Strictly star Karen Carney’s dance past defended by pro: 'It can work against you'
A lot of people were shocked at her dance backgroundStrictly Come Dancing has faced a lot of backlash this season as numerous contestants have dancing experience, and many were shocked to learn Karen Carney is one of them.
At the very start of the series, contestants Amber Davies and Lewis Cope both faced intense criticism for their background in dance. Amber has starred in Musical Theatre, while Lewis had his own training growing up. But neither had ballroom training.
And just recently, it was revealed Karen actually has a past in dancing, leaving a lot of people surprised. But while the backlash started, former Strictly pro Vincent Simone has defended the star in an exclusive chat on behalf of Paddy Power.
Karen Carney dance experience revealed
It wasn’t until recently that anyone even knew Karen had dance experience before Strictly.
She explained in an interview that she attended Steptoes Dance School and she would go “three or four times a week” and would even “compete in some big events”.
Karen said: “I enjoyed football when I was a kid and had loads of kickabouts. But I didn’t join my first club until I was 11. Until then, it was all about dancing for me. We did loads of different routines and genres of music; street dancing, hip-hop, disco, rock ‘n roll, slow dancing, team dances, everything.
“But when I started doing football and dancing, things got a bit hectic.”
After continuing to do both until she was 15, Karen decided to focus solely on her football career.
The revelation has caused quite a stir amongst Strictly fans, and even other former professionals have spoken about their annoyance. But not everyone is thinking negatively about it.
Vincent Simone defends Strictly star
However, speaking exclusive to our sister-site Entertainment Daily, Vincent has explained that her dance experience could actually work against her.
When asked about her dance experience, Vincent explained: “I didn’t know that Karen had a dancing background. You can see how training helps, but it can also work against you because ballroom is such a specific technique. Other styles don’t compare.
“Honestly, everyone I meet has done a bit of ballet or tap when they were young, so I don’t see it as a big problem.”
In reality, Vincent thinks because her entire career was completely different to dance, then she probably still wouldn’t have the same skills.
He explained: “Karen had a completely different career. And you lose a lot of those dance skills. You can see she is learning new styles every week. She is doing amazingly well.”
This weekend, Karen will be performing a Salsa and a Waltz – the exact same dances that Balvinder will also perform during the Strictly semi-final.
Read more: Strictly insider reveals why Lewis Cope was controversially eliminated from show
