No, Sarah wasn’t there. Surprise, the media gets it wrong again!
I thought Mom would not want the spotlight taken off her daughter and the security issues along with..so questioned that report before the fact..
"... her mom announced[I haven't verified] that she would be attending the first live show and once again all eyes were off of Bristol Palin and onto Sarah Palin. Security on the lot for tonight’s premiere episode of Dancing With The Stars has never been higher. All audience members will be forced to walk through a metal detector and be subject to a bag search. Selected cars will be searched as they enter the lot and the studio’s own security team has been told that should their be a beach of security, Sarah is their number one priority, not Bristol Palin (or any other contestant for that matter). With rumors of her mom stumping for votes for Bristol swirling and the over-the-top security, Sarah has once again overshadowed Bristol. It is now up to Bristol to hit the dance floor and prove that she can perform and do something without her mom’s help or influence. He mom can influence a lot of people and can cast a hell of a shadow, but Bristol Palin can prove to the world that she is her own person by going out there and giving one hell of a performance."
I think people like Bristol and those of her age group can identify--