Of course it is.
If this was her chosen profession ( job) which is was, she has already admitted to it, then yes, she trained to be a professional dancer. Whether or not she actually got paid is another matter, but the fact remains she chose to train as a dancer as her chosen profession.
People get confused when they hear the words " professional " associated with Strictly, they seem to think that you have to dance at the standard - or better - than the pro's on the show. All around the Country, there are hundreds and thousands of Professionals in the Ballroom and Latin world, varying standards, some young and some older, but they all choose dance as their profession. They are Professionals.

https://twitter.com/mrjakedwood

I guess James was shitstirring so

I respectfully disagree. There's a distinction between being trained to a professional standard (which Natalie arguably was) and being a professional in that given sphere.

I have a friend who went to drama school and is an outstanding and very well trained actor. Far better than many of the actors regularly appearing on tv. But after drama school they chose to go a different way and have never acted professionally. Tonnes of amateur acting on their spare time as the love is still there, but not one paid professional job. Could they call themselves a professional actor? Absolutely not, even though they were trained to a professional standard and are very very good at it.

I don't dispute that Natalie was highly trained and extremely accomplished, but the question by an earlier poster was whether there was any evidence that Natalie was a professional dancer. Someone else responded that there was evidence she had had dance training. My contention is that these are not the same thing. Someone could have twenty years of dance training, fully intend to pursue it as a career, but never be good enough and never get one one dancing gig. Would they be a professional dancer? There's got to be more to being regarded as a professional than training and the intention to pursue that career, surely? If not, I will happily call myself a professional singer and guitarist as I had many years of lessons and would have loved to pursue it as a career - but it just didn't happen and I've never had one paid gig.

I think we're splitting hairs now.

I agree with Jennifer_F. As far as the show goes, if you are trained to a professional standard and Natalie was, then that crosses the line me. And at the risk of repeating myself, I loved watching her dance.

I think the point of the thread was about Jake.

Every stage school alumni has had some dance training, it does not make them dance professionals though I have to say having seen Jake dance on Saturday I would not be at all surprised to see him being offered an acting role that requires him to dance.

I occurs to me that dance may have opened a lot of doors for him professionally, comedy being another branch.

Am I awake?
Were the last 12 months just a dream?
Is it still 2013?

I believe there is a World Gurning competion somewhere Oop North every year.
He could enter that

It does feel a bit like that mimi.

Going by what Jake has now said, my guess is that he just went to drama classes at Anna Scher.
Last edited by BuddyBontheNet : 07-10-2014 at 18:02

Pretty conclusive!

Thread for locking?

He's definitely my favourite now

I said I want proof that she was a professional Dancer not that she had some training. I want to see proof that she has ever been paid for Dancing it is as simple as that.

Noooooo...

People are having so much fun re-animating the old "Natalie'saprofessionaldancerohnosheisn't" discussion/dead horse...

Actually, yes. Please lock it .

Sadly not Korky.
Jake hasn't yet tweeted on Natalie's dance training...

[QUOTE=dancingbearbear;75105270. There's a distinction between being trained to a professional standard (which Natalie arguably was) and being a professional in that given sphere.

I would like to apologise to other posters as this is off topic, not sure how this thread morphed into the Natalie is a ringer thread yet again. I shouldn't rise to the bait, but I will. Please can someone explain to me what " being trained to a professional standard" means ?
It makes no sense to me. What is a Professional Standard.?There is no such thing as a professional standard, professionals are all standards. I am not a Professional but I can sure as heck dance better than some I know,
So using your example,am I a professional as I am trained to that standard, or better? No, I am an Amateur, it is not my job, alberit my profession. I am not a professional. There is no standard, if you choose dance as your job - hoping that paid work comes in- you are a professional dancer.
I am a qualified Accountant, but fresh out of training with qualifications, and perhaps no job, would that make me any less than a professional? Same thing.
Anyway, this is all very repetitive but should anyone want to comment further, to save boring everyone else, please PM me. Thank you.

Well, as that topic will run and run, perhaps it deserves its own thread where the same people can post the same views till Armageddon.....and they will.

Interesting how many people think they are the Forum Police.

Watch it. Every post you make, I'll be watching you.

I 'm not going to comment further....oh dear I have done.
Onwards and upwards.

Oh for goodness' sake. He probably did the dance classes at stage school, 25 years ago.

I was a bloody awesome dancer when I was young, never had any training though until my forties. I was pretty good. He's getting that now.

Ringa my arse.

I don't like Jake at all, but concede his performace on Sat was just fabulous.

Perhaps as time goes on, I'll warm to him.

Tut keep up, Jake isn't the topic of this thread

I did Irish dancing as a kid . River Dance wont be hammering on my door anytime soon . I cant put one foot in front if the other now

That'll teach me for assuming it was

You're still not keeping up Rhumba. Jake has now said never had a dance lesson in his life before doing the show. Now buckle up and pay more attention!