Originally Posted by *Topaz*:
“I can imagine it being disruptive if a dancer is still competing but haven't many of the pros come to SCD - having more or less finished with competitions? That was the case with Karen and I know James said recently he and Ola were teaching in Hong Kong when they were asked and I think James said something like they were advised it was too good an opportunity to turn down appearing on SCD. It was discussed in the other thread they might not get paid comparatively much to do SCD but the resulting publicity results in lots of lucrative opportunities. I know Karen eventually had to give SCD up because she had her dancing school commitments but then she also has a young child.
I'm sure there would be some British pros that aren't competing now but just teaching/doing exhibitions that would jump at the chance of appearing in SCD .”
“I can imagine it being disruptive if a dancer is still competing but haven't many of the pros come to SCD - having more or less finished with competitions? That was the case with Karen and I know James said recently he and Ola were teaching in Hong Kong when they were asked and I think James said something like they were advised it was too good an opportunity to turn down appearing on SCD. It was discussed in the other thread they might not get paid comparatively much to do SCD but the resulting publicity results in lots of lucrative opportunities. I know Karen eventually had to give SCD up because she had her dancing school commitments but then she also has a young child.
I'm sure there would be some British pros that aren't competing now but just teaching/doing exhibitions that would jump at the chance of appearing in SCD .”
Darren, Lilia, Vincent, Flavia, Anton and Erin were all still competing when they first started on Strictly.
In fact, the reason Strictly first went to Blackpool in the middle of the series, rather than just for the final was because of the British Nationals, which are held in Blackpool in November. Darren and Lillia won the Pro Latin at The Nationals that year, the same year as Darren and Jil Halfpenny won SCD.
None of the current crop of SCD pros competed in this year's Nationals. Which were on the same weekend as Wembly Arena's show this year.




- even way back in the early days of Strictly he looked erm well middle aged 