Shirley Ballas, the head judge on Strictly Come Dancing, has spoken out about a time when she was told her stretch marks were “revolting” by a dance judge, just six weeks after giving birth. The 63-year-old said that when she was younger, the dance industry was much less forgiving and dancers were expected to toughen up and take criticism. Despite the hurtful words from the judge, Ballas said she “just accepted it, moved on and did what I needed to do – for me, it was character building.”
Ballas added that her own experiences of harsh criticism in her early career inspired her to be more constructive when providing feedback to dancers. She admitted that her past had left her with many walls up, and that young dancers today expected to be given criticism in a more sensitive manner. Her son, professional dancer Mark Ballas, apparently gave her some pointers on how to give constructive feedback on British TV, such as using “maybe that way” instead of “your footwork sucks.”
Amy Dowden, a professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing, was recently applauded by Ballas for her bravery after appearing on the show with a shaved head rather than wearing a wig. Dowden, who is currently undergoing treatment for cancer, wanted to shine a light on the disease and show solidarity with other young people going through similar experiences. Ballas said: “She’s just an amazing young lady. I applaud her for not wearing a wig.”
Ballas has received her own share of abuse since taking on the role of head judge on Strictly. Last month, she revealed that she had hired a personal assistant to filter her messages so she wouldn’t be subjected to the most offensive ones. Despite this, she remains committed to the show and will no doubt continue to provide constructive feedback to the contestants
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