A troupe of 34 young dancers from Abbotsford will perform on stage in Disneyland later this month.
The Dance in Motion Studio sent an audition tape to Disney, and has been accepted to strut their stuff at Disneyland’s California Adventure Park on July 12, in a 23-minute high-energy jazz routine. The students will also participate in a dance workshop put on by Disney on July 11.
The dancers range in age from seven to 22, and were selected from among the many classes offered by the local studio, which has some 400 members.
“This is a wonderful experience for the dancers,” said Amy Mihal, co-owner/director of Dance in Motion. “I performed at Disneyland myself when I was younger and found my ability and confidence grew tremendously from the experience.”
Mihal and her business partner Nicole Chapleo will lead a delegation of almost 100 dancers, parents and instructors that will take part in the Disney performance.
This is the first year Dance in Motion has sent a troupe to Disneyland. Two years ago, Mihal and Chapleo bought the 26-year-old studio, which offers tap, ballet, jazz, hip hop, lyrical and contemporary. A third partner in the studio is Hillary Lee, who recently had a baby and will not be going on the trip.
Mihal said her dancers could perform in front of hundreds or even thousands, depending on how large the crowds are at Disneyland that day. She said the performers are not nervous, but rather enjoy offering their talents to large audiences.
“It’ll be fun – they love performing,” she said. “Everyone is excited.”
Disneyland invites performers from around the world to apply for performing arts workshops in theatre, dance, instruments and vocals.