Local is Dancing with the Stars

THOUSANDS of people tuned into the 2009 premiere of Dancing With the Stars on Sunday night, but none were glued to the screen as avidly as Carol O'Brien.

Mrs O'Brien was eagerly, and a little nervously, waiting for her son Gerrard Gosens' debut performance from her home in Childers.

Mr Gosens is competing in a world-first for the entertainment program - he is dancing blind.

He has a condition called aniridia in which he was born without irises and lost his sight completely at age 14.

“I think he did brilliantly,” Mrs O'Brien said.

“I was amazed at him, he had a really nice rhythm.”

Mrs O'Brien said she had spoken her son since the show and he was happy with how it had gone and he was madly training for the rumba which would offer a different challenge.