this could be what poker players call ‘winner’s anxiety’, a build-up of nerves that occurs when they think they have a winning hand. Gorka sat kneading his hands together, suggesting these more stressful emotions might be going on inside while he’s smiling on the outside.
Fleur East and Vito Coppola
These two seem to be showing signs of ‘survivor’s’ body language, having been through some real highs and lows on the show and some very confusing dance-offs.
Fleur’s elegant body language looks more relaxed as a result of what must by now be a philosophical response to her ability to get unfair, harsh criticism and negative viewers’ votes one week and to top the leaderboard and get praised to the skies the next.
She and Vito look poised, grown-up and happy now, as though they really will take whatever comes. But they are also one of the most professional couples in the show. Fleur will adore a win but she will also know she’s a talented performer with or without the glitterball in her hands.
Hamza Yassin and Jowita Przystal
Jowita just looks supportive and encouraging but without any signs or personal competitiveness or desire to put pressure on Hamza to create a series win.
This seems to bring out the best in Hamza, who looks politely happy and centred, as though his world won’t fall apart if he doesn’t win the show.
Hamza’s body language signals are the most normal and least dramatic of all the semi-finalists and I suspect that, although he might deserve to win, he won’t be devastated if he doesn’t. Sitting with one arm on the back of the chair to focus on Claudia during their chat, his only sign of any pressure came with a small picking gesture with his thumbs.
Molly Rainford and Carlos Gu
While the others might want a win to top off the series for them, Molly and Carlos look as though they might need that glitterball to repair their broken confidence and damaged self-esteem after their dance-offs.
Watching Molly’s smile drop like a brick when that red light hits her is sad as she came into the contest with the kind of smiling, bouncy confidence of a girl who has probably succeeded at most things in her life. It is Carlos’s first season and he reflected Molly’s sense of optimism and excitement.
His facial expression on the weekend looked tortured though. Much of this young couples’ fighting spirit must have been drained from them by now but what’s called ego survival and protection mode might see them coming out with one last huge blast of competitiveness next weekend.
