From the Daily Mail
There have been criticisms throughout the years of Strictly Come Dancing contestants coming into the show with an unfair advantage, but rarely more so than those directed at one of this yearâs favourites, Denise Van Outen.
Itâs her experience on the West End musical stage â she starred in Chicago, among other major shows â that puts her ahead, say viewers, giving her a practised style that her clumsier rivals could never hope to match.
Van Outen has decided to confront her critics head-on, pointing out that not only did she have a dangerous wobble last week, when, instead of being ranked in the top three as usual, she found herself in the bottom-two dance-off, and she is by no means the only surviving contestant with showbusiness credentials.
âDani Harmer went to stage school. She is half my age so attended more recently. Lisa Riley went to theatre school, so did Kimberley Walsh. And Fern Britton did the Strictly Christmas Special before doing the show.
âI went to a dance school when I was a child to do ballet, tap and modern, but I havenât danced since then. I have never partner-danced in my life. It is a rule on Strictly that you are not allowed to take part if you have had any previous Latin or ballroom lessons. They are very strict about that.
âAs for people who think I danced all the way through Chicago, well, if they had seen the show, theyâd know I played Roxie Hart, who doesnât have the dancing part, she just does one number at the end with a hat and cane. Because I have done West End shows people think of me as being an all-singing, all-dancing, all-round entertainer.
âBut Tell Me On A Sunday, Andrew Lloyd Webberâs show, is all song. In Rent I didnât dance, and there was no dancing in Legally Blonde. So I do feel it is a little bit unfair. What I do on a Saturday night is a result of putting in so many hours of training.
âJames [Jordan], my professional dance partner, always sticks up for me because he knows I really do struggle with it. Itâs just that I wonât give up until I get it right. Itâs so technical I find it hard to pick up. I end up treading on Jamesâs toes and getting my arms all twisted.
âThe key to doing a good dance is to make it look comfortable and easy and effortless. On Monday and Tuesday it is always a bit of a car crash, on Wednesday the steps start to sink in and on Thursday we will rehearse sometimes from 10am to 10pm.
âWe all say it would be lovely to be in the final and have the opportunity to win. But I understand it is a TV show, a popularity contest. So I donât mind about not winning. To me it is not about that, it is about enjoying the dancing. I donât know how I am coming across on camera.â
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