Strictly Come Dancing's riskiest and highest-scoring dance styles revealed by experts

As Strictly Come Dancing whirls into its seventh week, couples are stepping up their efforts to claim the coveted glitterball trophy. Recent episodes have seen some stars stumble and others make shock exits as the stakes get higher and routines become more complex. The live shows have exposed dancers to the perils of live performance where a minor misstep can spell the end of their dancing dreams.

But are there any patterns behind the ballroom’s brutal results each week? Research into Strictly performances has revealed the styles of dance that most commonly lead to either eliminations or success in the show.

Data scientists at MyBettingSites.co.uk analysed the outcome of more than 2,300 dances that have been performed over the show’s 22-year history.

They found that the lively Brazilian samba has caused the most eliminations, sending 33 stars home in total. The dance was also deemed the riskiest routine available, landing couples in the bottom two 15 times.

The cha-cha-cha and the tango were tied in second place, with both leading to 23 eliminations. American Smooth and the jive were ranked at joint third place, landing couples in the bottom two 19 and 27 times respectively.

By contrast, the quickstep was revealed to offer the highest chance of success, sending couples through to the next round 157 times. It was followed by the paso doble in second place, which has helped dancers to progress in the competition 132 times. In third place, the tango also proved to be a reliable routine after it led couples to safety 127 times.

The success rate associated with the tango could partly be due to its special status as Craig Revel Horwood’s favourite dancing style. The famously harsh judge told the BBC that he has a soft spot for the Argentine Tango “because of its passion, its close hold, the fact that it's completely led by one person.”

However, whilst these dances were deemed the best for advancing in the competition, the study found that playing it safe didn’t always yield the top results. Instead, the highest-scoring routine was the showdance, which received a whopping 9.39 points on average per judge. This was followed by street dance, which earned an average of 9.02 points.

The benefits of picking the showdance have been echoed by Anton Du Beke, who took on a judging role on the show after 18 seasons as a competitor. He told the BBC: "The Couple's Choice has been a great introduction to the show, it highlights the wonderful talent and it gives the choreographer great imagination and scope. It’s quite new, so I’ve only done it a little bit, but I love it."

Perhaps in a sign that competitors do best when they play to their strengths, the couple’s choice was the third highest scorer, typically receiving 8.85 points per judge.

At the other end of the scale, the cha-cha-cha offered dancers the lowest reward as it tended to score just 6.38 points per judge on average. The second lowest scorer was the waltz with 7.04 points, followed by the jive with 7.11 points.

Reflecting on the research, MyBettingSites data analyst Mihajlo Djordjevic said: "Each contestant brings unique qualities to the dance floor and their distinct skills and adaptability can defy these broader patterns.

"One of the reasons why audiences love Strictly Come Dancing is the show's unpredictable nature—contestants with less experience often surprise by mastering difficult dance routines, showcasing growth that resonates with the viewers beyond their TV screens."

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