A Strictly Come Dancing choreographer has responded to ‘fix’ claims, over Tasha Ghouri being on the show with professional dance training.
The Love Island star shot to second on the leaderboard on Saturday night alongside Aljaz Skorjanec after their cha cha to Espresso by Sabrina Carpenter.
However, fans thought it was unfair as Tasha had a history of dance training before the BBC series, and the reality star has had to fend off ‘fix’ claims as a result.
Now, in response to these claims, talented Strictly choreographer Maria Tsiatsiana has had her say.
Talking to The Sun, the Strictly dancer said the fix row argument is ‘not valid.’
Maria said: “It’s very important to know that every celebrity brings their own life experience and dance, or no dance, experience. Everyone is learning from scratch and it’s a huge thing to learn.
“You have to learn choreography and dance with a professional dancer – and all our pros are the best in the business – and then you have to dance under so much pressure.”
She added: “So if you took five ballet classes or ten or zero, everyone is at the same playing field on that Saturday night and in the rehearsal studio.
“So this fix thing is not valid. There’s no fix. Everyone dances all the classic and traditional speciality dances and the ballroom dances. Everyone starts at the same zero playing field. Everyone starts at zero and we go forward.”
Tasha isn’t the first celebrity to be hit with fix claims – the same was said about theatre performer Layton Williams last year.
And Tasha has hit back, saying: “When you’re in the studio, the glitterballs and the ballroom floor it’s like a whole new world.
"Commercial dance is very different to ballroom dance and latin, I’m still having to strip down and relearn, even walking in cha cha step is weird to me.
"Turning your feet out and leading with your hips, I’m having to relean muscle memory so that’s the hard part.
"Even letting a man take the lead is a lot."
Choreographer Maria said being on Strictly is a “dream come true” after first watching the show as a little girl.
Maria, who is an expert in Argentine Tango, explained: “When I got the call to choreograph, it was something completely surreal. I think I was like, literally screaming up and down.
“And entering the into the studio for the first time, seeing the costume section, the makeup, just entering inside the studio was incredible.
“This was five years ago and I have to say every start of the season, I get the same emotions. It doesn't get old at all. I still walk in saying ‘oh my God, am I here?’”
“I remember I saw the first Argentine Tango on Strictly and I was like, ‘oh my God, this is what I want to do.
“So actually being able to choreograph now for strictly is so crazy for me.”
Maria’s trusty dance partner is her husband Leandro Palou, and the pair regularly show off their impressive dance routines together on social media.
Maria also wows diners at Gaucho Covent Garden for their Secret Tango experience, which features choreography and performances from dancers who’ve graced the Strictly stage.
Strictly stars including Maria and Katya Jones, bringing the elegance and intensity of tango to the tables of diners by dancing while everyone dines.
Maria shared: “I think the, the beautiful thing about Gaucho is that we're bringing a little bit of the Strictly magic but very, very up close.
“The dancers are there right in front of you and, you know, obviously they are very experienced professional Argentine tango dancers and it's a little bit different to watching it on TV because you have it there while you're having this amazing dinner.”
