Ode to Showdance:

Elemental Match - A Personal Tribute

The Showdance made such an impact; it evoked excitement, amazement as well as plaudits. 

A lifelong fan/follower/admirer of Danny Mac's, sometimes known as Mystic Maz or kickassgooner - we have met her already in this Tribute - penned a personal review of #TeamDoti’s 'tremendous and triumphant journey to the Final [which] evoked strong emotions of passion, intensity and excitement'.   

 She continues:

Gloriously each week we had insight into their training and the fabulous post dance interviews with ‘zeebeezoobee’ [Zoe Ball]... these precious longed for snippets let us in to the world of DOTI so that we could ride along on this journey. For me they were like a massive overdose of seratonin...their feel-good factor left me craving for more and more.

We soon realised Oti and Danny’s characters at times were polar opposites...she describing Danny as a shy boy but the world didn’t really get to see the real DANNY MAC or did we?   

We learnt as their journey progressed that he had fire and passion deep inside. Oti reached deep down into the depths of his inner sanctum and raised it to the surface. With her belief in him and his trust of her; with his courage and determination there was an explosion that realised the raw and gritty talent of her diamond in the rough...and our darling Oti cut and polished him to a sparkling multi-faceted gem.

As Oti described their Showdance...it would be like nothing we had seen before bringing in new elements of dance...was that a clue? It would be a celebration of Danny’s Strictly journey from an anxious dance protege to the confident dancer he had become. Now we were unable to distinguish who wasn’t the professional...he was that good!

Born of different elements astrologically, their character traits were immediately apparent for all to see. In the Showdance Danny initially stands in a deep blue watery haze, while Oti shimmers in that  fiery leonian glow - both dangerous and alluring at the same time. This is She Who Will be Obeyed. 

As the applause dies down and the SCD band start to play Adele’s Set Fire To The Rain, the duo - elemental opposites stand either side of a large ornate gold mirror frame. They seek each other, one with some reluctance, the other with eager enthusiasm...pulling on each other’s personality traits and strength of character. 

As they dance and leap back and forth through the mirror, the hazy blue follows Danny and the intense fiery red follows Oti to & fro as they battle against and vie for each other.  Like a tug‘o’war the skirmish through Adele’s lyrics is the story of his journey...standing in her arms; he had fallen at her feet - like during practising his Michael Jackson moves for the Cha Cha!  Very early in their relationship she had set fire to his rain.

Lovingly, Oti the demanding, Leo gave strength to Danny, our dreaming Piscean. When thrown together, as a fire and water match, their astrological traits could prove too complex. But mutual fascination and attraction was coupled with the desire to learn and excel on the one hand, and the desire to teach and be the best it was possible to be on the other. Danny’s ethereal aura lends enchantment, while Oti’s strength and self awareness bring balance and precision. Their Showdance showed this off perfectly.  As Danny's story unfolds, Oti’s influence is infiltrating as the flames begin to leap at Danny's heels and finally engulfs him.

As Danny acknowledged  Oti is a powerful woman and one could easily cower away, but when She Who Must be Obeyed said 'bring it'...well, a man has to do what a man has to do. 

After initially being too terrified of exposure to accept the SCD offer Danny eventually decides that being so scared was precisely the reason to do Strictly. Perhaps fate had matched him with Oti especially as he had turned down several offers previously. What might easily have been a mis-match was actually the stuff that dreams or dance heaven are made of for them both. It was a magical partnership and the  journey as wondrous as a fairy tale.

Invoking Adele again: they threw themselves into the flames from day one...and each time he fell, or his knees felt far too weak Danny rose time and time again like a phoenix from the flames...

Their Showdance was pure master class. They were gifted to each other it seemed...romantic yes...realistic hell yes!