S Poddar
Pop icon Toyah Willcox, a powerhouse in the music industry for over four decades, recently revealed her experience on the popular BBC show Strictly Come Dancing. While many viewers enjoyed watching her grace the dance floor, Toyah’s journey behind the scenes included a specific request for a dance partner that resonated with her age and experience.
Matched with the younger professional dancers Vito Coppola (32) and Nikita Kuzmin (26), Toyah politely expressed her concerns to the producers about the significant age gap that could be creatively limiting, but more importantly inappropriate for certain dance routines.
“I would have hated doing an intimate dance with someone so young,” Toyah admitted. “I said I really want to be age-appropriate and dance with someone who is right for my physicality.”
Thankfully, the producers appreciated Toyah’s point. She was finally teamed up with Neil Jones, a dancer who was nearly her age (42) and had much experience. This pairing worked to her advantage, as she now had the opportunity to truly enjoy the challenges and the thrill of the competition.
“I trusted Neil,” said Toyah. “He has experience and has the same mental experiences as me.”
While this may be a minute detail for some, Toyah’s request demonstrates the significance of feeling comfortable and confident in a relationship, especially with an activity as physically demanding as dance. Her experience inspires anyone of any age to advocate for themselves and their well-being in any situation.
The article ends with how this is a characteristic resilience which belongs to Toyah herself. Having gone through an entire career of criticism and struggles, she went into Strictly Come Dancing positive and determined.
“I’ve worked with tougher directors,” she said, while discussing her experience working with trying industry veterans. “I still believe that it was a fantastic opportunity. I loved every second and it’s as simple as that.”
