PROS MUST GET IN NEW GROOVE
STRICTLY’S Shirley Ballas has warned stars with dance experience they risk an early exit from the show.
Ashley Roberts, Faye Tozer and Danny John-Jules are all being tipped to do well because they have been professionally trained.
But judge Shirley, 58, reckons there will be shock results.
She said: “They can’t rest on the fact that they can step tap, step tap or do a bit of hip hop or whatever.
“To dance ballroom and Latin is not the same as just having a little bit of rhythm. There is more to it on this show.
“I think we are going to be surprised by who will come out with a real confident attitude.
“And maybe those who you think had a little dance experience may be not so confident. The confidence can be misplaced sometimes.”
Last year, Aston Merrygold was axed in one of the biggest shocks in the show’s history. He had been one of the frontrunners but went out sixth – before Ruth Langsford and Susan
Calman.
Shirley said: “Aston was fantastic and was one of the most amazing contestants I had ever seen.
“But unfortunately when it came to the Viennese waltz he did not manage to do it and I had to make a choice – and it was a very difficult choice. He did not come up to scratch and he went off.”
Strictly’s judges are hired to critique the contestants on their dance ability.
But Shirley says they can do well even if they are an amateur.
She added: “You don’t have to be the most professional on this show, you’ve just got to love it.
“Your humility makes a huge difference. The audience have to love you.”
Shirley says she was judging this year’s contestants long before last night’s live show.
She added: “We got to see them at the launch, and when they walked down those stairs I was looking to see if they had any turned-in feet.
“I was so surprised.
“So many of them had rhythm and they were doing little dance
moves.”