A HEREFORD Strictly star has been commended by his former college, after wowing the TV show judges.

The Royal National College for the Blind in Venns Lane has been paying tribute to their former pupil, comedian, Chris McCausland who studied at the specialist college in the mid-90s. 

Angela Cheasley, RNCB's communications manager, said they had loved watching Chris and Dianne's jive to Wayne's World at the weekend.

"Chris again showed that he's not just there to make up the numbers - he and Dianne are putting their hearts and souls into every performance.

‘For those with visual impairments, navigating the world requires constant vigilance. Being aware of surroundings, trip hazards, and potential obstacles can be exhausting.

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"On top of that, Chris is learning to dance and will have to commit everything to memory. To execute all elements of the dance with such flair, and without seeing it himself, shows how much effort, focus and determination both he and Dianne are putting in.’

RNC’s Activities Co-ordinator, Beth Wood, who is a trained ballet teacher and runs weekly ballet classes at RNC said she employs a descriptive approach to teaching, and by providing detailed explanations of movements, rhythms, and patterns, it helps visually impaired students to under the choreography.

"Clapping out the rhythm before dancing the steps is another technique I uses to enhance their understanding and appreciation of the music.

"Our ballet students love that Chris is out there representing them and showing everyone that, with the right training, blindness is not a barrier to independence, education or employment."