“I just remember one girl really getting me on the field and beating the holy crap out of me. I never to this day know why. And then people used to be funny because we were on welfare. People used to make fun of you. But I used to get school dinners so I thought it was great, I got a hot meal every day.”

English dancer and television personality

Shirley Ballas is an English dancer and television personality, best known for her work in International Latin and for serving as head judge on Strictly Come Dancing since 2017. She built her reputation through competitive dancing, winning several championship titles in the International Latin division, a record that earned her the nickname "the Queen of Latin." In later years, she became a familiar face on television, especially through her role on the BBC One dance competition, where she appears as a judge rather than a performer.