I would not call him an accomplished dancer by any means. He is nowhere near that standard - take it from an ex pro. Actor? Que?

What he is in fact is a naturally talented potential dancer. Big difference. Kellie, Helen and Peter are way ahead of him in terms of actual training. Kellie is pure stage school 'eyes'n'teeth (as is Peter) and Georgia is 'ballet' to her bones.

Did you see the YouTube clip? He has had a LOT of dance training. He went to a dance school, then a dance and drama school after. He's done hip hop, contemporary, partnered dancing. I'd say he's far more trained than many of the other contestants (Helen's up there too, I'd say). Unless you're just being sarcastic, in which case ignore what I'm saying! xD

I don't know Peter for dancing at all - all i think of with him is cheesy pop songs, Katie Price and Iceland!

Sofakat is right about Kellie - stage school at its best, all 'teeth and eyes' at the camera - i found it slightly off-putting on Friday night at the start of their dance when she was focussing on the camera instead of Kevin

Helen reminds me of Pixie from last year with her ballet experience and i think it might not do her any favours when it comes to latin?

Im guessing that Daniel did Irish dancing and by the look of it his Charleston might have a lot of Irish dancing steps in it!

I don't know but i was just surprised to see Jay and all that dance experience in that video - I'm not sure what to think of him now, but he seems like a good guy

Nina, you seem have a bee in your bonnet about this ! Lots of celebs come on to the show with dance experience, just like Jay, but it's acceptable because it's not Latin or Ballroom training ! He's not broken any rules, and the BBC have invited him on knowing that. Same for Helen, as it was for Natalie and Pixie etc. I always want the best dancer to win over the best personality / journey dancer every time. I don't bother with the others or the oldies / no hopers, I just watch the talented ones, so I'm all for them having the allowed dance experience.

I have absolutely no problem with celebrities having dance training...and I haven't said anything to oppose that view. I'm just baffled as to why sofakat is seemingly insisting that other contestants have more training than Jay, when there is plenty of evidence that suggests he has an advantage above the others.

Have you watched the yt clip upthread? Jay is a skilled dancer. The 'actor' quip was slight tongue-in-cheek. The nervy performer I buy the exaggerated shyness not so much. I'm guessing the showmanship angle will be a running theme; the technique and talent will be there for all to see but can he 'live' the dance?! An angle is prudent for ringer types as 'very good' week 1, 'amazing' week 2, 'outstanding' week 3 and so on gets old rather quickly. Personally, I wouldn't watch if everyone was basic level or joke-fest the 'ringers' and those with potential to improve produce the dancing/performances I like to watch.

Karen to Jeremy " Don't you dare move Vine " !!
Liking them all but Anthony, Ainsley and Iwan not looking so good as the others ?

Backstage video up, looks like jay's hair surprise was a pretty hefty cut!

https://twitter.com/bbcstrictly/stat...69662034231297

I'm not saying he has hidden the fact he went to dance schools, there would be no point trying to hide it as the information is out there anyway.

I just feel as though his dance ability is being massively underplayed. I had read on the forum that he has contemporary dance training but in the video I posted it is evident that he has had training in other styles of dance too. The video shows that he is already a pretty skilled dancer...and therefore has an unfair advantage over some of the others.

If that doesn't bother people and they still want to support him then fair enough.

I don't think that's true. As far as I am aware PA never went to any stage schools...but I am happy to be proved wrong if you can supply the evidence to support your claims.

As far as I'm aware the only dancing PA has done is choreographed dancing for his stage shows and his music videos, which is totally different to the proper technical dance training they teach at dance schools.

I don't think it really has been though, by Jay or anyone else.

As has been said he has posted vids himself of him dancing, I've seen a quote where he has said wtte: I've done a lot of contemporary, and looking forward to a style I've never done"

I don't see how it's been downplayed. Downplaying would be "I did a bit of contemporary before the Wanted"

Also I don't think he has any massive advantage. It's contemporary. He'll have good lines and an advantage in Rumba, but no more than Helen with her ballet training.

It honestly doesn't bother me as long as they haven't trained in ballroom and Latin which he hadn't.

I'd seen the video of him dancing weeks ago. That was before he joined the wanted 6 years ago. I don't expect him to be able to dance at that level now. The clip he put on Instagram 13 weeks ago shows that he had kept the ability to point his toes, and he said he hadn't done 'this' for a while, so I'm assuming he did a bit of dancing occasionally over the 6 years before Strictly.

He seems to me to be roughly the same level now as Helen, Kelli, Peter and Georgia, and they are all going to have to learn a new type of dancing. I'd like Strictly to be a level playing field, but for many years now, they have been bringing in celebs with years of dance training - last year it was Pixie, Frankie and Caroline.

I'd be supporting Aliona and whoever she got. At least she will be able to get Jay to his potential that he can learn of each dance each week. The last few years they have struggled to get male celebs that can compete with the ladies - this year we have two.

Jay hasn't made an issue of his nerves. Its Tess and Claudia that have been commenting on that. Aliona said when she started working with him that he is shy, and hard on himself. He isn't (or wasn't then) a confident person.

He seems like a genuine kind of guy from his tweets. He did dance surprisingly badly in the group dance, but as we saw from Kirsty, nerves can result in you dancing well below what you are capable of normally.

Think that in the case of Kirsty it was not only nerves. We will find out tomorrow though, as there is no place to hide behind the salsa (however many lifts you put in there; obviously there will be a few, with her being athletic and all).