I realise, from the dates, that it's unlikely anyone is still reading this...but, anyway.

From the UK, we've just had on the parent show of DWTS ( Strictly Come Dancing, as we call it ) the first female winner for some time, the singer Alesha Dixon. So, a few points, since I watched both the US and UK version

She was *clearly* the best dancer... by a mile. But would still probably have not won, had it not been for two factors,

A) The system was changed in the UK, so that after the judges votes and viewers were combined, the bottom two "danced off" and the judges ( 4 in the UK, including Len and Bruno ) chose which to eliminate. This meant that the primo piece of eye candy Gethin ( I work with mostly women and he was, apparently, really *top* eye candy ) was eliminated in the semi-final.

B) Alesha's partner Matthew was the superior choreographer, despite a few technical faults, Alesha was a superb performer, really "selling" the dance, and matthew worked to that. I watched the US version, and thought Mel B the better dancer, but would still have voted for helio because his routines were just better. His pertner was a much better choreographer than mel B's.

So if you want a women winner, you need to pick a gal who can really sell a dance, and give her a partner who is first and foremost a teacher and choreographer. And move to the system, however much Len and Bruno hate it, of a set ofjudges who can at least be a bit objective.

P.S. Marie Osmond... what were you lot *thinking* of voting that whiny, talentless, overgrown brat into the final ? America is *full* of talent and she's in your top 3 ???