CELEBRITY INTERVIEW

SHIRLEY BALLAS QUEEN OF STRICTLY

SHE was the Queen of Latin American Dance and now she’s the Queen of Strictly but for Shirley Ballas the journey has been as tricky as any complex samba routine.

In spite of attracting a worrying cache of trolls as Head Judge of the mega popular weekly dance competition, Shirley has waltzed straight into the hearts of viewers.

How else could we tell a heel lead from a flick ball change or appreciate the techniques of a fleckle without Shirley’s help? When she took over the role from fellow judge and much-loved dance icon Len Goodman six years ago, Shirley definitely had a tough act to follow.

But she was no newcomer to the world of either dance competition or judging. Shirley was already a well-respected figure in the dance world and a former Latin American champion with all the right moves. In fact, she was the ideal person for the Strictly top job.

She could never have known, however, just how far up the dance ladder she would climb when she was a seven year-old in Wallasey, Cheshire, taking up dancing for the very first time. Her childhood had not been easy up until then. Her father had left the family when Shirley was just two and she and her Mum and brother David had very little money.

Shirley proved to be a promising young dancer and at 15 she moved to North Yorkshire to partner British ballroom champion Nigel Tiffany. They moved to London two years later but their partnership ended after Shirley was convinced to audition to partner dancer Sammy Stopford.

They married when Shirley was 18 to be partners both on the dance floor and in life. In the former, they were successful; one highlight was winning the Professional Latin title at the Blackpool Dance Festival in 1983.

Sadly, away from the ballroom, the pairing was less successful and the relationship ended five years later.

In 1985, she married dancer Corky Ballas and took the Professional Latin title in Blackpool in 1995 and 1996 with him. The couple then moved to Houston, Texas, to compete in America.

By then, she was already an established dancing coach and judge and she decided to give up competitive dancing. She worked with top US TV show Dancing with the Stars, commentating and giving master classes. The couple later divorced.

She came to widespread prominence in the UK when in May, 2017, it was announced that she would be joining the judging panel of Strictly Come Dancing on BBC One, replacing head judge Len Goodman when series 15 was aired in September that year.

Although Shirley was plainly well-known in the dance world, both in the UK and internationally, she was new to many viewers of the perennially popular programme. Fortunately, her warm personality, straightforward approach to contestants and phenomenal dance knowledge quickly made her a judging favourite.

She tries to be honest and positive with contestants, highlighting their strengths and offering useful advice on their weaknesses. She follows not only her own mind on this but also, like Len Goodman, upholds the strict rules of the world of dance and refuses to gloss over flaws.

Her no-nonsense approach and critiques have inevitably attracted some negative comments and, sadly, some of these have turned into serious online trolling.

So much so that Shirly recently reported a genuine loss of confidence, forcing her – in a career spanning five decades – to consult a doctor for the first time about her low moods and anxiety. For, even though Shirley states that she has “always tried to do the best job for people watching at home” and understands that viewers don’t always agree with the judges’ scoring, she has found the trolling very upsetting.

She told OK magazine: “When it gets personal, that’s cruel.”

Shirley’s life has generally been far from plain-sailing and Christmas is a particularly difficult time. On December 5, 2003, her brother took his own life, making this normally festive time a painful one for her for a long time.

In 2019, amid general concerns about cancer, she had breast implants removed. In typical Shirley fashion, she was very open about the situation, discussing her decision on the Lorraine show and returning to the Strictly screen a short time after surgery, thus winning praise from fans.

Dance has plainly been Shirley’s life and her son, Mark Ballas, is also a professional ballroom dancer.

It is largely thanks to the amazing knowledge of Shirley, now 62, that so many more viewers now understand the intricacies of dances from the American Smooth to the Argentine Tango.

She breaks down the technicalities to explain – and often demonstrate – technical moves that few viewers would otherwise appreciate without her helpful approach.

She is generous with her scoring, but only if a dancer deserves it, and will fight her corner even if her decision is unpopular. She is, however, always encouraging. She told young contestant Molly Rainford in the latest series: “I have not seen a rhumba walk like that in a long, long time”, much to the dancer’s delight

And she tempers even tough criticism with praise like “your musicality was amazing” and “this partnership is truly outstanding.” She will be with fellow judges and dancers when the Strictly Live Tour kicks off in January for two months, with Shirley a popular part of this interactive arena experience.

What is certain is that Shirley will always offers an expert’s wisdom along with kindness – and there’s nothing strict about that.

• The Strictly Live Tour runs through January and February, 2023. For details of individual dates go to strictlycomedancinglive.com