I really can’t believe how quickly this night has come around, it’s quite ridiculous how fast it’s gone. It seems like only yesterday the series started and I began writing about it every week wondering if I’d keep it up. Well I have, and after an incredibly emotional night you can expect this post to be even more of a rambling and gushing than the previous ones.
Source: @torvillanddean’s twittter
First things first, congratulations to Ray and Maria, our final ever Dancing On Ice champions. They fully deserve it without a doubt. Ray has so much talent and enthusiasm for what he does on the show it’s really amazing and his skating ability has just soared through the roof of this competition, I could watch him all day and never get bored. Maria deserves just as much credit (I really don’t think the pros get enough recognition and credit for all the amazing work they do on the show behind the scenes as well as everything we see in front of the camera, she has done an amazing job partnering Ray and she’s been part of the show for so many years that’s really special. When she skates with Ray it’s different from with her other partners because she can really let go and relax and skate like she knows how because that’s the extreme levels of trust involved with their partnership.
@dancingonice: Let the #DOI celebrations begin!
I’m going to talk about the showcases first… all three of them were amazing. Beth started off the competition to Run The World with a cheer routine, and I simply must comment on just how happy Lukasz looked throughout the entire thing let alone Beth. I feel like she finally reached the top of her game and her performance was way up there with the skating skills. 40 from the judges well deserved.
Hayley’s showcase was equally amazing, they went for a tango style routine and the choreography involved her using all the pros really well and she really was the star. Again, it was spot on perfect and I don’t think they could’ve done any more.
Ray’s showcase was also fantastic. Did the wardrobe department run out of material…? Not that this is a complaint in any way, shape or form 😉 I literally have nothing else to say it was just amazing again and I think the judges needed the sprinklers on again 😉
After the showcases each of the couples performed their favourite ever routine, so Beth did her Scottish dance routine, Ray his flamenco and Hayley inevitably did Jai Ho, the public’s favourite and their favourite as a couple. She’d been dressed for it every week and since I found out that’s what they were doing should they have been put in the skate off part of me wanted her to get to do it, but now I’m very glad that it was saved for the last show. It was weird seeing it again because I remember the first time so clearly and that was four years ago, it’s crazy. Ray’s routine had so much energy and passion it was just perfect and there’s literally no other way to describe it, it was just so good. Beth’s was really good as well.
I’ve just realised I missed out the opening, how could I… I was completely blown away by it, the fact that that was the last time they’re ever going to perform Bolero on tv… that made me want to sob there and then. I like to put myself in their shoes and wonder how they’re feeling as they step onto the ice to do that for the very last time, I can’t even imagine the emotions that would be running through you. The choreography was just flawless as usual and you’d expect nothing less but at the same time you wonder how they keep going year after year and somehow pull everything together and deliver something so beautifully magical every time, and yet it’s always so different. If there’s one thing I cannot wait for it’s to see that again on tour right before my eyes, it was magical in 2009 on the 25th anniversary tour and I expect it will have the same effect on me again. I think it’s really a privilege to see them skate in front of you, they’re such legends.
Then there was of course Phil and Christine finally on the ice shortly followed by the judges… Karen and Jason skating together – there’s something you never thought you’d see right? Amazing.
Where did I get to… Right. After a short appearance from the class of 2014 which brought back mixed emotions from wondering how far Jorgie would’ve got with a different partner, to being devastated that David and Gary went so soon, to the heart break of Suzanne and Matt not making the final… it’s crazy to think that it’s been nearly three months and all that has happened and it feels like it’s only been a few days. It was then time to announce who was in third place and who was going through to perform Bolero… Beth came first of course and I can’t say I was surprised, although she may arguably be the strongest skater she’s not as popular as Hayley or Ray.
Bolero. I’m not going to go off on one again right now because I think I’ve done that plenty of times already in the past and this blog post is taking me a long time to get through, it’s really hard to put everything into words how I want to… I’m not even going to comment on the two Bolero routines separately because I really think there was not a lot between it and I couldn’t choose between Ray and Hayley. They were both breath taking routines and by this point emotions were running high triggered by the amount of times Phil had to say ‘this is the last ever skate on Dancing on Ice’. It was really neck and neck and I imagine the votes were quite close, but Ray did have that special edge from the very beginning. He just has the whole package. Hayley is an amazing performer and a fantastic actress and has a lovely personality and her partnership with Dan is strong it’s beautiful to see, but Ray has that extra something on the skating side of things which is ultimately what the show is down to and the best skater and performer and dancer has won.
Ray’s reaction to his name being called out as the champion… to anyone who thinks he is cocky and expected to win because he thinks he’s the best, what are you even on?
It has been a complete emotional rollercoaster of an evening and so much over the last couple of months has built up to tonight’s show and the standard has been so high, and tonight has not disappointed. I thoroughly enjoyed every single second of it and can’t thank the entire cast and crew and producers enough for the last nine years. It does feel like the end of an era and I can’t believe it’s all over. I can’t believe how young I was when it first started in 2006 and the fact that I’m still following it so strongly now is pretty impressive, its grown to mean so much to me and I’m thankful for all the opportunities it’s given me as well as all the fabulous people I’ve had the chance to meet.
Now I’m counting down the days until I get to go and see the tour which is the 20th April, aka 42 days away. I know it’s going to be one of the best experiences ever and it really couldn’t come quick enough.
If you have anything you’d like to say about the show or to any of the cast members then I’m putting together one last video project which you can read about here http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1s0pebd and I will except any contributions until Tuesday.
I really hope I haven’t missed anything out of this post, but for now it’s goodnight ❤
Dreams That Glitter xo 