OFF THE MARK...
Dancer blasts judges for ‘inconsistency’
DANCING With The Stars professional Ryan Mcshane last night slammed the judges for their “inconsistent” marking.
He has been labelled the “bad boy of the dance floor” and sparked up the first live row in the series.
The Co Antrim man accused Julian Benson, Brian Redmond and Loraine Barry of skimping with their marks.
Mcshane, 33, last night performed a Viennese waltz to Say You Love Me by Jesse Ware with GAA star Anna Geary for switch-up week.
The pair scored 22 points which infuriated Mcshane, who normally dances with Erin Mcgregor.
Speaking to the Irish Mirror backstage he said: “It’s not just tonight. I feel they’ve been underscoring for the whole series.
“I just wanted to let them know that it’s not been going unnoticed.”
Kicking off the show Erin and John Nolan scored 20 points with an impressive quickstep to Shania Twain’s Life’s About To Get Good.
The mum of two said she felt like she was cheating on her regular dance partner Mcshane.
Erin, 36, noted the biggest difference between the two dancers was “height”.
Judge Julian described the pair’s performance as a “flirty, sexy, contemporary quickstep”.
Loraine commented: “What you’re starting with is a switch in music... with those four beats you did use it very well, I like it. I would have liked a little bit more bounce. It was an excellent start to tonight.”
But Brian noted Erin needs “turn that good into a great”.
It’s week six and halfway through the series and Erin said she was finally “starting to enjoy the competition”.
She added: “I have to remind myself I love dance and to stop letting the nerves get to me and have fun.”
Next up was GAA commentator Marty Morrissey who was partnered with Emily Barker.
Host Nicky Byrne told how the RTE legend has lost so much weight that his pants fell down in rehearsals.
Marty and Emily danced a jive to Crocodile Rock by Elton John which was described by judge Brian as “crocodile shock” but added it was his best dance to date.
Speaking about the switch-up Marty, 59, said: “I really loved it, it gave me a chance to do the dance, we took Loraine’s advice.
“Emily is wonderful to work with. It was lovely to hear the judges give me a bit of praise.”
Commenting on the Clare man’s moves, Julien said: “Operational Transformation the
King of Rock and Jive is back in the game. What a transformation, you gave it everything.
“We can see you worked hard and you moved up a grade.”
Loraine added: “You are the type of student I’d like to work with every to
Erin Mcgregor and John Nolan Marty Morrissey and Emily Barker Bernard O’shea and Karen Byrne week. You missed a little bit here and there, for me I feel you seized the moment and I’m going to give you a gold star for effort.” They received 14 points in total. Comedian Bernard O’shea and his partner Karen Byrne danced a Charleston to Lollipop by Mika, earning them 13 points.
The RTE broadcaster’s efforts were described by Julian a s “a bit more Willy Wonky than Willy Wonka”. He said: “You created a new dance. It wasn’t a golden ticket but it Robert Heffernan and Ksenia Zsikhotska was great entertainment.” Brian added Bernard “should have stayed off the sugar as it got a bit tiresome”.
Irish musician Gavin James delivered the first live music performance of the series with his hit Hearts On Fire before Jake Carter and Valeria Milova hit the floor with the Samba to Mi Gente by J Balvin, Willy Willam featuring Beyonce.
Brian said last week’s top of the leader board and last year’s winner proved to be a “super sexy switch-up samba”. They scored 24 points.
Ifta-winning actress Deirdre O’kane channelled Kate Bush as she danced the American smooth to Wuthering Heights with Vitali Kozmin.
The mum of two told how she suffered an injury during rehearsals: “We were doing a lift and I have sore ribs. But we’re all in bits.” The Moone Boy star said Vitali put her through her paces, adding: “He’s Estonian and I lost a stone in weight.” But all the hard work paid off for Deirdre who scored one of the highest marks of the night with 26 points. Julian said: “Never mind Wuthering heights, you’ve moved to new heights.” Loraine added: “It was soft, beautiful and feminine. I really enjoyed the relationship with the couple, switch-up week worked for you.” But it was top model Alannah Beirne and Kai Widdrington who impressed the judges most with their tango to Lorde’s Green Light. The pair scored Alannah Beirne and Kai Widdrington the highest mark of the night with 27 points. Julian commented: “It was a dark dramatic Tango, a fresh approach, overall a great performance.
Loraine said: “It was one of my favourite dances as well. An amazing attacking dynamic Tango.” And Brian added: “You have fabulous potential, but potential is the key word.”
Last up was Olympian Rob Heffernan and Ksenia Zsikhotska who brought a touch of class with a quickstep to L.O.V.E by Gregory Porter.
Julian described their moves as “dashing”. Brian said, “I did like it but I didn’t L.O.V.E. it” and Loraine added, “It wasn’t perfect, but a great attempt”. They scored 16 points.
Next Sunday it will be the return of dreaded dance-off which sees the bottom two couples go head-tohead for week seven of the twinkletoed hit series.