Stepping up their game! Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Abbey Clancy set the bar high as they top the leaderboard on Strictly Come Dancing
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Contestants took to the Strictly Come Dancing ballroom dance floor for a third week to battle it out for the glitterball trophy.
First up was pop princess Sophie Ellis-Bextor who was dancing the foxtrot with Brendan Cole in a stunning floor-length glitter gown, complete with pink feathers.
And once again she showed the other contestants how Strictly is supposed to be done, by dancing an almost perfect Foxtrot.
Charming: Brendan Cole and Sophie Ellis-Bextor recreated the glamour of the 1920s was ease as they glided around the dancefloor
Exquisite: Sophie stunned on Strictly Come Dancing with her foxtrot with Brendan Cole
The star has been excelling in the show so far, and received a standing ovation from the audience, so which Sophie said: 'I'm very very embarrassed.'
Head judge, Len Goodman said: 'No messing about you went straight into the routine, I love the music and I love the dancing what more do you want?'
Fellow judge Bruno said: 'You really looked like a Hollywood star from Hollywood's golden era.
'What I really like when you take a turn you hold it to the lat moment of the musical phrase before you go into the next one.'
Making it look easy: The pair glided around the floor with ease making a complicated dance look effortless
Smiling: The pair had everything to smile about at the end of the dance
Following Sophie, who scored an impressive 35 out of 40, was Bond girl Fiona Fullerton, who was dancing the Rumba with Anton du Becke.
Bruno Tonioli said: 'You are losing step and fluidity my darling. The rumba is all about continuous motion and you cant just stop and start, you have to concentrate in sustaining your performances.
But only female judge Darcey Bussell was slightly more kind, and said: 'You do have that slinky lady effect and you were caressing the floor but you do loose focus.
That's why she was a Bond girl: Fiona Fullerton pulls out all the hip moves for the Rumba in a stunning blue and silver gown
Seductive: Fiona strutted around the stage, with Anton behind her
'I don't want you to show us that you're making mistakes. I think there is so much in you and you've got to survive so bring out the steps next time.'
When waiting for the score, Fiona said: 'I think I am concentrating like mad, but it is becoming my usp to get something wrong every week.'
All the moves: Anton included many difficult Rumba moves to make the dance complicated
Pose: Fiona posed on the floor as she was spun into position by Anton
Next up was Mark Benton and his partner Iveta lukosiute, who performed a hip-hop-inspired Cha Cha, much to the delight of the studio audience, and received a standing ovation.
But tough judge Craig Revel Horwood was not so pleased and thought that the audience was leading Mark into a false sense of security.
However out of the judges, he was alone in his opinion as Darcey, Len and Bruno loved his performance.
Busting some serious moves: Mark Benton holds up his partner as he performs to an MC Hammer song on Strictly
Hammer time! Mark looked at ease dancing to hip-hop music
Can't touch this: Mark played his part in the cha cha dance perfectly, which gave him rave reviews from all but one of the judges
Darcey said: 'I disagree with Craig, it was brilliant.
'I didn't know I had it in you - you've worked hard on the details, every little look.'
Len said: 'I tell you what youre full of talents - so many basic steps cuban break fan and a hockey stick - I tell you what Mark do it again!'
And Bruno said: 'MC mark going for gold- plenty of bling - unique, different memorable and very very fun.'
Go Mark! The entertainer did not hold back with his impressive performance in his gold PVC top
Ashley Taylor Dawson tackled the Vienesse Waltz for his turn on the ballroom dancefloor, and it was greeted with slightly lackluster opinions.
Darcey said: 'Ashley, a Viennese has many turns, and you did give many of those things - but you played it a little too safe.
'l wanted from last week push yourself a little bit hard, drive through go for it.'
Composed: Ashley Taylor Dawson and Ola Jordan glided around the floor, not loosing their posture once
Floating away: Ashley had perfected his arm movements for his performance with Ola
Len added: 'It had romance it had elegance, your foot work you've worked on that - as much as I liked it, you needed a bit more gusto to it.'
Bruno, who was a little more encouraging said: 'I didn't mind the wafting at all - casual flick of the wrist, it was very Darcey, but you need more oomph.'
Lastly Craig said: 'The only thing that bothered me were your arms out of hold - they seemed unnatural actually.'
Emotional: Ashley got the sensitivity of the dance correct
Julien Macdonald was next to tackle the dance floor with the Salsa, and was dancing to a song from one of his favourite groups - The Spice Girls, and even got a call from Mel B to wish him luck before the performance.
Bruno said: Well, you were definitely high on spice - looked like you tried to do them all at once.
'You through yourself into it beautifully.'
However Craig killed the positivity by saying: 'There was no rotation at all in the hip department. You lack musicality that is your problem.'
Party for one! Julien Macdonald looked like he was having such a good time dancing to the Spice Girls
Shake it! Julien could not have looked happier dancing to the Spice Girls music
Best dance yet: Darcy said it was Julien's best performance yet which pleased the fashion designer greatly
Countdown's Rachel Riley attempted the Quick Step, with her partner Pasha Kovalev.
Bruno said: 'You tricky girl just about got away with it. Work on the control, control and strength for next time.
Craig wasn't too positive, and said: 'I felt like you were being flung about.
'You must tighten your bum cheeks when you go through the lift at the end, then you will glide beautifully.'
Full of energy: Rachel Riley and Pasha Kovalev danced an energetic routine around the dancefloor on Saturday night
Fast footsteps: Rachel was told she needed to work on strengthening her core to improve her moves
Cute outfits: The pair looked adorable in their secret agent-inspired outfits
Rugby player Ben Cohen caused a stir with his mechanic-inspired salsa routine, which earned him a standing ovation.
Every single one of the judges were also impressed with his performance, with hard-nosed Craig saying: 'Dirty oiled mechanic - it's ticking every box.'
Darcey added: 'Ben you can certainly handle Kristina with ease - you are certainly coming out of your shell and I love it.
Len said: 'You've got the guns and tonight you've got the ammunition, that was terrific.'
Bruno said: 'Surprising smooth for such a big bruiser.
'I want to see more of you.'
Talking to host Tess Daly after the performance Ben added: 'I feel a bit more at home out there I can throw someone around.'
Tricky moves: Ben Cohen held his dance partner by her neck for a very dangerous dance move in the routine, but pulled it off effortlessly
Look at those guns! Ben Cohen had everyone gushing after his brilliant samba performance
What a man! Ben lifted up his partner into many difficult dance moves which impressed the judges
Model and wife of footballer Peter Crouch, Abbey Clancy picked up her game from last week with a sexy Tango.
Craig was full of praise for the star and said: 'You used all the accent to brilliant effect.
'It had intent, it had purpose, I thought it amazing.'
Bruno said: 'Power, passion, drama, beauty you have it all.
I thought I was getting whiplash just watching you. The mixture and chemistry between the two
you is great, you really use each other beautifully.'
you is great, you really use each other beautifully.'
Almost spotless: Aljaz Skorjanec and Abbey Clancy performed some beautiful shapes in an almost spotless routine
Seductive: Abbey played her part in the tango brilliantly, which gave her top spot on the leaderboard
On the beat: Abbey moved around the dancefloor with such finesse that the judges found it hard to fault her
Actress Natalie Gumede has had a hard week of training having been taken to the doctors after she complained about pains in her lower back.
The star found out she had a bulging disk and feared that it would mean pulling out of Strictly Come Dancing, however the star was put on strong medication which seemed to have worked as she topped the leaderboard once again with her Quick Step performance.
Bruno said: 'I can't believe you delivered a dance of this standard in such a short time.
'It was just like being there with you. you capture the spirit of the dance.
'I thought it was absolutely wonderful.'
Hard to please Craig said: 'I love the fusion of quick step and jazz.. I think it was done immaculately. There is no stopping you darling; stunning.'
Darcey summed up by giving a few words of advice: 'After what you've been through this week you could have afforded to not have done so much and it would still have been fabulous.
'Don't be too ambitious - look after yourself.'
Picture perfect: Artem Chigvinstev and Natalie Gumede looked picture perfect during their routine
Staying on top: Actress Natalie Gumede still managed to top the leaderboard despite a back injury early in the week
In sync: Natalie was told by the judges that she perfectly fused the quick step with jazz for her routine
Actor Patrick Robinson was told that he had performed his best dance to date.
Darcey said: 'You're are so confident out of hold - you have an inner groove I'm loving it.'
Len added: 'It's happy hour - you're happy, I'm happy, the audience was happy.'
Smooth operator: Patrick Robinson was told that his dance was his best so far in the competition
Impressive: Darcey was very impressed by Patrick's out of hold footwork and moves
But the award for the biggest transformation on Saturday evening had to go to Dave Myers, who was scrubbed up and polished from head to toe for his Waltz.
Darcey gave her opinion: 'Dave you started really well - I'm loving the clean look.
'But one thing that would help your posture, try to go to a ballet class.'
Len added: 'You do scrub up very well. There's a ray of hope on the horizon - it did look like a Waltz - it is better there is a way to go - there is improvement.'
Scrubbing up well: Dave scrubbed up well for his waltz with his dance partner
A new man: Dave told Tess Daly that he liked his new look and was seriously thinking about keeping it up
Not quite fast enough: Dragon's Den's Deborah Meaden and Robin Windsor performed a Eurovision-inspired dance
Dragons' Den's Deborah Meaden was told that her dance technique was not right in her dance.
But nevertheless the star, who had her skirt whipped off during the routine to reveal another sparkly glitter pencil skirt, said that she enjoyed herself immensely.
Bruno said: 'You got the Eurovision camp right it just wasn't your dance'
Len added: 'It had plenty of fizz you just need to fizz you feet up.'
Sexy Samba: Kevin Clifton and Susanna Reid were unstoppable making their way through a Samba routine beneath multicoloured lights
If there was any way to close the show, it would have been TV presenter Susanna Reid performing a sexy Samba.
Len said: 'You should be ashamed of yourself a nice girl like you off breakfast TV, and it was all bounce, bum and bongos - You can't come out flaunting yourself like that.
However Bruno said: 'If you got it flaunt it darling, don't worry. But don't loose the finish - you usually have a clean delivery.'
Craig was not too kind, and said: 'I thought it was a bit muddy actually and at time your were fighting one another and going against one another.
Shake it! Susanna shook her stuff to a Shakira song the close the show
Going all out: Susanna did not hold back with her routine, putting in too much energy according to the judges
Let it all go: Susanna span around the dancefloor as she performed the Samba
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2467603/Sophie-Ellis-Bextor-Abbey-Clancy-set-bar-high-leaderboard-Strictly-Come-Dancing.html#ixzz2iFm5M4Zs
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