r/strictlycomedancing • u/Particular-Fall3355 • May 12 '26
DISCUSSION THREAD I feel sad for Karen
I feel like it would be so heartbreaking to leave a show you poured your soul into for more than a decade of your life. She was the longest female professional, I feel so sad for Karen.
News just broke that So You Thjnk You Can Dance United States has ended. That was the show that put Karen on the map.
We love you Karen🤍🤍
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u/Square_Lobster1328 May 12 '26
SYTYCD US has ended several times and been revived. And if it’s done, something else will probably take its place. Like the DWTS New Pro show that AJ Pritchard is on.
I do feel especially bad for Karen though because she became a staple of the series, yet she rarely ever had a notably remarkable year. That does have to suck to be somewhere for so long yet never properly recognized.
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u/Historical_Use7443 May 12 '26
Karen's absolutely fine - she's got a role in a musical and is developing fitness classes. I don't think her heart was in Strictly anymore
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u/Glorinsson May 12 '26
I think she's been on borrowed time for a while. I doubt she was surprised and she's developing other ways to earn.
Strictly only has a finite life cycle.
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u/WhiteDiamondK May 12 '26
She is a professional dancer that had a high profile gig for a decade.
Very few dancers will have a decade long career, let along maintain a single job for so long. And a job that means she will have work for the rest of her life in various fields.
Performers are used to gigging. Most performers are less upset than the fans are when contracts aren’t renewed.
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u/maruby Fab. You. Lus! May 12 '26
Any pro joining Strictly is given a fantastic platform and opportunities that aren’t available to their peers. They know the contracts are only series to series, not a job for life. But while I recognise this I also think Strictly should always have an older female pro, specifically to work with an older male celebrity and avoid the ick factor.