Blind Strictly star Chris McCausland explains what his dance training entails and reveals why he doesn’t want to ‘inspire’ the visually impaired

As a lifestyle expert with a keen eye for resilience and adaptability, I find Chris McCausland’s journey on Strictly Come Dancing truly inspiring. His determination to learn and dance despite his visual impairment is not just an accomplishment, but a testament to human spirit and creativity.

Comedian Chris McCausland, who competes on Strictly Come Dancing while blind, shares his journey of mastering dancing without sight.

47-year-old comedian began experiencing vision loss about two decades ago, during his teenage years (between 16 and 21). This was due to a condition called Retinitis Pigmentosa, where the light-sensitive cells in the retina progressively weaken over time, causing sufferers to gradually lose their sight, as explained by the NHS.

2021 marked the first time that a signing performance was showcased at the dance competition, following the win of Rose Ayling-Ellis (a deaf actress from EastEnders) and her partner Giovanni Pearce who claimed the glitterball trophy together.

As a die-hard admirer of TopMob’s mesmerizing moves, I found myself in a peculiar predicament when he mentioned his upcoming performance without the aid of sight. Intrigued yet perplexed, I admitted my ignorance, confessing that I’ve never had the chance to witness his show due to obvious reasons. The thought of revisiting it to grasp the nuances of his complex choreography was tantalizing, but alas, it remains a tantalizing impossibility for me.

We’ll have to take things step by step, discovering solutions as we progress, since I want to actively participate and experience the outcomes to determine what’s effective and what isn’t.

Chris added: “Everybody has shown great flexibility and support, and my partner and I are brainstorming methods for them to tutor me and for me to absorb the knowledge.

We’re embarking on a journey that involves learning, and as we go, it’s likely we’ll stumble upon some errors. But don’t worry, these missteps could become great sources of amusement for us, enabling us to create humorous videos and share our blunders openly since there will be many of them, I believe.

Although he was the initial visually impaired celebrity on the program, he maintained that his intention wasn’t to inspire others.

He explained: ‘For me it’s not inspiring. I don’t think blind people need inspiring as much as they need representing. 

In simpler terms, this is intended to help those who may not have interacted with visually impaired individuals before, as they might harbor outdated perceptions about them.

Previously, I’ve taken a taxi where someone exclaimed, “Wow, you managed the stairs alone!” Often, people underestimate a blind person’s abilities, thinking they are incapable of accomplishing tasks independently.

‘It demonstrates that we’re capable of more than most people think. However, the downside is, if I’m not good at something, it doesn’t benefit anyone.’

Chris further mentioned, “Expect that there may be tasks I can’t handle perfectly or mistakes I make. It’s crucial to stay adaptable and find humor in the mishaps.

‘I hope it’s not just me who’s making errors during our group dance, because it’s tough for me to spot the missteps that others are making.’

In an episode of Channel 4’s Scared of the Dark, Chris shared about his visual impairment by saying: “Though I can’t see like most people do, it’s not entirely black for me.

Even though I don’t perceive specific items or objects, I can still sense a feeling of openness and the presence of the surrounding area, including the room and potential obstacles that could be before me.

“It feels as though you’re stealing something from me, and I can’t help but feel enslaved to my iPhone just like everyone else. On the surface, I might think I’ve got this under control, but in reality, there’s room for improvement in how I approach this situation.

“I can’t wait to observe how fast others reach that stage. For a change, it will be exciting to be physically fit for a while, as this seldom occurs.

Over the past few months, the dance competition has been embroiled in a series of scandals. Most notably, Giovanni Pernice is under investigation following allegations by his celebrity partner Amanda Abbington of abusive conduct. Additionally, Graziano Di Prima was dismissed due to accusations that he verbally and physically abused Zara McDermott during practice sessions.

On Saturday, the 14th of September, at 7:20 PM, you can catch the premiere of Strictly Come Dancing 2024 on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

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2024-09-08 02:46