STRICTLY COME DANCING
(continued...) They notched a respectable seven and eight, yet falling at the first hurdle, Revel Horwood, who awarded a lowly four! Then, well of course it had to be televisions very own Mr Funny Mark Benton and the irrepressibly beautiful Iveta Lukosiute. They burst onto the stage with a tribute rich in South American flavour and modern dance. Or at least, that’s how they justified their moves to the judges with Iveta stating; ‘We’re just too ahead of our time, trust me, in years to come people will all be dancing like this!” Despite the judge’s comments, the strictly debutant amassed huge applause when he ripped off his multi-coloured shirt at the end of his opening dance. This revealed a subtly made t shirt which read, ‘MAKE SOME NOISE’! Fantastically choreographed throughout, the sheer pleasure of each star with their respective partners was noticeable. Speaking exclusively for the first time to the Phoenix, Mark Benton said: “It’s great for people like me, and last year Lisa to get on that stage and just have a really good time.” Benton was quick to cheekily remark that now he is a professional dancer, the skies the limit for where he will go from here. The popularity of each contestant was evident. Reels of statements flying from every audience seat made for a toxic atmosphere. You felt part of something special with every passing moment. If the afore mentioned atmosphere needed any more encouragement, it was certainly boosted by the arrival of Ben Cohen; who entered the arena with his hugely talented dance partner Kristina Rhianoff. Praised for their transparent chemistry and flawless routine the couple watched on as the judge’s votes placed them well and truly top of the table. It seemed, the competitive nature of the show was now truly underway, with Cohen amassing a first time seen 29/30 from the score cards.