Natalie Lowe (born 15 August 1980) is an Australian ballroom dancer. She is a four-time Australian ballroom dance champion. Lowe competed on, and won, Australia's Dancing with the Stars with celebrity partner Anthony Koutoufides. She later joined the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing. She competed on Strictly for seven series, leaving after the 2016 series concluded.
Early life Lowe grew up in Sydney, New South Wales. Lowe's family lived next door to a ballroom dance studio. At age 5, Lowe began taking dance lessons after watching her older brother and sister dance. Lowe went on to become a four-time Australian ballroom dance Champion.
Career
Australia's Dancing with the Stars She joined Seven Network's Dancing with the Stars in 2004, partnering athlete Matt Shirvington. She then partnered Ian Roberts, and won the 2006 series with AFL footballer Anthony Koutoufides. Lowe then partnered Home and Away actor Tim Campbell, and, in 2008, partnered boxer Danny Green.
Series Partner Place1Matt Shirvington5th2Ian Roberts2nd5Anthony Koutoufides1st6Tim Campbell3rd8Danny Green2nd20James Magnussen10th
Strictly Come Dancing Highest and lowest scoring performances per dance Dance Partner Highest Partner Lowest American Smooth Ricky Whittle 36 Scott Maslen 31 Cha-Cha-Cha 38 Tim Wonnacott 18 Charleston Scott Maslen 35 17 Foxtrot Ricky Whittle 39 Audley Harrison 25 Argentine tango Michael Vaughan 26 Jive Scott Maslen 15 Paso Doble Scott MaslenRicky Whittle 35 Tim Wonnacott 19 Quickstep Ricky Whittle 40 Audley Harrison 24 Rumba 32 Greg Rutherford 26 Salsa Scott MaslenRicky Whittle Audley Harrison 23 Samba Michael Vaughan 24 Tango 35 Ainsley Harriott 20 Viennese Waltz Scott Maslen 39 Audley Harrison 27 Waltz Ricky Whittle 38 Michael VaughanAudley Harrison 20 Showdance 39 - -
In 2009, Lowe competed as a new professional dancer on the seventh series of the original British version of Strictly Come Dancing, partnering Hollyoaks' Ricky Whittle. Lowe joined the show with fellow newcomers Aliona Vilani and Katya Virshilas. After their first dance together in front of the judges, Lowe and Whittle were described by head judge Len Goodman as maybe the most formidable couple Strictly Come Dancing had ever seen. Even so, Lowe and Whittle finished second. Lowe competed in the 2010 series partnering Scott Maslen. Lowe and Maslen were eliminated in the semi-final of the competition along with Gavin Henson and Katya Virshilas.
On 15 June 2011, the BBC announced that Lowe would again be one of the professional dancers in the 2011 series of Strictly Come Dancing.BBC Press Release 15 June 2011 She was partnered by Audley Harrison (champion boxer) and they were the sixth couple to leave. In the 2012 tenth series her partner was former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan; they placed 7th. In 2013, it was revealed that Lowe would return for the eleventh series; however she suffered a foot injury during training and was replaced by Aliona Vilani. Lowe returned for the twelfth series, as partner to television presenter Tim Wonnacott. In March 2015 Lowe won comic relief special, 'The People's Strictly', with veteran, Cassidy Little. She also participated in the thirteenth series main series of the show and was partnered with celebrity chef Ainsley Harriott. Harriott and Lowe were eliminated in the fifth week of competition. Lowe then competed again with Little in the 2015 Christmas Special. In Series 14 she was partnered with Olympic long jump champion Greg Rutherford. On May 4, 2017, Lowe announced her departure from the show after seven series.
Series Partner Place7Ricky Whittle2nd8Scott Maslen4th9Audley Harrison9th10Michael Vaughan7th12Tim Wonnacott13th13Ainsley Harriott12th14Greg Rutherford7th
Strictly Come Dancing performances
Series 7 – with celebrity dance partner Ricky Whittle
Week No.Dance/SongJudges' scoreResultHorwoodBussellGoodmanDixonTonioliTotal2Waltz / "It Is You (I Have Loved)"88988SafeRumba / "Stepping Stone"888883Paso Doble / "Spanish Gypsy Dance"89999Safe4Salsa / "Dancing Machine"8888840Safe5Viennese Waltz / "How Can I Be Sure"899109Safe6Samba / "Good Lovin'"8888840Safe7Quickstep / "Down with Love"910101010Safe8Tango / "You Really Got Me"8999944Safe9Jive / "Rip It Up (Little Richard song)"8899943Safe10American Smooth / "Over The Rainbow"998109Safe11Rock'n'Roll / "Hound Dog"7888839Bottom two12Foxtrot / "Too Marvelous for Words"Cha-Cha-Cha / "Sunshine of Your Love"999101091010109Bottom two13Waltz / "Kissing You"Argentine Tango / "Verano Porteno"999101010910101049Safe14Quickstep / "Down with Love"Lindy Hop / "Sing with a Swing"Cha-Cha-Cha / "Sunshine of Your Love"Showdance / "Last Dance"10891010810910991010910101091010Runners-Up
Series 8 – with celebrity dance partner Scott Maslen
Week No.Dance/SongJudges' scoreTotalResultHorwoodGoodmanDixonTonioli1Waltz / "I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You"678829None2Salsa / "Let's Hear It for the Boy"8888Safe3Quickstep / "I Wan'na Be Like You (The Monkey Song)"889934Safe4Tango / "Allegretto"8999Safe5Viennese Waltz / "I Put a Spell on You" 9101010Safe6Rhumba / "Wishing on a Star"497828Safe7Jive / "Hit the Road Jack"9101010Safe8Samba / "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher"689932Safe9American Smooth / "Fly Me to the Moon"679931Safe10Paso Doble / "James Bond Theme"899935Bottom two11Argentine Tango / "Época"888933EliminatedSwing-athon / "In the Mood"Awarded2ExtraPoints35Charleston / "Anything Goes"899935
Series 9 – with celebrity dance partner Audley Harrison
Week No.Dance/SongJudges' scoreTotalResultHorwoodGoodmanDixonTonioli1Waltz / "Angel"356620None2Salsa / Don't Stop Till You Get Enough566623Bottom two3Quickstep / "Too Darn Hot"566724Safe4Foxtrot / "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself"676625Safe5Jive / "Little Shop of Horrors Prologue"366520Bottom two 6Viennese Waltz / "I'm with You"587727Bottom two7Cha-Cha-Cha / "Uptight (Everything's Alright)"3665Eliminated
Series 10 – with celebrity dance partner Michael Vaughan
Week No.Dance/SongJudges' scoreTotalResultHorwoodBussellGoodmanTonioli1Waltz / "If You Don't Know Me by Now"556420None2Jive / "This Ole House"2544Safe3Cha-Cha-Cha / "Hot Stuff"366419Bottom Two4Quickstep / "That Old Black Magic"888731Safe5Foxtrot / "I Get the Sweetest Feeling"788831Safe6Salsa / "I Want You Back"5777Safe7American Smooth / "New York, New York"999835Safe8Argentine Tango / "Bust Your Windows"677626Bottom Two9 Samba / "Tequila" 5766Eliminated
Series 12 – with celebrity dance partner Tim Wonnacott
Week No.Dance/SongJudges' scoreTotalResultHorwoodBussellOsmondGoodmanTonioli1Cha-Cha-Cha / "Shop Around"35_5518None2Waltz / "When You Wish upon a Star"56_6623Safe3Charleston / "Money Money"25555Safe4Paso Doble / "The Best"36_5519Eliminated
Series 13 – with celebrity dance partner Ainsley Harriott
Week No.Dance/SongJudges' scoreTotalResultHorwoodBussellGoodmanTonioli1Tango / "Voulez-Vous"456520None2Salsa / "Don't Touch My Tomatoes"677626Safe3Cha-Cha-Cha / "Boogie Wonderland"366520Bottom two4Waltz / "What a Wonderful World"677626Safe5Jive / "Shake, Rattle and Roll"466521Eliminated
Series 14 - with celebrity dance partner Greg Rutherford
Week No.Dance/SongJudges' scoreTotalResultHorwoodBussellGoodmanTonioli1Jive / "Get Ready"677727No Elimination2Tango / "Jump"676726Safe3American Smooth / "Everything I Do (I Do It For You)"888832Safe4Salsa / "Wrapped Up"777728Safe5Cha-cha-cha / "We Found Love"467724Safe6Rumba / "Bring Me to Life"477826Safe7Viennese Waltz / "You Don't Own Me"888832Safe8Paso Doble / "Tamacun"788831Bottom Two9Quickstep / "Hand Jive"888832Eliminated
Other projects Beginning in 2005, Lowe joined the cast of the ballroom dance stage show Burn the Floor. Lowe toured with the show for five years. In March 2013, Lowe launched FitSteps, a dance inspired fitness program, with fellow Strictly professional dancer Ian Waite and former Strictly celebrity Mark Foster.
Personal life In October 2015, Lowe announced her engagement to company director James Knibbs. Lowe first met Knibbs when they sat opposite each other on a train ride to London. Lowe married Knibbs in July 2018. Lowe gave birth to a baby boy, Jack, in December 2019.
References
External links Personal website