Top 10 Greatest Strictly Come Dancing Performances

If we say ‘Argentine Tango’ which couple springs to mind, Rachel and Vincent? Yeah, us too. It wasn’t the first Argentine Tango ever seen on the show, but it’s definitely the most iconic. The execution is clean, sharp and precise, and of course, being lead by the king of the Argentine Tango doesn’t hurt either. The pair danced to Prince’s ‘When Doves Cry’ during the semi-finals and scored 39, maybe Craig just lost his ten paddle, who knows. Everything came together perfectly for this routine as the pair delivered a mesmerising dance that secured their place as this season’s frontrunners.

Alesha’s consistent high scores didn’t just give her a smooth sailing journey to that coveted glitterball trophy, but also a place on the judges’ panel soon after. While she definitely came across as a stronger ballroom dancer, it was her Cha-Cha-Cha to Beyonce’s ‘Crazy In Love’ that got people talking. All the judges loved it with Len calling it her best dance yet and even Craig managing to crack a smile and give a compliment. Her technique was pretty spot on but what audiences remember is the high energy and watching Alesha unleash her inner Beyonce and loving every moment.

Jay McGuiness secured his position as the one to watch pretty early on in the show, starting with a Pulp Fiction themed Jive in week three. Their dance is packed to the brim with perfectly executed kicks and flicks and more action than the movie that inspired it. It may have only been early days, but it became one of those iconic Strictly routines that fans still talk about to this day. They received a 39 from the judges with Bruno brushing off his ten paddle and the other judges following suit when they reprised this routine in the finals.

Everyone loves a Showdance, especially when it’s a showstopper as unbelievable as this one. Of course, Louis Smith is no stranger to performing gold medal standard routines and he certainly delivers just that here. He showcases his talents as a gymnast while never losing sight that this is still a dance competition. The core of the routine resembles a Rumba- meets-Argentine-Tango which definitely proved why he deserved his place in the final, and ultimately the trophy. Len is completely blown away by the dance, calling it ‘magical’ and Craig uttered those two words every Strictly couple dream of hearing him say.

Another consistently high performer, Alexandra Burke performed a Jive that made it almost impossible to decipher the celebrity from the pro dancer. The partners earned three tens for their routine to Tina Turner’s ‘Proud Mary’ and Craig even likened her technical precision to “Splitting an atom.” Gorka certainly did not go easy on his partner as he choreographed a routine that required high energy and stamina, but barely left Alex a moment to catch her breath. She makes it look effortless as she easily keeps up with his speed and energy levels, all the while, smiling from start to finish.

While ‘Around The World’ proved to be a questionable theme choice for the show, it did give us this gem. Caroline and Pasha whisked us off to a Turkish ‘Suk’ as they performed this unforgettable Charleston to ‘Istanbul’. Caroline truly shines in this performance especially during those moments Pasha steps back and leaves her to her solos. However, when they are dancing together, every movement is in perfect synchronisation. Everything from the choreography and performance to the costume and set made this one of Strictly’s most entertaining Charlestons, so we were thrilled to watch it again during the Grand Final.

Harry and Aliona sailed around the dance floor, earning them their highest score of the season and pretty much securing their place in the finals. This no-frills Quickstep solely focused on the dancing and showed us all why Harry deserved his place in the competition. It’s always wonderful seeing how much the performer is enjoying the dance and Harry looks like he’s on cloud nine. This routine cemented their place in the Strictly history books as one of the most memorable Quicksteps on the show. Even Craig had to search hard to find anything to criticise and that’s saying something.

A week three Jive has proven lucky for three Strictly champs, but it’s Jill Halfpenny’s routine to Elton John’s ‘I’m Still Standing’ that paved the way, with Bruno even calling it a “Masterclass in Jive.” Jill and Darren will also go down in the Strictly history books for being the first pairing to ever score full marks in the competition thanks to this dance. It’s sharp, precise and energetic with not a kick or flick out of place. When they came back to perform the routine four years on, Jill proved once again why this dance deserves Strictly legacy status.

Chris may not necessarily have been the judges’ favourite but he sure managed to win over the Strictly viewers. With a cheeky Charleston to ‘Fat Sam’s Grand Slam’ from Bugsy Malone, Chris and Ola proved why audiences wanted this pair to keep dancing. Sure, it’s not the most technically perfect routine and we’re sure Craig had something to say about Chris’ swivel. However, it’s undeniably entertaining and will always hold a much-deserved place in the Strictly vaults. This was probably Chris’ best dance and he definitely got the last laugh as he and Ola sashayed away with the glitterball trophy.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honourable mentions.

Kimberley Walsh and Pasha Kovalev’s Fusion

Gethin Jones and Camilla Dallerup’s Waltz

Ed Balls and Katya Jones’ Salsa

Debbie McGee and Giovanni Pernice’s Tango

Any dance that holds the record of being the one and only Strictly samba to score full marks to date, deserves first place on our list too. This amazing record belongs to Danny Mac and Oti Mabuse whose spicy Samba, left judges and viewers alike in complete awe. It had bounce, it was fluid and Danny didn’t put a foot out of line. The Samba is meant to be a party dance and this is a routine definitely worth celebrating. Sure, they may have missed out on that glitterball trophy but this is a record they can hold onto forever.