Cork talent shines on Dancing With The Stars and Ireland's Got Talent

REBEL spirit is taking over this weekend as Cork stars are expected to dance their way to the top in both Ireland’s Got Talent and Dancing With the Stars.

The grand finals of both shows take place this weekend, with Cork camogie star Anna Geary in the final three in Dancing With the Stars and the Midleton-based RDC dancers in the final of Ireland’s Got Talent.

Anna is hot favourite to add yet another medal to her impressive collection, with some bookies having her as short as 2/7 favourite to claim the Dancing With the Stars Glitterball trophy.

The Milford-native is sure to give it pride of place alongside her three All-Ireland meadals and four All-Stars should she fend off competition from comedian Deirdre O’Kane and singer Jake Carter.

Despite the high stakes, Anna said her main priority for Sunday is to enjoy herself.

Speaking to the Evening Echo this week, she insists there are no nerves ahead of the big day.

She said: “I know that the final result is in the hands of the public. I can’t control it so I’ve just had to let it go. If someone had told me a year ago that I would be doing the salsa I wouldn’t have believed them. No matter what happens I’m extremely grateful for the privileged position I’m in.”

In last week’s semi-final, Anna and her dance partner, Kai Widdrington, waltzed their way to a perfect score of 30 points in their second dance, also scoring high for a foxtrot to Thin Lizzy’s classic ‘Dancing in the Moonlight.’

In previous weeks, the duo has caught the eye with show-stopping performances of the ‘Time Warp’ from the Rocky Horror Picture Show and Billy Ray Cyrus’s ‘Achey Breaky Heart.’

Anna has spent the last few days hard in training ahead of the final.

“You need adrenaline to drive you on,” she added.

Over on Ireland’s Got Talent, youngsters from Billie-Jean’s Rhythm Dance Company and School of Performing Arts are taking on the finest the country has to offer in the live final of the show.

The performers were whittled down from hundreds of hopefuls following a seven-week nationwide audition of dancers ranging in age from 12 to 22.

The Cork dance group are trained by mother of four Billie-Jean Sargent. A Ballinacurra native, Billie-Jean has been running the East Cork dance school since 1991.

“My three children Claudia (18), Nell (14) and William (11) are among the dancers, but I feel like I’m a mother to every single one of them.”

The act comprises 31 local boys and girls who will perform in front of celebrity judges, Denise Van Outen, Jason Byrne, Louis Walsh and Michelle Visage.

The winner of this year’s competition will take home a cash prize of €50,000. They will also have the opportunity to star in their own TV show.

RDC are competing against Dublin duo Double Impact, dance troupe FKFT and singing sensation and Golden Buzzer act, Linda McLoughlin.

Two wild cards have also been added to the final; Dancer Zacc Milne and singing granddad Matt Dodd.

Ireland’s Got Talent live grand final is on TV3 tonight at 7.30pm and Dancing With The Stars final is on tomorrow night on RTÉ One at 6.30pm.