Natalie Lowe, four-times Australian dance champion, started dancing aged three in Sydney and represented her country at eight years old. After performing in Australia’s Dancing With the Stars for five years, she toured the world with Burn the Floor. In 2009, she was headhunted to star inStrictly Come Dancing and moved to Britain. Natalie, 34, lives in central London with her partner.
ADVERTISINGWhat was your very first paid job?
At school, I suffered from really bad skin, so I educated myself and did work experience in a local beauty salon. For the first year I didn’t get paid a thing but I was employed from the second I left school. I left school to fulfil my dance career but you never know where dance takes you so I studied beauty therapy and my boss employed me part-time earning $7-per-hour (£3.50).
My mum and dad were an amazing support for my dancing, but I always gave them whatever I could.
And how much did you get for your first performing work?
I think we might have won a bit for winning the Australian Championship, but only $150. The first time I earned real money was when I taught dancing and started performing at weddings with my then partner, which is a big thing in Australia. We were Australian professional champions four years running so a lot of people wanted to come to us for lessons.
How did your childhood influence your attitude to money?
My dad started an automobile business in our backyard and mum was a stay-at-home mum who did dad’s books. Looking at how dad worked until nine o’clock at night, seven days a week was a real inspiration but I never got anything handed on a platter.
My mum had a poor upbringing and never had nice clothes so she always wanted to give us what she never had. My parents got their heads down and supported three kids who all loved ballroom dancing, a feat with dance being so expensive.
What did you spend your very first competition winnings on?
On costume jewellery at 16 because I couldn’t afford anything else. Mum drummed into me, “Always go out looking the best you can and look $1m” – even though I didn’t have $1m.
Has there been a time when you struggled to pay the bills?
Yes, I saved up to buy my first car. I was 17 and bought a red Toyota Seca for $7,000 (£3,300). I found myself struggling to pay for petrol and a few times, I got stuck and had to ring my brother Glenn to come and pay because I’d spent my money on dance lessons. Everything was always for my dance. When you’re 16 and No 1 in Australia, you can’t be seen wearing the same dress.
You’ve branched into dance, choreography, videos, co-founded a fitness brand and reality TV. Which has been the most lucrative?
The best income you can make is teaching your expertise full-time because it’s what you do best. And as a champion in an elite field, I’ll earn more money from teaching than anything else.
(Photo:pink evening dresses)
What’s the biggest misconception about being a world champion – is it that you’re all millionaires?
I’m probably the most naive ballroom dancer on Earth who doesn’t care about money because I’m so passionate about what dance does for me, people watching and how I change lives. It wasn’t something I set out to do, but Dancing with the Stars and Strictly opened up a world of amazing opportunities.
Did you treat yourself after landing Strictly?
I didn’t, but I should have because for years dancers don’t have a job, so we have to be careful. We don’t really know what income is coming in so I’m always conscious about not splurging on things I can’t justify. I don’t have a car in the UK because I don’t really need it even though I love my cars. One day, when I know where I’ll be settled, my dream is to splurge on a really nice car because I’m a bit of a motor head.
On Strictly is your dream partner: a) a sporty powerhouse, b) a pop heart-throb or c) a hopeless clodhopper that fans root for?
I’d say a) and c) but I’m worried that might buck my chances of getting someone really good! I think I’m due someone that can go far this year. My goal is to take someone across the finish line and I loved dancing with Michael Vaughan who worked so hard at staying in for so long. I love a typical sportsman’s mentality because they never give up. Obviously an actor like Scott Maslen has TV presence, but then working with Tim Wonnacott [TV antiques expert] was fabulous because we had a laugh.
Are you a spender or saver?
Definitely a saver. I like to know that I’m progressing and what I’m buying I can afford. At 16, I took out a credit card to collect air miles with my Qantas visa card that charged 20pc interest which I never paid off on time. For many years I was paying off my credit card because I wasn’t money-savvy. Now, I don’t own one and I’m much more knowledgeable about money. I won’t fall into that hole again.
What’s been your best ever buy?
After my Toyota Seca, I bought a Mitsubishi Lancer. I saved up 10 grand and think I borrowed another nine grand. That was a great buy. I bought that so many years ago and it’s still kicking around my house in Australia though it’s probably worth nothing. But I bought it at 19 and I’m 34 now so I’ve had it 15 years yet it’s never let me down.
What’s the best thing about being famous?
Touching people’s lives in some way because people do stop me on the street. One woman told me: “I used to dance with my husband until he passed away and you’ve enabled me to gain confidence to try a local Fitsteps dance class.” She can now dance ballroom with confidence. If I can be a role model for people, that’s the best thing.
Best business decision?
Definitely getting a trade. I haven’t got dancing for the rest of my life so one day I’d love my own day spa and skin care business to fall back on. Moving to the UK for Strictly was one of my best decisions. I’ve met some incredible people along the way, including Mark Foster and Ian Waite my dance partner who I co-founded Fitsteps with.
All the moves you see on Strictly, we’ve poured into a ballroom and Latin American dance-fitness programme. We’ve just been signed by Universal and we hope to launch it in the United States, Japan and Australia in the very near future.
Do you invest in stocks and shares?
I do have a portfolio of shares and Isas. I took advice a few years back and I’m just going to let that money sit there and see what happens. My dream is to own a property in Oz near family and in the UK. My biggest regret is not buying property when I first arrived in the UK because all the money I’ve spent on rent is phenomenal. I should have been a bit savvier, but being so busy on Strictly, I didn’t know the market or where I wanted to live and we travel so much. I’ve been on tour for the last 10 years.
What’s your biggest extravagance?
I love spending money on quality make-up and evening clothes because I do lots of personal appearances and corporate events. I’m lucky that my ballroom dresses are sponsored by DSI but my biggest enjoyment is eating in beautiful restaurants. I also get through quite a few bedsheets ruined from spray tan. I now have a quick three-hour tan in the morning instead of letting it set for eight hours at night and waking up with hideous, blackened sheets. Hotels hate it when Strictly come to stay because you can always tell which is our spray tan night.Read mroe at:prom dresses uk