Another Top 10 Greatest Strictly Performances

Top 10 Incredible Strictly Come Dancing Performances

Will the Strictly fans please head back to the dance floor? Welcome to Watchmojo UK and today we’ll be counting our picks for Another Top 10 Greatest Strictly Come Dancing Performances.

For this list, we've selected even more of our golden Strictly hits, as one list just doesn’t cover more than a decade of phenomenal dances.

#10: Ore Oduba and Joanne Clifton’s Jive (2016)

Taking its rightful place in the ‘Holy Trinity of Jives,’ as dubbed by Len, Ore and Joanne set a high bar for the dance pretty early on in the season. It wasn’t just the stand-out choreography and excellent technique that made this routine memorable, but also the pair’s great chemistry that helped deliver one of the show’s best Jives. We loved it, the judges loved it, and clearly Ore and Joanne did too as they revisited the dance during the finals. They managed to blow the judges away once again, leaving Craig to grumble that there was nothing to criticise.

#9: Simon Webbe and Kristina Rihanoff’s Argentine Tango (2014)

When Strictly takes its annual trip to the Blackpool Tower, everyone brings their A-game. After a few unlucky weeks, Simon and Kristina came back fighting with an incredible Moulin Rouge inspired Argentine Tango. Everyone was mesmerised by the focus, sharpness and synchronicity, as Simon proved that he was a serious contender. Three of the judges awarded them tens for this spectacular routine, which gave them their highest score of the series so far. We didn’t know this dance could be any more remarkable until they danced it again in the finals and scored that 40 we all knew they deserved.

#8:Tom Chambers and Camilla Dallerup’s Show Dance (2008)

We love a good Show Dance, the rule book is chucked aside the couples can really show off their talent. Dancing to ‘If My Friends Could See Me Now’, Tom and Camilla’s routine reminded us of all their best bits and the journey that brought them to the finals. The dance is fondly remembered for being fun and for its great storytelling. We almost don’t want to think that we might have never seen it due to a voting glitch the week before. Nevertheless, they wowed everyone with their entertaining routine and defied the odds to come out on top.

#7: Kara Tointon and Artem Chigvintsev’s Rumba (2010)

Not many celebs would call the Rumba ‘their dance’, but Kara Tointon is one of the exceptions. Not only did she tick all the boxes for technique, but she also gave an emotional performance that highlighted the chemistry with her partner. Bruno and Len were both blown away with her performance, with Bruno even likening her standard to that of a professional. Even Craig said it was almost perfect, which, coming from him is a huge compliment. Most celebrities struggle with the control and slow place needed for this dance, but Kara was here to show everyone how it’s done.

#6: Debbie McGee and Giovanni Pernice’s Argentine Tango (2017)

Strictly lovingly nicknamed Debbie McGee, “Leggie McGee” and you only need to watch this Argentine Tango to understand why. Debbie’s flexibility, agility and sharp execution made this dance one for the Strictly hall of fame. Giovanni is essentially a frame for Debbie’s artistry as she makes a rather complex routine look effortless. The dance is totally hypnotic as she draws us in with her elegance and grace but keeps us on the edge of our seats with her perfectly staccato movements. By the time the dance came to an end, we were all picking our jaws up off the floor.

#5: Faye Tozer and Giovanni Pernice’s Charleston (2018)

Shirley called it flawless, Darcey said, “Perfection” and we just can’t watch it enough. Dancing to ‘Lonely Goatherd’ from ‘The Sound of Music’ Faye and Giovanni produced a routine worthy of the West End stage. We know Faye has the moves but Gio still finds ways to challenge her, including some tricky looking lifts. It’s technically perfect and all the other elements come together so well, that there was no doubt in our minds they’d get full marks. There is nothing we don’t love about this performance and it’s certainly set a high bar for any Charleston to follow.

#4: Georgia May Foote and Giovanni Pernice’s Charleston (2015)

Did you know that Giovanni is one of only two pros to score full marks for a Charleston twice? He and Georgia topped the leaderboard with a ‘Chicago’ themed routine to ‘Hot Honey Rag’ that brought out the razzle-dazzle in abundance. Thanks to this routine, Georgia secured her spot in the iconic Blackpool Tower, and later in the finals their dance was bumped from a 39 to a much deserved 40. Following the judges’ scores, Georgia revealed that the Charleston was one of the reasons she wanted to do Strictly, and in the words of Brucie, didn’t she do well?

#3: Faye Tozer and Giovanni Pernice’s Theatre Jazz (2018)

In 2018, Strictly introduced the Couples’ Choice which gave the celebrities their pick of three new dance styles. Faye stayed true to her roots and chose Theatre Jazz setting another exceptionally high bar. They danced to Peggy Lee’s ‘Fever’ during Halloween week with a routine that would have made Bob Fosse proud. It’s impossible not to be completely captivated as they throw everything they’ve got into delivering the perfect dance. Even Craig had to nitpick to find a reason not to give them a ten, blaming Faye’s wobbly sunglasses. Although, even he had to admit that she was “absolutely brilliant.”

#2: Mark Ramprakash and Karen Hardy’s Salsa (2006)

We might have gone with Mark’s Argentine Tango if his salsa wasn’t simply too “Hot, Hot, Hot” to leave off our list. The promise of an outstanding routine was disrupted when the couple’s microphones got tangled together and they were forced to stop. However, they were granted a do-over and this time they sizzled even more than before. Fortunately, the next time they performed their Salsa in the finals, it went off without a hitch proven by their perfect score. While we won’t forget the little glitch, it hasn’t overshadowed the dance from its rightful place in the Strictly vaults.

#1: Ashley Roberts and Pasha Kovalev’s Contemporary (2018)

Ashley and Pasha had countless sensational routines on Strictly, but their Contemporary Couple’s Choice showed us a whole new side of the dancer. She dedicated the dance to her late father, and you can really tell that she’s dancing each move with her heart and soul. It’s a stunning routine that really takes the audience on a heartbreaking journey with her, and even Shirley struggled to fight back the tears. Dance isn’t just about putting the right foot in the right place at the right time, it’s a form of expression, and that’s exactly what we got from this routine.