4 weeks ago
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Strictly's JB Gill and Amy Dowden after their gruelling performance (Image: BBC)
Strictly's JB Gill was left feeling outcast in more ways than one, after dressing up as Outkast singer Andre 3000 for a dance rendition to the tune of 'Hey Ya' last week.
Few Strictly fans had been expecting talented JB Gill to plummet to the bottom two last week, and his cancer survivor pro partner Amy Dowden has been a hugely popular character too, so their dance-off status came as a surprise.
Now leading body language expert Judi James has shared her view on how JB reacted to the awkward situation. Rather than merely feeling "disheartened", she announced that he was absolutely devastated.
She told us: "JB described being in the dance-off as 'a little bit disheartening' but his body language suggests he found it much more crushing than that. When a dancer performs poorly they can clearly blame their skills but when they're as good as JB but still voted into the dance-off it feels like a personal popularity problem and Craig pretty much referred to that during his assessment."
Judi continued: "JB is paired with one of the most popular pro dancers, too. Amy is always a fan favorite but this show sees her return after cancer. Watching how hard she gripped at the tassels of her skirt as she waited for the final decision showed how much this series means to her."
She added that while he started off confident, that empowered feeling dwindled as more and more couples were saved, leaving his position looking increasingly fragile. "JB was the guy looking calmly assured going into the vote. His brows were raised and he threw his arms out at the camera in a partial empty embrace," she commented.
JB Gill was "crushed" after experiencing dwindling "popularity" (Image: BBC)
"His legs were splayed in a display of solidity and confidence although his facial expression gradually dropped as each 'saved' couple was announced.
"When told he was in the dance-off he seemed to crumple inwardly. His lips clamped together and he dropped his head in a cut-off gesture that suggests a desire to hide emotions," Judi continued.
"When he said 'I'm ok' his rigid smile and the way he shook his head suggested otherwise.
"When his chat with Tess ended his facial expression formed a denial ritual. His smile dropped and he gazed around looking bewildered."
JB Gill and Amy Dowden dancing to Outkast's 'Hey Ya' (Image: BBC)
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Judi has warned that it's vital he draws on his ability to motivate himself to pull himself back from the brink of elimination and get a firmer grip on his place in the competition.
She suggested that "mistakes" he'd made in the dance-off were a reaction to his disappointment.
"Perhaps the biggest 'tell' of his being crushed was the way he made so many mistakes in the dance-off. This can obviously be a sign of nerves but JB is an experienced stage performer and there is a hint there that he was subliminally self-scuppering which can be a symptom of inner emotions overtaking muscle memory," she warned.
"While Paul just enjoyed his dance-off and joked with the judges as they delivered their verdicts, JB stood with his head lowered and eyes raised, sucking his lips in and rocking slightly to suggest regret. His solemn pose was in contrast to Paul's upright, standing to attention and braced for anything look."
She concluded: "JB showed how important this competition is to him and last weekend will have been a crushing blow to his ego. His dance skills could make him a potential winner but it's all down to his ability to self-motivate now and achieve the kind of bounce-back Shayne did when his position was at risk."
Meanwhile, a fellow Strictly star has also had his say on the real reason for JB's crushing dance-off status.
English (US) ·