I don't think its about being classed as 'fully trained' ..I'm sure hes not...but that he has had far more training than most. Or at least far more training than has been mentioned (I'm sure a lot of the public don't know about his dance training at all, whereas with Helen they do).

But he hasn't. He went to two stage schools. No the same thing at all. Why is that so difficult to understand?

Or is it because he is so much better than your favourite? You are trying to suggest that SCD is pulling the wool over your eyes by slipping in a pro amongst the amateurs?

Is that the real crux of this issue?

No, I think the real problem is that he is turning out to be more naturally talented than the others in SCD and there are those who want to snipe at him and criticise so that people stop voting for him!

It's a kind of back handed jealousy

Its also happened that people have training once they know they are going on the show so you will never know how much experience any of them have had.

If I was Jay and was asked to go on Strictly I would jump at the chance. The Wanted are probably finished and he has to make a career for himself. This is a good way of doing it in view of what some of the contestants have gone on to achieve. Good luck to him I say.

Charlotte Hamilton (School of dance) gives no indication of being a stage school, unless you know different?

Stage schools incorporate many elements of the arts, especially acting. That particular school Jay attented is specifically dedicated to dance (granted they do have "stage" dancing there!).

As for favourites, I don't particularly have one. I think Jay is brilliant and I've said it many times, but what is irritating is the lack of acknowledgment of the advantages he possesses. So your attempt at snide commentary is a little misjudged.

Indeed - would far rather watch those who have a sense of musicality rather than the no-hopers. Don't care about previous training unless they blatantly lie about it (yes Denise, I'm looking at you).

Like many before him and many in show at moment , he has a history.
He graduated at age 13 from England's Midlands Acadamy of Dance and Drama,according to Express newspaper.
Should have had 40 points tonight ,but hey does that put him above the Beebs fave PA?
He is wonderful to watch,doesn't know how good he really is and I hope he goes on to win!

Ah, a bit of sense at last! You're right. Either you have it or you don't. Some will do classes for years and only ever be quite good. Some like Jay have a natural talent which just shines when they work with an SCD pro dancer. Nothing works faster than one to one training like they get on SCD.

Can they choreograph something to this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoi5sVsJqCY

Sorry sofakat. Couldn't resist it

Jay is not a dancer. He may have had previous dance training but he lacks an ability to act the dance. His face lacks expression and he still seems at times clumsy of mind. But his movement, technique, his turns, his balance was amazing today. His response to the judges comments clearly show he doesn't think of himself as a dancer. He may have had some training earlier in his life - but it seems clear he had moved on from imagining himself as a dancer - but he can dance!

Well perhaps its that too

I quite like Jay (not my favourite but enjoy his dancing). And I don't have a problem with the whole 'dance training' thing in general, as I feel others have equal advantages at getting through when it comes to big fanbases and popularity. Getting though is not always down to natural talent or how well you've danced on the night.

But I do think its been a tad unfair that Helens training has been mentioned so much and not his. I for one had no clue he had dance training till I saw a thread on here recently and a few colleagues at work were surprised too when I told them. The casual viewer who doesn't investigate on-line may well be comparing Jay to Helen thinking hes doing so well against someone with training when in fact hes had the same, if not more. I'm not a big Helen fan either...but I do feel a tad sorry for her in that respect.

Yep, I do know different but hey, carry on. I do know precisely what stage schools do. I know very well otherwise I would not bother to comment. I even went to one. OK?

It's such a shame you cannot enjoy Jay's talent for what it is without the digs at his background and his so called advantages.

Ho hum.

I think they mention Helen's ballet training because of Darcey. It also affects the way she puts her feet so she uses this as an excuse. I don't think Jay is likely to say - well I did so well because I have done this and that.

of the two (Helen and Jay) his training is more obvious to me and his training is more than I thought it would be - that said his training is not in ballroom and latin so he is learning a new skill but he still is the ringiest ringah of all

But everyone knows he was in a boyband where you are expected to dance complicated routines to pop videos or on stage. So surely most people will have expected him to have at least some dance training to learn choreographed routines.

He's different to Nicky Byrne who only ever learned to get off a stool at the key change or Harry Judd who sat behind a drum set.

Before I saw him dance I would have expected him to have similar abilities to Frankie Bridge, but wasn't expecting him to be anywhere near as good as he is

Hahahaa! I very much doubt it. That's Swing honey!

Mind you, you could do an East Coast Swing to that too - the old fashioned version. It's the one the ballroom crowd nicked and turned into their gurning Jive

I do enjoy and appreciate Jay's talent as mentioned.

I apologise if my comments about his dance background come across as unfair, but I find it equally unfair to the other contestants to make out as if he has only had little training and is just much better than the rest.

He has had a lot of training, and more than from a typical stage school, but I do accept that dance is a lifelong dedication and it takes more than a few courses to truly "master" the trade.
Last edited by Nina_Blake : 10-10-2015 at 23:13

Bendy, they do currently teach basic Latin and ballroom at Nottingham as part of the course he did, so it isn't a completely new skill, unless the prospectus has changed radically since he was there.

More sense at last! Hurrah!

You are right. He still has a way to go. It's a natural talent waiting to be polished

I thought you'd spent time teaching latin and ballroom, sofakat? Why teach a style of dance you hate so much? Or am I mistaken...

Oh good, just what we need, another thread about a celeb with previous dance experience!

Oh yes, I didn't know that, I just checked out the course outlines and saw that

Which one?

Good luck with that!

But didn't Helen mention it first? In training? She talked about her feet .. and not being able to stop them from pointing in opposite directions (Mary Poppins feet I call it ) and she also went on about Darcey being her heroine. So I think they're just replying to her really and giving her tips on how to overcome it.

I don't think it matters a jot to the people at home. They want to see good dancing. Ian Waite has said before that previous dance training is a disadvantage if anything as often habits have been formed which have to be unformed .. and I trust his word over James Jordan's any day.

There's not a lot to choose between Helen and Jay. Tonight I think he danced better (tho she was brilliant also) but feel that in ballroom she will fare better than him probably.

Everyone I know votes for the person that they love watching .. I've never seen anyone sit and do calculations about dance training v non dance training etc. It's about enjoying the dances and liking the celeb/partnership.