Chris McCausland’s Strictly debut featured twists, lifts, slides and quick-footed steps, none of which are unusual for the BBC show, though this time there was one striking difference – he’s the dance competition’s first blind contestant.
The 47-year-old’s energetic cha cha to the Beatles’ hit version of Twist and Shout wowed the judges and impressed fans.
Even experts like Rashmi Becker, who runs ballroom dancing classes for blind people at Step Change Studios, were stunned.
“I was really impressed, I was blown away actually,” she said. “To those of us with sight, we learn visually, and we pick up visual cues. So to be able to do the tricks and stunts he did requires a really good understanding of timing and rhythm and understanding that movement and connection with his partner, so for his first week he did brilliantly.”
Becker said that McCausland would probably have used physical cues from his partner, Dianne Buswell, to work out where to move, and that she in turn would have physically positioned him. The final performance is the result of careful description of how he should move, and how steps and movements should feel in the body, followed by repetition to build up muscle memory, she added.
Becker noted how McCausland moved confidently around the space, and suspects this is because he’d familiarised himself with it . Before a performance, her students will walk around the space to understand the layout, while sighted instructors will discuss directions and what is located at different points.
On the night, she said he would probably be listening even more closely to the music than a sighted person, as any missed steps would be harder to catch up on without being able to see his partner.
As well as appraising McCausland’s skill, Becker felt the performance “challenges people’s perceptions” about visually impaired dancers – indicated in the rapturous response from the public and media.
“The excitement shows you there’s an interest but also a lack of understanding, because people are so amazed. It sets an example – imagine if there was a bit more investment and commitment from the dance sector to supporting disabled people, imagine what more could be achieved,” she said.